Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 467, indirect Character Tension Conflict Q and A Developing the Rising Action

21 July 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 467, indirect Character Tension Conflict Q and A Developing the Rising Action

Announcement: Delay, my new novels can be seen on the internet, but the publisher has delayed all their fiction output due to the economy.  I'll keep you informed.  More information can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  Check out my novels--I think you'll really enjoy them.

Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. This was my 21st novel and through this blog, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.

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

The four plus one basic rules I employ when writing:

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

All novels have five discrete parts:
1.  The initial scene (the beginning)
2.  The rising action
3.  The climax
4.  The falling action
5.  The dénouement

The theme statement of my 26th novel, working title, Shape, is this: Mrs. Lyons captures a shape-shifting girl in her pantry and rehabilitates her.

Here is the cover proposal for Lilly: Enchantment and the Computer.  Lilly is my 24th novel.

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising action.  I've started writing Shape.

I'm an advocate of using the/a scene input/output method to drive the rising action--in fact, to write any novel. 

Scene development:
1.  Scene input (easy)
2.  Scene output (a little harder)
3.  Scene setting (basic stuff)
4.  Creativity (creative elements of the scene)
5.  Tension (development of creative elements to build excitement)
6.  Release (climax of creative elements)

I can immediately discern three ways to invoke creativity:

1.  History extrapolation
2.  Technological extrapolation
3.  Intellectual extrapolation

Creativity is like an extrapolation of what has been.  It is a reflection of something new created with ties to the history, science, and logic (the intellect).  Creativity requires consuming, thinking, and producing. 

One of my blog readers posed these questions.  I'll use the next few weeks to answer them.

1.  Conflict/tension between characters
2.  Character presentation (appearance, speech, behavior, gestures, actions)
3.  Change, complexity of relationship, and relation to issues/theme
4.  Evolving vs static character
5.  Language and style
6.  Verbal, gesture, action
7.  Words employed
8.  Sentence length
9.  Complexity
10.  Type of grammar
11.  Diction
12.  Field of reference or allusion
13.  Tone
14.  Mannerism suggest by speech
15.  Style
16.  Distinct manner of writing or speaking you employ, and why (like Pinter's style includes gaps, silences, non-sequitors, and fragments while Chekhov's includes 'apparent' inconclusiveness).

Moving back to 1.  1.  Conflict/tension between characters

The tension and release in every novel is almost entirely based in character conflict.  Much of his conflict is subtle and indirect.  Much of it is based in the tension and release cycle driven by the scenes. 

Remember, each scene must have a tension and release.  Generally, in each scene is lessor tension and release cycles.  For example, each time I mention that Essie (from Shape) licks the butter off her bread, that is a subtle tension and release.  The tension is that she does it.  The release is Mrs. Lyons' (or other's) response to it.  For example, if Mrs. Lyons finally became angry at Essie, that would be a direct release.  On the other hand, usually, she just ignores the behavior--that is a more subtle kind of release.  When Claire (seven years old) points out that Essie licks the butter off her bread, that is a direct tension.  Mrs. Lyons disregards the comment--that is an indirect release. 

What is the point?  The point is that through each scene moves the subtle and the direct, direct conflict and tension and indirect tension and conflict.  This is what a scene and the tension development in a scene is all about.  The same is true for the climax and the novel.  The overall idea is to build tension in every scene and in the novel--period.

More tomorrow.

For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:

http://www.ancientlight.com/
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com  

fiction, theme, plot, story, storyline, character development, scene, setting, conversation, novel, book, writing, information, study, marketing, tension, release, creative, idea, logic 

Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 466, always Character Tension Conflict Q and A Developing the Rising Action

20 July 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 466, always Character Tension Conflict Q and A Developing the Rising Action

Announcement: Delay, my new novels can be seen on the internet, but the publisher has delayed all their fiction output due to the economy.  I'll keep you informed.  More information can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  Check out my novels--I think you'll really enjoy them.

Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. This was my 21st novel and through this blog, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.

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

The four plus one basic rules I employ when writing:

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

All novels have five discrete parts:
1.  The initial scene (the beginning)
2.  The rising action
3.  The climax
4.  The falling action
5.  The dénouement

The theme statement of my 26th novel, working title, Shape, is this: Mrs. Lyons captures a shape-shifting girl in her pantry and rehabilitates her.

Here is the cover proposal for Lilly: Enchantment and the Computer.  Lilly is my 24th novel.

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising action.  I've started writing Shape.

I'm an advocate of using the/a scene input/output method to drive the rising action--in fact, to write any novel. 

Scene development:
1.  Scene input (easy)
2.  Scene output (a little harder)
3.  Scene setting (basic stuff)
4.  Creativity (creative elements of the scene)
5.  Tension (development of creative elements to build excitement)
6.  Release (climax of creative elements)

I can immediately discern three ways to invoke creativity:

1.  History extrapolation
2.  Technological extrapolation
3.  Intellectual extrapolation

Creativity is like an extrapolation of what has been.  It is a reflection of something new created with ties to the history, science, and logic (the intellect).  Creativity requires consuming, thinking, and producing. 

