Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 68, Conversation Tension, Developing Storyline Rising Action

17 June 2014, Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 68, Conversation Tension, Developing Storyline Rising Action

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.

Most of my scenes are conversational.  In fact, I'd say that I want ninety percent of my novels to be conversation.  In conversation, I can let you in on the minds and ideas of my characters--they tell the reader and each other what they think (believe) or want to tell them.  This means that every conversation must have an element of tension and release. 

This doesn't mean that every conversation has to be an argument or has to have some heated exchange.  A conversation can be muted and convivial and still have some degree of tension with a release.  If it doesn't, you need to find a different means of conveying the information.  As I write, every scene needs some degree of tension and release. 

Let's put it another way--every scene needs some kind of excitement.  There must be some nugget of excitement for the reader or there is no point in reading the novel.  Each bit of tension and release should spur the reader on and lead to the climax of the novel.  Anything that doesn't do both is extraneous to the novel and should be removed. 

In writing every scene, I look for elements where I can interject a degree of excitement and entertainment.
 
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

Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 67, Tension Developing Storyline Rising Action

16 June 2014, Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 67, Tension Developing Storyline Rising Action

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.

Like I wrote, when you imagine any scene, imagine the action and tension development in the scene.  The point is to have some degree of excitement in every scene.  Every scene must have a building climax to a release.  This is called tension and release.  Yesterday, I mentioned that I revised the idea for a scene.  I originally pictured an intense scene where the vampire girl was abused by those who were interrogating her.  I changed this to a confrontation during a Christmas party.  The time was opportune to the season, but the confrontation came between the agent's bosses wife and the vampire, Heidi.  The point is that in every scene, I determine a tension and release. 

In my novels, every scene has tension development with a release.  Even the simplest scene should have some tension development with a release.  I can't express this any stronger--you must have tension and release in every scene.  In the scene I developed at the party, the director of Stele (the agent's boss's wife) recognizes that the vampire, Heidi is not human.  She can't identify what kind of creature Heidi is, but she knows she is something not human.  Their is a gentle altercation between the two.  Heidi is offended and causes a scene.  When the agent, George upbraids her, Heidi becomes upset at him.  The tension builds with each encounter.  Eventually, the release is when Heidi and the director of Stele have a private conversation. 
 
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

Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 66, still more Tension and Release, Developing Storyline Rising Action

15 June 2014, Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 66, still more Tension and Release, Developing Storyline Rising Action

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. 

You can't write a novel in a day--even a well outlined novel can be completely messed up if the author doesn't understand the idea of tension and release.  In other words, you can have all the five parts of a novel, listed above, and still not produce a good novel.  The reason is this: a novel is a collection of scenes and not just a singular entity.  Each scene needs to be approached as I have been describing them to you: input, setting, tension, release, output.  All of these are necessary, but the most important is tension. 

What I do is this--I imagine my characters in powerful emotional and action oriented scenes, then I try to make those scenes happen.  Sometimes they fit in place, and sometimes they don't.  When I start any scene, I take the input and setting (they are givens), I try to visualize the output, and then I visualize or develop the situation in the scene that will build tension.  Each scene must be like a miniature novel (or a short story) in that it has its own climax (tension) and falling action (resolution).  For example, one scene I was keen to include was a revelation scene where certain important people realized who the vampire was and unfairly attacked her.  I imagined a great emotional blowup that led to a physical altercation where the agent had to rescue the vampire because she would not defend herself--until the agent was attacked.  This scene wouldn't fit in the novel properly--so I discarded it.  What replaced it, was even better. 
 
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

Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 65, more Tension and Release, Developing Storyline Rising Action

14 June 2014, Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 65, more Tension and Release, Developing Storyline Rising Action

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. 

When you write anything, but especially a novel, you write in scenes.  Each scene is cohesive and fits into every other scene.  I recommend an approach to writing where each scene is the input and output to every other scene.  In any case, no matter how you write, you must set each scene.  The scene input and the scene setting should be the easiest part of the scene.  Once you have the input and the setting.  The next step is the output.  What do you want to come out of the scene.  Where is the scene going.

Every scene must have a purpose in a novel--there can be nothing extraneous.  Your scene must have a purpose.  It must move an idea or a person or a thing from here to there.  It must process the novel in some way.  I know the output of every scene--that is the goal I am writing toward.  For example, in my vampire novel, out of the first scene, I knew I wanted an interaction of the agent with the vampire and I knew I wanted the agent to live.  With this as the goal or output of the scene, all I had to do is connect the dots--literally to write from one point to the end point for the scene.  That can't be so hard--can it?  The next step is the development of the element of tension.
 
