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 26th novel, working title, Shape, is this: Mrs. Lyons captures a shape-shifting girl in her pantry and rehabilitates her.
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.
One of my blog readers posed these questions. I'll use the next few weeks to answer them.
2. Character presentation (appearance, speech, behavior, gestures, actions)
3. Change, complexity of relationship, and relation to issues/theme
4. Evolving vs static character
5. Language and style
6. Verbal, gesture, action
7. Words employed
8. Sentence length
9. Complexity
10. Type of grammar
11. Diction
12. Field of reference or allusion
13. Tone
14. Mannerism suggest by speech
15. Style
16. Distinct manner of writing or speaking you employ, and why (like Pinter's style includes gaps, silences, non-sequitors, and fragments while Chekhov's includes 'apparent' inconclusiveness).
Moving on to 2. 2. Character presentation (appearance, speech, behavior, gestures, actions)
An author develops a character first and then reveals the character through the plot. Plot revelation is what it is all about. We do not reveal characters by telling. First develop, then reveal.
Appearance, speech, behavior, gestures, and actions are means of character revelation. I really like this list--let's look at each piece.
Actions define a character. Words are actions. Here is an example from the newest novel I'm writing. It isn't a young adult novel although the protagonist is a girl who ends up in an all girls school.
Essie
returned to her room for a moment. She
made sure her book and the branch were settled in her dresser under her
clothing, then she headed to Tabitha’s room.
Essie
knocked, then knocked again. She heard
the sound of a short scramble then the door opened a crack. Tabitha stuck her head out, “Oh, it’s just
you.”
Essie
pushed her way inside. She spoke Welsh,
“It’s just me.”
Tabitha
stared at Essie for a moment then flounced on the bed. Clothing still covered most of the
floor. Essie closed the door, “You are
my house buddy. What does that mean
exactly?”
Tabitha
wrinkled her nose again, and asked in English, “Could you stop speaking Welsh?”
“Why? I like Welsh…it’s your language too.”
“Listen,
Essie of the Lyons, you don’t want to stand out too much here. That’s just one way to stand out…”
Essie
changed back to English, “Too much?”
“Yes,
too much. The other girls will tease you
and put upon you.”
Essie
cocked her head. She sat on the desk
chair with the least clothing on it, “How will you be put upon?”
“They’ll
make fun of you. The seniors might
confront you…physically.”
“They
might hurt you or me?”
“That’s
just it.”
Essie’s
nose came up, “What's that smell?”
“It’s
cigarettes. Do you smoke?”
“I
don’t know what cigarettes or smoke is.”
“Oh
man, you are an odd duck…just my luck to have you as my boat anchor.” She pulled out a pack of cigarettes and tapped
one out, “Listen, if you are going to be my house buddy.” She emphasized the buddy, “You need to learn
some things.” She lit her cigarette and
lit a small incense burner at the same time.
“Amie and I smoke. You keep your
mouth shut about that in front of the teachers and the housemistress and anyone
else around here. Do you
understand? It took us until this year
to finally get a room together. I don’t
want anyone messing up our little accommodation.”
“It’s
a secret?”
Tabitha
waved her cigarette around, “Yes a secret.”
Tabitha stood and went to the window.
She opened it a little wider to let the smoke out and the fresh air in,
“You want a cigarette?”
“I’ve
never tried one before.”
“Well,
you shouldn’t start now. It’s a vile
habit.”
“Do
you want to stop?”
Tabitha
grinned, “No. I need it for my nerves
and to put up with this school.”
“Is
it all that bad?”
“Depends
where you fit in. What kind of girl are
you anyway?”
“I
play the organ…”
Tabitha
laughed, “Ah, you’re that girl. You’re
the one they were talking about. You
gave that concert a week ago. I wish I
could have heard it. Still, that isn’t
very good for you…too much attention. I
don’t want that rubbing off on me.”
Here I give the reader an introduction to Tabs (Tabitha) and a little about Essie. We know Essie doesn't know much about the world, but the contrast is very strong when compared to a girl her age. The point of this small piece is to let the reader know about Tabs and to reveal more about Essie. The actions are words and some gestures etc.
More tomorrow.
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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