One of my blog readers posed these questions.  I'll use the next few weeks to answer them.

1.  Conflict/tension between characters
2.  Character presentation (appearance, speech, behavior, gestures, actions)
3.  Change, complexity of relationship, and relation to issues/theme
4.  Evolving vs static character
5.  Language and style
6.  Verbal, gesture, action
7.  Words employed
8.  Sentence length
9.  Complexity
10.  Type of grammar
11.  Diction
12.  Field of reference or allusion
13.  Tone
14.  Mannerism suggest by speech
15.  Style
16.  Distinct manner of writing or speaking you employ, and why (like Pinter's style includes gaps, silences, non-sequitors, and fragments while Chekhov's includes 'apparent' inconclusiveness).

Moving back to 1.  1.  Conflict/tension between characters

Without some degree of conflict between characters, there is usually nothing to write about--end of novel.  Let's just note, you can write a scene with the most subtle of human conflict.  I do this all the time.  I like to write about silent, unstated conflict that smolders just under the surface.  I like even better silent, partially stated conflict that smolders just under the surface and that rears its ugly head every now and then.

Thus in Shape, Essie has some type of unknown conflict with Ceridwen.  This conflict is stated, but it's origin is only hinted at.  The Morfrans say the fae gave Essie into their care in the name of Ceridwen.  Mrs. Lyons knows the real Ceridwen.  She doesn't believe Ceridwen could allow such abuse to Essie.  In Shape, this is an idea that surfaces every scene or so.  Likewise, the idea of the fae becoming involved.  This idea keeps surfacing because the fae (or something) keeps messing up the tea things in the garden.  Essie knows it is the fae.  Somewhat impotent, but the fae have power.

The point of each of these examples is to show that in any novel, the author must keep a balancing act of the conflict development--that is, much of the conflict is subtle and indirect.  Some of the conflict is obvious and direct.  This is part of the power of a novel--the ability to express both to excite and entertain the reader.     

More tomorrow.

For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:

http://www.ancientlight.com/
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com  

fiction, theme, plot, story, storyline, character development, scene, setting, conversation, novel, book, writing, information, study, marketing, tension, release, creative, idea, logic 

Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 465, more Character Tension Conflict Q and A Developing the Rising Action

19 July 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 465, more Character Tension Conflict Q and A Developing the Rising Action

Announcement: Delay, my new novels can be seen on the internet, but the publisher has delayed all their fiction output due to the economy.  I'll keep you informed.  More information can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  Check out my novels--I think you'll really enjoy them.

Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. This was my 21st novel and through this blog, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.

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

The four plus one basic rules I employ when writing:

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

All novels have five discrete parts:
1.  The initial scene (the beginning)
2.  The rising action
3.  The climax
4.  The falling action
5.  The dénouement

The theme statement of my 26th novel, working title, Shape, is this: Mrs. Lyons captures a shape-shifting girl in her pantry and rehabilitates her.

Here is the cover proposal for Lilly: Enchantment and the Computer.  Lilly is my 24th novel.

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising action.  I've started writing Shape.

I'm an advocate of using the/a scene input/output method to drive the rising action--in fact, to write any novel. 

Scene development:
1.  Scene input (easy)
2.  Scene output (a little harder)
3.  Scene setting (basic stuff)
4.  Creativity (creative elements of the scene)
5.  Tension (development of creative elements to build excitement)
6.  Release (climax of creative elements)

I can immediately discern three ways to invoke creativity:

1.  History extrapolation
2.  Technological extrapolation
3.  Intellectual extrapolation

Creativity is like an extrapolation of what has been.  It is a reflection of something new created with ties to the history, science, and logic (the intellect).  Creativity requires consuming, thinking, and producing. 

One of my blog readers posed these questions.  I'll use the next few weeks to answer them.

1.  Conflict/tension between characters
2.  Character presentation (appearance, speech, behavior, gestures, actions)
3.  Change, complexity of relationship, and relation to issues/theme
4.  Evolving vs static character
5.  Language and style
6.  Verbal, gesture, action
7.  Words employed
8.  Sentence length
9.  Complexity
10.  Type of grammar
11.  Diction
12.  Field of reference or allusion
13.  Tone
14.  Mannerism suggest by speech
15.  Style
16.  Distinct manner of writing or speaking you employ, and why (like Pinter's style includes gaps, silences, non-sequitors, and fragments while Chekhov's includes 'apparent' inconclusiveness).

Moving back to 1.  1.  Conflict/tension between characters

To be entertaining every scene of a novel must include tension and release.  In addition, the overall novel must include tension to the climax with an overall release.  This tension is normally in scenes between characters, protagonist and protagonist's helper, and those major characters and the antagonist or secondary characters.  The main point is that the tension in most scenes and in the overall novel is between characters.  This tension can be called conflict, but it is every degree of conflict.  That is, the conflict can be from an unspoken seething to an outright war.  This is an important characteristic of tension.