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

Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 64, Tension and Release, Developing Storyline Rising Action

13 June 2014, Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 64, Tension and Release, Developing Storyline Rising Action

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. 

I use scenes to write my novels.  In the simplest case of writing in scenes, you begin with an initial scene.  The initial scene gives you an output which becomes the input to the next scene and so on through the novel.  Each scene provides an output which becomes an input to the next scene.  At this juncture, I am diving into the actual scene development--that is how to write a scene.  I have been showing you how I develop characters that I then reveal in the novel.  Remember, a novel is all about character revelation.  The revelation comes through the scenes--that is why scene development is a critical part of writing a novel.  The scene development is what becomes your storyline which is the overall story, the overall story elements is the plot, and the focus of everything is the theme of the novel.

The first step in a scene is the input.  Except for the first scene, every succeeding scene has an automatic input (there are variations, but this is the simplest).  The input to the first scene is determined by the theme.  I already went over this in some detail.  Each scene has its input.  The next step in scene writing and development is the setting.  The first step in any scene is setting the scene.  I've written extensively about this too.  This usually comes out of the input, but must be stated in the beginning of the scene.  As an example, you can't have a play without the setting--it's impossible.  You can't have a scene without a setting--it is possible to write, but impossible as literature.  Many writers miss this critical point in writing a scene.  You must tell your readers the when, where, who, what, and finally how.  The how is the storyline in the scene.  This is where the tension lies.
 
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

Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 63, and still more Pathos and Tension, Developing Characters Rising Action

12 June 2014, Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 63, and still more Pathos and Tension, Developing Characters Rising Action

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 most powerful element in a writer's toolbox is the ability to cause emotion in the reader.  That is the point of all fiction writing (and to a degree of non-fiction writing).  The tools for creating emotion in your readers is pathos and tension.  Pathos is the natural quality of a character and tension is the circumstances you place them in. 

The main point of writing is to put an element of pathos in every scene and an element of tension in every scene.  Every scene must have a rising action, a climax, and a falling action.  The rising action is the tension in the scene, the climax and falling action is the tension release in the scene.  Every scene must have some degree of tension.  This doesn't mean every scene must have a strong tension and release, but there should be something.  Some scenes build tension without a full release.  Some scenes are all about release.  In every case, until the climax of the novel, there should never be a full release.  And in many cases, there shouldn't be a full release of every tension in the novel at that point.

As a writer, your whole world is about tension and release.  I imagine every scene before I write it as a tension and a release system.  In fact, for a novel, I imagine what circumstances and what elements of the novel itself will bring the greatest pathos and greatest tension with the characters and settings.  I'll give some examples from my latest writing.
 
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

Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 62, still more Pathos and Tension, Developing Characters Rising Action

11 June 2014, Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 62, still more Pathos and Tension, Developing Characters Rising Action

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. 

Once you have a pathetic character, what you do with them is very important.  What you want to do with any of your characters is place them in a situation of tension then release.  Just as a novel has a rising action, climax, and falling action, every scene in your novel, should have some degree of tension (rising action) and release (climax and falling action).  The development of the tension in each scene is critical to building pathos and holding the energy of the emotion in your readers. 

For example, in my vampire novel, I have a protagonist's helper who is eating out of the garbage.  I don't always put this in my novels, but it is a good means to generate pathos.  The eating out of garbage is mitigated in the case of this character because she is doing it for her business--she would rather spend the money on her business than buy food.  The protagonist offers to give her money--she says she would just use the money for her business.  The protagonist offers to take her to dinner every night.  Break, break, do you see the rising tension in this scene description.  The source of tension is the food.  The protagonist's helper is starving herself for her work.  This is the tension.  The protagonist keeps trying to solve the problem that is causing the tension.  As in each step, the tension is not released, the tension grows.  Finally, the protagonist offers to buy her dinner each night--that is the climax and the release.  If you note, the circumstance of a pathetic character in a pathetic circumstance generates the tension.  The solution gives a release.  The release is still not complete.
 
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

Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 61, yet more Pathos and Tension, Developing Characters Rising Action

10 June 2014, Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 61, yet more Pathos and Tension, Developing Characters Rising Action

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. 

I want to develop characters who will pretty much automatically generate pathos in the minds of my readers.  If possible, just by introducing a character, I'd like the reader to be emotionally drawn into the writing.  It's like seeing a kitten--many people will immediately go, aww.  That's the kind of response that a strong pathetic character should generate--not so much the aww, but a gentle excitement and interest.  Almost any character can be made somewhat pathetic.  That's not to say every character can generate pathos, or that every character should, but you can give mental and verbal characteristics to many characters that endear them to your readers without making them syrupy.

