For those who haven’t been following this blog, let me introduce it a little. I am currently blogging my 21st novel that has the working title Daemon. The novel is about Aksinya, a sorceress, who, to save her family from the Bolsheviks, called and contracted the demon, Asmodeus. Her family was murdered anyway, and she fled with the demon from Russia to Austria.
Ernst professed his love to Aksinya and kissed her. Natalya busted up the clinch and now they are in their respective corners. Fighting isn't really what either of them have in mind...
Natalya glanced at Aksinya. Aksinya hastily moved to the other end of the balcony. They waited for Natalya to return to her seat.
Aksinya bent forward a little toward Ernst. She whispered and tried to get her voice to carry to him, “You…you kissed me.”
Ernst kept his voice low, “I have wanted to kiss you for a long time.”
She touched her lips, “Why?”
“Because I love you.”
“What will you gain by loving me?”
Ernst smiled, “I desire you. That is all. I love you. Do you love me?”
“I…I don’t know.”
“Then I’m sorry I was so forward, but I’m not sorry I kissed you. I would hope to continue to woo you. I want you to marry me.” He pulled out a small box from his coat pockets, “I have a ring for you. I would like to give it to you tonight.”
“For me? Then you are serious?”
“Why would you think I wasn’t serious?”
“What about your father, and his wish for you to join his business?”
“I told him tonight that I would join the firm. I made arrangements with him to begin to work the following Monday. I will still be able to escort you to dinner and the opera on Wednesday. Didn’t you understand me? Even if you will not make up your mind tonight, I will continue to see you and entertain you. I will pursue you until your answer is yes. You have no other suitors?”
Aksinya shook her head.
“You don’t have another lover?”
Aksinya shook her head.
Ernst’s voice softened, “Then there are no others ahead of me. I have no competition.”
“But I have never imagined someone loving me before.”
Ernst shook his head, “Why should a man not love you. You are beautiful and intelligent. Your deportment and social skills are excellent. You enjoy all the past times I enjoy. Why should I not want to share my life with you?”
Aksinya stared out into the darkness and whispered, “This is a temptation to me. It is surely a temptation.” She spoke more loudly, “Did Anatov Aznabaev put you up to this?”
We find out just how clueless about everything Aksinya is. Aksinya wonders why Ernst would kiss her. Remember, she thinks she is ugly. She has resolved herself to this for her entire life. She can't imagine that any of her other features might make a man desire her, but we realize Aksinya is desirable for many reasons. She is astounded that Ernst would kiss her, so she asks why. His answer is just like we expect from Ernst, straightforward: "I love you." Let me point out that I use a lot of advanced writing techniques in this small exchange. Just one example is Aksinya's gesture--she touches her lips. This tells you a lot about her thinking and her wonder at what happened.
The main point, however, is Aksinya's response to Ernst: “What will you gain by loving me?” Remember Natalya's comment before--why does love have to be a contract with you (Aksinya). Aksinya can't imagine love without some contract or gain. Ernst offers her love; she wonders what he really wants. They could go around and around like this forever. Ernst really can't answer her question. He mixes love and desire. That would be a mistake usually, but he is talking to Aksinya. To Aksinya, love and desire go hand in hand. Even though she learned from Sister Margarethe that you don't have to have desire to have love--she doesn't fully understand it. When Ernst asks Aksinya if she loves him, she can only answer truthfully: “I…I don’t know.”
Ernst was expecting her to say "yes." His response shows this. He is tempting her, and he brings out his next temptation--luxuria. It is a ring, an engagement ring. This is something dear to any girl and especially dear to Aksinya. She loves luxuria more than anything. If she had ever thought someone might want to marry her, she might have thought marriage desirable. This is completely ironic, because Ernst is willing to give Aksinya luxuria to prove his love, then she accepts him as being absolutely serious.
Ernst adds another temptation to her. It was drug out by Aksinya's question. Ernst has bowed to his father's desires and will go to work for him. He will join the family business. Aksinya drove Ernst to this. Ernst has changed entirely for Aksinya. Can you guess the joy of Ernst's father. Ernst will become a dour Ernst for Aksinya. These are not cast off statements. The power of the change from the happy-go-lucky Ernst to the serious Ernst is an amazing change, and it is all due to the thoughtless statements of Aksinya.
Remember during the Opera of Mozart's Magic Flute, Aksinya's taunting of Ernst about her other suitor. Ernst wants to make certain. He asks about other suitors. He asks about other lovers. Notice, Aksinya doesn't really answer. She only shakes her head. We know there is a problem that stands in the way and that problem is a demon who has made a claim on Aksinya. I won't tell you now, but what do you think in terms of the demon's claim. Ernst draws the wrong conclusion, and Aksinya lets him do it. There is a small problem between them and that is Asmodeus. Aksinya doesn't love Ernst, but she wants Ernst. She can't answer truthfully about the demon. She doesn't want to drive Ernst away.
Look at her response: “But I have never imagined someone loving me before.” This statement is the absolute truth. In Aksinya's mind, no one really ever loved her (not even Natalya), but she obvoiusly doesn't understand love. Then from Ernst's heartfelt response about why someone might love Aksinya, we get her realization: “This is a temptation to me. It is surely a temptation.” Everything is a temptation for her. Everything is a carefully orchestrated temptation. We should never forget this and Aksinya should never forget this. Still, we want everything to be a French comedy and not a Russian tragedy. Aksinya wants to imagine her life is her own and not plyable clay in the hands of a demon. She asks the most important question yet: “Did Anatov Aznabaev put you up to this?” Tomorrow, Ernst answers this question and we learn more about what has been going on around Aksinya.
Showing posts with label writing secrets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing secrets. Show all posts
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Thursday, October 21, 2010
A New Novel, Part 18 More Answers
Some more questions and comments from a reader of this blog.
Interesting discussion on 'setting the scene'. A few question some to mind:
1. How do you know when you've got 'just enough' vs too much info to set the stage and pique the reader's interest...ie, get the milieu (world) of the scene's story?
