Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 220, Truth the Point of Proof and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

16 November 2014, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 220, Truth the Point of Proof and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

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.

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 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:

I decided on a white cover style.  You can see more at www.GoddessofDarkness.com.

The purpose of a novel is to reveal the protagonist and usually the protagonist's helper, the author needs to place them in circumstance that allows them to reveal themselves.  The means can be conversation, exploration, discovery, other's conversation, confession, accidental discovery.

There are three ways to know truth: the scientific method, the historical-witness method, and logic. The three tests used for all documentary evidence in history are: the bibliographical test, the internal test, and the external test.  Let's see how we can use these tests. 

More to the point of proof and truth is what we see in mystery novels.  I assert that every novel should be filled with mystery--the biggest mystery is the revelation of the protagonist.  Even the plot of every novel is filled with mystery--what will happen next.  Our usual conception of a mystery novel is one where a detective (of some sort) investigates a crime (of some sort), and resolves the mystery through evidence and deductive or inductive reasoning.  Here, to a degree, is really the form of every novel--this is a mystery theme.  Most novels are not necessarily "mystery" novels, but every novel includes mystery, and I propose that the greater the mystery, the greater the power of the novel.

For example, Aksinya, I gave you this entire novel, so it is easy for me to use it as an example.  There is no mystery about why Aksinya called the demon in the first place, but there are mysteries throughout the novel.  The obvious question is who really is Aksinya and how did she get her powers.  The second is, what will the demon do, and within this context is how will the demon tempt Aksinya next.  The temptation by the demon is a recurring idea in the novel.  This is an important concept that the novel is built around, but the entertainment value is part of the mystery I'm writing about.  The anticipation of the reader is what this is all about.  In Aksinya, I give clues to each successive temptation--many of them come directly out of the mouth of the demon, but they are so unbelievable, Aksinya can't believe them.  For example, the young man, Ernst, who falls in love with Aksinya--was a setup by the demon.  Aksinya is tempted and takes Ernst's love hook line and sinker, but the mystery is about how the man knew about Aksinya and what it means.  We discover in the theme climax, that the demon set up Ernst as a temptation for Aksinya and Ernst and used Aksinya's lady-in-waiting to seduce Ernst and ruin the potential love and engagement.  All these are mysteries and secrets that are revealed through the plot of the novel.  Although Aksinya is not a classical "mystery" novel, it is full of mystery.  The elements to prove truth are used throughout to give strength to the novel and the mysteries.
             
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 - New Novel, part 219, Truth the Point of Proof and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

15 November 2014, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 219, Truth the Point of Proof and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

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.

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 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:

I decided on a white cover style.  You can see more at www.GoddessofDarkness.com.

The purpose of a novel is to reveal the protagonist and usually the protagonist's helper, the author needs to place them in circumstance that allows them to reveal themselves.  The means can be conversation, exploration, discovery, other's conversation, confession, accidental discovery.

There are three ways to know truth: the scientific method, the historical-witness method, and logic. The three tests used for all documentary evidence in history are: the bibliographical test, the internal test, and the external test.  Let's see how we can use these tests. 

The Scarlet Letter is a great example of what I'm talking about because most educated people have read it.  Let's turn to a more modern example, Dandelion Wine.  I've written before that this is likely the best current novel in the English language.  It is an example of a "story-style" novel writer, because it is obvious formed of short stories pieced together with a single theme.  The single theme is the changes in the twentieth century world.  In this novel, we are shown bits and pieces of the past and present and see how they relate to the now and the future.  Bradbury is very careful to keep the novel on a very tense footing that does not let the reader know explicitly the truth from the false.  I'd almost rather say the not truth or the not true.  Bradbury is trying to get something into the world of his writing that is much more powerful than the empirical, but he approaches it with empirical certainty.  For example, the time machine...is an old man who relates his knowledge and impressions of the past, but Bradbury never lets the reader off the hook.  The question is always: what is true.  The answer isn't given.  The truth isn't hidden in the events but in the words and the world. 