For example, I like to develop odd protagonist's helpers who have naturally acerbic characters and whose tongues say things the protagonists don't like to hear (or don't want others to know).  Such a character is sometimes called a sidekick, and sidekick type characters have a strong endearment to most readers.  I also like to develop characters who are nonconformists.  A nonconformist in a conforming world is a wonderful pathetic character because many, if not most people imagine themselves in such a role.     
 
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

Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 60, more Pathos and Tension, Developing Characters Rising Action

9 June 2014, Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 60, more Pathos and Tension, Developing Characters Rising Action

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. 

I'm writing about Aristotle's pathos and tension in character development.  Pathos in literature is the quality of creating emotion in your readers.  A pathetic character is one that evokes emotion.  I generally try to develop a protagonist and/or a protagonist's helper character who strongly evokes an emotional response in my readers.  I would like to present and evolve every scene such that the scene and the interaction of the characters creates strong emotion.  The point of this kind of writing is to get your readers to be enveloped by the writing.  In my opinion, the first step is to build a pathetic character.  If you start with a character people want to love and feel sorry for, you will have a much easier job putting your character in scenes that evoke emotion in your readers.  If I start a scene with a bedraggled, hungry, dirty, girl vampire and I tell you her hunt was just ruined, you can't help feeling for her.  In spite of the potential horror you might feel about a vampire or anything else, if I can make you see such a person in your mind's eye through my writing, I have won half the battle in sucking you into the writing and holding you there.

If I take an agent who is suddenly wounded and dying, a person who appeals to you--if I can make you see such a person and understand their regret and suffering, I can hold you in the world of the writing.  This is the power of pathos.  Imagine a hunting girl vampire and a wounded agent who accidentally ruined her hunt.  We begin to move from pathos to wonder and mystery--and tension.     
 
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

Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 59, Pathos and Tension, Developing Characters Rising Action

8 June 2014, Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 59, Pathos and Tension, Developing Characters Rising Action

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. 

What are Aristotle's pathos and tension in character development?  I've written about both concepts before.  In my novel writing, I work to develop primary characters (protagonists and protagonists helpers) who are certain to cause a very high level of pathos.  Pathos is the characteristic of producing emotion in your readers.  This is what Aristotle meant by a pathetic character.  In general English, pathetic means something a little different than this very defined meaning.  A pathetic character is one that evokes emotion.  For example, in my "vampire" novel, the idea of a vampire who is a girl immediately evokes some degree of emotion from a reader.  All readers grab onto the idea of youth and youthful characters.  This is why there are very few protagonists who are very old.  Still a vampire who is a young girl automatically gets a degree of emotional attention.

Such a character can be easily enhanced in the sphere of emotion.  If the girl vampire is abandoned, abused, dirty, hungry, whose clothing fine but ruined.  If she is alone and lives in a grave.  Such a character, if properly handled can build pathos.  Such a character just by existing in the writing develops pathos.  Only the psychopathic could not see emotion is this type of character.  That is unless the author intentionally turns this kind of character into a monster.  For example, a vampire girl who is hungry, abandoned, abused, dirty, whose clothing is ruined, and who lives in a grave whose own actions and behavior is wholly responsible as the cause, will not generate the degree of pathos of one whose actions and behavior didn't cause the negatives.  In other words, a character who cannot completely help themselves but is trying returns a much higher degree of pathos than one who caused their own misfortune.        
 
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

Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 58, Pity and Fear, Developing Characters Rising Action

7 June 2014, Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 58, Spiritual Redemptive Theme, Developing Characters Rising Action

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. 

I kind of glanced into the climax without planning to.  I mentioned yesterday about overcoming a telic flaw.  This is the crux of both classic comedy and tragedy (according to Aristotle).  If you trust Aristotle.  Look--very few things I write about are absolutely cut and dried--most are based in ideas.  They are usually tested ideas either by time or experience, but they are ideas.  Heck, if you don't like Aristotle's ideas, you don't have to use them, but you need to know them and consider them.  In my day job, knowing the rules and the limits is critical to life and death.  If you know the rules and limits, you know when you are intentionally exceeding them.  If you know you are intentionally breaking the rules or exceeding the limits, you could be a wise and successful (in my business a live) person.  If you don't...well, fools tend to pay for their foolishness one way or the other.  It pays to understand Aristotle and classic literary forms. 

Aristotle is well known for his treatise on tragedy.  We also know he wrote a treatise on comedy.  The one on tragedy is still extant, the one on comedy has been lost in time.  You should read Aristotle's treatise on tragedy, but let me give you the ten cent outline.  Good tragedy comes out of strong tragic characters--such characters must be able to generate pity and fear in the viewer (he was writing about plays--so insert reader).  What Aristotle meant by pity and fear is what we call in English: pathos and tension.        
 
