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.
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
The theme statement of this new 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.
The point is that for this novel, the initial scene meets my criteria for that first critical scene. First it is filled with action: a shooting, potential death, a hunting vampire, the vampire is hungry and wants to eat. Second, it introduces the protagonist and the protagonist's helper. We get a description with no details (yet) of the characters. Their meeting is filled with action. Third, the theme is introduced. The protagonist must have a telic change caused by his telic flaw. From the initial scene, you don't know the telic flaw of the agent character, George Mardling, but because of his interaction with the vampire, you have the same question he does: what does it mean to give some blood to a vampire, and what will happen to me and her? This is the device that drives the theme into the plot.
That's the point of the initial scene: excitement, introductions (descriptions), setting, and the theme turned into a plot. I have much more in mind for this novel. The initial idea, you must admit, is intriguing. The idea of a homeless vampire is pretty appealing. We usually imagine vampires to be predators who have everything together. The idea of one who is dirty, dressed in rags, and hungry is slightly outside of our usual thinking. This is the springboard for the rest of the novel.
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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