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.
The four plus one basic rules I employ when writing:
1. Don't confuse your readers.
2. Entertain your readers.
3. Ground your readers in the writing.
4. Don't show (or tell) everything.
5. Immerse yourself in the world of your writing.
The other code word for science fantasy is space opera. I'm not sure why the science fiction community has allowed this kind of influence, but it isn't good. Hard science has degenerated into Start Trek and Star Wars. If I have to explain to you why they are not good science, you really aren't at the point where you should be writing science fiction. Perhaps the reason we, as a society, have moved from real science fiction into science fantasy is that we are not a culture based on scientific knowledge. Most graduates from Harvard can't build an elementary circuit using a battery, wire, and light bulb. Most Harvard graduates can't explain why the seasons happen. How are they going to understand orbital dynamics or physics. The problem is that we have a culture filled with science morons. This is a problem for science fiction, because many of our audience can't understand what is being written about on the most basic level. This is where great authorship comes about.
Great science fiction is about making science understandable to an audience that may have little understanding of science. If they can read, they likely can understand science. The evidence that they really are longing for some degree of scientific knowledge is the number of people who watch "Big Bang Theory." You can tell these are not real scientists because they are attracted to Star Wars and Star Trek without complaining about the bad science in them. But, the audience for the show is large--there are a lot of people who want to learn more about science. They are attracted to science. The trick is to win them with your writing.
Also remember, I'm trying to show you and give you examples of how to write a science fiction theme statement and turn it into a plot.
For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com
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