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 my newest novel, Valeska, is this: An agent of the organization becomes involved with a vampire girl during a mission, she becomes dependent on the agent, and she is redeemed.
Here is my proposed cover for Valeska:
You can't have any mystery if you "tell" the reader everything. In fact, what mystery is there in telling at all? If as part of your revelation of the character you developed, you just come out and tell us everything about that character, first it would take a book, and second, it will make a boring book. This is one of the reasons I'm not very happy with using the first person in a novel. You can't keep anything a secret in the first person--and non-disclosure is the hallmark of any great writing.
Look, when a person is reading your novel, do you want them to be apoplectic and unexcited, or do you want them excited and wanting more and more. Obviously, you want them to be reading with so much anticipation and interest that they rush through the book and start reading it again. You can have this through the proper use of mystery and showing. I am writing all at once here about my rules of writing.
When you develop your characters, develop interesting and entertaining characters. When you develop your plot, develop a plot that is interesting and entertaining. You can achieve this through mystery. I don't mean the genre "mystery," although that genre can produce a great theme and plot. I mean that throughout your novel, there are mysteries. There are tantalizing tidbits of information and revelation that show the reader an amazing and entertaining world beneath the surface of the mundane.
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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