Tension is conflict, but the conflict is scene and climax driven.  A quick aside, this is a potential key difference between a novel and a biography.  In a biography, the wise author uses tension in every scene to develop entertainment.  In a novel, the author must use tension in every scene to develop entertainment.  As I mentioned, this tension is generally from conflict between characters.

Let's discuss tension (conflict) in a scene.  I am using the example of my latest novel.  At first, Mrs. Lyons and Essie are in direct conflict.  Essie is captive and wants to escape.  Mrs. Lyons uses her cane and force of will to prevent Essie from escaping.  This is real conflict.  When Mrs. Lyons gets Essie to calm down, the conflict becomes much less direct.  Essie wants to eat only meat and protein, Mrs. Lyons doesn't want Essie to lick her butter off her bread.  Essie won't look at anyone or anything--directly.  Do you see the subtle conflict?  This is tension in a scene.     

More tomorrow.

For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:

http://www.ancientlight.com/
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com  

fiction, theme, plot, story, storyline, character development, scene, setting, conversation, novel, book, writing, information, study, marketing, tension, release, creative, idea, logic 

Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 464, Character Tension Conflict Q and A Developing the Rising Action

18 July 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 464, Character Tension Conflict Q and A Developing the Rising Action

Announcement: Delay, my new novels can be seen on the internet, but the publisher has delayed all their fiction output due to the economy.  I'll keep you informed.  More information can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  Check out my novels--I think you'll really enjoy them.

Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. This was my 21st novel and through this blog, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.

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

The four plus one basic rules I employ when writing:

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

All novels have five discrete parts:
1.  The initial scene (the beginning)
2.  The rising action
3.  The climax
4.  The falling action
5.  The dénouement

The theme statement of my 26th novel, working title, Shape, is this: Mrs. Lyons captures a shape-shifting girl in her pantry and rehabilitates her.

Here is the cover proposal for Lilly: Enchantment and the Computer.  Lilly is my 24th novel.

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising action.  I've started writing Shape.

I'm an advocate of using the/a scene input/output method to drive the rising action--in fact, to write any novel. 

Scene development:
1.  Scene input (easy)
2.  Scene output (a little harder)
3.  Scene setting (basic stuff)
4.  Creativity (creative elements of the scene)
5.  Tension (development of creative elements to build excitement)
6.  Release (climax of creative elements)

I can immediately discern three ways to invoke creativity:

1.  History extrapolation
2.  Technological extrapolation
3.  Intellectual extrapolation

Creativity is like an extrapolation of what has been.  It is a reflection of something new created with ties to the history, science, and logic (the intellect).  Creativity requires consuming, thinking, and producing. 

One of my blog readers posed these questions.  I'll use the next few weeks to answer them.

1.  Conflict/tension between characters
2.  Character presentation (appearance, speech, behavior, gestures, actions)
3.  Change, complexity of relationship, and relation to issues/theme
4.  Evolving vs static character
5.  Language and style
6.  Verbal, gesture, action
7.  Words employed
8.  Sentence length
9.  Complexity
10.  Type of grammar
11.  Diction
12.  Field of reference or allusion
13.  Tone
14.  Mannerism suggest by speech
15.  Style
16.  Distinct manner of writing or speaking you employ, and why (like Pinter's style includes gaps, silences, non-sequitors, and fragments while Chekhov's includes 'apparent' inconclusiveness).

Moving back to 1.  1.  Conflict/tension between characters

When the tension ends, the novel ends.  Constant tension and release in scenes and constant tension development to the climax means the end of conflict is the end of the novel.  Wise novelists also leave other conflicts untouched or understated conflicts unfinished--this allows future novels.  But a poor novelist should be able to produce a new novel using the same characters with the addition of a new conflict.  The ultimate conflict in a novel comes directly out of the theme statement.

The theme statement from Shape: Mrs. Lyons captures a shape-shifting girl in her pantry and rehabilitates her.  The ultimate conflict between Mrs. Lyons and her shape-shifting charge is the rehabilitating part.  This implies a lot--it means there is something wrong with the girl (there is).  It implies Mrs. Lyons is equipped to deal with her (she is).  Within this small statement is enormous unstated conflict.  Let's look at some.

Where does Mrs. Lyons live--the theme statement doesn't say, but this is where both character development and scene setting come in.  Mrs. Lyons is a character from my other novels.  In this novel, she is very old.  She lived a long and fulfilling life.  She was the daughter of aristocracy, went to Oxford, supported WWII intel, married an intel officer, always wanted children, but never bore any of her own, and was involved on the outskirts with the supernatural.  She retired to her late husband's village where she is treated as an important person.  She lives alone in a cottage on the outskirts of the village of Lyonshall. 

