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.
What are Aristotle's pathos and tension in character development? I've written about both concepts before. In my novel writing, I work to develop primary characters (protagonists and protagonists helpers) who are certain to cause a very high level of pathos. Pathos is the characteristic of producing emotion in your readers. This is what Aristotle meant by a pathetic character. In general English, pathetic means something a little different than this very defined meaning. A pathetic character is one that evokes emotion. For example, in my "vampire" novel, the idea of a vampire who is a girl immediately evokes some degree of emotion from a reader. All readers grab onto the idea of youth and youthful characters. This is why there are very few protagonists who are very old. Still a vampire who is a young girl automatically gets a degree of emotional attention.
Such a character can be easily enhanced in the sphere of emotion. If the girl vampire is abandoned, abused, dirty, hungry, whose clothing fine but ruined. If she is alone and lives in a grave. Such a character, if properly handled can build pathos. Such a character just by existing in the writing develops pathos. Only the psychopathic could not see emotion is this type of character. That is unless the author intentionally turns this kind of character into a monster. For example, a vampire girl who is hungry, abandoned, abused, dirty, whose clothing is ruined, and who lives in a grave whose own actions and behavior is wholly responsible as the cause, will not generate the degree of pathos of one whose actions and behavior didn't cause the negatives. In other words, a character who cannot completely help themselves but is trying returns a much higher degree of pathos than one who caused their own misfortune.
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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