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.
I've written a little about this subject--that is creativity in science. First, what is your area of expertise in science. If you don't have one, you are going to have a really difficult time creating new and advanced science. Michael Crichton's expertise was medical science. He usually got most of that stuff right although he tended to mess up some science in other fields. Asimov was a biochemist. He didn't get the physics of space travel right much, but he was great meshing his field with mechanics--as in his robots and to a lesser degree his Foundation series. Clarke was a radar technician with some knowledge of space mechanics. His works are great where they extrapolate electromagnetic systems and communications. Heinlein was a navel officer in communications and early carrier operations. His understanding and work with military operations and military technology was excellent. All of these men were trained in science and used their science knowledge to extrapolate future science and technology. John Brunner was also a military officer. His writing contains likely the best predictions of future technology of any science fiction.
If you want to write great science fiction, you must have some expertise in science and be able to extrapolate from that basis of knowledge. My expertise is in military, cyberwar, and aerodynamics. These are the areas I try to capitalize on in my science fiction writing. If you want to write science fiction, again, the first step is to begin with your science expertise and work from there.
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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