I don't. I rely on two things: 1. does it entertain me, 2. Does it entertain my prepub readers. I think I'm harder than anyone else on my own writing. If I don't feel that it is entertaining, I write it over and over again until it feels right. In terms of setting the scene, as opposed to the interest of the reader, I do know what to do for that, and I am constantly tweaking the writing to improve it. The first is this: the scene must be set in terms of time (date and time of day), place (environment, weather, all the details), characters (appearance, clothing, equipment), and reason. This information doesn't have to be recited right at the beginning, but it has to be put right up front and focus the reader. It is like a stage play. The play can't go one until the stage is set (not an empty stage here). The scene like a stage must be set. The writer has powerful tools that can allow the reader to see, hear, feel, smell, and taste everything that is going on in the scene. You have written enough when your readers can experience the scene through all of their senses.
2. Just as a novel has a whole structure, prume,so does each individual scene. So wondering, do you have a general rule of thumb which stipulates how much attention, to spend on developing a given scene?
(I'm not talking about short transitional scenes, which simply bridge, and don't require special treatment...I'm talking about substantial scenes.)
To me all scenes are substantial. In other words, if the novel is unchanged when the scene is left out, then the scene is unnecessary and should be left out. Even a "bridging" scene must be important. I try to make them important or I try to fit them at the end or beginning of an important event. So each scene theoretically gets the same attention as every other one. That doesn't happen. Pivotal scenes are just that, they are so important that I can't help but think about them for days until they are written. Sometimes I find that unprogressive. I make lots of notes and hope I don't lose the strength of the writing before the scene comes together. The trick it to try to give as much attention to those scene leading and following a pivotal scene to ensure they are strong in themselves.
Also, I presume, you've got an objective or need for each character in a scene...and, you're trying to create rising tension..(to satisfy the need) throughout the scene's progression....
This is a great point. Like the purpose of the scene itself in the novel, every word is carefully chosen, each bit of punctuation is placed to make the most of the entire scene. Likewise the characters are each necessary, their entry is specific and their descriptions are critical. I use the Arlo Guthrie method of introducing a character (and place) with at least 100 to 300 words of description. This ensures the placement of the character and the theme. After the place and the character is introduced the first time, you may then use defining characteristics to set the character or the scene the next time you bring them on stage. For example, if a character has a big nose, you can easily wax eloquent about the nose in the first introduction. You then just make the point about Lou's big nose when you bring him back again. That allows your readers to immediately see the character in their mind again. For a place the description might be the smell of the mold from the old furniture. When you go back to the house, a reminder about the smell sets the scene again. One thing I dislike in some authors is that they fail to introduce or reintroduce their characters properly. I get confused when confronted with just a name without any description. Writing without sufficient description is like a blank mask on your characters or an empty stage.
3. Do you primarily use dialogue or actions of the characters to create a compelling scene? Rule of thumb, or ratio?
I try to make all the writing dialog or action narrative. In other words, if the story isn't going through with dialog, it's because it is moving with action (showing you what is happening). I prefer dialog. To me, dialog is truly life. This is how the world really runs. Who cares what a person did. What is more compelling is when that person tells why they did it to another person--or lies about it. That's when you begin to understand about the characters. There is no ratio, but I find that 80 percent of my writing or more is dialog.
4. Do you give alot of thought, to the "point of attack" ...the point at which you have the character enter the scene? Is it usually at an entry point, mid point or exit point of a scene? Any rule of thumb?
Ah, these are screenplay terms. In general, the setup for a scene is at least one character. The other characters enter based solely on the storyline for the scene. So, in my way of looking at scenes, I have a scene input and a scene output. The point is the input and the output. The stuff in between is the storyline. That storyline must fit into the plot, and that plot must fit into the theme. So they enter and exit just based on these points. I'm not sure I can be more general than that. Let me use the example of the very first chapter and scene of Daemon. We have Aksinya conjuring a demon. The scene is set. Aksinya goes about her business and you have a demon. The input of the scene is Aksinya's sorcery. The output is the contract with the demon. The demon appears at just the important point in the scene. His appearance supports the storyline, plot, and theme.
5. How much attention to you give to the "back story" or exposition? that is... elements of the character's biography that are crucial to the story developing?
Obviously, good (believable) novel & screenplays contains back story because every believable character brings a certain amount of baggage to a drama.
I want to give these details through mostly dialog with other characters. In other words, you get it when the other characters in the novel get it. This goes back to my point that I want my readers to know as much as the characters in the story know. I don't like omniscient storylines. In Daemon, at the beginning, I do give you some information about Aksinya's back story as description--that's because the reader needs some tangible info to set the scene. Note, I don't give you anything about he demon except external description. And all you get from that point is almost 100% external description and dialog. Thus in dialog, you learn so much more about Aksinya. That's the trick, every time she opens her mouth, you learn a little more about her. Some of it is back story. Some is mundane, but you find out what moves her soul.
6. What are some effective ways of weaving different scenes and storylines together?
Wow, this is a very hard question to answer. The primary means is through the characters themselves. The last time I addressed comments, there were some wonderful points about items--things. I said watch for them in the development of the novel. Items, like those mentioned before--we will see a bookstand becomes an item that weaves the scenes and storylines together. A crucifix will do the same. Aksinya's mother's dresses. Sorcery weaves together the overall scenes and storyline. The idea of temptation. Like the multiple levels of the plot that I am trying to write into this novel, the multiple characters, items, and ideas provide the glue that holds the scenes and storyline together.
7. Do you have a preferred technique for revealing facts about a person...ie, props, clothing, makeup, language (accent), behavior, musing, dialogue?.
I love to use language differences to bring out compelling things about a person. The wrapper is important to me, but not as important as the words. When Aksinya tells the demon to "shut up," you know he has touched a nerve. I don't have to have her say anything else.
I suspect most back story, however, is conveyed through dialogue. After all, good exposition doesn't stick out...it is presented in a believable context.
Yes, great observation. Mostly through dialog, some through description.
(Suspect it's easy to overload the reader with too much information.)
I'm not sure that is possible with dialog. It is certainly possible with description. The point of dialog is that it is ultimately entertaining. Just as we like to discuss subjects, readers like to eavesdrop on the character's discussions. If the dialog is entertaining, the reader won't care how much information you are pumping out. In fact, the information flow can be enormous and as long as the reader is entertained with the repartee, they won't get tired of it. For example, in the last bit of dialog between Aksinya and the demon, I laid a bunch of heavy stuff on the reader.
“No! I haven’t rejected Him. I believe in Him. How could I not believe—I’ve seen demons. If there are demons, there is God.” She glanced down, “I don’t trust Him. I knew He would fail me. I didn’t expect you to fail me or my own strength to fail me.”