The machines give it away.  The happiness machine from Dandelion Wine is a device, but it brings not just happiness--what does it really bring?  The author never fully tells us.  The truth is not as important as the feelings and the family.  The green machine is an electric car.  It represents transportation, but causes its users pain, fear, and suffering.  How wonderful it is to live in an empirical world, surrounded by the spiritual...or not.  Just what is the creature that haunts Greenville?  What kind of truth can be found in an elixir of fresh mountain air that brings respite both physical and spiritual?  Bradbury produces magic without magic and sorcery without sorcery.  The edge between truth and not truth never lets on what is really true or really false.  This is the power of literature.
             
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 - New Novel, part 218, still more the Point of Proof and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

14 November 2014, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 218, still more the Point of Proof and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

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.

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 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:

I decided on a white cover style.  You can see more at www.GoddessofDarkness.com.

The purpose of a novel is to reveal the protagonist and usually the protagonist's helper, the author needs to place them in circumstance that allows them to reveal themselves.  The means can be conversation, exploration, discovery, other's conversation, confession, accidental discovery.

There are three ways to know truth: the scientific method, the historical-witness method, and logic. The three tests used for all documentary evidence in history are: the bibliographical test, the internal test, and the external test.  Let's see how we can use these tests. 

Let's look back at the first principles of what I've been writing about.  The first principle is that a novel is always the revelation of a protagonist and sometimes a protagonist's helper.  In the past, authors use omniscient voice or a God-like narration to reveal the basics of the protagonist, then they used showing methods.  In a modern novel, the author should only use showing methods to reveal the characters.  I mentioned the methods above as means of revelation and gave examples of how to use them.  One very critical aspect I wrote about was truth in a novel.  My point was to describe the tools that could be used to know truth and the tools to convey truth in your novels.  Those are the methods mentioned above. 

As a pivot, let's discuss again, the use of truth in a novel.  I have written before about secrets.  No novel is any good without secrets.  The major secret is the unrevealed part of the protagonist.  The other great secret is the plot itself.  The author teases these secrets to the forefront in a novel.  The trick is to enable the reader to know what is truth and what is false at the proper time in the novel.

Let's look at an example.  The Scarlet Letter is a novel that everyone should have read--if you haven't, get reading.  In this novel, the protagonist, Hester Prinn has a great secret.  It was a secret that confinement, punishment, interrogation, and shaming could not make her reveal.  It was the name of her lover--the man who fathered her child.  The author keeps this secret to the last.  The novel is a mystery as well as a tragic tale of honor and dishonor.  Throughout the novel, the author gives hints and drops crumbs for the reader.  An astute reader might figure out the secret on his own--or not.  The point is that the author is playing a game.  For the characters in the novel, it is a deadly game that means the end of their lives, professions, and peace.  It means the same for the community.  The author keeps this secret and lets it build until the conclusion when the lover confesses. 

What is important to note is the use of "truth" and falsehood by the author to build the suspense in the novel to its bitter end.
             
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 - New Novel, part 212, more Thoughts and Emotions Logic and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

8 November 2014, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 212, more Thoughts and Emotions Logic and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

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.

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 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:

I decided on a white cover style.  You can see more at www.GoddessofDarkness.com.

The purpose of a novel is to reveal the protagonist and usually the protagonist's helper, the author needs to place them in circumstance that allows them to reveal themselves.  The means can be conversation, exploration, discovery, other's conversation, confession, accidental discovery.

There are three ways to know truth: the scientific method, the historical-witness method, and logic. The three tests used for all documentary evidence in history are: the bibliographical test, the internal test, and the external test.  Let's see how we can use these tests. 

