Development - Continuing the Creative Process

21 February 2012, Development - Continuing the Creative Process

Introduction: I realized that I need to introduce this blog a little. I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. The working title was Daemon, and this was my 21st novel. Over the last year, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.

Today's Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, visit my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

For me, the creative process always begins with a picture.  I've called this a scene before, but the simplest form is a picture.  I usually use the example of the stage for a play in describing a scene.  We can make this example simpler by freezing the beginning of the scene.  When we do this, we see the setting, the characters, and the action ready to play out.  This is the picture.

In a stage play, the stage is set, this is the setting.  When the lights go down, the characters take their places.  They are ready to act.  The play is about to commence. 

The picture I am describing for you is similar.  Imagine the scene setting and the characters like a picture.  At the beginning of the novel, the initial scene is the same.  To begin the creative process, you have to imagine this scene, that is, the complete picture.  This complete picture is the characters, the setting, and the actions.
We'll continue to explore these ideas for the novel Aksinya, tomorrow.

I'll repeat my published novel websites so you can see more examples: http://www.ldalford.com/, and the individual novel websites: http://www.aegyptnovel.com/, http://www.centurionnovel.com/, http://www.thesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, http://www.thefoxshonor.com/, and http://www.aseasonofhonor.com/.