Publication - Problems Writing Science Fiction

28 January 2012, Publication - Problems Writing Science Fiction
Introduction: I realized that I need to introduce this blog a little. I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. The working title was Daemon, and this was my 21st novel. Over the last year, 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.

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, go to my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

Here is the list of ideas for advertising--there are more and I'll add to the list as we go along.  I'm certainly not an expert in all these, but I've dabbled in all of them.  I'll try to relate my experience and the degree of that experience to you.

1.  Have a website for your novel.
2.  Write a blog.
3.  Advertise.
4.  Literary awards.
5.  Book cards.
6.  Contests.
7.  Interviews.
8.  Blog tours.
9.  Press releases.
10.  Speaking and teaching.
11.  e-mailing.
12.  Gifts.
13.  Book signings.
14.  Book trailers
15.  ...

It isn't just history that gets a short shrift in writing novels--science gets kicked to the curb even more often than history.  At least with history, even though it's totally screwed up, the world usually works according to logic and scientific principals.  With science fiction, you can't be sure of that.  The number of real scientists or engineers, that is people who actually know something about the science in science fiction is so low, you're lucky to get a battery hooked up correctly in a circuit.  In fact, the knowledge of science is so low among most nonscience graduates from prestigious colleges that you'll be lucky if they know how the seasons change much less the slightest inkling of orbital dynamics.  In fact, if they know what an orbit is, you'll be lucky--George Lucas doesn't seem to have the slightest idea what an orbit or space is like at all.  The Star Wars series is pure science fantasy and not anything close to science fiction.

So, what can I tell you?  If you really want to write science fiction, you need to study science, and you aren't going to get that knowledge from most modern science fiction novels.  I write hard science fiction.  If you want to get an idea of what real science fiction is like, you need to read my novels.  My novels are based on my own work in aerospace.  My undergraduate is in Chemistry.  My graduate degree is in Mechanical Engineering.  My Ph.D. is in Aerospace Engineering.  I'm literally a rocket scientist (that's a joke).  My specialty is really in low speed and transonic aerodynamics.  I actually know something about science, and I write science fiction.

I don't believe you have to be a Ph.D. to write science fiction--it helps, but it's not necessary.  What is necessary is some real knowledge of science.  If you didn't get As in your science classes, and you don't understand what an integral is, don't even attempt to write science fiction until you really study it.  At least read my books and Asimov, Clark, or Heinlein.

I'll write more about science fiction and expertise tomorrow.

I'll repeat my published novel websites so you can see more examples: http://www.ldalford.com/, and the individual novel websites: http://www.aegyptnovel.com/, http://www.centurionnovel.com/, http://www.thesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, http://www.thefoxshonor.com/, and http://www.aseasonofhonor.com/.

Publication - Problems Writing History

27 January 2012, Publication - Problems Writing History

Introduction: I realized that I need to introduce this blog a little. I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. The working title was Daemon, and this was my 21st novel. Over the last year, 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.

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, go to my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

Here is the list of ideas for advertising--there are more and I'll add to the list as we go along.  I'm certainly not an expert in all these, but I've dabbled in all of them.  I'll try to relate my experience and the degree of that experience to you.

1.  Have a website for your novel.
2.  Write a blog.
3.  Advertise.
4.  Literary awards.
5.  Book cards.
6.  Contests.
7.  Interviews.
8.  Blog tours.
9.  Press releases.
10.  Speaking and teaching.
11.  e-mailing.
12.  Gifts.
13.  Book signings.
14.  Book trailers
15.  ...

It isn't just history that gets kicked to the curb with many so called writers of historical fiction.  I personally don't mind people messing with details that would be unrecorded or unimportant in history, but get the details right about the things we do know.  If you aren't a historian, you will (or should) ask--how do I get the details to be accurate?  The answer is to study, study, study--the correct material.  You should then ask--what is the correct material?  the answer has been the same since Moses and Herodotus--primary source documents.  If you base and develop your historical fiction on anything other than primary source documents, you are not writing historical fiction--you are simply writing fiction in a semi-historical setting.

The first rule is focus your studies on primary source documents.  The second is, don't read anything into the history.  That is, don't assume any modern conventions in the historical accounts.  Go look at how people lived and what they did--don't assume they lived like they do now or did 100 years ago (unless your time period is 100 years ago).  As I mentioned yesterday, in the ancient world, people did not have furniture like chairs or tables.  If they had tables, they were for reclining, very similar to a low table from Japan.  There were no tables to hide under.  Beds were on the ground and bedrooms were for families.  Modesty is a modern invention, as is underwear and personal hygiene.  If you start with the idea that the world is very different than what you understand, you can begin to learn about it, if you don't, you won't write historical fiction.