If you remember the mathematical proofs you had to do in geometry, you know how to develop a logical proof.  You start with definitions.  It looks like this:

1.  Define the terms
2.  State assumptions
3.  Produce proof
4.  Logical conclusion

The ancient Greeks recognized that you can't ever know a person's truth thoughts or emotions.  Even if a person told you they were happy, they could be lying.  Even if a person told you they would do something, they could be lying.  The scientific method and the legal-historical method can't help us with thoughts and emotions.  You can't ever trust a person to accurately report what they are thinking or what they are feeling.  This was especially important in the culture of the ancient Greeks because they lived in a culture that encouraged ambivalence and hubris.  To the Greeks, knowing the truth was paramount, but their society was strongly based on not telling the absolute truth.  They believed that logic could give them insight into the thoughts and feelings of others.

You recognize that too--it is a concept I write about in this blog all the time.  When words, appearance,  and actions don't match, you recognize there is a problem between a person's thoughts and feelings and reality.  If a man says he loves you and then abuses you, you should recognize there is a disconnect between his thoughts and actions.  This is where the Greeks would bring logic into play.  First define the terms.  Unconditional love means placing the happiness and comfort of one before the other.  Abuse means saying untruthful things or using force to get your way.  Second, assumptions.  If the person being evaluated is usually truthful, you might assume they are telling the truth.  On the other hand, if the person is routinely untruthful, you might assume they are lying.  Third, produce the proof.  An easy one is this: the man says he has unconditional love, but when he comes home every night he beats me.  The logical conclusion is easy--the man is lying.  A harder one is this: the man says he has unconditional love for me, but he says unkind things to me.  What are the unkind things--do they constitute abuse?  For example, if the man says, I don't like your toga.  Is that abuse?  I think not--that is simply a comment that might be true.  On the other hand constant berating about something could constitute abuse--especially if it is not true.  The house is clean, but the man constantly harps on how unclean it is.  Conclusion--the man is lying.

The Greeks believed they could take any circumstance and though logical proof determine the truth or falsehood of the event.  There is much more to this.  
             
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 - New Novel, part 207, more Logic and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

3 November 2014, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 207, more Logic and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

Announcement: My editor sent a round of emails last night concerning the back cover materials.  That included the book teaser and the author bio.  They looked good.  They also sent the covers for the individual novels.  I'll put up the covers when I can.  The proposed 3 in1 cover and info can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  I'll keep you updated.  I should have three new books out soon.

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 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:

I decided on a white cover style.  You can see more at www.GoddessofDarkness.com.

The purpose of a novel is to reveal the protagonist and usually the protagonist's helper, the author needs to place them in circumstance that allows them to reveal themselves.  The means can be conversation, exploration, discovery, other's conversation, confession, accidental discovery.

There are three ways to know truth: the scientific method, the historical-witness method, and logic. The three tests used for all documentary evidence in history are: the bibliographical test, the internal test, and the external test.  Let's see how we can use these tests. 

The main purpose for logic is mathematics.  Mathematics is a subject that is not part of the empirical world.  Mathematics can't be proven using the scientific method.  Mathematics is not repeatable in the sense that an experiment is repeatable.  In fact, mathematics does not exist in the physical world.  You might say, I use math to calculate or count things all the time.  That is true, an engineer uses mathematics all the time too, but most engineering comes out of bound equations.  If an equation isn't bound in the physical world, it can't be solved.  Engineers bound math so the problems can be solved.  Then they figure out how accurate the bounding was or wasn't. 

Let me try to explain it like this.  You should know that addition is set theory.  In set theory, you bound the input and the solution sets to add things together.  The set of apples for example.  Apples can be a set, but what is an apple.  If I define an apple, I can define the set.  Unfortunately all apples are different.  I could define a set as fruit, but do you get the point.  A mathematical set and a real world set are tow different animals.  We use mathematics as an analog in the real world, but mathematics, especially at higher levels is all about logic and not the physical world. 

