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Friday, April 11, 2014

Writing Ideas - Themes (Vampire Novel), part 1

11 April 2014, Writing Ideas - Themes (Vampire Novel), part 1

Announcement: There is action on my new novels.  The publisher renamed the series--they are still working on the name.  I provided suggestions as did one of my prepub readers. Now the individual books will be given single names: Leora, Leila, Russia, Lumiere', China, Sveta, and Klava--at least these are some of the suggestions.  They are also working on a single theme for the covers.  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.
Today's Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, visit my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

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.

All novels have five discrete parts:
1.  The initial scene (the beginning)
2.  The rising action
3.  The climax
4.  The falling action
5.  The dénouement

I just started writing another novel back in December.  I think I noted 1 December as the start date.  I got the idea for the novel by using the immersion techniques I described before for creativity.  I was reading and watching some books on vampires, and I had a great idea for an vampire novel.  I know I have written before that Vampire novels are trite, but I think I have a completely unique idea that included a vampire. 

The theme statement of this novel is: An agent of the organization becomes involved with a vampire girl during a mission, she becomes dependent on the agent, and she is redeemed.  This is a redemption theme and is unique in a couple of ways.  The first is the concept of a vampire being dependent on a person.  The second is the idea of a vampire being redeemed.  I have never read a novel or a story about a vampire having any possibility of redemption, and I have never read a book about a vampire dependent on a person.

With this theme statement I was ready to tackle the novel.  The first step was to flesh out the characters and the setting.

More tomorrow.

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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