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

Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 57, yet more Redemptive Theme, Developing Characters Rising Action

6 June 2014, Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 57, yet more Redemptive Theme, Developing Characters Rising Action

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. 

There is a third type of classical redemptive theme.  This is that a person or a being is redeemed in a religious or Christian sense.  The reason this is a classical theme is that in all Western literature even if the theme is from evil to good, there is an assumption of Christian redemption.  I point this out for historical accuracy and to make a very important point.  In any classical redemptive theme, there must be some spiritual element.  The spiritual element from the classics is one of Christian redemption, and there is no reason why this theme should be simply relegated to inspirational or Christian literature today.  The big point is, as anyone should note (C.S. Lewis' argument), the incorporation of a spiritual creature (like a vampire, zombie, or any other undead) presumes God.  You can't enter the spiritual regime without addressing God in some way.  The expression doesn't need to be a stereotypical conversion or a presumptive theological construct, but without God, there is no spiritual.

Therefore, by bringing a vampire into a novel, the author is making a presumption of some type of Christian or at least a spiritual worldview.  It is possible to have other gods or other worldviews (Asian, Eastern, Western, African, etc.), but they must include some spiritual god element or they become quickly illogical.  If you are not convinced, read an unexpurgated (unabridged) copy of Dracula.  Bram Stoker was a strong Catholic and presented a powerful Christian and redemptive worldview in a novel that has been more and more secularized.  I prefer the original.  The message of Bram Stoker was one of hope and redemption.  The message of a secular Dracula is powerful, but not hopeful or pleasant in the least.  Although we have lost Aristotle's treatise on comedy, we know the message of good comedy is that of humans overcoming a telic flaw.  In a classical redemptive theme, the telic flaw can only be overcome through spiritual means.       
 
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

Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 56, more Redemptive Theme, Developing Characters Rising Action

5 June 2014, Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 56, more Redemptive Theme, Developing Characters Rising Action

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. 

A more unique type of redemptive theme is that a being who is thought to be evil could either be found to be good or could change from evil to good.  These are the types of unique themes I develop in my novels.  For example, the vampire novel I am writing has a theme of a redeemed vampire.  The obvious assumption is that the vampire becomes changed from a creature of evil to a creature of good.  A secondary assumption could be that the vampire changes from being a vampire.  I did not address this secondary assumption--there are reasons why this could be a good theme, but not necessarily in the universe of the novel I created.  I do like to look as "impossible" themes and have used them in the past.  That is themes where some event is classically thought to be impossible.  For example, Aksinya.  I don't believe any other author has written a novel where a person who calls a demon is redeemed both body and soul.  Such a redemption is generally considered "impossible."  I would like to pursue the "impossible" theme of a vampire turned back into a human, but I think this would be extremely difficult because of what a vampire is. 

A vampire is, by definition, a human that is dead and reanimated through some means.  The classical means is that the vampireness is conveyed by the vampire drinking the victim's blood.  In my novel universe, the victim could only become a vampire if they were killed by the vampire and some essence of the vampire was then placed in the victim by the vampire.  This is logical and doesn't reduce the strength of the idea of a "vampire."  Since a vampire is already a dead human, unless you can propose the reanimation of a normal person, you can't change a vampire.  This is one of the reasons a vampire is such a great pathetic character--they can't change from being a vampire, but perhaps they can be redeemed.   
 
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

Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 55, Redemptive Theme, Developing Characters Rising Action

4 June 2014, Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 55, Redemptive Theme, Developing Characters Rising Action

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. 

This is another reason I don't like single word themes.  For example, if you say, my novel has a "love" theme, what exactly does that mean?  If you say it has a "true love" or "first love" theme, you are getting closer to some meaning--still obscure.  When I write that my novel has a redemptive theme, that can mean many different things. 

Classically, a redemptive theme means the protagonist is redeemed from some great evil in their life.  For example, the evil businessman who cheat his clients comes clean and repays what he did wrong, or the woman who prostetutes herself realizes her actions are wrong and becomes an upstanding member of society.  In my novel, Aksinya, the protagonist, Aksinya, called a demon from hell to help her save her family.  Her family was killed anyway, and Aksinya's redemption is from the demon and her own demons.  These are classical redemptive themes.  Less classical, but just as important, in my mind, are redemptive themes where people are saved emotionally and mentally.  I have used these types of redemptive themes before--they can be much more powerful than a classic redemptive theme.  For example, the man who has turmoil over some terrible event in his life and overcomes the turmoil and the event, or the woman who is traumatized by abuse and overcomes that to help others.  I have used this as a theme in my novels as well.  Many times this is a good subtheme.  For example, in my novels Shadow of Light and Shadow of Darkness, the protagonist has to overcome (be redeemed) from her fear that her parents hate her and believe she is evil.  The novel is very complex in this regard, and the desire for people to make their parents happy is a very strong redemption theme.