If you remember back to the first mathematical proof you were given as an example--it was likely if a=b and b=c, then a=c.  Do you remember that--this is logic and logic in mathematics.  This is the basis of all proof in mathematics--not just that principle, but the concept of a logical argument.  Logic is used to prove mathematics.  Mathematics is a concept outside the physical world.  Logic defines mathematics. 
 
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 - New Novel, part 204, Gnosticism, Legal-Historical Method and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

31 October 2014, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 204, Gnosticism, Legal-Historical Method and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

Announcement: My editor sent a round of emails last night concerning the back cover materials.  That included the book teaser and the author bio.  They looked good.  They also sent the covers for the individual novels.  I'll put up the covers when I can.  The proposed 3 in1 cover and info can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  I'll keep you updated.  I should have three new books out soon.

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 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:

I decided on a white cover style.  You can see more at www.GoddessofDarkness.com.

The purpose of a novel is to reveal the protagonist and usually the protagonist's helper, the author needs to place them in circumstance that allows them to reveal themselves.  The means can be conversation, exploration, discovery, other's conversation, confession, accidental discovery.

There are three ways to know truth: the scientific method, the historical-witness method, and logic. The three tests used for all documentary evidence in history are: the bibliographical test, the internal test, and the external test.  Let's see how we can use these tests. 

The way people think about the world is rooted in their religious (spiritual) view of the world--no kidding.  There are four stages in religious thinking (religions):
1.  Animism - gods in everything, man is fated
2.  Pantheonic Paganism - gods rule certain things and both man and god are fated
3.  Mysterium - gods rule and man can know god through rituals and education
4.  Gnosticism - god is there and man can be like him through knowledge

As a culture gains philosophy, it also begins on the long breakthrough of scientific understanding.  Under animism, there are gods in everything that make the living and nonliving things in the world grow and move.  Philosophy brings on mysterium and begins to ask the question, if the gods don't make the world run, then what does.  The answer to this question requires philosophy initially as logic (which we will eventually get to).  The Greeks used philosophy (logic) to design the scientific and the legal-historical methods of knowing truth.  When a culture begins to use the scientific method, it begins to see that natural laws and not gods govern the universe.  When a culture begins to use the legal-historical method, it begins to see that humans and not fate govern the history of the world. 

This is the great understanding that leads to Gnosticism.  Gnosticism still acknowledges a god, but that god is a watch-maker who set the world in motion.  Also, in the ideas of Gnosticism, men can appropriate the power of the godhead through knowledge.  Almost every culture in the modern world has accepted this primus of spirituality.  Gnosticism is the religion of the modern world.  The idea that science will prove man's thinking is entirely chemical based or that science can prove everything, is purely Gnostic.  The idea that man is supreme is purely Gnostic.  The idea of atheism is Gnostic.  Unfortunately, Gnosticism in the modern world was really brought about by Christianity.  It was strongly rooted in Christian thinking for a long time and only broke away in the last century.  Gnosticism claims to allow the discovery of god and humanity through science and logic--unfortunately, Gnosticism tends to ignore the other means to know truth--legal-historical and logic.  Gnosticism tends to stick with empiricism.  In fact, the reason Gnosticism is stuck in empiricism instead of logic is because of who won in the transition from the age of reason to the age of enlightenment.      
 
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 - New Novel, part 199, Animism, Legal-Historical Method and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

26 October 2014, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 199, Animism, Legal-Historical Method and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

Announcement: My editor sent a round of emails last night concerning the back cover materials.  That included the book teaser and the author bio.  They looked good.  They also sent the covers for the individual novels.  I'll put up the covers when I can.  The proposed 3 in1 cover and info can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  I'll keep you updated.  I should have three new books out soon.

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 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:

I decided on a white cover style.  You can see more at www.GoddessofDarkness.com.

The purpose of a novel is to reveal the protagonist and usually the protagonist's helper, the author needs to place them in circumstance that allows them to reveal themselves.  The means can be conversation, exploration, discovery, other's conversation, confession, accidental discovery.

