Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 342, more Tags Conversation Escape Initial Scene

18 March 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 342, Content Conversation Escape Initial Scene

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.

Today's Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, visit my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

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.

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene.  I'm writing about the initial scene of my newest novel, "Escape."  Escape is the working title.  I'll decide on the proposed title when I finish the novel.  I'm at the fifteenth chapter right now.  That means I've written about 300 pages.

A very great problem for many inexperienced writers is conversation.  They believe their writing of conversation sounds trite and forced.  They want to know the tricks to writing good conversation.  This is a great aspiration and an important skill.  My novels are about 90% conversation.  I love to write conversation, and I see it as the major tool of the novelist.  I'll spend some time defining what makes good written conversation in a novel, and how to write it.

Here is the example from my newest novel Escape (working title).  This section still needs some work, but I'll use it as an example of conversation in a novel.

Contractions are the secret to writing good conversation.  To be precise, contractions are the secret to writing conversation that doesn't sound strained or forced.  Almost any conversation seems right if the English contractions are correct.  The content is something else altogether.  That's why I gave you the information on cultural norms and logical response.  Those will get you a long way in perfecting the content.  Contractions make it sound right.  See the conversation below (same example):        

Scott unlatched the helmet at the neck and pulled it off, “Hi there.  Are you all right?”

Rebecka could understand his words although the accent was strange to her ears.  She was breathless, “Did you come to get me?”

 

The man stood straight as though the question caught him completely off guard, “To get you?”  He took a moment to regain his thoughts, “No my engine failed.  I’m afraid I’m stuck until they rescue me…”  The last sounded slightly desperate in his ears.  “Do you think I could get some help here?”

Rebecka shook her head slowly, “This is Freedom.  I’ve never heard of anyone coming here from anywhere else before.”

“Freedom?  That’s an odd name for this place.  Could you help me?”

Rebecka stood in contemplation for a long time.

Finally, Scott asked again, “Can you help me?”

“Do you really think they will come for you?”

“Eventually…,” But that didn’t sound very reassuring either.”

“If you will take me with you when you leave here—I’ll help you…”

“Take you with me?”

“Listen to me.  You don’t stand a chance here without help.  If you will take me with you, I will do everything in my power to help you.”

“I’m not so sure about that.”

Rebecka stuck her hands on her hips, “Do we have an agreement or not?  If you wait too long, the armed citizens will come and take you away.  If that happens, you will be judged and categorized.  If that happens, I don’t think you will ever leave here.”

“Judged and categorized…what’s that?”

“Listen to me very carefully.  I can see you know nothing about this place…”

“You’re right about that.”

“You don’t stand a chance without help.  I will help you, but you must promise to take me with you.”

Scott thought for a moment.  A sudden noise from the west startled them both.

Rebecka stamped her foot, “We don’t have very long.  Make up your mind…”

Scott sighed, “If you will help me, I’ll do anything you wish…”

“Is that a promise?  Do you swear?”

“I swear.”

“As a citizen…”

“I’m not a citizen.”

Rebecka was taken aback, “You do swear by all you hold sacred?”

“I swear.”

Rebecka stepped up to him and grasped his gloved hand, “Then come with me.”
 

So, in the example, there are some cases when the contractions are used and some where they  not.  Lack of a contraction automatically gives more strength and emphasis to any statement in conversation.   Remember:

1.  Cultural norms (greeting, introduction, small talk, big talk)
2.  Logical response (characters must respond to each other in the conversation)
3.  ID the speaker
4.  Show us the picture of the conversation
5.  Use contractions (most of the time)

We haven't even touched on tone and actual message.

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  

Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 341, Tags Conversation Escape Initial Scene

17 March 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 341, Tags Conversation Escape Initial Scene

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.

Today's Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, visit my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

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.

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene.  I'm writing about the initial scene of my newest novel, "Escape."  Escape is the working title.  I'll decide on the proposed title when I finish the novel.  I'm at the fifteenth chapter right now.  That means I've written about 300 pages.

A very great problem for many inexperienced writers is conversation.  They believe their writing of conversation sounds trite and forced.  They want to know the tricks to writing good conversation.  This is a great aspiration and an important skill.  My novels are about 90% conversation.  I love to write conversation, and I see it as the major tool of the novelist.  I'll spend some time defining what makes good written conversation in a novel, and how to write it.