The girl is obviously a supernatural creature.  She has been held a prisoner all her life because she is considered dangerous.  She escaped. 

Already, you can see the unstated conflicts.  These are the creative developments to build tension and release in the novel.  The first is that the girl escaped.  She has already put her conflict with her captors into direct conflict with her and her freedom.  The second is that she raided other pantries before Mrs. Lyons.  The girl has been stealing food from all over the village and shire.  The constable, others in the shire, the captures, and ultimately, those who put the girl under lock and key in the first place are immediately in conflict with her--and now with Mrs. Lyons.

More tomorrow.

For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:

http://www.ancientlight.com/
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com  

fiction, theme, plot, story, storyline, character development, scene, setting, conversation, novel, book, writing, information, study, marketing, tension, release, creative, idea, logic 

Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 463, Tension Conflict Q and A Developing the Rising Action

17 July 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 463, Tension Conflict Q and A Developing the Rising Action

Announcement: Delay, my new novels can be seen on the internet, but the publisher has delayed all their fiction output due to the economy.  I'll keep you informed.  More information can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  Check out my novels--I think you'll really enjoy them.

Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. This was my 21st novel and through this blog, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.

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

The four plus one basic rules I employ when writing:

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

All novels have five discrete parts:
1.  The initial scene (the beginning)
2.  The rising action
3.  The climax
4.  The falling action
5.  The dénouement

The theme statement of my 26th novel, working title, Shape, is this: Mrs. Lyons captures a shape-shifting girl in her pantry and rehabilitates her.

Here is the cover proposal for Lilly: Enchantment and the Computer.  Lilly is my 24th novel.

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising action.  I've started writing Shape.

I'm an advocate of using the/a scene input/output method to drive the rising action--in fact, to write any novel. 

Scene development:
1.  Scene input (easy)
2.  Scene output (a little harder)
3.  Scene setting (basic stuff)
4.  Creativity (creative elements of the scene)
5.  Tension (development of creative elements to build excitement)
6.  Release (climax of creative elements)

I can immediately discern three ways to invoke creativity:

1.  History extrapolation
2.  Technological extrapolation
3.  Intellectual extrapolation

Creativity is like an extrapolation of what has been.  It is a reflection of something new created with ties to the history, science, and logic (the intellect).  Creativity requires consuming, thinking, and producing. 

One of my blog readers posed these questions.  I'll use the next few weeks to answer them.

1.  Conflict/tension between characters
2.  Character presentation (appearance, speech, behavior, gestures, actions)
3.  Change, complexity of relationship, and relation to issues/theme
4.  Evolving vs static character
5.  Language and style
6.  Verbal, gesture, action
7.  Words employed
8.  Sentence length
9.  Complexity
10.  Type of grammar
11.  Diction
12.  Field of reference or allusion
13.  Tone
14.  Mannerism suggest by speech
15.  Style
16.  Distinct manner of writing or speaking you employ, and why (like Pinter's style includes gaps, silences, non-sequitors, and fragments while Chekhov's includes 'apparent' inconclusiveness).

Moving back to 1.  1.  Conflict/tension between characters

Slight digression: I'm writing from Wichita back in the good ol' USA.

Tension is the word used to describe all conflict in a novel.  The word tension is used to mean the tension and release cycle in a scene as well as the tension plot development that results in the climax.  Every scene I any novel must include tension and release and every novel must include a building tension that results in the climax and the falling action.

Tension can really only take place in two was in a novel.  The first is tension against an or the environment.  The second is between characters.  Therefore, conflict between characters is usually one of the main focuses of any novel. 

I'll describe conflict between a character and a or the environment to get it out of the way.  A character can have conflict against the environment ah la a person stuck in a wilderness and working to survive.  This type of conflict is a very classical novel idea.  Novels by Jack London about the Alaskan gold rush or the northern wilderness are these types of novels.  Likewise, there are a host of survival novels of a similar conflict.  These are great novels, but unless they include some other human conflict, they rarely rise to adult literary novels.  Jack London's greatest novels usually include some degree of character interaction and conflict along with the environmental conflict.  That's what makes them great novels.

The other type of environmental conflict is that against a human based or created environment.  Usually these are focused on a conflict between the protagonist and a government, society, or culture.  This is an even more common novel type.  The novel I just finished, Escape from Freedom, is a novel that includes conflict between individuals and the governmental system.  In this type of novel, it is almost impossible not to include other human conflict--since the conflict is between a human based system and a person.   I write almost because novels like THX1138 and Logan's Run as well as some others do pit the individual entirely against the state or the system.  Usually, these novels also benefit greatly from human conflict as well as environmental conflict.

More tomorrow.