There are three ways to know truth: the scientific method, the historical-witness method, and logic. The three tests used for all documentary evidence in history are: the bibliographical test, the internal test, and the external test.  Let's see how we can use these tests. 

The way people think about the world is rooted in their religious (spiritual) view of the world--no kidding.  There are four stages in religious thinking (religions):
1.  Animism - gods in everything, man is fated
2.  Pantheonic Paganism - gods rule certain things and both man and god are fated
3.  Mysterium - gods rule and man can know god through rituals and education
4.  Gnosticism - god is there and man can be like him through knowledge

I'm writing about how animism affects a culture and society's thinking.  In animism, the gods make everything happen.  It means that fire occurs, not because of some understandable scientific process but because of the whims of a god.  It means that things occur because of a god or gods and not because of natural phenomena.  The entire world of the animist is based and occurs because a god makes it happen.  Therefore, before a person can do anything, they must appease and work with the gods.  If you read my novel The Second Mission, you can see how this works to some degree.  The Greeks would not kindle a fire on their own--they had to get the fire from the local temple, which received their fire from Olympus, which renewed their fire from a shield and the sun at the summer solstice.  A hearth fire was never allowed to go out, and before the fire in a home could be reinvigorated in the morning, an alpha symbol and the proper prayers and libation had to be made.  Likewise, before the fire could be prepared for the evening, an omega and the proper prayers and libation had to be made. 

Every action in an animistic culture requires a prayer and a sacrifice, usually a libation.  Every act was considered to be under the control of the gods (fated).  The word for human fate in the Greek is pathos.  Pathos is also the word for uncontrolled emotion especially uncontrolled sexual energy.  In Greek thought, a person who had uncontrolled emotions or action was fated.  In the animism world view, humans can't make decisions and they can't control themselves.  The move from animistic thinking to pantheonic paganism comes with literacy.  As a culture gains literacy (and basic civilization), they begin to need different and new gods.  

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 - New Novel, part 198, Thinking, Legal-Historical Method and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

25 October 2014, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 198, Thinking, Legal-Historical Method and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

Announcement: My editor sent a round of emails last night concerning the back cover materials.  That included the book teaser and the author bio.  They looked good.  They also sent the covers for the individual novels.  I'll put up the covers when I can.  The proposed 3 in1 cover and info can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  I'll keep you updated.  I should have three new books out soon.

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 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:

I decided on a white cover style.  You can see more at www.GoddessofDarkness.com.

The purpose of a novel is to reveal the protagonist and usually the protagonist's helper, the author needs to place them in circumstance that allows them to reveal themselves.  The means can be conversation, exploration, discovery, other's conversation, confession, accidental discovery.

There are three ways to know truth: the scientific method, the historical-witness method, and logic. The three tests used for all documentary evidence in history are: the bibliographical test, the internal test, and the external test.  Let's see how we can use these tests. 

The way people think about the world is rooted in their religious (spiritual) view of the world--no kidding.  There are four stages in religious thinking (religions):
1.  Animism - gods in everything, man is fated
2.  Pantheonic Paganism - gods rule certain things and both man and god are fated
3.  Mysterium - gods rule and man can know god through rituals and education
4.  Gnosticism - god is there and man can be like him through knowledge
Societies and cultures that are based in animism believe that gods make everything happen, therefore everything that has life or motion in nature is controlled by gods.  Each tree has a god (dryad), that makes the tree grow.  Each river has a god, that makes the river move.  Every living and moving thing grows, lives, and moves because of the god within it.  This doesn't apply to humans.  Humans, in the view of the animist, have self-will and self-consciousness to a degree.  The animist sees humans with an eternal aspect that is not like the gods, but that allows humans to interact with the real and spiritual world.  If a person acted without restraint (madness or mental illness), they believed the person was controlled by a god.  In fact, animism sees all human illness as the result of gods either punishing or controlling the person.  In animism, humans must placate and please the gods to prevent bad things from happening.  Therefore, when humans take the fruit of a tree, they must pray and give a gift to the tree.  When an animal is killed to be eaten, a sacrifice must be made of the animal.  This is why all meat that was eaten in the ancient world was sacrificed to the gods. 