Here is the example from my newest novel Escape (working title).  This section still needs some work, but I'll use it as an example of conversation in a novel.

I do not use the word "said" in conversation--or I should say, I very, very rarely us the word "said" in conversation.  To me, said is dead.  Just like gotten is rotten.  Instead of said, I use stronger verbs.  If I need to tell you how something was said, I tell you--the character, yelled or cried or screamed.  If a character just says something, I either give you a tag (an identification) or an action.  Look at the first paragraph of conversation below--Scott unlatched the helmet at the neck and pulled it off.  That is an action followed (assumed at the same time) by the conversation he spoke.  I don't need to tell you how he said it--or redundantly tell you he said it--I just need to tell you the actions he did while he spoke the words. 

Reb's response--now I tell you how she said it--she was breathless.  I am building a picture as well as showing you a conversation.  Or better, I am showing you a conversation.  Show the conversation--don't tell us, show us.  

Scott unlatched the helmet at the neck and pulled it off, “Hi there.  Are you all right?”

Rebecka could understand his words although the accent was strange to her ears.  She was breathless, “Did you come to get me?”

 

The man stood straight as though the question caught him completely off guard, “To get you?”  He took a moment to regain his thoughts, “No my engine failed.  I’m afraid I’m stuck until they rescue me…”  The last sounded slightly desperate in his ears.  “Do you think I could get some help here?”

Rebecka shook her head slowly, “This is Freedom.  I’ve never heard of anyone coming here from anywhere else before.”

“Freedom?  That’s an odd name for this place.  Could you help me?”

Rebecka stood in contemplation for a long time.

Finally, Scott asked again, “Can you help me?”

“Do you really think they will come for you?”

“Eventually…,” But that didn’t sound very reassuring either.”

“If you will take me with you when you leave here—I’ll help you…”

“Take you with me?”

“Listen to me.  You don’t stand a chance here without help.  If you will take me with you, I will do everything in my power to help you.”

“I’m not so sure about that.”

Rebecka stuck her hands on her hips, “Do we have an agreement or not?  If you wait too long, the armed citizens will come and take you away.  If that happens, you will be judged and categorized.  If that happens, I don’t think you will ever leave here.”

“Judged and categorized…what’s that?”

“Listen to me very carefully.  I can see you know nothing about this place…”

“You’re right about that.”

“You don’t stand a chance without help.  I will help you, but you must promise to take me with you.”

Scott thought for a moment.  A sudden noise from the west startled them both.

Rebecka stamped her foot, “We don’t have very long.  Make up your mind…”

Scott sighed, “If you will help me, I’ll do anything you wish…”

“Is that a promise?  Do you swear?”

“I swear.”

“As a citizen…”

“I’m not a citizen.”

Rebecka was taken aback, “You do swear by all you hold sacred?”

“I swear.”

Rebecka stepped up to him and grasped his gloved hand, “Then come with me.”
 

I left in the rest.  If the ID of the speaker is obvious, you don't need to have a tag or an action.  Look at the part above--the speaker is obvious and the conversation is obvious.  These are the rudimentary parts of building conversation--and we haven't even come to the content of th conversation yet--well not much.  Remember:

1.  Cultural norms (greeting, introduction, small talk, big talk)
2.  Logical response (characters must respond to each other in the conversation)
3.  ID the speaker
4.  Show us the picture of the conversation

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  

Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 340, more ID Conversation Escape Initial Scene

16 March 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 340, more ID Conversation Escape Initial Scene

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.

Today's Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, visit my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

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.

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene.  I'm writing about the initial scene of my newest novel, "Escape."  Escape is the working title.  I'll decide on the proposed title when I finish the novel.  I'm at the fifteenth chapter right now.  That means I've written about 300 pages.

A very great problem for many inexperienced writers is conversation.  They believe their writing of conversation sounds trite and forced.  They want to know the tricks to writing good conversation.  This is a great aspiration and an important skill.  My novels are about 90% conversation.  I love to write conversation, and I see it as the major tool of the novelist.  I'll spend some time defining what makes good written conversation in a novel, and how to write it.

