Announcement: I received the proofs and a three-day deadline to give comments. One of my regular prepub readers and I went through the three book. I was able to correct some second edition issues in Aegypt. The proposed cover and info can be found at www.ancientlight.com. I'll keep you updated. I should have three new books out soon.
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 purpose of a novel is to reveal the protagonist and usually the protagonist's helper, the author needs to place them in circumstance that allows them to reveal themselves. The means can be conversation, exploration, discovery, other's conversation, confession, accidental discovery.
You can also see that discovery is a tension and release developer. If a character has a secret they don't want discovered and is hiding it, that is tension. This is a kind of tension that the writer can use through an entire novel. I've seen this technique used very well is good novels--the idea of a secret the protagonist or the protagonist's helper wants to conceal. For a very powerful secret, the accidental discovery might be the best means of revelation. For a simple or a personal secret (one that is important to the holder, but not so important to others), the general discovery might be a better means of revelation.
In my yet unpublished novel, Dana-ana, discovery is a very important part of the character revelation in the novel. Dana-ana is a discovery novel. In the novel, Dana-ana, the protagonist cannot or will not tell anyone about her. Her background and identity must be "discovered" by those who befriend her. Those who befriend her also don't realize the extent of the interaction of their lives and history with Dana-ana. The discovery of who is Dana-ana comes through conversation, exploration, and discovery--along with the other methods listed above. Since the characters are fully in the mode of discovery, every new discovery is like a new treasure. Most of the discoveries are made normally and not necessarily accidentally.
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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