Announcement: My new novels should be available from any webseller or can be ordered from any brick and mortar bookstore. Information can be found at www.ancientlight.com. Check out my novels--I think you'll really enjoy them.
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: while on assignment in Gdansk, Poland, 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:
In my current novel, I can now write the theme as: Lilly a computer genius meets Dane at Pacific Lutheran University; she becomes the kami of a Japanese shrine and he her Kannushi--they are confronted by other Japanese kami and succeed.
When I first started writing this novel, Lilly: Enchantment and the Computer, I knew where I started, but I didn't know where I was going. I don't recommend writing a novel like this, but I want you to know you can write this way. Usually, when I start writing, my theme statement is complete. I'm already contemplating a new novel and the theme statement is complete: a girl in a fascist island nation will do anything to escape--a young cargo ferry pilot not following the rules crashes on the island.
This theme statement lends itself well to each part of the development of a novel. Note, there is a setting, a initial scene, protagonist, protagonist helper, antagonist, and the climax is obvious. This is a dystopian type novel, perhaps I can get my publisher to contract it early to take advantage of the dystopian clamor. I haven't started writing the novel yet--I just got the idea for it. What I should do is go through the parts and show the connection of the theme statement to each part of the novel. That would be a great exercise for me and you. If you also note, you and I could both use the same theme statement and come out with two completely different novels.
Now, back to Lilly. I just finished Lilly. I kind of plan on writing two or three novels based on Lilly. As I wrote, I finished the novel while flying back to the USA from Bangkok Thailand. The climax of Lilly is her clash with another kami (Japanese god). What was great about this novel is I wove in Native American gods into the fabric of the novel. I plan to continue this idea in the other novels if I write them. Lilly is a standalone novel, but like all good novels, all the threads are not tied together. I intentionally didn't tie some to let the novel play, but the climax resolved the theme and the plot--there is just more there, there.
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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