Here is the example from my newest novel Escape (working title).  This section still needs some work, but I'll use it as an example of conversation in a novel.

The first main point of writing conversation is to follow your cultural norms in developing it.  The second is the characters are responding to each other.  That response needs to be measured and logical.  In cases where it is not measured and logical (note Reb's question below), the response of the other character should be in relation to it.  I'd like to say that logic governs all aspects of conversation, but it doesn't.  In reality, logic must govern the response although logic may not govern the conversation.  What I mean by that, is this: the characters respond to each other in a reasoned and normal sense (based on their character).  This is logical.  If I ask you a question about the weather, I expect a response about the weather--if you don't respond about the weather, my next response to you will be somehow related to my character and why you didn't respond correctly.

You can see this in the following conversation.  Scott asks, "Are you all right?"  Reb responds, "Did you come to get me?"  The first is culturally proper.  The second character and incident driven.  The response from Scott is logical.  That is, he responds to Reb's unusual question.  The continued cycle of response is then normal. 

Scott unlatched the helmet at the neck and pulled it off, “Hi there.  Are you all right?”

Rebecka could understand his words although the accent was strange to her ears.  She was breathless, “Did you come to get me?”

 

The man stood straight as though the question caught him completely off guard, “To get you?”  He took a moment to regain his thoughts, “No my engine failed.  I’m afraid I’m stuck until they rescue me…”  The last sounded slightly desperate in his ears.  “Do you think I could get some help here?”

Rebecka shook her head slowly, “This is Freedom.  I’ve never heard of anyone coming here from anywhere else before.”

“Freedom?  That’s an odd name for this place.  Could you help me?”

Rebecka stood in contemplation for a long time.

Finally, Scott asked again, “Can you help me?”

“Do you really think they will come for you?”

“Eventually…,” But that didn’t sound very reassuring either.”

“If you will take me with you when you leave here—I’ll help you…”

“Take you with me?”

“Listen to me.  You don’t stand a chance here without help.  If you will take me with you, I will do everything in my power to help you.”

“I’m not so sure about that.”

Rebecka stuck her hands on her hips, “Do we have an agreement or not?  If you wait too long, the armed citizens will come and take you away.  If that happens, you will be judged and categorized.  If that happens, I don’t think you will ever leave here.”

“Judged and categorized…what’s that?”

“Listen to me very carefully.  I can see you know nothing about this place…”

“You’re right about that.”

“You don’t stand a chance without help.  I will help you, but you must promise to take me with you.”

Scott thought for a moment.  A sudden noise from the west startled them both.

Rebecka stamped her foot, “We don’t have very long.  Make up your mind…”

Scott sighed, “If you will help me, I’ll do anything you wish…”

“Is that a promise?  Do you swear?”

“I swear.”

“As a citizen…”

“I’m not a citizen.”

Rebecka was taken aback, “You do swear by all you hold sacred?”

“I swear.”

Rebecka stepped up to him and grasped his gloved hand, “Then come with me.”
 

Every conversation is a sequence of response from one character to the other.  When there is a break in the response cycle, the author must have a good reason for it and must build it into the conversation.  If you remember that conversation must be about statement/response, then you are on the way to writing it well.  The other point is how you identify characters and their words.

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  

Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 336, Motion Picture Escape Initial Scene

12 March 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 336, Motion Picture Escape Initial Scene

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.

Today's Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, visit my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

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.

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene.  I'm writing about the initial scene of my newest novel, "Escape."  Escape is the working title.  I'll decide on the proposed title when I finish the novel.  I'm at the fifteenth chapter right now.  That means I've written about 300 pages.

The picture looks like this:  a girl on the ground who will do anything to escape her country; a pilot high overhead in an cargo shuttle that is about to have an engine failure; and an island nation called Freedom that isn't free at all.  Now the author sets it all in action.

When the picture starts moving, the action begins, the girl is looking up from the ground at the shuttle.  She can see it as it screams across the halcyon sky.  The pilot looks from his seat and sees the island.  Both are indirectly imagining about the other.  The girl imagines the shuttle could take her away from the place she despises.  The pilot tries to imagine the land and people below him, but his mind is mostly on the mission. 