Asmodeus picked his teeth with a claw, “I didn’t fail you—you called me too late. You failed, Countess Aksinya Andreiovna Golitsyna. I didn’t fail and that guy didn’t fail—you failed. Come, you’ve seen her. Now is the time to go.”
You have to admit, this is some really deep dodo. The reader may or may not take the time to think about these statements. I do believe they are entertaining in themselves, so most readers will just keep reading, entertained and yet musing about the astounding things the demon and Aksinya just said to one another.
8. Do you tend to reveal background info early in the story, but, withhold certain facts for dramatic effect. I've heard come writers say secrets are the most powerful form of back story, and whole dramas can revolve around them. Do you employ it, often?
I suspect, knowing how and when to expose details about a character's past is a real art form.
I don't call them secrets (although that is a perfect characterization of it). As I mentioned, I don't want my readers to know more than the characters in the story. Now, we know there are things the characters haven't shared with us--like Aksinya's real father. You might have guessed there is an issue here. I may not have laid enough clues. That's what further run throughs do is allow the writer to improve the foreshadowing and the proper revelation of these points. Indeed a secretive character might have secrets and a nonsecretive character might have secrets. The point is that we never know all of anyone's "secrets" even if we know them well. The same is true for characters in a novel--we don't know everything about them and, indeed, those things of importance to the plot are revealed in their proper time. Just like the observation of the servant in the last installment. I've tried to excite the readers about who this servant is and the proper revelation of these points. Indeed a secretive character might have secrets and a nonsecretive character might have secrets. The point is that we never know all of anyone's "secrets" even if we know them well. The same is true for characters in a novel--we don't know everything about them and, indeed, those things of importance to the plot are revealed in their proper time. Just like the observation of the servant in the last installment. I've tried to excite the readers about who this servant might be. I didn't give any clues at all. The demon didn't drop hardly any. When you finally see her, what is your response? Relief? Fear? Wonder? Excitement? Does it make you wonder more, like Aksinya, just who is this servant?
9. Do you employ set-ups & pay offs; like screen writers do? That is, a set up introduces a bit of action, that will become significant later on and lead to a pay-off.
Yes, big time. I just don't refer to them as setups and pay offs. Generally, the foreshadowing, items, characters, settings in a scene are all setups for further scenes. Just as the dresses and the jewelry boxes mentioned in chapter two, the sorcery books and items in chapter one, the hunger, cold, and tiredness of Aksinya in chapter three everything is a setup. Each will bring some large or small pay off. Otherwise, what's the point of mentioning it.
.
10. Do you usually close out a scene on a button? You know, something to seal off the scene with a punch....maybe, some type of narrative tool to make the scene stand out, and alone.
More screenplay terms. Yes, I attempt to close out every scene with a specific punch. No scene should just peter out. They have to have some tight ending to wrap them up and push the reader into the next scene.
The true end of the last scene I gave you:
“Close your mouth, Countess Aksinya Andreiovna Golitsyna, now is the time for us to act.”
“I don’t understand you at all.”
“You will.” - there is your "button"
The one prior:
Aksinya watched him move toward the back of the house. When he was out of sight, she sat on the chest. After a bit, she curled up on the top of it and pulled the coat close. Her breath came in white clouds. She closed her eyes. - there is the "button" She closes her eyes and that closes the scene.
Prior to that:
The streetcar came up, and they boarded. Asmodeus paid the fare. They rode the streetcar past the city center and out toward the west side. Aksinya sat and Asmodeus stood. Certainly the world changed to accommodate a nearly seven foot tall demon who carried a gigantic chest on his shoulders. He seemed to fit on the streetcar without trouble. The entire world suddenly seemed less solid to Aksinya than ever before. - the "button"
The end of each scene is unique. It leaves a thought in the mind of the reader, or it closes the scene like a curtian on a stage.
That's it until tomorrow. I'm trying to decide how to break up the next very important (pivotal) scene. This is where Aksinya calls her servant.
Interesting discussion on 'setting the scene'. A few question some to mind:
1. How do you know when you've got 'just enough' vs too much info to set the stage and pique the reader's interest...ie, get the milieu (world) of the scene's story?
I don't. I rely on two things: 1. does it entertain me, 2. Does it entertain my prepub readers. I think I'm harder than anyone else on my own writing. If I don't feel that it is entertaining, I write it over and over again until it feels right. In terms of setting the scene, as opposed to the interest of the reader, I do know what to do for that, and I am constantly tweaking the writing to improve it. The first is this: the scene must be set in terms of time (date and time of day), place (environment, weather, all the details), characters (appearance, clothing, equipment), and reason. This information doesn't have to be recited right at the beginning, but it has to be put right up front and focus the reader. It is like a stage play. The play can't go one until the stage is set (not an empty stage here). The scene like a stage must be set. The writer has powerful tools that can allow the reader to see, hear, feel, smell, and taste everything that is going on in the scene. You have written enough when your readers can experience the scene through all of their senses.
2. Just as a novel has a whole structure, prume,so does each individual scene. So wondering, do you have a general rule of thumb which stipulates how much attention, to spend on developing a given scene?
(I'm not talking about short transitional scenes, which simply bridge, and don't require special treatment...I'm talking about substantial scenes.)
To me all scenes are substantial. In other words, if the novel is unchanged when the scene is left out, then the scene is unnecessary and should be left out. Even a "bridging" scene must be important. I try to make them important or I try to fit them at the end or beginning of an important event. So each scene theoretically gets the same attention as every other one. That doesn't happen. Pivotal scenes are just that, they are so important that I can't help but think about them for days until they are written. Sometimes I find that unprogressive. I make lots of notes and hope I don't lose the strength of the writing before the scene comes together. The trick it to try to give as much attention to those scene leading and following a pivotal scene to ensure they are strong in themselves.
Also, I presume, you've got an objective or need for each character in a scene...and, you're trying to create rising tension..(to satisfy the need) throughout the scene's progression....
