Writing Ideas - Writing Science Fiction, part 5 Showing

5 August 2013, Writing Ideas - Writing Science Fiction, part 5 Showing

Announcement: My novels Sister of Light and Sister of Darkness are about to be published. I write this blog about 2 months prior to its publication. I just heard that the proofs will be here soon--likely before the end of the week. My publisher also wants to put the entire set of novels based on Aegypt on contract--that's 5 more novels for 8 total. They also want to put my other novels on contract. The release schedule should be one novel every 2 months. 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.

Last time, I established that the choice of the use of science fiction to put forward a theme is a cognizant choice by an author--or it should be. This is similar to the choice of the use of first, second, or third person in writing. Because I think this is an important topic, and I haven't written about it before, I'll mention it before I transition to my main subject. An author should choose the point of view of the novel based on the main character of the novel. Usually, the third person (he, she) is appropriate for characters and novels about normal people or where the focus of the novel is not about a certain person's eyewitness view of events. On the other hand, if the focus of a novel is a special person or a special person's specific eyewitness view, then a first person (I) point of view is appropriate. I begin with a first person point of view in my novel The End of Honor, http://www.theendofhonor.com/. The main character is Lyral Neuterra, she dies in the first page of the book, and the rest of the first half of the novel is a recollected view of the events that led to her death. At that point the novel switches to third person and concludes sans Lyral (she's dead). The reason I wrote the novel like this is that I was trying some advanced techniques with my series The Chronicles of the Dragon and the Fox, http://www.dragonandfox.com/. I chose to make Lyral and her story the main focus of the novel. This worked well because she was a critically important character and the entire work revolved around her and the revenge her death caused. She was the telic (beginning and end) cause of the plot. She was one of the most important persons in the universe and the created world of the Dragon and the Fox. This made the use of the first person until her ultimate death very appropriate. In the novel, you saw the world revealed through the eyes of Lyral and this gave you the ability to understand both the horror of her death (a loss of honor) and the horror of the revenge (a loss of honor) made in her name. Thus, in The End of Honor, I used the first person as an intentional means to draw your eye to Lyral and keep it there. Your world was her world, and so you saw the world from her point of view. This is where the use of showing in revealing the scientific background of the novel becomes the subject point. Her view was your view; therefore, when she says this:

"I was the Duke of Neuterra’s eldest daughter, his only daughter, his only child. He and his dame, my mother, could not bear another child. Though they tried, their vitality was gone, and the Codes of the Noble Accords forbade them from any artificial means of increasing their fertility.
They were stuck with me, and the only hope for our House was an alliance marriage. With this in mind, my father groomed me to attract the attention of another great House, one that would willingly accept the Duchy and the name. With the approval of the Landsritters, the Emperor would be forced to accept the new House Neuterra descended through me.

I was well prepared to fill this position. I was made to be a Princess. I was educated to be a scientist of political solutions and ventures—an advisor, steward, mother, ruler, lover, and I was all of these and more. My heritage and intelligence allowed me to excel in these studies as if I was truly born to them, which I was. But I was not the Princess my Father hoped I would be."

We begin to understand the focus of her world. You had no idea about The Codes. Now you know a little. You didn't know about Lyral's problem, now you begin to see them. The undergirding of the issues and the science of this world become clear. Later, in one of my favorite scenes, she reveals:

"He was kind to the last. “My lady, I’m at your service. Until you decide, I am obliged to you.”
In spite of my tears, I turned. “Obliged?”
He looked directly at me. “Yes, obliged.” He took off the sash that marked his rank as an Imperial Prince and thrust it at me.
Unconsciously, I put my hands behind my back. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“I dare, and I have.” He thrust the sash toward me again.
“No, I can’t accept that. You put yourself under my complete authority. How can you justify placing your very self under my control? Already, you intend to reveal your plans in their entirety to me.”
“I pray they would become your plans also, and you would safeguard them and my honor just as I would.”
“You know I can’t make that commitment.”
“...but you will protect my interests. Don’t shame me, Lady Lyral, take my oblige. I will protect you and your House. I will be yours until you decide my honor and my arms no longer defend you.”
I know he could see the tears that glistened on my cheeks, but he took no notice of them. I didn’t want to soften to his proposal. I wasn’t sure where I stood, but I could not lightly dismiss the offer of oblige, especially from the son of the Emperor. I reached gingerly for the sash, and he relinquished it with a look of relief. I curtsied to him and backed away."

