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.
Aksinya was healed, but only one part of the solution is complete. The first part was removing the demon, the second part is removing his claims. One of the great claims by the demon was to Aksinya. The demon claimed they were bound like husband and wife. That wasn't exactly true because the demon didn't have the proper parts to be married in the physical or real (ancient) world sense. The angel Raphael warned Dobrushin that Aksinya and he must come together in marriage. There are many many types of love in English, but the greatest love there can be is the love of a married man and woman for one another. Such a union is blessed by God and the church. It is a great sacrament and from such a union comes other humans--those created in the image of God through procreation.
Dobrushin lifted Aksinya in his arms. She was chilled. He laid her in the bed and undressed. Then he gently tugged the ruined dress off
her body. His heart caught in his
throat. She was slim and wonderfully
made, not the full curves of a woman, but the slight form of a dancer. The crucifix lay between her small breasts
and the burn scars caused by it permanently marked her chest. Dobrushin slipped into the bed and pulled the
covers over them. Dobrushin held her
left hand. Scars covered it. He kissed each one. He held her cool body close to his and kissed
her forehead then eyelids. He felt her
body begin to warm next to him. She gave
a start, and her eyes flashed open, “Where is the angel?”
“He has gone.”
She felt her body, “And I am whole… and
naked.” She turned toward Dobrushin and
touched him, “And you are also naked.
Her breath caught, “Still, that is bad because I had more questions for
him, but it is good, because I want you to love me. Now is the time for you to truly marry
me. Kiss me, Dobrushka.”
He kissed her.
The point and setting of this scene is to complete the novel. This leads to the completion of the requirement of redemption for Aksinya. Notice that it also solves many of her personal problems and bad habits.
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, http://www.centurionnovel.com, www.thesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, thefoxshonor, aseasonofhonor.
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