This is a great point. Like the purpose of the scene itself in the novel, every word is carefully chosen, each bit of punctuation is placed to make the most of the entire scene. Likewise the characters are each necessary, their entry is specific and their descriptions are critical. I use the Arlo Guthrie method of introducing a character (and place) with at least 100 to 300 words of description. This ensures the placement of the character and the theme. After the place and the character is introduced the first time, you may then use defining characteristics to set the character or the scene the next time you bring them on stage. For example, if a character has a big nose, you can easily wax eloquent about the nose in the first introduction. You then just make the point about Lou's big nose when you bring him back again. That allows your readers to immediately see the character in their mind again. For a place the description might be the smell of the mold from the old furniture. When you go back to the house, a reminder about the smell sets the scene again. One thing I dislike in some authors is that they fail to introduce or reintroduce their characters properly. I get confused when confronted with just a name without any description. Writing without sufficient description is like a blank mask on your characters or an empty stage.
3. Do you primarily use dialogue or actions of the characters to create a compelling scene? Rule of thumb, or ratio?
I try to make all the writing dialog or action narrative. In other words, if the story isn't going through with dialog, it's because it is moving with action (showing you what is happening). I prefer dialog. To me, dialog is truly life. This is how the world really runs. Who cares what a person did. What is more compelling is when that person tells why they did it to another person--or lies about it. That's when you begin to understand about the characters. There is no ratio, but I find that 80 percent of my writing or more is dialog.
4. Do you give alot of thought, to the "point of attack" ...the point at which you have the character enter the scene? Is it usually at an entry point, mid point or exit point of a scene? Any rule of thumb?
Ah, these are screenplay terms. In general, the setup for a scene is at least one character. The other characters enter based solely on the storyline for the scene. So, in my way of looking at scenes, I have a scene input and a scene output. The point is the input and the output. The stuff in between is the storyline. That storyline must fit into the plot, and that plot must fit into the theme. So they enter and exit just based on these points. I'm not sure I can be more general than that. Let me use the example of the very first chapter and scene of Daemon. We have Aksinya conjuring a demon. The scene is set. Aksinya goes about her business and you have a demon. The input of the scene is Aksinya's sorcery. The output is the contract with the demon. The demon appears at just the important point in the scene. His appearance supports the storyline, plot, and theme.
5. How much attention to you give to the "back story" or exposition? that is... elements of the character's biography that are crucial to the story developing?
Obviously, good (believable) novel & screenplays contains back story because every believable character brings a certain amount of baggage to a drama.
I want to give these details through mostly dialog with other characters. In other words, you get it when the other characters in the novel get it. This goes back to my point that I want my readers to know as much as the characters in the story know. I don't like omniscient storylines. In Daemon, at the beginning, I do give you some information about Aksinya's back story as description--that's because the reader needs some tangible info to set the scene. Note, I don't give you anything about he demon except external description. And all you get from that point is almost 100% external description and dialog. Thus in dialog, you learn so much more about Aksinya. That's the trick, every time she opens her mouth, you learn a little more about her. Some of it is back story. Some is mundane, but you find out what moves her soul.
6. What are some effective ways of weaving different scenes and storylines together?
Wow, this is a very hard question to answer. The primary means is through the characters themselves. The last time I addressed comments, there were some wonderful points about items--things. I said watch for them in the development of the novel. Items, like those mentioned before--we will see a bookstand becomes an item that weaves the scenes and storylines together. A crucifix will do the same. Aksinya's mother's dresses. Sorcery weaves together the overall scenes and storyline. The idea of temptation. Like the multiple levels of the plot that I am trying to write into this novel, the multiple characters, items, and ideas provide the glue that holds the scenes and storyline together.
7. Do you have a preferred technique for revealing facts about a person...ie, props, clothing, makeup, language (accent), behavior, musing, dialogue?.
I love to use language differences to bring out compelling things about a person. The wrapper is important to me, but not as important as the words. When Aksinya tells the demon to "shut up," you know he has touched a nerve. I don't have to have her say anything else.
I suspect most back story, however, is conveyed through dialogue. After all, good exposition doesn't stick out...it is presented in a believable context.
Yes, great observation. Mostly through dialog, some through description.
(Suspect it's easy to overload the reader with too much information.)
I'm not sure that is possible with dialog. It is certainly possible with description. The point of dialog is that it is ultimately entertaining. Just as we like to discuss subjects, readers like to eavesdrop on the character's discussions. If the dialog is entertaining, the reader won't care how much information you are pumping out. In fact, the information flow can be enormous and as long as the reader is entertained with the repartee, they won't get tired of it. For example, in the last bit of dialog between Aksinya and the demon, I laid a bunch of heavy stuff on the reader.
“No! I haven’t rejected Him. I believe in Him. How could I not believe—I’ve seen demons. If there are demons, there is God.” She glanced down, “I don’t trust Him. I knew He would fail me. I didn’t expect you to fail me or my own strength to fail me.”
Asmodeus picked his teeth with a claw, “I didn’t fail you—you called me too late. You failed, Countess Aksinya Andreiovna Golitsyna. I didn’t fail and that guy didn’t fail—you failed. Come, you’ve seen her. Now is the time to go.”
You have to admit, this is some really deep dodo. The reader may or may not take the time to think about these statements. I do believe they are entertaining in themselves, so most readers will just keep reading, entertained and yet musing about the astounding things the demon and Aksinya just said to one another.
8. Do you tend to reveal background info early in the story, but, withhold certain facts for dramatic effect. I've heard come writers say secrets are the most powerful form of back story, and whole dramas can revolve around them. Do you employ it, often?
I suspect, knowing how and when to expose details about a character's past is a real art form.
I don't call them secrets (although that is a perfect characterization of it). As I mentioned, I don't want my readers to know more than the characters in the story. Now, we know there are things the characters haven't shared with us--like Aksinya's real father. You might have guessed there is an issue here. I may not have laid enough clues. That's what further run throughs do is allow the writer to improve the foreshadowing and the proper revelation of these points. Indeed a secretive character might have secrets and a nonsecretive character might have secrets. The point is that we never know all of anyone's "secrets" even if we know them well. The same is true for characters in a novel--we don't know everything about them and, indeed, those things of importance to the plot are revealed in their proper time. Just like the observation of the servant in the last installment. I've tried to excite the readers about who this servant is and the proper revelation of these points. Indeed a secretive character might have secrets and a nonsecretive character might have secrets. The point is that we never know all of anyone's "secrets" even if we know them well. The same is true for characters in a novel--we don't know everything about them and, indeed, those things of importance to the plot are revealed in their proper time. Just like the observation of the servant in the last installment. I've tried to excite the readers about who this servant might be. I didn't give any clues at all. The demon didn't drop hardly any. When you finally see her, what is your response? Relief? Fear? Wonder? Excitement? Does it make you wonder more, like Aksinya, just who is this servant?