The concept of "oblige" might have been foreign to you before, but now through Lyral's eyes you should have some understanding. This "oblige" isn't a science fiction concept. It is an Anglo-Saxon concept that later we recognize as the chivalric idea of a woman or man carrying a token of honor for their knight or lady. In this exchange we see the deeper overtones of what "oblige" means to the inhabitants of the universe of the Dragon and the Fox.

So, I gave you examples. Perhaps not the best examples, but ones I thought might begin to show how to bring the evidence of culture and scientific background into your science fiction writing. Plus I wove into it an explanation on how to choose the point of view of your novel (tricky, tricky). I'll try to put some more examples together next time.

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

Don't Show (or Tell) Us Everything, How I Start part 8

I gave three of my dictums yesterday in one post.  Don't confuse your readers.  Entertain your readers.  Ground your readers in the writing.  Today, I want to give you another one: don't show your readers everything.  People ask me all the time from my books, "What really happened to x." or "Did x do this to y." I try to not let my readers know anything more than the characters understand themselves. I don't like to explain anything. I want the interaction of the characters to show everything. I don't want my readers to predict what will happen in the story. I want them guessing all the time. Guessing as much as the characters are themselves. In the real world, people's motivations are ultimately unknown. People's thoughts are unknown. There are always mysteries. Most of which we simply ignore. You can always leave your readers hanging, but don't leave them confused. Make sure your writing is clear and you are getting across what you want. This is where good editing and lots of it can help you. Find as many readers as possible and beg them for feedback. Once the novel is published, it's just too late to fix it.  So what does it look like to not reveal everything?  Let me show you.  In Children of Light and Darkness http://www.childrenoflightanddarkness.com/, it is quite obvious from the beginning that Kathrin and James have a romantic and sexual relationship. At the beginning of the novel their relationship is estranged. We know this by the way they interact and speak to one another. Here is an example from the novel:

James stepped out on the veranda, “Heat still bothering you, Kathrin?”

Kathrin didn’t say a word. She pursed her lips and clenched her jaw.

James turned around at the rail and leaned against it. He was tall and handsome, clean shaven. His hair was slightly tousled—always slightly tousled. It was brown and nondescript. His face, though handsome was still nondescript. MI, Military Intelligence, liked their agents and operatives to look good, but not to draw too much attention. It was easier that way. James was strong and well trained. He always treated her like a lady, even when he didn’t have to and when she didn’t deserve it.

Kathrin knew she was pretty—perhaps bordering on beautiful. Her face was freckled and sported blazing green eyes. She had heart shaped lips in a heart shaped face. Her hair was red, and she was thin, perhaps too thin. She wasn’t very tall either. None of those characteristics ever seemed to affect her negatively. She spoke with a thick, but improving Scottish brogue that made her a little difficult to understand at times. She knew she always showed a slightly harried look, and that was backed by an overly brisk personality. She did have a raging temper. It was a prideful secret that she kept it in check almost all of the time. When she let it out, it scared her. She didn’t let it out often, not at all since she had been working for the organization.

James checked his sidearm, “You still mad at me about last night?”

Kathrin’s eyes flashed at him. James tucked away his weapon and raised his hands.

All the fight drained out of her. She looked out on the jungle, “It was my fault.”

“Then come on. It will only get hotter the longer we delay.”

