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:
Mrs.
Lyons mumbled under her breath, “It’s is more surprising that you can’t
write—in this day and age.” Louder she
asked, “It is inconvenient for me to just call you girl. Tell me your name, or I’ll have to give you
one.”
The
girl spoke. Mrs. Lyons was so surprised
she couldn’t make out a word. She rose a
little in her seat, “What did you say…my old ears couldn’t make it out.” Mrs. Lyons had perfect hearing, but the
excuse was always useful.
The
girl looked to the side, and Mrs. Lyons had to strain to hear her say, “Must I
tell you my true name?” The voice was
very soft and melodious.
“Yes,
please speak up and tell me your true name.”
“I
was always punished when I used my true name.”
“I
shall not punish you for that. What are
you called?”
The
girl still didn’t look up, “I am mostly called bitch and pussy—sometimes
hellcat.”
Mrs.
Lyons froze, “Those are not appropriate terms for you to ever be called. What is your true name?”
“If
I tell you, you will gain power over me…”
“I
already have power over you.” Mrs. Lyons
opened her hand, “I will tell you my names.”
The
girl stared at her for a moment, but quickly averted her eyes, “Then I would
have power over you.”
Mrs.
Lyons smiled, “If you wish. I am named Matilda
Anne Robina Acland Hastings Lyons, but you may call me Aunt Tilly.”
The
girl mumbled, “So many names…”
“It
is a fault of birth and marriage. Now,
what is your name?”
“S…”
“What
was that? I didn’t catch it. Please speak up.”
“I
said my name is Sith.”
“Sidth?”
The
girl put up her hands, “You shouldn’t say it out loud. It is my true name.”
Mrs.
Lyons spoke a little more sardonically than she really wanted to, “Then what
may I call you out loud?”
The
girl shrugged, “The other names I mentioned perhaps…”
“Never. Let me think.
What about Sissy.”
The
girl gave a slight shudder, “I have been called Aos Si.”
“Ess
shee? That’s a bit difficult to
pronounce. Perhaps Essie?”
The
girl, Sith let by a tiny smile.
“Then
I shall call you Essie. Will you answer
to it?”
“Essie
sounds pleasant to me. I can understand
it.”
Mrs.
Lyons grinned, “Very well, Essie. You
may call me Aunt Tilly. Now, since we
are on speaking terms, will you tell me where you are from?”
The
girl lapsed into silence.
“That
is a forbidden subject, I guess. Then
will you answer this, why were you in my pantry?”
Essie
shrugged, “I was hungry.”
“Then
you were the one breaking into houses in the shire and village?”
Essie
shrugged again.
“I
need to know a little bit more, but that is neither here nor there. Why were you starkers in my pantry?”
Essie
stared a moment, “What is starkers?”
“You
didn’t have anything on. You were
naked.”
Essie
glanced at her a little amazed at the question, “I didn’t have any clothes.”
“Yes,
that is the point. Why didn’t you have
any clothes on?”
Essie
glanced at the clothing she now wore, “I’ve never had any clothing.”
“Never?”
“Never.”
Mrs.
Lyons pondered that a moment, then she answered, “Well from now on, you shall
wear clothing. I have plenty to fit a
girl your size. What else do I need to
know about you?”
Essie
made a face.
“With
that, I suspect you mean you won’t say.
That will be sufficient for now…except I’d like to know, why didn’t you
have any clothing? I can’t quite fathom
that part. Every person wears clothing.”
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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