When the motion begins, their worlds begin to get closer.  The pilot has an engine problem.  The girl sees the shuttle turning back.  The shuttle almost hits her.  This is the power of motion to the picture that is the beginning of this (or any) novel.  The picture provides the setting and the characters--the action in the picture moves them according to the plot and storyline.  I'm telling you all this--the novel shows.

Rebecka glanced up—she felt it before she saw it.  Her very sensitive and trained eyes caught the contrail she sought.  Through the billowing clouds, she spotted what she was looking for.  High above, a steady white trail moved from far in the west.  She thought she could see a dark speck at the front of that quickly moving line.  She watched for it every day.  It crossed the headland with regularity—once every sevendays, and usually on this day.  There was hope in that speck and that long white trail in the skies.

No one else seemed to notice it.  When she had asked other visuals about it, they shushed her.  They kept their eyes down at the ground, just as the slogans told them.  They looked at the soil of Freedom and not at the skies.  No one could fly.  No one knew of any citizens who ever left Freedom.  Not even the rumors from the Capital ever spoke of flying machines or of other citizens who might have flying machines.  The Supreme Leader assured them that they were the only civilized nation in the entire world.  For all the citizens, there was only Freedom and work and for her the Development Center. 

She knew she gazed at something that was not from Freedom.  She knew she looked at something that was truly free—a machine of metal that flew across the heavens.  She longed for that kind of freedom.  Not the freedom the slogans constantly spoke about, not the freedom the Supreme Leader told them all citizen possessed, but true freedom—something away from this place.  She longed for it and would give anything to achieve it—freedom.

 

Scott Phillips sat at the controls of a heavy lifting cargo shuttle.  He was at flight level sixty more than ten miles above the surface of the globe and well outside of air traffic radar coverage.  He sat in a cocoon of heavy aluminum and plasteel.  Underneath and behind him was a suborbital shuttle.  It was over a hundred feet long and filled with high priority goods.  It was a lifting body with a single hydrogen powered atmospheric compressing engine for long cargo hauls like this.

        

The two move closer and closer in this dance until they meet.

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  

Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 335, moving Picture Escape Initial Scene

11 March 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 335, moving Picture Escape Initial Scene

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.

Today's Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, visit my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

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.

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene.  I'm writing about the initial scene of my newest novel, "Escape."  Escape is the working title.  I'll decide on the proposed title when I finish the novel.  I'm at the fifteenth chapter right now.  That means I've written about 300 pages.

The picture looks like this:  a girl on the ground who will do anything to escape her country; a pilot high overhead in an cargo shuttle that is about to have an engine failure; and an island nation called Freedom that isn't free at all.  Now the author sets it all in action.

First paragraph, scene setting, character setting, action...this is the way I begin to write any and every novel.  I haven't told you how I spent hours on character development or scene development--that is all part of developing the initial scene, the novel, and the characters.  The way I set this scene into motion was basically to write separately about the two characters until they came together.  Once they were together, the world could run apace.  I split the scene, the events, and the settings intentionally for thematic and artistic reasons.  I do try to make the writing in my novels seem fresh and clean--not stuffy.  The way I do this is to try to keep out any pretentious language or constructions.  I don't really care if my readers think of my writing as literary as long as they enjoy it.  By splitting the scene between the two main characters, I can physically separate them and still focus the writing on them.  I can accentuate the idea of their separation, and I can create the idea of tension as they are brought hurdlingly together.  Tension in a scene is critical to any scene, and this is one way to develop tension in a scene.  I'll give an example tomorrow and bring the two together.  I will also look at their initial conversation to help show how to write conversation.      

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  

Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 334, more Picture Escape Initial Scene

10 March 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 334, more Picture Escape Initial Scene

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.

Today's Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, visit my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

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.

Cover Propsal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene.  I'm writing about the initial scene of my newest novel, "Escape."  Escape is the working title.  I'll decide on the proposed title when I finish the novel.  I'm at the fourteenth chapter right now.  That means I've written about 280 pages.

