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:
The little mysteries in your novel and each scene are shown through conversation (and some description). Don't go overboard on the description and don't use much (any) omniscient voice. Let's be straight on this subject. If you are very cautious, there is nothing wrong with a little omniscient voice--just make certain it is a little and it is important and entertaining. I won't let you get away with anything that is not entertaining. The purpose of any novel is entertainment--if you don't have entertainment, you don't have anything.
The little mysteries (or big mysteries) are the things that propel your novel. Your novel may not be a discovery or a mystery theme, but the complete character revelation is certainly a mystery to be revealed and the overall plot is a mystery to be revealed. If it isn't you aren't in the right profession. If everything is obvious, then it isn't worth writing about. The overall solution to the "problem" in your novel is a mystery (or it should be).
Let's take an accounting of the mysteries that you must reveal in your novel. First, you reveal the characters (you developed them--in your novel, you reveal them). Second, in every scene there should be something to reveal to the reader. The action in the scene is a revelation (the plot revelation). Third, the novel theme is a revelation and fourth, the novel plot is a revelation. The entire novel does not get revealed until the climax, the falling action, and the dénouement. Every novel is a revelation of mystery, and this is the basis for its entertainment.
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
No comments:
Post a Comment