Announcement: We are in the countdown phase. The date on the internet is 1 September. We will see how close we come, or if the publishers meet the deadline. My Aegypt novels will be titled Ancient Light, and the next two books will be called Sister of Light and Sister of Darkness. These were the original titles. They will be released individually and as a 3 in 1 volume. The proposed cover and info can be found at www.ancientlight.com. 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.
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 newest novel, Valeska, is this: An agent of the organization becomes involved with a vampire girl during a mission, she becomes dependent on the agent, and she is redeemed.
Here is my proposed cover for Valeska:
Let's talk about skill development as a writer. I mentioned generally that you should read and write. I've given some ideas about how to develop writing skills, but I'd like to drill a little deeper. First, reading. What to read and how to read. What to read is very simple. Focus your reading on books styles or types you would like to write and intermix those with classic literature. So, if you want to write science fiction, read Vance, Heinlein, Clark, Asimov, Herbert, and all. For each of these books you read, read a classic. Read, Robinson Caruso, Ivanhoe, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Oliver Twist, and all. You certainly can't expect to become a great writer if you don't know what great is, and great in science fiction isn't necessarily great in literature. In fact, one of the great problems with science fiction is that it has not earned the gravitas of other genre of literature. I'll leave it to you to determine if that is a problem of the writing or the reading.
Read in the genre you wish to write in and read classics. By the way, anything from a living writer or post 1950 cannot really be declared a classic. I will throw in that Ray Bradbury is likely the greatest modern writer and his works will be considered classics. Dandelion Wine is perhaps the best work in the English language and the best work from the 20th Century. Writing is getting better in time. So, although I state Ray Bradbury has produced one if not the best work in English, there is hope for you too. Writing is getting better in time. That is why it is necessary to read classics and modern works in your genre.
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
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