Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. This was my 21st novel and through this blog, 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 beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.
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.
Here are my rules of writing:
1. Entertain your readers.
2. Don't confuse your readers.
3. Ground your readers in the writing.
4. Don't show (or tell) everything.
Creativity is work and not an act of divine providence, random fate, or abstract accident. Creativity is hard work that is equal to the effort expended on it. If you wish to write (or be creative in any way): study, put lots of effort into it, and work hard at it.
The question then is how do you work at creativity? I think there are three parts to creativity: inherent creativity, learned creativity, and fostered creativity.
Embedded in the following questions is the way to learn creativity. Basically, to learn creativity, you must practice being creative. Without the spark of inherent creativity, this will be impossible, but if you have any touch of creativity, doing the above will bring out your creativity.
1. Do you like art (1)?
2. Have you created quality art (3)?
3. Do you like music (1)? (all kinds not just one type or another)
4. Have you written any music (3)?
5. Have you written any lyrics (3)?
6. Do you play any instrument (2)?
7. Do you like to sing (1)?
8. Do you sing in parts (2)?
9. Do you like to read (1)?
10. Do you like to write (2)?
11. Have you written any poetry (3)?
12. Have you written any stories (3)?
13. Have you written a novel (4)?
14. Have you written a book (4)?
15. Do you get great ideas (2)?
16. Have you ever successfully implemented your great idea (3)?
17. Do you like plays, musicals, opera, or ballet (1)?
18. Have you acted in a play, musical, opera, or ballet (2)?
19. Have you written a play, musical, opera, or ballet (4)?
What is appropriate writing? What is appropriate study? What is appropriate life and experiences? The answer to these questions provides the focus to learn creativity. I took music all the way down the creative path. From the simple question, "Do you like music?," we found that a creative person will then study music, learn the language of music, learn to play or sing music, and try to create their own music (or songs). This is the essence of creativity.
If I were to select another subject from the questions above--for example, "Do you like art?" What do you think a creative person will do if they like art? I know what they will do--they will study about art, they will learn the language of art (actually a language of art--there are many), they will attempt to create their own art. At this point, the quality of the music--or the art is immaterial. What is important is the creativity.
This is just like children. If you put a sheet of paper in front of a child and give them a writing utensil, they will draw a picture. The children who don't are not creative. A person who won't isn't creative. A creative person who finds themselves on a stage will dance, sing, or recite something. I know because I am a creative person, and I have always been a creative person. I have written music, lyrics, acted in plays, musicals, ballet, not opera (yet). I write novels. My creativity engulfs my life. This is what creativity and learning creativity is all about.
Remember, at the beginning, I wrote, people are born with a creative gene, but they can learn to be more creative. If you want to be more creative--you must engage your creative gene. You accomplish that through being creative. Do the things on the list above.
There is a third attribute to creativity--fostering creativity. I'll write about that tomorrow.
I'll write more about how to spend your time in developing creativity tomorrow.
The following is a question asked by one of my readers. I'm going to address this over time: Please elaborate on scene, theme, plot, character development in a new novel creation....ie, the framework, the development, order if operation, the level of detail, guidelines, rule of thumb, tricks, traps and techniques. To what extent do you outline the historic context, culture, mannerism, speech, dress and thought process of the main characters, in a historic novel...in order to maintain integrity, and gradually (help) reveal attributes of a character in the story, or otherwise clarify the plot, scene, transition, tension or resolution?
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.thefoxshonorhttp://www.aseasonofhonor.com/.
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