Announcement: My novels Sister of Light and Sister of Darkness are about to be published. I write this blog about 2 months prior to its publication. I just heard that the proofs will be here soon--likely before the end of the week. My publisher also wants to put the entire set of novels based on Aegypt on contract--that's 5 more novels for 8 total. They also want to put my other novels on contract. The release schedule should be one novel every 2 months. I'll keep you updated.
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.
A scene outline is a means of writing a novel where each scene follows the other with a scene input from the previous scene and a scene output that leads to the next scene. The scenes don't necessarily have to follow directly in time and place, however they generally follow the storyline of the protagonist.
A storyline outline is a means of writing a novel where the author develops a scene outline for more than one character and bases the plot on one or more of these storyline scenes. This allows the scenes to focus on more than the protagonist. This is a very difficult means of writing. There is a strong chance of confusing your readers.
Whether you write with a scene outline or a storyline outline, you must properly develop your scenes. All novels are developed from scenes and each scene has a design similar to a novel. Every successful novel has the following basic parts:
1. The beginning
2. The rising action
3. The Climax
4. The falling action
5. The dénouement
Every scene has these parts:
1. The setting (where, what, who, when, how)
2. The connection (input)
3. The tension development
4. The release
5. The output
There are many approaches to scene setting. That means there are about a million plus ways you can set a scene. The main point is you have to clearly get across the where, when, who, what, and how.
Here is another example of scene setting from the novel, Aksinya. I'm giving you examples from the book so you can see different ways of introducing and writing a scene. In each snippet, you get the scene setting, the tension and release, and the input and output. This isn't true of every example, but the pieces should be there, and I've been trying to identify for you when all the pieces aren't evident. You can use these ideas to guide your own writing. Make sure you set the scene properly, then make everything come to life through the narration and conversation.
This is the marriage prayer...
Father Makar, “Again
we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, visitation, pardon and
forgiveness of sins for the servants of God, Dobrushin Sergeevich Lopuhin
and Princess Aksinya Georgovna
Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov the Countess of Golitsyna, and for the people here present, who await your great and rich
mercy.”
Ekaterina, “Lord,
have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.”
Father Makar
prayed, “For you, O God, are merciful, and love mankind, and to you we give
glory, to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever, and to the
ages of ages.”
“Amen.”
Dobrushin, “Let us
pray to the Lord.”
Ekaterina, “Lord,
have mercy.”
Father Makar
prayed again, “Lord, our God, who in your saving dispensation were pleased in
Cana of Galilee to declare marriage honorable by your presence, now too
preserve in peace and concord your servants, Dobrushin Sergeevich Lopuhin
and Princess Aksinya Georgovna
Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov the Countess of Golitsyna, whom you have been well-pleased to be joined to each another.
Declare their marriage honorable; keep their marriage bed undefiled; be well
pleased for their life together to be without spot; and grant that they may
reach a ripe old age, carrying out your commandments with a pure heart. For you are our God, a God who has and who
saves, and to you we give glory, together with your Father who has no
beginning, and your all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and for ever,
and to the ages of ages.”
“Amen.”
Father Makar
prayed, “Help us, save us, have mercy on us and keep us, O God, by your grace.”
More prayers for the marriage and the couple.
The following is a question asked by one of my readers. I'm going to address this over time: I am awaiting for you to write a detailed installment on identifying, and targeting your audience, or audiences...ie, multi-layered story, for various audiences...like CS Lewis did. JustTake care, and keep up the writing; I am enjoying it, and learning a lot.
For more information, you can visit my author site www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites: http://www.aegyptnovel.com/, http://www.centurionnovel.com, www.thesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, thefoxshonor, aseasonofhonor.
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