Announcement: Delay, my new novels can be seen on the internet, but the publisher has delayed all their fiction output due to the economy. I'll keep you informed. More 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 25th novel, working title, Escape, is this: a girl in a fascist island nation will do anything to escape--a young cargo shuttle pilot not following the rules crashes on the island.
Here is the cover proposal for Lilly: Enchantment and the Computer. Lilly is my 24th novel.
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| Cover Proposal |
I'm an advocate of using the/a scene input/output method to drive the rising action--in fact, to write any novel.
Scene development:
1. Scene input (easy)
2. Scene output (a little harder)
3. Scene setting (basic stuff)
4. Creativity (creative elements of the scene)
5. Tension (development of creative elements to build excitement)
6. Release (climax of creative elements)
I can immediately discern three ways to invoke creativity:
1. History extrapolation
2. Technological extrapolation
3. Intellectual extrapolation
Creativity is like an extrapolation of what has been. It is a reflection of something new created with ties to the history, science, and logic (the intellect). Creativity requires consuming, thinking, and producing.
I'm going through a creative process right now in the writing of a new novel, Shape (working title). This novel is about a shape-changer. It is specifically about the Celtic creature Sith, also called the Aos Si. In the novel, the young woman, who is the human manifestation of Sith (Aos Si) is called Essie. Aos Si is pronounced eesh she, thus Essie. Should I tell you about the Sith, the Aos Si? I guess it won't hurt. The Sith, actually pronounced more like shidth, is a black cat from the Scottish Highlands. It is black but with a white splotch on it's breast. The Sith is the animal manifestation of a Celtic witch or a minor deity. In my novel, she shall be both. That is an unbound goddess that has witch-like characteristic and can manifest as a woman or a black Scottish wildcat.
The great part about this entire idea is the contrast between the Sith and Ceridwen. My Ancient Light novels feature Ceridwen, the Celtic goddess as a major character. She is pictured in my novels as an unbound goddess who rules the pantheon and the courts of the Celts. Ceridwen has two white cats who serve her. I never had the cats in the other novels, but I can bring the idea into this one. She had cats in the past, she doesn't now. I wrote that my Sith/Essie character isn't very bright. That is part of he problem. She has been abused her entire life and isn't really very bright. She understands the world through a prism of suffering and abuse. Essie believes Ceridwen will hate her because she is a black cat--this was actually true in the mythology of the Celts. Ceridwen represents the great white, the purity of the people and culture represented by winter and snow. She was called the White Lady. Sith represents the wildness of the Celts and is in many ways opposed to the White Lady. The mix of the two should provide some fun excitement. This is the development of creativity through historical extrapolation.
More tomorrow.
For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:
For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:
http://www.ancientlight.com/
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com
fiction, theme, plot, story, storyline, character development, scene, setting, conversation, novel, book, writing, information, study, marketing, tension, release, creative, idea, logic
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