Announcement: My new novels should be available from any webseller or can be ordered from any brick and mortar bookstore. 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.
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 25th novel, working title, Escape, is this: a girl in a fascist island nation will do anything to escape--a young cargo ferry pilot not following the rules crashes on the island.
This theme statement lends itself well to each part of the development of a novel. Note, there is a setting, an initial scene, protagonist, protagonist helper, antagonist, and the climax is obvious. Let's talk about each.
Small digression: I was previously making a literal world tour in the T-6C. I was one of the pilots making a delivery to New Zealand. I kept up this blog during that trip. I'm now on a demo tour in the AT-6 to Paraguay. I'm writing from Grand Cayman Island. More inspiration for Escape. By the way, I got the idea for this novel while flying over the Grecian and Italian Isles.
The question for this new novel is how do we get to the, and when we get there what do we do with it? I've written before that I don't like to outline a novel. I have a broad idea in my mind and I let the novel write itself. So far, this novel has really gone in ways I didn't expect.
The entire novel leaps out of the initial scene and the setting. This is an incredible point about a science fiction novel like this. If I define the world (setting) in a certain way and suddenly have my characters change the rules of the society or culture (this must happen when you interject a foreign person into a culture or society). Let's look at the parenthetical. When you bring a foreign character (the pilot from a free nation) into a completely controlled and regulated culture and society, the foreign character can do one of two things. They can assimilate or they can change their environment.
For example, my pilot character immediately identifies one of the food stuffs provided to the people (citizens) as a drug. It is a euphoric with other properties. He can choose to take the drug (assimilate) or not take the drug (change the environment). The pilot chooses to not take the drug and encourages the girl to also stop. The problem with this is that the drug includes birth control, a sexual desire suppressor, and a depressant along with the euphoric. Can you already see a problem brewing. If the girl goes off the drug, she will go into withdrawl, but also she will regain sexual desire, become agitated, and become fertile. She already said she will do anything to escape, and she is driven. If she experiences feelings, thoughts, and desires she has never had before and is in an uninhibited culture with her young savior, what do you think will happen? And this is just one example among many.
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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