For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:

http://www.ancientlight.com/
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com  

fiction, theme, plot, story, storyline, character development, scene, setting, conversation, novel, book, writing, information, study, marketing, tension, release, creative, idea, logic 

Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 462, Conflict Q and A Developing the Rising Action

16 July 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 462, Conflict Q and A Developing the Rising Action

Announcement: Delay, my new novels can be seen on the internet, but the publisher has delayed all their fiction output due to the economy.  I'll keep you informed.  More information can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  Check out my novels--I think you'll really enjoy them.

Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. This was my 21st novel and through this blog, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.

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

The four plus one basic rules I employ when writing:

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

All novels have five discrete parts:
1.  The initial scene (the beginning)
2.  The rising action
3.  The climax
4.  The falling action
5.  The dénouement

The theme statement of my 26th novel, working title, Shape, is this: Mrs. Lyons captures a shape-shifting girl in her pantry and rehabilitates her.

Here is the cover proposal for Lilly: Enchantment and the Computer.  Lilly is my 24th novel.

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising action.  I've started writing Shape.

I'm an advocate of using the/a scene input/output method to drive the rising action--in fact, to write any novel. 

Scene development:
1.  Scene input (easy)
2.  Scene output (a little harder)
3.  Scene setting (basic stuff)
4.  Creativity (creative elements of the scene)
5.  Tension (development of creative elements to build excitement)
6.  Release (climax of creative elements)

I can immediately discern three ways to invoke creativity:

1.  History extrapolation
2.  Technological extrapolation
3.  Intellectual extrapolation

Creativity is like an extrapolation of what has been.  It is a reflection of something new created with ties to the history, science, and logic (the intellect).  Creativity requires consuming, thinking, and producing. 

One of my blog readers posed these questions.  I'll use the next few weeks to answer them.

1.  Conflict/tension between characters
2.  Character presentation (appearance, speech, behavior, gestures, actions)
3.  Change, complexity of relationship, and relation to issues/theme
4.  Evolving vs static character
5.  Language and style
6.  Verbal, gesture, action
7.  Words employed
8.  Sentence length
9.  Complexity
10.  Type of grammar
11.  Diction
12.  Field of reference or allusion
13.  Tone
14.  Mannerism suggest by speech
15.  Style
16.  Distinct manner of writing or speaking you employ, and why (like Pinter's style includes gaps, silences, non-sequitors, and fragments while Chekhov's includes 'apparent' inconclusiveness).

Moving back to 1.  1.  Conflict/tension between characters

Slight digression: I'm writing from Paris on the way back to the USA.

Conflict and tension is what all good writing is about.  The conflict and tension is either between characters or between characters and the world (environment).  Classically, tis tension and conflict is focused in the protagonist/antagonist development of a novel.  In any novel, every scene should include tension and release.  In any short story, the short story (usually a scene) should include tension and release.  The novel itself is a building in the rising action to the climax (peak of tension) and release.  With that established, we can then look at how tension and release is developed in a scene (or in an overall novel).

Conflict between characters or with the general antagonist is the chief means of tension development in a scene or to a climax. For example, in a theme, the conflict is stated thus: Mrs. Lyons captures a shape-shifting girl in her pantry and rehabilitates her.  The conflict is between Mrs. Lyons and the shape-sifting girl.  The source of the conflict is the rehabilitation.  In this case, neither the girl nor Mrs. Lyons is an antagonist.  The antagonist is general in the theme statement.  This is a protagonist/protagonist's helper relationship.  You can imagine the conflict between the characters.  I'll get into more detail.

More tomorrow.

For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:

http://www.ancientlight.com/
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com  

fiction, theme, plot, story, storyline, character development, scene, setting, conversation, novel, book, writing, information, study, marketing, tension, release, creative, idea, logic 

Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 461, more the Modern Novel Ancient Works Q and A Developing the Rising Action

15 July 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 461, more the Modern Novel Ancient Works Q and A Developing the Rising Action

Announcement: Delay, my new novels can be seen on the internet, but the publisher has delayed all their fiction output due to the economy.  I'll keep you informed.  More information can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  Check out my novels--I think you'll really enjoy them.

Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. This was my 21st novel and through this blog, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.

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

The four plus one basic rules I employ when writing:

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

All novels have five discrete parts:
1.  The initial scene (the beginning)
2.  The rising action
3.  The climax
4.  The falling action
5.  The dénouement

The theme statement of my 26th novel, working title, Shape, is this: Mrs. Lyons captures a shape-shifting girl in her pantry and rehabilitates her.

Here is the cover proposal for Lilly: Enchantment and the Computer.  Lilly is my 24th novel.

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising action.  I've started writing Shape.

I'm an advocate of using the/a scene input/output method to drive the rising action--in fact, to write any novel. 

Scene development:
1.  Scene input (easy)
2.  Scene output (a little harder)
3.  Scene setting (basic stuff)
4.  Creativity (creative elements of the scene)
5.  Tension (development of creative elements to build excitement)
6.  Release (climax of creative elements)

I can immediately discern three ways to invoke creativity:

1.  History extrapolation
2.  Technological extrapolation
3.  Intellectual extrapolation

Creativity is like an extrapolation of what has been.  It is a reflection of something new created with ties to the history, science, and logic (the intellect).  Creativity requires consuming, thinking, and producing. 

