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'm writing about real scientific creativity. I'll start with an example of technology so you see how extrapolation works. Let's look at writing as a technology. Writing began with the need to record numbers of item for religious reasons--mainly for recording sacrifices. This writing was called proto-writing. Proto-writing quickly was acquired by traders and merchants to record information and began the slow transition to true writing. True writing is where there are symbols that represent words or sounds. This transition took a while, but eventually, you had recording of more than sacrifices and goods.
In the West, true writing was developed by the Mesopotamians and by the Egyptians. The Mesopotamians used cuneiform on slabs of mud while the Egyptians, most likely, started with dried bricks or pottery and moved to stone then papyrus. The original writing was on papyrus or vellum sheets (and mud slabs).
We can measure this in approximate terms of millennia. So let's say proto-writing was roughly invented about 10,000 years ago and true writing about 7,000 years ago. Movement to sheets was perhaps close to the time of true writing. The next step is putting the sheets together.
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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