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.
Once the initial scene is written, you have the whole rising action to give backstory build the theme and plot and approach the climax of the novel. The initial scene is such a small part of a novel, but the most important part of the novel.
It is the most important part because it sets the novel and it draws in the reader. Let's say you write the best novel in the world, but no one will read it because the initial scene is a turn-off--you have a great novel that no one will read. How's that going to play in Hoboken? That's the point, the initial scene is the initial draw into the novel. If the reader isn't excited and interested in the initial scene, they will likely not continue reading the novel--the world's greatest novel is kaput.
The initial scene is the critical scene of the novel and after it, you can begin to flesh out all those marvelous details that reveal the characters and build the novel. Did you get that--the initial scene is not the place to reveal the characters or to build the novel. A good writer will not. Let's say you could fully reveal a character during the initial scene--either that character is facile, your first scene is way too long with too much backstory, or your novel is going to be weak. One of the whole points of a novel is the characters. Revealing the characters is the point of a novel. I'll explain this.
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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