Animism also sees both humans and gods as fated.  The Greeks called this pathos (fate of man) and chronos (fate of the gods).  If you think about what I've written about animism, I think you can begin to understand how most people thought in the ancient world.

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 - New Novel, part 197, Miracles, Legal-Historical Method and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

24 October 2014, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 197, Miracles, Legal-Historical Method and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

Announcement: My editor sent a round of emails last night concerning the back cover materials.  That included the book teaser and the author bio.  They looked good.  They also sent the covers for the individual novels.  I'll put up the covers when I can.  The proposed 3 in1 cover and info can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  I'll keep you updated.  I should have three new books out soon.

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 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:

I decided on a white cover style.  You can see more at www.GoddessofDarkness.com.

The purpose of a novel is to reveal the protagonist and usually the protagonist's helper, the author needs to place them in circumstance that allows them to reveal themselves.  The means can be conversation, exploration, discovery, other's conversation, confession, accidental discovery.

There are three ways to know truth: the scientific method, the historical-witness method, and logic. The three tests used for all documentary evidence in history are: the bibliographical test, the internal test, and the external test.  Let's see how we can use these tests. 

Many people ask me: what about the miracles in the New and Old Testament documents?  Anyone who has any experience with ancient documents knows that almost all of them talk about the gods, prophecies, and/or miracles.  Caesar, Plato, Zeno, Hippolitus, Aristotle, Josephus, and all write about miracles either ones they saw with their own eyes or ones reported in their knowledge of history.  If you want to throw out historical documents that talk about miracles, you need to get rid of almost every document in antiquity.  It's kind of like that and the bibliographical test too.  The New Testament documents pass the bibliographical tests (number of documents and the closeness to the original) magnitudes better than any other document in antiquity.  If you throw out the New Testament documents, you must throw away all other documents in antiquity.  Likewise, if you don't like miracles, get ready to dump almost every document in antiquity. 

The problem with people in the modern era, is they do not understand how people in the ancient world thought or lived.  This is something I strive to express in my novels: how people from the past think and act in the world.  In our world view, their actions sometimes seem illogical, but it is only because you don't think like they did. 

In the modern world, there are extensive examples of groups that don't think the same a Western Civilization.  Western Civ thinks like the Greeks--that is logic.  The Greeks invented the three means to know truth: scientific method, legal-historical method, and logic. If you grew up in the Western World or generally in modern nations that have accepted these means to know truth, you are most likely a Greek thinker.  The ancient world and other groups in the modern world don't use logical means in their thinking.  This idea is very important to both writing and understanding.

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 - New Novel, part 195, External Test, Legal-Historical Method and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

22 October 2014, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 195, External Test, Legal-Historical Method and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

Announcement: My editor sent a round of emails last night concerning the back cover materials.  That included the book teaser and the author bio.  They looked good.  They also sent the covers for the individual novels.  I'll put up the covers when I can.  The proposed 3 in1 cover and info can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  I'll keep you updated.  I should have three new books out soon.

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 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:

I decided on a white cover style.  You can see more at www.GoddessofDarkness.com.

The purpose of a novel is to reveal the protagonist and usually the protagonist's helper, the author needs to place them in circumstance that allows them to reveal themselves.  The means can be conversation, exploration, discovery, other's conversation, confession, accidental discovery.