... After dinner, they took a nightcap with them to their room. James made a short foray to the veranda and smoked a cigar. Kathrin rearranged the fresh flowers in an old silver pot on her nightstand. For a while, through their window, she watched James as he scouted out the edge of the jungle. Kathrin undressed in the small bathroom. She wore as little as possible to bed. If she were by herself, she would have gone to bed naked. She hadn’t done that with James for weeks—well, except last night. He wore his briefs. That wasn’t an accommodation for her, it was service policy. Funny, the rules that governed spies. She hadn’t let him touch her for a long time. He hadn’t tried for a long time. She was a little ashamed at herself for getting involved with him that way. They weren’t married, and she almost felt like an old married woman.

Here, in this example, the characters show no outward affection for one another. You don't know anything directly about their relationship, but you know quite a lot. You know they are sharing a room, you guess that something happened the night before. I never tell you what happened--I leave it to your imagination, but you know something happened. I could have described everything in its gory glory. I could tell you what they think about each other--I never do. I show you what is going on and leave the rest to your imagination. This is the power of showing and not telling. It is also the power of not letting your readers know everything. The characters and their descriptions build themselves within the context of the novel.  So in building your scenes--aim to entertain, but plan not to let your readers know everything.  That keeps them looking for more.

Scene Building, How I Start part 4

 My novel Aegypt
www.AegyptNovel.com.

Why and what: you need to begin scene writing with the input and a "what."  The "what" is something that will be entertaining to your readers.  Let's continue with the example of Dana-ana.  The main character has been accused of stealing lunches in school and is about to be beaten for it.  The tension in the scene is obvious.  The excitement in the scene builds through the description and conversation.  Description is the critical ingredient in building the scene.  You have to set the scene for your readers.  I follow Arlo Guthrie's advice and use description in many ways to tell the reader when, where, and who.  Without description the reader isn't anywhere.  You have to establish the reader in the world you are building in the scene.  I do this early on.  Let's look at the first few paragraphs of Dana-ana:
     The yells of students burst from the halls and classrooms and pressed into the yard. Byron Macintyre was carried along with the crowd. He just wanted to get to lunch. He rolled his eyes and kept up with the moving mob. The halls of their old school building were not very wide, and the lockers on either side made them smaller. The high school didn’t have that many students, but when they were all out of class and moving in one direction, it was nearly impossible to travel anywhere else. Byron figured he would just wait until he could get outside the doors, then he could duck back to his locker, the cafeteria, and then the library.

     Byron was tall, but he still couldn’t see what was going on ahead. Out of exasperation, he yelled over the noise of the crowd, “What’s going on?”
     From beside him, one of the sophomore girls laughed, “It’s that girl Diana. The stinky skank, who wears crappy clothes.”
     Yeah, Byron knew about Diana. Everyone knew about Diana. She was never very far from trouble with teachers, students, or parents. She didn’t have any friends, but she usually kept a low profile.

In these few paragraphs, I establish for the reader the place (a High School with some info about the school), the time (it's lunch, modern world is kind of obvious too), Byron, and the main character, Dana (Diana).  This, in my mind, is necessary.  You have to establish the reader solidly in the scene, then you can let them go to experience the rest of the action.  Note, the action moves even in this descriptive portion.  You can't let your readers loose by simply stating a description.  You need to keep your readers involved throughout.  Once you establish the basics of where, when, and who for a scene, you can continue to build with description in the conversation and narrative.
 
One more point about scenes: show don't tell.  Don't tell us motivations.  Don't reveal everything.  Show us what is going on in the scene and let it play out like in real life.  You don't know motivations in the real world.  You don't know what others are thinking.  You don't know even that much about yourself--sometimes.  Reality becomes real in a scene when the reader can see the entire situation, but doesn't know the internal motivations of the actors.  This is the way of the real world.  This is what builds tension in the real world--and this is what drives the power of a scene.  Tomorrow, I'll delve deeper into moving the scene through conversation and narrative.  You can read the rest of the chapter at www.GoddessNovel.com