You can see, a redemptive theme is a classic theme and one that has great potential to many audiences.  
 
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

Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 54, more the Theme, Developing Characters Rising Action

3 June 2014, Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 54, more the Theme, Developing Characters Rising Action

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. 

I've mentioned this before, when you develop a theme for a novel, you should develop a unique theme.  Themes that are not very unique will not go anywhere with today's readers or today's publishers.  If your theme isn't unique, you will not be able to compete in the novel marketplace.

I know already what you will say--every theme has been used before and none are unique.  I used to believe that too--I think it is completely untrue.  Look at the theme statement above--that's a pretty unique theme statement.  I'm not sure anyone has written a novel like that before.  I'm not sure anyone has written using the themes I did for many of my novels.  I will not go into the detail I did before about writing theme statements, but I will note for you that a single word theme such as redemption, has been used over and over again.  This is why I think single word themes are not very useful.  Although redemption is the theme of many of my novels, the single word "redemption" is not enough to describe their themes. 

In trying to define redemption, I have written about gods and goddesses.  I've written about demi-gods and demi-goddesses.  I've written about dragons and a phoenix.  I've written about undead and demons. I've written about sorcery and magic.  In most classic themes about redemption, all the beings and ideas I listed would be on the evil and unredeemable list.  In my novels, I explore the possibility of the redemption of these creatures and of regular people as well.  Perhaps it would help to define a redemption theme.
 
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

Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 53, the Theme, Developing Characters Rising Action

2 June 2014, Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 53, the Theme, Developing Characters Rising Action

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 theme of Valeska is the redemption (or the ability to be redeemed) of a Vampire.  This is one of the points I made before about themes.  This idea is a unique theme.  I don't know if anyone ever thought to write using this theme, I know I haven't read it or heard about it.  That doesn't mean someone else hasn't used it before, but I rather doubt it.  The assumption about vampires as spiritual creatures (and all classical vampires must be spiritual creatures) is that there is no way they can be redeemed.  They are, literally, the living unredeemable.  In fact, the undead are supposedly unredeemable.  I already touched on this as a subtheme in a couple of my novels.

I have two characters, Scaith and Oba, who are humans held from death.  They are literally undead beings.  Scaith and Oba were made by the beings I write about in my Ancient Light novels.  In these novels, I address the character of these beings and their "redemption."  Oba came out of the evil he was made for by his experiences and protection of Lumiere' Bolang.  His journey of redemption took more than one novel in the series and eventually led to his destruction.  He is a very engaging character.  Scaith, on the other hand, was made in a fit of despair.  Her death was an accident, and she gained many of the memories of Oba.  Scaith was a person who was already moving from evil before she died.  As a human held back from death, she had an opportunity to gain the power she needed and desired to act on the world.  I should mention, that each of my novels addresses a person or being who the world might imagine can't be redeemed or who must be evil.  In each novel, I address their goodness and potential redemption.
 
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

Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 52, more Themes, Developing Characters Rising Action

1 June 2014, Writing Ideas - Vampire Novel, part 52, more Themes, Developing Characters Rising Action

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. 

If you haven't noticed, I'm tying the character development back into the theme of the novel.  As I mentioned and you know, vampires supposedly have no hope of redemption.  One of the general themes I've been investigating in my writing is redemption for creatures or beings for whom we might imagine there never could be any redemption.  My overall Ancient Light novels started this idea with gods and goddesses.  I really began to explore the concept with Aksinya.  A person who calls a demon can't possibly be redeemed--can she?  I went further on this theme with Khione.  How can an abused, sex-slave, demi-goddess ever find redemption?  Valeska is just another step in this direction.  When I started writing, I couldn't imagine how a vampire could be redeemed.  I'm not sure I answered the question as succinctly as many would like, but I like the answer.

By the way, I finished the novel yesterday 30 March 2014.  I write these blogs ahead for may reasons--that's why the time delay.  The next step is editing.  I already know where there are some issues.  I don't have an inspiration for another novel at the moment, but I'm sure one will come to me in a month of two--or less.  The last one came to me even before I finished Khione.  The trick is then in the publication.  That is a long process that requires much patience.  Glad I have a day job.
 
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