I'll write about science fiction and expertise tomorrow.

I'll repeat my published novel websites so you can see more examples: http://www.ldalford.com/, and the individual novel websites: http://www.aegyptnovel.com/, http://www.centurionnovel.com/, http://www.thesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, http://www.thefoxshonor.com/, and http://www.aseasonofhonor.com/.

Publication - even more on Speaking and Teaching

24 January 2012, Publication - even more on Speaking and Teaching

Introduction: I realized that I need to introduce this blog a little. I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. The working title was Daemon, and this was my 21st novel. Over the last year, 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.

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, go to my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

Here is the list of ideas for advertising--there are more and I'll add to the list as we go along.  I'm certainly not an expert in all these, but I've dabbled in all of them.  I'll try to relate my experience and the degree of that experience to you.

1.  Have a website for your novel.
2.  Write a blog.
3.  Advertise.
4.  Literary awards.
5.  Book cards.
6.  Contests.
7.  Interviews.
8.  Blog tours.
9.  Press releases.
10.  Speaking and teaching.
11.  e-mailing.
12.  Gifts.
13.  Book signings.
14.  Book trailers
15.  ...

The point is, that to be able to promote your novels, you need to promote the topics within your novels.  People seldom are interested in your novel itself (unless you are a best seller).  People are instead interested in the topics of your novels and specifically in your expertise in these topics.  For example, topics of interest from the novel Aksinya are demons, magic, Bolshevik Russia, WWI, European aristocracy among others.  There are many secondary topics in the novel as well.

The secondary topics can be very excellent sources for teaching and talks, for example, the theme of your novel or a location from your novel.  I haven't taught these as much, but I did teach a semester's worth of classes on future technology based from my science fiction novels.  That is a problem with science fiction novels--they generally aren't as topical as historical novels.

So, have you caught the theme to be effective?  For interviews, teaching, or speaking, you need to focus on a topic from your novel(s).  People want to learn from your expertise.  Now here is an important question, what if you don't have any expertise in the topics of your novel(s)?  The answer is simple, you shouldn't have written the novel.  Why would anyone read a novel from a writer who doesn't intimately understand the topic of their novel(s).  This is an important subject that deserves some discussion. 

I'll write more about topics and expertise tomorrow.

I'll repeat my published novel websites so you can see more examples: http://www.ldalford.com/, and the individual novel websites: http://www.aegyptnovel.com/, http://www.centurionnovel.com/, http://www.thesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, http://www.thefoxshonor.com/, and http://www.aseasonofhonor.com/.

Publication - even more Speaking and Teaching

23 January 2012, Publication - even more Speaking and Teaching

Introduction: I realized that I need to introduce this blog a little. I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. The working title was Daemon, and this was my 21st novel. Over the last year, 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.

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, go to my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

Here is the list of ideas for advertising--there are more and I'll add to the list as we go along.  I'm certainly not an expert in all these, but I've dabbled in all of them.  I'll try to relate my experience and the degree of that experience to you.

1.  Have a website for your novel.
2.  Write a blog.
3.  Advertise.
4.  Literary awards.
5.  Book cards.
6.  Contests.
7.  Interviews.
8.  Blog tours.
9.  Press releases.
10.  Speaking and teaching.
11.  e-mailing.
12.  Gifts.
13.  Book signings.
14.  Book trailers
15.  ...

Since most of my writing is historical fiction, I have a multitude of topics available to me to teach.  Teaching is what I do.  I have been a teacher for the Air Force Institute of Technology.  I also have been a military aircraft instructor.  I teach classes now for different organizations for three reasons: to keep in practice, because people like my teaching, and to get out information on my novels.  The main purpose in the teaching isn't necessarily the sale of copy, but it helps to build a basis for your public credibility in the topic.  I'm a test pilot and an aerospace engineer by trade and education, but I also have skills and knowledge outside these fields.  My studies have been primarily culture and linguistics.  This is what I generally write about in history.

I do mostly ancient languages.  The basis of my novel, Aegypt is Egyptian hieroglyphics and ancient Egyptian as well as Tunisian and French Tunisian culture in the 1920s.  I interweave the intricacies of the language and cultures and especially the collision of cultures and languages.  This is the focus and usually a major theme in my writing.  I speak on these topics.  My novel The Second Mission is about Greece in 400 to 399 BCE.  You can see the numerous topics available to me to speak and teach about. 