One of my blog readers posed these questions.  I'll use the next few weeks to answer them.

1.  Conflict/tension between characters
2.  Character presentation (appearance, speech, behavior, gestures, actions)
3.  Change, complexity of relationship, and relation to issues/theme
4.  Evolving vs static character
5.  Language and style
6.  Verbal, gesture, action
7.  Words employed
8.  Sentence length
9.  Complexity
10.  Type of grammar
11.  Diction
12.  Field of reference or allusion
13.  Tone
14.  Mannerism suggest by speech
15.  Style
16.  Distinct manner of writing or speaking you employ, and why (like Pinter's style includes gaps, silences, non-sequitors, and fragments while Chekhov's includes 'apparent' inconclusiveness).
17.  Intro the concepts to my boys, using Homer's Illiad, chp 4-7.

Moving on to 17.  17.  Intro the concepts to my boys, using Homer's Illiad, chp 4-7.

Slight digression: I'm writing from Paris.  I flew from Athens to Bologna to Paris today. 

I consider Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine to be one if not the best modern novel.  I would use Dandelion Wine as an example of great fiction writing.

The modern novel is getting better and better.  This is true of all arts and sciences in the human realm.  That isn't to say all art, literature, and science is better.  It is to say, the evolution of art, literature, and science is getting better and better. 

Daniel Defoe wrote in the first person, present tense, implying the past.  The novel has moved to generally the third person, part tense, implying the future.  This is revolutionary for the world of literature.  Since the purpose of the novel is to show a story, the power of the novel has increased significantly by these improvements.  You will see throwbacks, but these are kind of few and far between.  You will see first person novels, but the first person does too much telling and should only be used in very specific circumstances. 

As you study writing, the point isn't to copy or imitate, but to see how an author constructs a scene and then to construct your own scenes.  The scene is the thing.  Put enough scenes together and you have a novel.  Again, an ancient work is always worth studying, but not so much for writing skills and technique.  It can't hurt, but it will not help.  I think it's better to settle on a modern novel that correctly builds scenes and use that as an example.  My opinion.  I'll move on to the next question tomorrow.

More tomorrow.

For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:

http://www.ancientlight.com/
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com  

fiction, theme, plot, story, storyline, character development, scene, setting, conversation, novel, book, writing, information, study, marketing, tension, release, creative, idea, logic 

Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 460, the Modern Novel Ancient Works Q and A Developing the Rising Action

14 July 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 460, the Modern Novel Ancient Works Q and A Developing the Rising Action

Announcement: Delay, my new novels can be seen on the internet, but the publisher has delayed all their fiction output due to the economy.  I'll keep you informed.  More information can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  Check out my novels--I think you'll really enjoy them.

Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. This was my 21st novel and through this blog, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.

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

The four plus one basic rules I employ when writing:

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

All novels have five discrete parts:
1.  The initial scene (the beginning)
2.  The rising action
3.  The climax
4.  The falling action
5.  The dénouement

The theme statement of my 26th novel, working title, Shape, is this: Mrs. Lyons captures a shape-shifting girl in her pantry and rehabilitates her.

Here is the cover proposal for Lilly: Enchantment and the Computer.  Lilly is my 24th novel.

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising action.  I've started writing Shape.

I'm an advocate of using the/a scene input/output method to drive the rising action--in fact, to write any novel. 

Scene development:
1.  Scene input (easy)
2.  Scene output (a little harder)
3.  Scene setting (basic stuff)
4.  Creativity (creative elements of the scene)
5.  Tension (development of creative elements to build excitement)
6.  Release (climax of creative elements)

I can immediately discern three ways to invoke creativity:

1.  History extrapolation
2.  Technological extrapolation
3.  Intellectual extrapolation

Creativity is like an extrapolation of what has been.  It is a reflection of something new created with ties to the history, science, and logic (the intellect).  Creativity requires consuming, thinking, and producing. 

One of my blog readers posed these questions.  I'll use the next few weeks to answer them.

1.  Conflict/tension between characters
2.  Character presentation (appearance, speech, behavior, gestures, actions)
3.  Change, complexity of relationship, and relation to issues/theme
4.  Evolving vs static character
5.  Language and style
6.  Verbal, gesture, action
7.  Words employed
8.  Sentence length
9.  Complexity
10.  Type of grammar
11.  Diction
12.  Field of reference or allusion
13.  Tone
14.  Mannerism suggest by speech
15.  Style
16.  Distinct manner of writing or speaking you employ, and why (like Pinter's style includes gaps, silences, non-sequitors, and fragments while Chekhov's includes 'apparent' inconclusiveness).
17.  Intro the concepts to my boys, using Homer's Illiad, chp 4-7.