There are three ways to know truth: the scientific method, the historical-witness method, and logic. The three tests used for all documentary evidence in history are: the bibliographical test, the internal test, and the external test.  We covered the bibliographical test and the internal test.  The external test evaluates the document in terms of other evidence.  So, when we compare other documents of the same witness to our document, we are looking for similar or different information.  We can also compare other evidentiary evidence.  For example, there is a dedication to Pilate on a stone in Caesarea Maritama.  This provides external evidence of the existence of Pilate.  You really didn't need any--there are too many documents in antiquity that name him, but the additional archeological evidence bolsters many points.  In antiquity, there is literally very little hard evidence of many people and events.  The corroboration by multiple sources makes the evidence near irrefutable. 

That is the point of the external test.  When we compare documents or other evidence and documents, we only consider a document to be wrong if there is overwhelming evidence from another source of a similar witness.  So, a primary document that passes the bibliographical test always trumps any secondary or tertiary source.  Likewise, an archeological source isn't necessary, but it always proves another source.  It is highly unlikely that archeological evidence would disprove any source--it can only prove a person, place, or thing (event) occurred.  It can't do otherwise.  A documentary source, on the other hand, proves events, people, and places.  We use these tools to prove history.

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 - New Novel, part 193, Documents Legal-Historical Method and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

20 October 2014, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 193, Documents Legal-Historical Method and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

Announcement: My editor sent a round of emails last night concerning the back cover materials.  That included the book teaser and the author bio.  They looked good.  They also sent the covers for the individual novels.  I'll put up the covers when I can.  The proposed 3 in1 cover and info can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  I'll keep you updated.  I should have three new books out soon.

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 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:

I decided on a white cover style.  You can see more at www.GoddessofDarkness.com.

The purpose of a novel is to reveal the protagonist and usually the protagonist's helper, the author needs to place them in circumstance that allows them to reveal themselves.  The means can be conversation, exploration, discovery, other's conversation, confession, accidental discovery.

There are three ways to know truth: the scientific method, the historical-witness method, and logic.  All documents in antiquity are judged by a process that can be used for all evidence.  This process allows the historian to grade and qualify historical evidence.  As I mentioned, all documents in antiquity go through this process, however any piece of evidence can be judged using it.  There are three steps in validating historical documents.  The first is the bibliographical test.

The bibliographical test measures the quality and the accuracy of the document that we have.  Usually, the bibliographical test is only applied to manuscripts.  Manuscripts are hand-written originals or copies of documents.  The method can also be used for printed documents.  In the bibliographical test, we look first at the number and type of manuscripts that have been passed down to us.  The most important thing that most people don't know is that there are no extant originals of any document written in antiquity.  All the documents we have are copies.  Antiquity is variously defined as from about 700 to 1400 AD.  700 is when we begin to get some originals.  1400 is when the printing press came into use.  The number of manuscripts allows us to compare the differences between copies to determine the most accurate and approximate original.  For most documents in antiquity, we have only one copy.  That's too bad, but that's the way it goes. 

The second bibliographical test is the nearness of the copies to the original.  If the earliest copy is only 200 years from when the document was originally written, this is considered excellent.  The average time of the earliest copy to the original in time is 1000 years.  That's too bad too.  Here's how the bibliographical test is used.  Josephus' Wars has about 51 copies extant.  The earliest copy is about 900 years from the original written in the first century.  Compare that to the book of Luke.  There are over 200 copies extant of the book of Luke.  The earliest copy is about 200 years displaced from the original.  Both of these documents were written in the first century.  Josephus is a secondary to tertiary witness, while Luke is a primary to secondary witness.  Compare these to Pliny the Youngers History which is a tertiary document with 3 copies and about 900 years from the original.

Your history professor should be giving you this data for every primary, secondary, and tertiary source she/he uses in your classroom.  And remember, a tertiary source is not considered good history unless there are no other sources.