9. Do you employ set-ups & pay offs; like screen writers do? That is, a set up introduces a bit of action, that will become significant later on and lead to a pay-off.
Yes, big time. I just don't refer to them as setups and pay offs. Generally, the foreshadowing, items, characters, settings in a scene are all setups for further scenes. Just as the dresses and the jewelry boxes mentioned in chapter two, the sorcery books and items in chapter one, the hunger, cold, and tiredness of Aksinya in chapter three everything is a setup. Each will bring some large or small pay off. Otherwise, what's the point of mentioning it.
.
10. Do you usually close out a scene on a button? You know, something to seal off the scene with a punch....maybe, some type of narrative tool to make the scene stand out, and alone.
More screenplay terms. Yes, I attempt to close out every scene with a specific punch. No scene should just peter out. They have to have some tight ending to wrap them up and push the reader into the next scene.
The true end of the last scene I gave you:
“Close your mouth, Countess Aksinya Andreiovna Golitsyna, now is the time for us to act.”
“I don’t understand you at all.”
“You will.” - there is your "button"
The one prior:
Aksinya watched him move toward the back of the house. When he was out of sight, she sat on the chest. After a bit, she curled up on the top of it and pulled the coat close. Her breath came in white clouds. She closed her eyes. - there is the "button" She closes her eyes and that closes the scene.
Prior to that:
The streetcar came up, and they boarded. Asmodeus paid the fare. They rode the streetcar past the city center and out toward the west side. Aksinya sat and Asmodeus stood. Certainly the world changed to accommodate a nearly seven foot tall demon who carried a gigantic chest on his shoulders. He seemed to fit on the streetcar without trouble. The entire world suddenly seemed less solid to Aksinya than ever before. - the "button"
The end of each scene is unique. It leaves a thought in the mind of the reader, or it closes the scene like a curtian on a stage.
That's it until tomorrow. I'm trying to decide how to break up the next very important (pivotal) scene. This is where Aksinya calls her servant.
Monday, October 18, 2010
A New Novel, Part 15 The Demon's Observation
One point I want you to note in the writing is a technique I use that you could call constant scene setting. You can see it very clearly in the last piece, but you can observe it in this piece too. I constantly remind my readers what the characters are doing and what they look like. The purpose in this is to help the reader visualize the characters. I can do this with a simple single statement or a little beat--for example, Asmodeus examined his claws. This reminds you that he is a demon and has claws instead of finger nails. When I mention something even as simple as this, you remember the demon and visualize him. In the last example and this one too, I remind you about the chest. A simple mention of the large chest reminds you that the demon is walking with the chest on his shoulders--first you visualize it, and second, you realize how odd everything is: a demon and a girl walking the streets of Minsk. It isn't a joke, but reminding the reader puts everything back into context. One of the things I hate about some writing and especially poorly executed writing is where the author doesn't set the scene properly or remind you about important characteristics in the scene. You are going along with the narrative and suddenly a character pulls out something and you wonder--where the heck did that come from. The author could have given a foreshadowing or at least mentioned the object or the whatever before at some point. This is another reason for constant scene setting.
Asmodeus woke Aksinya. She lifted her head and stretched. The streetcar was almost empty. They arrived on a quiet street well to the west of the city center. It was a wealthy neighborhood. Aksinya recognized many of the names and coats of arms on the large houses. The demon led again when they exited the streetcar. Aksinya complained, “When are we going to stop. I’m hungry, and I want a bath. I’m sleepy. It’s night. We can’t keep walking forever.”
The demon turned his head to give her a look but didn’t stop.
Aksinya glared at him, “I can’t keep walking forever.”
“I wish to finish this business tonight. I do not want to have to draw your bath or serve your food again.”
“Why does this have to be about what you want? You are my servant.”
“Already, I have shown you the things I can tempt you to do. Don’t you realize yet, you are the mistress of a demon. I tempt humans into sin. I have tempted you into sin after sin. I will continue to do this, and if you don’t grant me this simple desire, it will be more than the grave sin of sorcery and onanism that you will be guilty of. You chose this, I did not.”
“Onanism is not a sin.”
“You believe it is.”
Aksinya struggled to catch up to him. He stopped at a very great house. It was fully lighted with gas lights and some electrical ones. Asmodeus stared at the place for a while then he led Aksinya to an alley at the far side. He put down the chest and sighed, “Now, countess, please wait here a moment while I check on your servant.”
“Please don’t be all night. It is getting colder.”
The demon opened the chest and pulled out a heavy long mink coat that had been Aksinya’s mother’s. Asmodeus put it over her shoulders then he closed the chest, “I will not be long.”
Aksinya watched him move toward the back of the house. When he was out of sight, she sat on the chest. After a bit, she curled up on the top of it and pulled the coat close. Her breath came in white clouds. She closed her eyes.
The next scene we will observe Asmodeus choice of servant for Aksinya.
Asmodeus woke Aksinya. She lifted her head and stretched. The streetcar was almost empty. They arrived on a quiet street well to the west of the city center. It was a wealthy neighborhood. Aksinya recognized many of the names and coats of arms on the large houses. The demon led again when they exited the streetcar. Aksinya complained, “When are we going to stop. I’m hungry, and I want a bath. I’m sleepy. It’s night. We can’t keep walking forever.”
The demon turned his head to give her a look but didn’t stop.
Aksinya glared at him, “I can’t keep walking forever.”
“I wish to finish this business tonight. I do not want to have to draw your bath or serve your food again.”
“Why does this have to be about what you want? You are my servant.”
“Already, I have shown you the things I can tempt you to do. Don’t you realize yet, you are the mistress of a demon. I tempt humans into sin. I have tempted you into sin after sin. I will continue to do this, and if you don’t grant me this simple desire, it will be more than the grave sin of sorcery and onanism that you will be guilty of. You chose this, I did not.”
“Onanism is not a sin.”
“You believe it is.”
Aksinya struggled to catch up to him. He stopped at a very great house. It was fully lighted with gas lights and some electrical ones. Asmodeus stared at the place for a while then he led Aksinya to an alley at the far side. He put down the chest and sighed, “Now, countess, please wait here a moment while I check on your servant.”
