Writing Ideas - Themes (Vampire Novel), part 3

13 April 2014, Writing Ideas - Themes (Vampire Novel), part 3

Announcement: There is action on my new novels.  The publisher renamed the series--they are still working on the name.  I provided suggestions as did one of my prepub readers. Now the individual books will be given single names: Leora, Leila, Russia, Lumiere', China, Sveta, and Klava--at least these are some of the suggestions.  They are also working on a single theme for the covers.  I'll keep you updated.

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 this new novel is: An agent of the organization becomes involved with a vampire girl during a mission, she becomes dependent on the agent, and she is redeemed. 

The point I am trying to make to you is this: the theme is a critical aspect of any novel.  The development of the theme is the meaning of authorship.  Your themes need to be somewhat unique.  The reason I am using a vampire in a novel is not to catch the wave of vampire based books, but rather because I was inspired by the idea of the possibility of redeeming a vampire and the idea of a vampire that was dependent on a human. 

The second part is kind of simple.  All vampires are dependent on humans--that is they must hunt and drink the blood of humans for survival.  Here is part of the fleshing out of the vampire character and development.  First, vampires in history and literature are defined by Bram Stoker's vampire Dracula.  Bram Stoker invented, not the idea of the vampire, but rather the literary idea of the vampire. 

Bram Stoker's vampires could not come out during the day. They drank human blood.  They were seduced first by the vampire and then they were turned into a vampire by that seduction.  They were immortal beings and they were spiritual beings.  I used all the ideas from Bram Stoker's classical vampire to develop my vampire.  I also clarified some points about vampires to develop my plot and the idea of dependency on a human rather than on humans in general. 

With this theme statement I am ready to tackle the novel.  The next step was to flesh out the characters and the setting.

More tomorrow.

For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com

Development - Rules of Writing, more Opposing Symbols

27 July 2012, Development - Rules of Writing, more Opposing Symbols

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/.

Here are my rules of writing:

1. Entertain your readers.
2. Don't confuse your readers.
3. Ground your readers in the writing.
4. Don't show (or tell) everything.

All language is symbols. Therefore it shouldn't surprise you that your writing should include higher level symbols. What are higher level symbols? I mentioned before the cross as a symbol. The cross is a higher level symbol--a symbol that doesn't depend on language. Symbols can be ready made or author made symbols. Some symbols are a mix.

Just producing something shocking or vulgar is not irony, sarcasm, satire, or anything else--it's just vulgar.  The tools we mentioned (irony, sarcasm, and satire) are best yielded purposefully, gently, and subtly.  The point is to get your message across.  No one will accept a vulgar message.  For example, placing a cross into a vial of urine is just vile and vulgar.  It didn't change any one's opinion--it just polarized every one's opinion.  Further, such a vile act is both intolerant and prejudiced.  The person who did such an act is neither an artist or an intelligent person.  Likewise, using nudity as a means to shock or produce a vulgar show is not art and is not effective as a means to influence.  If you say the artists who did such things were not trying to influence, you are really fooling yourself.  Remember my rules of writing--they are also good rules for art.  I put them above (and in the correct order this time).

My first rule is to entertain.  A cross in urine is only entertaining to a scatologist.  It is ugly and dirty to the mentally not ill.  A vulgar show of nudity might entertain the perverse, a pornographer, or a pedophile--it certainly is not entertaining to those more adapted to society and culture. 

So, if you intend to write using irony, sarcasm, or satire, do not assume that the shocking or the vulgar are what you want.  The intent is subtlety.  If you want an example of how to write using these tools take a look at Aksinya.  In this novel, you will ind sufficient examples of all three to engender full understanding.  In Aksinya, the Catholic Church is prosecuting Aksinya for the sorcery of conjuring a demon, yet none of those doing the prosecuting believe in sorcery or demons.  Those that are close to Aksinya know she can do sorcery, yet they are all willing to defend her to the point of lying about her actions.  These are great ironies.  These are handled delicately in the novel...and that is the point.  Based on the novel, I desire that even those who might disagree with my points will agree with the irony.  I want those who might disagree to be entertained.  I might not convince them, but I wish to entertain them.  And is there anything I really want to convince them of?  Not really...or not that I will say.  The point is the novel and the entertainment, if the theme has any kind of punch or tracks that is due to the fact that someone read and was entertained by the novel. ...And that's the ultimate point of art and writing.
There is much more to writing without confusing your readers. I'll write about that tomorrow. The following is a question asked by one of my readers. I'm going to address this over time: Please elaborate on scene, theme, plot, character development in a new novel creation....ie, the framework, the development, order if operation, the level of detail, guidelines, rule of thumb, tricks, traps and techniques. To what extent do you outline the historic context, culture, mannerism, speech, dress and thought process of the main characters, in a historic novel...in order to maintain integrity, and gradually (help) reveal attributes of a character in the story, or otherwise clarify the plot, scene, transition, tension or resolution?

I'll repeat my published novel websites so you can see more examples: http://www.ldalford.com/, and the individual novel websites: http://www.aegyptnovel.com/, http://www.centurionnovel.com/, http://www.thesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, http://www.thefoxshonor.com/, and http://www.aseasonofhonor.com/.