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 - New Novel, part 192, Documents Legal-Historical Method and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

19 October 2014, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 192, Documents Legal-Historical Method and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

Announcement: My editor sent a round of emails last night concerning the back cover materials.  That included the book teaser and the author bio.  They looked good.  They also sent the covers for the individual novels.  I'll put up the covers when I can.  The proposed 3 in1 cover and info can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  I'll keep you updated.  I should have three new books out soon.

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 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:

I decided on a white cover style.  You can see more at www.GoddessofDarkness.com.

The purpose of a novel is to reveal the protagonist and usually the protagonist's helper, the author needs to place them in circumstance that allows them to reveal themselves.  The means can be conversation, exploration, discovery, other's conversation, confession, accidental discovery.

There are three ways to know truth: the scientific method, the historical-witness method, and logic.  Did you notice that though I started with the most direct evidence: photos, videos, and recordings, it became very clear very quickly that without context, they weren't worth much.  The context for all of this evidence is written.  You can guess then that the most important evidence is written documentation.  In general, the evidence is just called documents.  Documents give context and record details.  Documents are relatively difficult to fake--although they can be faked.  Documents can be used to demonstrate the evidentiary tests that are used for all evidence.  I'll get to that tomorrow.

Remember, we look at evidence in terms of primacy of witness.  A document can be a primary, a secondary, a tertiary, and I add in the quatriary source.  If you have an eyewitness account of anything in history, that is primary. If it is from an eyewitness, but by another source, it is secondary (the report of an eyewitness).  If it is anything else in history, it is tertiary--a history book is a tertiary witness and worthless for historical evidence.  Quatriary means fiction or opinion--about the same thing in terms of history.  As an historical fiction author, I'd like to point out, that although a tertiary witness is not good for historical research, a well researched historical fiction or history book can provide excellent information in a palatable format.  That's one of the reasons I write historical fiction--to make history entertaining to my readers.  I just don't want anyone to get the wrong idea about the value of a tertiary witness.  

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 - New Novel, part 191, more Witness Legal-Historical Method and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

18 October 2014, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 191, more Witness Legal-Historical Method and Other's Conversation, Methods of Revelation How to Develop Storyline, Rising Action

Announcement: My editor sent a round of emails last night concerning the back cover materials.  That included the book teaser and the author bio.  They looked good.  They also sent the covers for the individual novels.  I'll put up the covers when I can.  The proposed 3 in1 cover and info can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  I'll keep you updated.  I should have three new books out soon.

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 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:

I decided on a white cover style.  You can see more at www.GoddessofDarkness.com.

The purpose of a novel is to reveal the protagonist and usually the protagonist's helper, the author needs to place them in circumstance that allows them to reveal themselves.  The means can be conversation, exploration, discovery, other's conversation, confession, accidental discovery.

There are three ways to know truth: the scientific method, the historical-witness method, and logic.  Once you determine the primacy of witness for the evidence, then you can begin to determine the truth about something that happened in history.  Evidence comes in many varieties.  Some of the best evidence are videos, photos, and recordings.  As long as these can be corroborated as accurate and the individuals identified on them, they can be near perfect records of the past.  Unfortunately, they only have existed for a little more than a hundred years (photos a little longer), and they are easy to fake--especially now.  Photos and recordings don't usually give a story--only a part of a story.  They tend to be incomplete in ways other evidence is not.  Videos are good, but they also have a problem of reference.  When viewing a photograph, have you ever wished to see more?  Have you wanted to see behind the camera or at another angle?  When viewing a video, have you wondered what was going on outside the video?  What was going on behind the scenes?  Recordings have the same problem from the standpoint of sound--just what is that sound outside the reference of the scene?  Where is the recording being made?

The important information for photos, video, and recordings is context.  Context is critical.  The context for all of these either comes on the record itself or in words attached to the record.  For example, the caption on a photo, the identification or introduction of a recording or video, or the document attached to the recording or video.  In every case, it is the words either attached or part of the record that gives context and brings understanding to the record.  This documentation is the greatest basis for all evidentiary records.   

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