“Please don’t be all night. It is getting colder.”
The demon opened the chest and pulled out a heavy long mink coat that had been Aksinya’s mother’s. Asmodeus put it over her shoulders then he closed the chest, “I will not be long.”
Aksinya watched him move toward the back of the house. When he was out of sight, she sat on the chest. After a bit, she curled up on the top of it and pulled the coat close. Her breath came in white clouds. She closed her eyes.
The next scene we will observe Asmodeus choice of servant for Aksinya.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
A New Novel, Part 7 Temptation
The demon, Asmodeus and the young woman, now, Countess Aksinya. They are contracted to one another. In the last installment, we saw more bounds set on the demon. Primarily, we saw the requirements of the contract and additionally the price that must be paid by Aksinya. She was injured because she chose one and not the other. She chose to touch the demon, therefore at injury to her body rather than to allow the demon to touch her at injury to her soul.
Then we also saw the excruciating tragedy of the entire novel--Aksinya called forth a demon to protect her family, but her family was murdered by the Bolsheviks. She traded her soul for dust.
The final action in the second scene, Aksinya sent the demon to enact her revenge against those who murdered her family. She stayed in her bed. I am not certain if I will include this next scene in the novel. I want to, but it is a little risque. The point of the scene is to detail the injury to Aksinya and allow the demon to tempt her to heal herself. His plan is to embarrass her and to get her to eventually resort to sorcery for healing. So the next scene--beginning of the second chapter:
The Lady, now Countess Aksinya Andreiovna Golitsyna hobbled toward the outhouse just behind the family quarters. She originally pulled out the chamber pot under her bed, but she realized there was no one to empty it anymore. Disposing of human bodies seemed fitting for the demon—disposing of her own waste was unimaginable to her. Her legs were improving, but they were still bruised. She used her staff. It was a long knurled piece of yew. Unusual because yew usually grew straight. She prepared it herself for the work she found in her books. It was a sufficient tool for that work and for this. She still wore her nightgown. It was frilly and cotton, but not too thin. It was insufficient for the cold house and completely inappropriate for a trek to the outhouse. Cloaks stayed on the wall just outside the door into the enclosed walkway that led to the outhouse, but she didn’t have the energy or the time to don one. She was in such a hurry, she hadn’t put on her shoes and the floor was freezing.
Aksinya was shivering, and she almost reached the outhouse when she heard the door open and shut behind her. Aksinya whirled around and lost her balance. Just before she fell, a black shadow rushed from the door to her. At the last moment, she recognized Asmodeus as he caught her. But it was too late. She couldn’t hold it any more. She sat in his hot, black arms in a now sodden nightgown. She tired to stand and couldn’t. She tried to push him away but couldn’t. Finally, in frustration, she cried, “Let go of me. Look what you made me do.”
“I have done your bidding, mistress. What you do you wish now?”
“I wanted to use the outhouse, but now there is no need.”
“Humanity is disgusting. Well there is nothing else to do.”
He picked her up in spite of her protests and carried her back to her room. When he arrived he asked, “Do you wish me to help you with your clothing?”
“Prepare me a bath.”
“You are freezing.”
“Prepare me a bath.”
“You are an idiot.” The demon yanked the wet nightgown over her head and wrapped a blanket around her.
Aksinya blushed, “Don’t ever do that again.”
“I don’t intend to, but I can’t allow harm come to you. You are making things extremely difficult for me.”
“And you for me.”
“Wait here, and I will prepare your bath. I never expected to become a domestic servant.”
“You wouldn’t if you had come sooner.”
“If you had called me sooner, Countess, for that is what you are. All this misery is your doing and not mine.”
The demon entered the bath and Aksinya glared at him the entire time. After a while, he came back out and stepped to her side. Aksinya moved away from him, “Don’t touch me. Get my staff.”
Asmodeus returned with it. Aksinya still glared at him, “Can you heal my injuries? The ones you caused?”
“I can’t heal. Only that guy can do that.”
“Sorcery can heal.”
Asmodeus smiled, “Perhaps you should try that then.”
Aksinya levered herself up and headed for the bath. Before she took a few steps, she had lost the blanket. She ignored that and continued into the bath. Inside, she closed and locked the door. She just ignored the door on the other side. She didn’t have the strength to hobble over to it and lock it.
So, you see Aksinya's embarrassment and her desire to be uninjured again. The demon just planted in her mind the idea that she should use sorcery to heal herself. This will become the motive for every incident the remainder of the novel. The demon's desire is for Aksinya to sin. Aksinya's desire is to not continue to sin. He uses her weaknesses against her to convince her to act as he desires. Perhaps I gave too much information at the beginning. I need to work on this scene a little more. I'll give you the rest of it next time.
Then we also saw the excruciating tragedy of the entire novel--Aksinya called forth a demon to protect her family, but her family was murdered by the Bolsheviks. She traded her soul for dust.
The final action in the second scene, Aksinya sent the demon to enact her revenge against those who murdered her family. She stayed in her bed. I am not certain if I will include this next scene in the novel. I want to, but it is a little risque. The point of the scene is to detail the injury to Aksinya and allow the demon to tempt her to heal herself. His plan is to embarrass her and to get her to eventually resort to sorcery for healing. So the next scene--beginning of the second chapter:
The Lady, now Countess Aksinya Andreiovna Golitsyna hobbled toward the outhouse just behind the family quarters. She originally pulled out the chamber pot under her bed, but she realized there was no one to empty it anymore. Disposing of human bodies seemed fitting for the demon—disposing of her own waste was unimaginable to her. Her legs were improving, but they were still bruised. She used her staff. It was a long knurled piece of yew. Unusual because yew usually grew straight. She prepared it herself for the work she found in her books. It was a sufficient tool for that work and for this. She still wore her nightgown. It was frilly and cotton, but not too thin. It was insufficient for the cold house and completely inappropriate for a trek to the outhouse. Cloaks stayed on the wall just outside the door into the enclosed walkway that led to the outhouse, but she didn’t have the energy or the time to don one. She was in such a hurry, she hadn’t put on her shoes and the floor was freezing.
