Writing Ideas - How I Start a Novel Part 2

6 July 2013, Writing Ideas - How I Start a Novel Part 2

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/.

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.

I write in scenes. This is why all my novels are centered on a scene and a theme or plot question that then develops into the overall plot and storyline. The scene in my latest novel Dana-ana http://www.Dana-ana.com/ (working title Diana--still searching for a title) that started everything is the first one. In it, Dana-ana is being "beat up" by a couple of boys for stealing their girlfriends' lunches. The main male character Byron intervenes but not before Dana is knocked out and partially pantsed. The descriptions of the scene and Dana propel the narrative into the next scene. Dana will not speak. Her name is odd. Her actions are odd. The teachers intentionally allow her to be beaten--to teach her a lesson. The next scene flows logically from the first--Byron takes her to the infirmary. The nurse doesn't want Dana there. She refuses to treat her. When Dana finally wakes, her actions are odd and she still doesn't speak. That flows to the next scene--Byron escorts her home. Her home is a tarpaper shack and that flows to the next scene, etc. etc. (you can read the first chapter at http://www.Dana-ana.com/) The scenes drive the entire novel. Most of the scenes are conversational interaction bracketed by description. The scenes drive the storyline and the plot. The storyline is encapsulated in the scenes that together become the plot. Each of the scenes drive the plot, and the theme is held together by that overall question. As I mentioned before, the question in Diana is about an Anglo-Saxon maiden in the modern world.  This is a plot statement or question.  It really isn't the full theme question or statement. 

So this is how I write a novel. It is certainly not how everyone approaches novel writing, but let me synopsize my approach. I start with a scene and build from it. I use an outline based on scenes. I write each scene in order to build the storyline and the plot. The scenes together turn into chapters which becomes a novel. From such a tiny seed grows a 100,000 word work. Tomorrow, I'll talk about writing a scene.

See more writing secrets at www.ldalford.com.

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

Writing Ideas - How I Start a Novel Part 1

5 July 2013, Writing Ideas - How I Start a Novel Part 1

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/.

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.

I wish I could spend every moment writing on novels. The problem is that I can't physically or mentally do that. I begin to write a novel when I have a novel length inspiration. They come about once every six months now, so I can potentially expect to write a novel every six months or two a year. My usual inspiration is an opening scene or a developed scene. These usually manifest themselves as a theme question. You can see some of these theme questions in the novel secret pages at www.ldalford.com. In the case of the newest novel I wrote, the scene was a girl being beaten and a young man rescuing her. The first question is what could drive such a scene. My answer isn't as simple as you would think.  It doesn't, at first, seem contected to the incident at all. The ultimate plot question I derived from this scene is what incidents would drive the circumstance of an Anglo-Saxon maiden in the modern world. That's the plot statement of the novel. Once I had a plot statement and an opening scene, I could begin on the novel. The novel called for me to write it. I couldn't stop the flow of ideas. Once I fleshed out the major characters in the first chapter, I began to outline the novel. I usually outline very loosely by scene. I add scenes and develop plot details by chapter. When I am writing, I write daily from about 7:00 am to 9:00 pm. I usually write a chapter a day about 6000 words or 20 pages. I aim for a novel of around 100,000 words. About 20 chapters. I finish a novel after about one month. Tomorrow, I'll give you more details on writing my latest novel and generally about how I go about writing a novel.

See more writing secrets at www.ldalford.com.

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

Development - Goals

2 October 2012, Development - Goals

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.

You have to have a general idea of your goal.  My goal was always to write a novel--I've written 21 novels plus a bunch of starts.  I'm on 22 and 23, but progressing slowly.  Of course my goals were not just to write a novel, but to be a published author--I have six books in print.  My goals didn't stop there; I want to continue to have my novels published--I have two novels on contract.  I have further goals--I'd like to see all my novels published, and I'd like to write a lot more novels.

If you want to accomplish anything in life, you must have goals.  If you want to be an author, you need to define your goals.  The goals above a pretty good, but if you are just starting to write, I think you should refine them.  Here is the first goal I'd suggest.

1.  Begin to write.  I speak to wanna-be authors all the time.  The difference between a wanna-be and an "is" is the doing.  If you want to be a writer, you must write.  This means you must begin and begin now.  No excuses--just do it.  Let's dive deeper into this.  You need to start writing, and you need to do it regularly.  I personally don't need a schedule for writing, but if you are the kind of person who needs a schedule to achieve something, then make a schedule.  Schedule your writing and start.  You might as well start right now--that is the minute you finish reading this blog.  The starting is critical.

This is just like an exercise program--only better.  People who stick to their exercise program will always see the benefits of that program.  People who start a writing program will always see the benefits of that program.  I don't mean to say you will become a great author, but until you actually start, there is no hope you will become a great author.  Let's put it this way--if you start to write, there is a chance you will become a great author.  If you don't start to write, you can never become any kind of author.  Start writing.

I'll move on to basic writing exercises and creativity in the near future.

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.

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, http://www.aseasonofhonor.com/.

A Novel, How I Start part 1

I wish I could spend every moment writing on novels.  The problem is that I can't physically or mentally do that.  I begin to write a novel when I have a novel length inspiration.  They come about once every six months now, so I can potentially expect to write a novel every six months or two a year.  My usual inspiration is an opening scene or a developed scene.  These usually manifest themselves as a theme question.  You can see some of these theme questions in the novel secret pages at www.ldalford.com.  In the case of the newest novel I wrote, the scene was a girl being beat up and a young man rescuing her.  The question was what incidents would drive the circumstance of an Anglo-Saxon maiden in the modern world.  That's the plot statement of the novel.  Once I had a plot statement and an opening scene, I could begin on the novel.  The novel called for me to write it.  I couldn't stop the flow of ideas.  Once I fleshed out the major characters in the first chapter, I began to outline the novel.  I usually outline very loosely by scene.  I add scenes and develop plot details by chapter.  When I am writing, I write daily from about 7:00 am to 9:00 pm.  I usually write a chapter a day about 6000 words or 20 pages.  I aim for a novel of around 100,000 words.  About 20 chapters.  I finish a novel after about one month.  Tomorrow, I'll give you more details on writing my latest novel and generally about how I go about writing a novel.