Moving on to 17.  17.  Intro the concepts to my boys, using Homer's Illiad, chp 4-7.

Slight digression: I'm writing from Cairo on another world tour.  My flying schedule with the Egyptian AF and in business meetings has made it very difficult to write on my newest novel.

I consider Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine to be one if not the best modern novel.  I would use Dandelion Wine as an example of great fiction writing. 

Why use Dandelion Wine?  This novel is the apex of great fiction novels.  It is a coming of age novel about coming of age in the 20th Century.  It stands for the move in human history between ox carts and automobiles, between birds and aircraft, between thoughts of flight and rockets, between human brains and computers.  Dandelion Wine is all about what makes a person human and how humans become truly human.  It is a wonderful novel. 

One of the most powerful characteristics of Dandelion Wine is that Ray Bradbury began his writing life as a short story writer.  This means the scenes in Dandelion Wine are constructed like short stories.  These are put together in a cohesive whole in the novel.  Part of the worth in studying the novel is to see the interconnections between the short stories.  It also demonstrates how anyone can write a novel through short stories.  Let's face facts--writing a novel is daunting, but not so much if you can break it into pieces and build each piece as a part of perfection. 

Another reason Dandelion Wine is a good choice is that it represents the peak of current novel writing: third-person, past tense, implying a future.

More tomorrow.

For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:

http://www.ancientlight.com/
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com  

fiction, theme, plot, story, storyline, character development, scene, setting, conversation, novel, book, writing, information, study, marketing, tension, release, creative, idea, logic 

Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 459, still more Continuation Ancient Works Q and A Developing the Rising Action

13 July 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 459, still more Continuation Ancient Works Q and A Developing the Rising Action

Announcement: Delay, my new novels can be seen on the internet, but the publisher has delayed all their fiction output due to the economy.  I'll keep you informed.  More information can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  Check out my novels--I think you'll really enjoy them.

Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. This was my 21st novel and through this blog, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.

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

The four plus one basic rules I employ when writing:

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

All novels have five discrete parts:
1.  The initial scene (the beginning)
2.  The rising action
3.  The climax
4.  The falling action
5.  The dénouement

The theme statement of my 26th novel, working title, Shape, is this: Mrs. Lyons captures a shape-shifting girl in her pantry and rehabilitates her.

Here is the cover proposal for Lilly: Enchantment and the Computer.  Lilly is my 24th novel.

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising action.  I've started writing Shape.

I'm an advocate of using the/a scene input/output method to drive the rising action--in fact, to write any novel. 

Scene development:
1.  Scene input (easy)
2.  Scene output (a little harder)
3.  Scene setting (basic stuff)
4.  Creativity (creative elements of the scene)
5.  Tension (development of creative elements to build excitement)
6.  Release (climax of creative elements)

I can immediately discern three ways to invoke creativity:

1.  History extrapolation
2.  Technological extrapolation
3.  Intellectual extrapolation

Creativity is like an extrapolation of what has been.  It is a reflection of something new created with ties to the history, science, and logic (the intellect).  Creativity requires consuming, thinking, and producing. 

One of my blog readers posed these questions.  I'll use the next few weeks to answer them.

1.  Conflict/tension between characters
2.  Character presentation (appearance, speech, behavior, gestures, actions)
3.  Change, complexity of relationship, and relation to issues/theme
4.  Evolving vs static character
5.  Language and style
6.  Verbal, gesture, action
7.  Words employed
8.  Sentence length
9.  Complexity
10.  Type of grammar
11.  Diction
12.  Field of reference or allusion
13.  Tone
14.  Mannerism suggest by speech
15.  Style
16.  Distinct manner of writing or speaking you employ, and why (like Pinter's style includes gaps, silences, non-sequitors, and fragments while Chekhov's includes 'apparent' inconclusiveness).
17.  Intro the concepts to my boys, using Homer's Illiad, chp 4-7.

Moving on to 17.  17.  Intro the concepts to my boys, using Homer's Illiad, chp 4-7.

Slight digression: I'm writing from Cairo on another world tour.

The New Testament Gospels are the beginning of modern literature.  They are the first documents in the ancient world to include narrative and quotations within the same text.  That isn't the end of the story.  This is just the beginning of modern literature.  Modern literature has come a long way from the Gospels.               

This long way is characterized by the invention of the novel.  The first novel was written by Murasaki Shikibu.  It is titled The Tale of Genji.  Murasaki wrote her novel around 1000 AD.  Few if any novels were written until Don Quixote.  The first English novel is usually attributed to Daniel Defoe with Robinson Caruso.  Daniel Defoe is usually given credit for the first modern novel in any language.  Daniel Defoe wrote a journal in the first person past tense in the sense of a history.  Daniel Defoe caused a huge problem for the Enlightenment.  He wrote a piece of fiction that looked like history.  Because of Defoe's novels we basically began to use the word fiction and novel for a fictional account. 