Aksinya was shivering, and she almost reached the outhouse when she heard the door open and shut behind her. Aksinya whirled around and lost her balance. Just before she fell, a black shadow rushed from the door to her. At the last moment, she recognized Asmodeus as he caught her. But it was too late. She couldn’t hold it any more. She sat in his hot, black arms in a now sodden nightgown. She tired to stand and couldn’t. She tried to push him away but couldn’t. Finally, in frustration, she cried, “Let go of me. Look what you made me do.”
“I have done your bidding, mistress. What you do you wish now?”
“I wanted to use the outhouse, but now there is no need.”
“Humanity is disgusting. Well there is nothing else to do.”
He picked her up in spite of her protests and carried her back to her room. When he arrived he asked, “Do you wish me to help you with your clothing?”
“Prepare me a bath.”
“You are freezing.”
“Prepare me a bath.”
“You are an idiot.” The demon yanked the wet nightgown over her head and wrapped a blanket around her.
Aksinya blushed, “Don’t ever do that again.”
“I don’t intend to, but I can’t allow harm come to you. You are making things extremely difficult for me.”
“And you for me.”
“Wait here, and I will prepare your bath. I never expected to become a domestic servant.”
“You wouldn’t if you had come sooner.”
“If you had called me sooner, Countess, for that is what you are. All this misery is your doing and not mine.”
The demon entered the bath and Aksinya glared at him the entire time. After a while, he came back out and stepped to her side. Aksinya moved away from him, “Don’t touch me. Get my staff.”
Asmodeus returned with it. Aksinya still glared at him, “Can you heal my injuries? The ones you caused?”
“I can’t heal. Only that guy can do that.”
“Sorcery can heal.”
Asmodeus smiled, “Perhaps you should try that then.”
Aksinya levered herself up and headed for the bath. Before she took a few steps, she had lost the blanket. She ignored that and continued into the bath. Inside, she closed and locked the door. She just ignored the door on the other side. She didn’t have the strength to hobble over to it and lock it.
So, you see Aksinya's embarrassment and her desire to be uninjured again. The demon just planted in her mind the idea that she should use sorcery to heal herself. This will become the motive for every incident the remainder of the novel. The demon's desire is for Aksinya to sin. Aksinya's desire is to not continue to sin. He uses her weaknesses against her to convince her to act as he desires. Perhaps I gave too much information at the beginning. I need to work on this scene a little more. I'll give you the rest of it next time.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
A New Novel, Part 5 Answers and Bounding a Demon
Today I will answer some questions and bring up more. I decided to make some specific revelations because...by the time this book comes out:
1. It will be slightly different than what I am presenting here.
2. That will be about 4 or 5 years (unless I have a best seller)--that's just the book business, and by then you will forget about these details.
3. Some are revealed later in the text.
4. I'll put some in my "secrets" section of the website for the book.
First revelation: Asmodeus us the Demon of Lust. If you didn't google it already. Asmodeus is associated with lust, actually luxuria, which in Latin means unrestrained excess. Extravagant behaviour includes the frequent purchase of luxury goods and forms of debauchery. Aksinya was able to call the demon of luxuria because that is her problem. She specifically has a problem with lust, as we shall see. Her lust is a little different also as we shall see.
Here are some questions and comments from a reader of this blog about yesterday's posting. I'll address them in italics:
"I read installment #4 today. Nice writing; clever, subtle & very provocative. I looked at it at multiple levels; and, first I'll describe the thoughts that went thru my mind, than, I'll ask you specific questions:
1. Physical description of demon & girl...hints of sexuality, contrast between the two; contrasting description loaded, not to be under-estimated. Great observation, this is the point of both. Aksinya has her problems and the demon has his characteristics.
2. Physical dialogue btwn demon & girl...hints of sexuality, authority, contract issues, assurance of age of accountability. Brilliant...demon wants to be assured, girl will be held accountable for her soul. Another revelation: in Jewish thought a girl is a woman at 12 with pubic hair (a boy at 13 with pubic hair). This comes from the Genesis account where God clothes them with animal hair when he expells them. Hebrew thought is that pubic hair is this covering--therefore a person is an adult (accountable) when they have pubic hair and sufficient age. This is the question the demon wants to know. If she is not accountable as an adult, he can't contract with her. This also has an important point with the bounding of a demon. The question is this, what bounds must a demon have? The answer is critical. A demon must have bounds. Immediately we see some. I'll address others below.
3. Physical features: the room, the pentagram, the metaphors; nice. Thanks.
4. Demon's name: excellent hints, if word study undertaken by reader; alot of insight there for folks who take the time to research. Very astute. As noted above.
5. Girl's name & Russian pedigree: excellent hints, if word study undertaken by reader; spoke of that, in last posting. We will later discover Aksinya's mother is the Princess Nina Vladimirovna Golitsyna, nee Bockmann, killed by the Bolsheviks on 19 February 1918. I'm moving the story time to November 1918 to get it past the end of WWI. So the person is real, but the incidents of that person's life are not. Note, she is a nee Bockmann. That will play a critical role later in the novel.
6. Description of the contract, exchange objects; and girl's & demon's reactions to each other's objects, and nuanced change in authority...very interesting. We will find it is all a game to the demon--he almost always lies.
7. Also noticed, with interest, the multiple techniques you employed...switching from description to dialogue to elements of tension.....with demon pacing around the circle. ..dialoguing w/, as well as probing the girl...the eminent (time) threat..of him getting to the girl & her soul...if they didn't get a contract worked out...before candles burning down. That theme, of the demon probing the girl...physically, emotionally & intellectually...very, very impressive.
The demon's comment about the magic circle, we will find later is partially a lie. He has problems with magic circles of all kinds--part of his bounding, but of course Aksinya doesn't know that right now--neither does the reader. This entire description takes elements that are familiar to most Western readers and puts it in a very different perspective. We are like the demon, surprised that a young woman called him. And we are equally wondering how that young woman will win out over a demon.
8. Also, looked at the cadence of the exchange, & (internal) conflict you built up....with the description, the verbal exchange, the length, the rhythm, and the resolution....after contract reached...but, above all...the clear hint of sexuality. Very clear, the demon is simply 'biding' his time...certainly, calling her master (full title, etc.), but, awaiting his opportunity...to monitor, find his opportunity, nurture it, & claim her soul. The fullness of Asmodeus power or temptation isn't evident yet. We will see that he is very, very unscrupulous and all he wishes to do is claim her soul--still there are rules for him, he is bounded.