Once I had this initial picture in my mind, the work was to turn this picture into a reasonable plot and to develop a theme.  The immediate questions are these:  why is the pilot breaking the rules?  Why does the girl want to escape?  What makes the island nation different from other nations on this world?  Is this earth or some other place?  What is this island like? What are the protagonist and protagonist's helper like?  Who is the protagonist, and who is the protagonist's helper?  The answer to each of these questions begin the process of developing a novel.  I answered each of these questions before I began to write--or, at least, I had an idea about them. 

The initial scene takes a picture and turns it into a video.  Once I had my own answers to the questions above, I could write the initial scene.  The pilot was saving time by cutting across the nation of "Freedom."  That's the name of the island, and the name of the country.  I already wrote about the nation of Freedom.  Freedom is an extrapolation of pure communism.  I realized that an even further extrapolation could be made where every individual wore a body camera the government watched all the time--no privacy at all.  As it is in Freedom, I didn't have them at that point, or rather, the leaders didn't feel like they needed that degree of control.  In the nation of Freedom, the Citizens have the exact opposite of freedom.  They are not free and they own literally nothing.  The video of the first scene is what begins to answer the questions and provide some answers.  The first scene begins the process of writing and focuses the novel.

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  

Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 333, Picture Escape Initial Scene

9 March 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 333, Picture Escape Initial Scene

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.

Today's Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, visit my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

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.

Cover Propsal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene.  I'm writing about the initial scene of my newest novel, "Escape."  Escape is the working title.  I'll decide on the proposed title when I finish the novel.  I'm at the fourteenth chapter right now.  That means I've written about 280 pages.

My development of any novel begins with a single picture.  The picture for Escape (working title) was when I was flying over the Mediterranean in a T-6C while making a delivery to New Zealand.  When you fly a single engine aircraft anywhere, your main thoughts are where you might land if the engine quits.  Luckily, engines today are very reliable, but every single engine aircraft pilot is always imagining where they might set the aircraft down if the engine fails.  I was looking at the Greek islands in the Mediterranean between Greece and Crete.  The islands are beautiful and at points covered by white buildings.  I saw a very large island and imagined landing on it.  Then I thought, what if the pilot was not following the correct flight path over an island like Cuba.  Today, you can fly over Cuba, (and I have), but in the past, you had to go around Cuba.  I imagined an island nation, like Cuba, where the people are constrained under an evil government, and the pilot cuts illegally across it to save time.  Some pilots are like that. 

That's when I began to imagine the protagonist (or protagonist's helper) in my picture.  What if there was a girl who would do anything to escape that island.  I saw a picture of a pilot, breaking the rules, and a girl who wanted more than anything to really break the rules.  This girl would do anything to escape her island nation.  I saw the two, girl and pilot, come together after the pilot's aircraft engine fails.  Can you see, with me, the picture from the pilot's perspective, and from the perspective of the girl?  Can you see them coming together?  This was the picture that launched this novel.  To me, it was a wonderful picture and more than enough to write an entire novel.

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  

Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 331, Lilly Enchantment First Paragraphs Initial Scene

7 March 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 331, Lilly Enchantment First Paragraphs Initial Scene

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.

Today's Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, visit my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

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.

Cover Propsal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene.  I'm writing about the initial scene of my newest novel, "Escape."  Escape is the working title.  I'll decide on the proposed title when I finish the novel.  I'm at the twelfth chapter right now.  That means I've written about 240 pages.

The entertainment (and excitement) should start with the first sentence and paragraph and grow to envelope the first scene.  Let's compare the excitement and entertainment I'm recommending with some of my published and unpublished novels.  As I grew as a writer, my awareness of the importance of the first paragraph grew.  It's one thing to be taught or realize and another to implement.  Next example the first paragraph from, Lilly: Enchantment and the Computer:

All Dane knew about the girl was that she didn’t come into the FastMart very often.  When she did, she didn’t pay with cash, she always used the FastMart Bucks which you earned by purchasing gas or food.  What was unusual was that she used a different account ID and phone number every time.

