Anything you do to handle the bud more than absolutely necessary is going to negatively impact your end quality.
I wouldn't recommend chopping the buds up at all. Handle them by the stem only while trimming. You can trim before hanging to slightly speed up the process.
If you have to dry in a closet, crack the door a little and put a small fan on the floor to make just the slightest breeze.
Drying in low light is good practice.
