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. Essie is the Aos Si. She is also the goddess (guardian) of the fae. The fae don't like being ruled by a creature less beautiful, refined, and intelligent than they:
Essie
stood still, “You must bind my hair.”
Cigfa
wrung her hands, “But it is in your hair.”
“You
must bind my hair—that is the proper step.”
Cigfa
bowed slightly. Then she raised her
head, “I didn’t mean to give you an obeisance…”
Essie
raised her hands, “But you did, and that is right.”
Cigfa
called, “Rhiannon come. You must assist
me.”
A
woman’s voice rose in protest, “But to touch it…”
Cigfa
cried out, “It is our duty. We are bound
to it. Come or there won’t be an end to
this.”
Another
golden haired woman appeared out of the mist.
She was dressed in a translucent gown similar to the one Essie now
wore. Essie’s gown was pure white. Cigfa’s was rose, and Rhiannon’s was
blue. Cigfa and Rhiannon each took a
ribbon of white material like Essie’s gown.
They stood on either side of Essie and careful not to touch the branch
in her black hair, they braided and tied her hair into two long braids. They both stepped back and stood at either
side of Essie. They both bowed their
heads, then quickly raised them. They
both blushed.
Essie
put out her hands, “The next. You must
crown and welcome me.”
A
man stepped out of the morning sunlit mist.
His golden hair was covered with a crown of leaves in a complex
pattern. He wore riding clothing similar
to the robes of the women but of a more substantial weave. He took the crown from his head and gingerly
placed it on Essie’s head. He was tall
enough and she short enough that he didn’t need to reach far.
When
he placed the crown on her head, he backed and bowed. He gave a groan as if some force had
compelled him. Another man dressed
similarly, stepped from the mist. He
held a ceramic chalice in his hands. He
stepped forward as Pryderi stepped back.
He was also tall. Essie didn’t
bend her head or neck as the man placed the chalice to her lips. She drank deeply, then took the chalice from
his hands.
Essie
raised the chalice, “This is blessed and all may partake.” She handed the chalice back to Manawyadan.
Manawyadan carefully took the chalice without touching Essie’s hands.
Essie began to sing. The sun suddenly rested in her hair again. Her song was similar to the music she played
for Mrs. Lyons and Claire and Seasaìdh.
It was like the organ music she played for Mrs. Maddison and Father
Maddison. It was the music of the Tylwyth
Teg—a song as old as the Welshlands and as old as the fae. From everywhere, the fae appeared. All those who fled when Essie entered the
secret fell of the Tylwyth Teg came to stand around her and listen to her
song. It was filled with power. The birds and insects who had been completely
silent began to sing it with her. A
white bird descended from the sky and sat on the crown in Essie’s hair. The fae did not sing. They listened with their faces bowed and
their heads uncovered. When she
finished. The white bird disappeared and
a panoply of sound and lights appeared above her head for a moment. Essie smiled, “He is pleased.”
All
the fae who could kneel, knelt at Essie’s feet.
They all placed their heads below hers.
Pryderi
turned his face away, “He is pleased.”
Essie
demanded, “Now bring me the child of man whom you stole from me.”
Pryderi
rose and snapped his fingers, “She is here.”
A
fae with great shining golden hair carried Claire forward.
Essie
didn’t look at them or Claire, “Has she been harmed?”
Pryderi
raised his hands, “We dare not harm her.
She sleeps. She is the
granddaughter of the White Lady.”
“She
is also under my protection. I did not
take any revenge on you Pryderi or on the Tylwyth Teg. I could have…”
“Yes,
yes. I realize this. I…we just didn’t expect you to come here
yourself.”
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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