So I get numerous requests to teach and speak about ancient Greece and ancient Egypt.  I take the opportunity to tell my audiences that my novels are about these topics and that they are a fun way to learn more about the subject.

I'll write more about speaking and teaching tomorrow.

I'll repeat my published novel websites so you can see more examples: http://www.ldalford.com/, and the individual novel websites: http://www.aegyptnovel.com/, http://www.centurionnovel.com/, http://www.thesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, http://www.thefoxshonor.com/, and http://www.aseasonofhonor.com/.

Publication - more Speaking and Teaching

22 January 2012, Publication - more Speaking and Teaching

Introduction: I realized that I need to introduce this blog a little. I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. The working title was Daemon, and this was my 21st novel. Over the last year, 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.

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, go to my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

Here is the list of ideas for advertising--there are more and I'll add to the list as we go along.  I'm certainly not an expert in all these, but I've dabbled in all of them.  I'll try to relate my experience and the degree of that experience to you.

1.  Have a website for your novel.
2.  Write a blog.
3.  Advertise.
4.  Literary awards.
5.  Book cards.
6.  Contests.
7.  Interviews.
8.  Blog tours.
9.  Press releases.
10.  Speaking and teaching.
11.  e-mailing.
12.  Gifts.
13.  Book signings.
14.  Book trailers
15.  ...

Remember topic?  People usually don't want to hear about your book.  In fact, the best way to make people fall asleep is to tell them about your writing.  People want to hear about the topic of your book.  Your book isn't important.  You didn't write a book to write a book, you wrote it to get out an idea--right? 

Therefore, offer to teach a class on the subject of your book not on your book.  Now, to be fair, I have been asked to come speak about my books, but I always focused on the topic.  The topic is what excites people.  In developing my talk, I speak about how I developed the topic within the novel.  In most cases, I develop the talk around a topic and introduce the novel as a source of information.  For example, I have been asked to speak about hieroglyphics many times because of my novel Aegypt.  I have also been asked to speak about ancient Egypt because of Aegypt.  I speak on those topics and bring among my novel to sell.  Usually, I sell one or more copies.  I teach routinely about ancient Greece and ancient Greek culture.
I'll write more about speaking and teaching tomorrow.

I'll repeat my published novel websites so you can see more examples: http://www.ldalford.com/, and the individual novel websites: http://www.aegyptnovel.com/, http://www.centurionnovel.com/, http://www.thesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, http://www.thefoxshonor.com/, and http://www.aseasonofhonor.com/.

Publication - Speaking and Teaching

21 January 2012, Publication - Speaking and Teaching

Introduction: I realized that I need to introduce this blog a little. I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. The working title was Daemon, and this was my 21st novel. Over the last year, 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.

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, go to my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

Here is the list of ideas for advertising--there are more and I'll add to the list as we go along.  I'm certainly not an expert in all these, but I've dabbled in all of them.  I'll try to relate my experience and the degree of that experience to you.

1.  Have a website for your novel.
2.  Write a blog.
3.  Advertise.
4.  Literary awards.
5.  Book cards.
6.  Contests.
7.  Interviews.
8.  Blog tours.
9.  Press releases.
10.  Speaking and teaching.
11.  e-mailing.
12.  Gifts.
13.  Book signings.
14.  Book trailers
15.  ...

One of the best and most effective means to get out information about your writing and to sell your novels is through speaking and teaching.  You need to prep for this.  You need to be ready mentally and with material.  The most obvious material preparation is you need to have plenty of copies of your book to sell.  Any time you speak or teach, bring copies of your books and offer to sell them.  Second, you need to be able to actually sell your books.  You need the ability to sell your books and that means you need to be able to pay state taxes.  You can either get a license to sell, or if you have a friend with a license you can pay them.  The point is that you need to work this out.

Third, it isn't wise to under cut your publisher by much, but you should obviously make it advantageous for people to buy from you.  What I do is to charge one price for all the books.  My price is $15 per book.  I also offer a discount for the purchase of three books of $40.  Since I have three historical fiction novels and three science fiction novels, this makes a lot of sense.  I also pay the taxes from the total cost.  So basically, the cost of my books including tax is $15.  This way I make it simple for change and for sales.

I'll write more about speaking and teaching tomorrow.

I'll repeat my published novel websites so you can see more examples: http://www.ldalford.com/, and the individual novel websites: http://www.aegyptnovel.com/, http://www.centurionnovel.com/, http://www.thesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, http://www.thefoxshonor.com/, and http://www.aseasonofhonor.com/.