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 first and most important point is that you must be able to properly extrapolate science to be able to write science fiction. If you don't get this point, then everything else is meaningless. To extrapolate science and technology, you must set the approximate time of your universe--this is part of setting the scene. If you noted, I intentionally used 10, 100, 1000, and 10,000 years in the description of extrapolation. From a big picture sense of science fiction scene time setting, this is where to start. So, begin your scene setting for time with these extrapolation magnitudes in mind.
From a basic concept of extrapolation, it makes no sense to extrapolate for 10,000 years in the future if your novel only covers 10 years in the future. If you are an avid science fiction reader, you will note that not many authors attempt a full extrapolation out at the 10,000 year level--there is just too much chance of a gross logic error. On the other hand, you can build out to the 10,000 year level if you make judicious use of culture and technology shaping.
I'll discuss culture and then technology shaping beginning tomorrow.
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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