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.
The steps in making and using a character in a novel are as follows:
1. Development of the character (history, description, personality, etc.)
2. Revelation of the character (within the novel, show don't tell)
a. Description of the character - introduction
b. Voice of the character
c. Continuing revelation by showing
In a classical plot (and in most of my novels) you have a protagonist, an antagonist, and a protagonist's helper. If you develop these three characters for a novel, the plot will naturally fall out of the development of the characters.
I made a list yesterday of what not to do with a teaser. I think the best I can do now, is give you examples of good teasers and see how that works out. Here is the teaser for The End of Honor:
The fragile peace of the Human Galactic Empire hangs in the balance. Book One The Chronicles of the Dragon and the Fox An intragalactic war threatens to tear apart his heart. and the entire Empire. The death-knell of the Human Galactic Empire has sounded-it is the crash of an axe against the virgin white marble of the Hall of Accords. It is the bitten-off cry of the Lady Lyral Neuterra, whose head lies sundered from her smooth shoulders. It is the death of the Emperor at the hand of his own son. It is the whirlwind of a thousand ships sent to enforce the new Emperor's will. And only Prince John-Mark, the Emperor's youngest son, can bring the Empire back from the edge-back to peace and honor. Don't miss... Book Two: The Fox's Honor Book Three: A Season of Honor Or L.D. Alford's suspense-thriller: Aegypt
Just like the other teasers I've shown you, this one drives directly into the plot and the characters. Immediately, I want you to be interested in the Lady Lyral and Prince John-Mark. You already feel some of the excitement in the novel through the words of the teaser. My desire is that the reader will feel compelled to check out the novel. That's the only point of a teaser. If your teasers miss the point, you are never going to sell a novel.
Notice, at the end we get some adds for my other books. This gives the reader some connections to these other works. If they don't like science fiction, they might be interested in suspense.
The ultimate point is so you will have advertising that will drive people to your novel. Then the novel has to catch their attention. I'm going to move in that direction tomorrow.
I've been seeing some horrible teasers and blurbs in the indie scene. I'll discuss that tomorrow and get back to introducing the theme in the first scene later.
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/.
No comments:
Post a Comment