The huge difference between Defoe and previous writers was that Defoe didn't tell a story rather Defoe showed a story.  In previous writing, short stories had early begun to show the story instead of telling the story, but Defoe was almost the first in a long format.

Defoe accomplished this showing through narration mixed with quotation--just like the Gospels.  Now Defoe was one of the first with this new idea, so his novels still did a lot of telling.  Novels have evolved since Defoe.  In each generation of writers, you see the strength of the showing improve and increase.  You see the word use and word play improve.  You see ideas that would be impossible for Defoe or Dickens come to life. 

Though it too will soon be eclipsed by better literature, I consider Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine to be one if not the best modern novel.  I would use Dandelion Wine as an example of great fiction writing.     

More tomorrow.

For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:

http://www.ancientlight.com/
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com  

fiction, theme, plot, story, storyline, character development, scene, setting, conversation, novel, book, writing, information, study, marketing, tension, release, creative, idea, logic 

Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 458, more Continuation Ancient Works Q and A Developing the Rising Action

12 July 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 458, more Continuation Ancient Works Q and A Developing the Rising Action

Announcement: Delay, my new novels can be seen on the internet, but the publisher has delayed all their fiction output due to the economy.  I'll keep you informed.  More information can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  Check out my novels--I think you'll really enjoy them.

Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. This was my 21st novel and through this blog, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.

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

The four plus one basic rules I employ when writing:

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

All novels have five discrete parts:
1.  The initial scene (the beginning)
2.  The rising action
3.  The climax
4.  The falling action
5.  The dénouement

The theme statement of my 26th novel, working title, Shape, is this: Mrs. Lyons captures a shape-shifting girl in her pantry and rehabilitates her.

Here is the cover proposal for Lilly: Enchantment and the Computer.  Lilly is my 24th novel.

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising action.  I've started writing Shape.

I'm an advocate of using the/a scene input/output method to drive the rising action--in fact, to write any novel. 

Scene development:
1.  Scene input (easy)
2.  Scene output (a little harder)
3.  Scene setting (basic stuff)
4.  Creativity (creative elements of the scene)
5.  Tension (development of creative elements to build excitement)
6.  Release (climax of creative elements)

I can immediately discern three ways to invoke creativity:

1.  History extrapolation
2.  Technological extrapolation
3.  Intellectual extrapolation

Creativity is like an extrapolation of what has been.  It is a reflection of something new created with ties to the history, science, and logic (the intellect).  Creativity requires consuming, thinking, and producing. 

One of my blog readers posed these questions.  I'll use the next few weeks to answer them.

1.  Conflict/tension between characters
2.  Character presentation (appearance, speech, behavior, gestures, actions)
3.  Change, complexity of relationship, and relation to issues/theme
4.  Evolving vs static character
5.  Language and style
6.  Verbal, gesture, action
7.  Words employed
8.  Sentence length
9.  Complexity
10.  Type of grammar
11.  Diction
12.  Field of reference or allusion
13.  Tone
14.  Mannerism suggest by speech
15.  Style
16.  Distinct manner of writing or speaking you employ, and why (like Pinter's style includes gaps, silences, non-sequitors, and fragments while Chekhov's includes 'apparent' inconclusiveness).
17.  Intro the concepts to my boys, using Homer's Illiad, chp 4-7.

Moving on to 17.  17.  Intro the concepts to my boys, using Homer's Illiad, chp 4-7.

Slight digression: I'm writing from Cairo on another world tour.

The New Testament Gospels are the beginning of modern literature.  They are the first documents in the ancient world to include narrative and quotations within the same text.  That isn't the end of the story.  This is just the beginning of modern literature.  

Now, here is the problem of using the Illiad to introduce complex writing concepts--it is not modern literature and it is basically narrative based story telling.  That is not to say, it is not creative in its own right or that it isn't skillfully accomplished, but it is ancient Greek and that is another problem.  All ancient Greek literature is written using a logos to telos structure.  The New Testament documents are all written in a logos to telos structure.  This is why they are so confusing to English (and Latin readers).  English is supposed to be written in an Intro, Body, Conclusion structure--if it isn't, that's bad English writing.  

So, the Illiad as an example has three major trikes against it.  First, it isn't a modern type of literature (you have to get to the NT for that).  Second, it is ancient Greek.  Third, it is ancient Greek logos to telos.

You might say, what is wrong with ancient Greek?  For literature, ancient Greek is some of the sparsest writing known to the world.  The Greeks never used an extra word.  For example, a Greek poet might write: the waves were large.  An English writer might wax poetic: the blustery waves pitched valiantly against the shore.  Again, in modern literature, we prize the modern use of language and not the sparse ancient Greek style.

There is another problem.  Modern literature has come a long way from the Gospels.               

More tomorrow.

For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:

http://www.ancientlight.com/
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com  

fiction, theme, plot, story, storyline, character development, scene, setting, conversation, novel, book, writing, information, study, marketing, tension, release, creative, idea, logic