She looked terrible, especially for this part of the city.  She wore a baggy old sweatshirt and an over-large pair of worn-out, not stone-washed, jeans.  She had a ragged backpack on her back.  Her hair was matted and her clothing filthy.  Her face and hands always looked clean, but Dane couldn’t vouch for the rest of her.  He never got close enough to smell her—he figured that would be much too close.  He only knew her from his side of the cash register.  She carried an inexpensive tablet computer in one hand and her shopping in the crook of her arm.  The tablet had a broken screen and was taped across one corner.  Dane was surprised it worked.
Lilly is an unpublished and uncontracted novel.  The novel doesn't follow any of my Enchantment novels--it is conceptually an Enchantment novel.  It's a complete stand-alone novel that weighs in at about 105,000 words. 

I cheated with Lilly and included the first two paragraphs.  The point still stands with one, but I wanted you to see what the second paragraph led into.  Lilly is a near perfect example of what I am talking about.  The first paragraph of Lilly is a pure set up.  It has character introduction (Dane and the girl--she's Lilly).  The scene setting is the FastMart.  The mystery and the immediate action is that she uses FastMart Bucks to purchase food, and that she used a different account each time.  This is implied action with some obvious consequences.  You can almost taste what will happen--if you can't I'll spell it out for you.  From the first paragraph, you know "the girl" is going to get caught using someone else's account number.  The big question is how did she get them, and the second question is why does she need them.

Some of the points are obvious.  She likely got the accounts by hacking.  The big question is why a hacker of such skill needs to buy food with FastMart Bucks.  That's why I included the second paragraph--I wanted you to be able to answer the second question.  Or rather, I wanted you to see the greater mystery, the mystery that attracts Dane to the girl--why she lives in poverty when she could thrive using her skills.  This is one of the mysteries answered in Lilly.  

This first paragraph is the perfect paragraph, in my opinion.  This kind of paragraph brings great mystery with the character introduction, action, and scene setting.  That's the whole point.  Tomorrow, back to Escape for a review of that first paragraph. 

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  

Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 330, Valeska Enchantment First Paragraphs Initial Scene

6 March 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 330, Valeska Enchantment First Paragraphs Initial Scene

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.

Today's Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, visit my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

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.

Cover Propsal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene.  I'm writing about the initial scene of my newest novel, "Escape."  Escape is the working title.  I'll decide on the proposed title when I finish the novel.  I'm at the twelfth chapter right now.  That means I've written about 240 pages.

The entertainment (and excitement) should start with the first sentence and paragraph and grow to envelope the first scene.  Let's compare the excitement and entertainment I'm recommending with some of my published and unpublished novels.  As I grew as a writer, my awareness of the importance of the first paragraph grew.  It's one thing to be taught or realize and another to implement.  Next example the first paragraph from, Valeska: Enchantment and the Vampire:

A full moon hung above midnight Gdańsk.  The dark medieval streets were wet and filthy.  Puddles ringed with oily rainbows covered the cracked cobblestones.  The moon shown in each of the puddles, reflected as a milky glow that was grimed with the floating sheen.  The scent of saltwater and rotting fish rose with the night time tide, an unavoidable stench this close to the waterfront.  At street level, the night was utterly dark.  The very few modern lights along the crumbling cobblestone avenue shared little illumination with the ancient alleyways that pierced the darkened buildings on either side of the street.

    
 Valeska is an unpublished and uncontracted novel.  The novel doesn't follow any of my Enchantment novels--it is conceptually an Enchantment novel.  It's a complete stand-alone novel that weighs in at about 125,000 words.  The novel does use characters introduced in my Ancient Light novels

The focus of this initial paragraph is scene setting and mystery--that's it.  Before, I identified good initial paragraphs that were based on conversation (Hestia), action (Khione), and character introduction (Aksinya).  Now, I'll broaden that to scene setting with Valeska.  This isn't like the long semi-prologue in Antebellum that I warned you against.  In Valeska, the next paragraph begins the action and the character introduction.  I'm just not opposed to using scene setting to excite the initial mystery in the novel.  Remember, the most important quality for the first paragraph is to get a reader to keep reading.  It can be as artsy as you want as long as it holds the reader's interest.  And also note, when I write reader, I also mean prospective publisher.

I think I have one more first paragraph to share with you, then I'll build into the writing of Escape.  If anything, I hope you see how important the initial scene and the first paragraph must be for a novel.  Because the first scene is so important, I'll write about this and describe how I started writing Escape.

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