Would be mighty interested, if you'd care to elaborate on any of the items 1-8, in your writing. More precisely, elaborate on little techniques you used to firmly establish the linkage between theme, plot, storyline, character development, environment, tension....and, most importantly, hint at forthcoming conflict..based on items discussed in item 1-8. The point in this initial meeting is to give enough information to put the reader into suspense and enough to introduce the characters. I told you more than you should or might know (although you can look it up) about Asmodeus. You might guess that he is a demon of lust and from Aksinya's reaction, guess that she is very much an innocent. (Or she could be a great actress.) I try to convey the idea that she is very smart and very well prepared to conjure a demon. Yet, you can see she is innocent. She knows what she is doing, but she doesn't fully comprehend the ramifications of her actions. That will become clear in the next scene. Since, in my writing world, the most important points of the writing are the storyline, plot, and theme, I'll address them directly:
1. Storyline: as I mentioned, the storyline is based in scenes. This is the first scene. It opens (input) with Aksinya conjuring the demon. It ends with them leaving the cellar. I'll put that up tomorrow. The point of the storyline is to present this very remarkable scene to you. A young woman who has conjured a demon. This is the literal level of the story.
2. Plot: the next level doesn't have to be the plot, but that's a good place to go for convenience sake. The next level of the story is what is said and unsaid. The limitations of a demon (what are his bounds). I give you hints. The type of demon (I tell you his name, read Tobit). The sexual nature of the exchange tells you something about the demon and Aksinya. They both have the same issue (they should, she called him). The exchange about control will be very important throughout the plot. Who is in control? The imagery I use intentionally is of marriage. Like a marriage contract (covenant), the contract between the demon and Aksinya is until death. Look back at the words she uses, they should resonate with that idea. Aksinya is wearing a gown made for a princess, but it is black. The wedding theme, but she is like a child in it. So this in itself indicates her problem: she fills the place with her mind, but not her body. This is the point of Aksinya's lust. Whew, there is more, much more, but I'm getting worn out. That's why I write the way I do--I want all these nuances to come to the reader in the art of the writing.
3. Theme: I said before I want this to be a redemptive theme. The beginning of the novel points to the pain Aksinya will experience in the future. It foreshadows the possibility of redemption, but who ever heard of being able to get out of a contract with a demon...
If no time, than, maybe, just discuss the little techniques you employed, to hint at some of these items covered in item 1-8,...ie, description of the environment, change in environment (candle burning, time limit to getting contract; pacing of the demon), details of the dialogue (what the demon communicates vs is implied, what the girl communications vs is implied, what the demon probes, explores & perceies as the potential 'vulnerability' in the girl. I did, I think. I'll give more next time. If I wasn't clear enough or there is more that needs to be said, just ask.
PS: Did observe the dialogue between demon & girl..about God, the state of her soul, etc; have several Q's, but not covered in this posting, on purpose...awaiting to see if/how you develop that matter further...ie, Girl's religious background, understanding of the spiritual realm, authority over demon, spiritual insight, etc.
This will be very important in the overall story. You can't talk about demons without talking about God. As Aksinya remarks later: "Of course I believe in God. How can I not believe in God when I know there are demons. I just don't trust Him."
So bounded demons. I'll keep adding to this idea as we go along.
1. It will be slightly different than what I am presenting here.
2. That will be about 4 or 5 years (unless I have a best seller)--that's just the book business, and by then you will forget about these details.
3. Some are revealed later in the text.
4. I'll put some in my "secrets" section of the website for the book.
First revelation: Asmodeus us the Demon of Lust. If you didn't google it already. Asmodeus is associated with lust, actually luxuria, which in Latin means unrestrained excess. Extravagant behaviour includes the frequent purchase of luxury goods and forms of debauchery. Aksinya was able to call the demon of luxuria because that is her problem. She specifically has a problem with lust, as we shall see. Her lust is a little different also as we shall see.
Here are some questions and comments from a reader of this blog about yesterday's posting. I'll address them in italics:
"I read installment #4 today. Nice writing; clever, subtle & very provocative. I looked at it at multiple levels; and, first I'll describe the thoughts that went thru my mind, than, I'll ask you specific questions:
1. Physical description of demon & girl...hints of sexuality, contrast between the two; contrasting description loaded, not to be under-estimated. Great observation, this is the point of both. Aksinya has her problems and the demon has his characteristics.
2. Physical dialogue btwn demon & girl...hints of sexuality, authority, contract issues, assurance of age of accountability. Brilliant...demon wants to be assured, girl will be held accountable for her soul. Another revelation: in Jewish thought a girl is a woman at 12 with pubic hair (a boy at 13 with pubic hair). This comes from the Genesis account where God clothes them with animal hair when he expells them. Hebrew thought is that pubic hair is this covering--therefore a person is an adult (accountable) when they have pubic hair and sufficient age. This is the question the demon wants to know. If she is not accountable as an adult, he can't contract with her. This also has an important point with the bounding of a demon. The question is this, what bounds must a demon have? The answer is critical. A demon must have bounds. Immediately we see some. I'll address others below.
3. Physical features: the room, the pentagram, the metaphors; nice. Thanks.
4. Demon's name: excellent hints, if word study undertaken by reader; alot of insight there for folks who take the time to research. Very astute. As noted above.
5. Girl's name & Russian pedigree: excellent hints, if word study undertaken by reader; spoke of that, in last posting. We will later discover Aksinya's mother is the Princess Nina Vladimirovna Golitsyna, nee Bockmann, killed by the Bolsheviks on 19 February 1918. I'm moving the story time to November 1918 to get it past the end of WWI. So the person is real, but the incidents of that person's life are not. Note, she is a nee Bockmann. That will play a critical role later in the novel.
6. Description of the contract, exchange objects; and girl's & demon's reactions to each other's objects, and nuanced change in authority...very interesting. We will find it is all a game to the demon--he almost always lies.
7. Also noticed, with interest, the multiple techniques you employed...switching from description to dialogue to elements of tension.....with demon pacing around the circle. ..dialoguing w/, as well as probing the girl...the eminent (time) threat..of him getting to the girl & her soul...if they didn't get a contract worked out...before candles burning down. That theme, of the demon probing the girl...physically, emotionally & intellectually...very, very impressive.
The demon's comment about the magic circle, we will find later is partially a lie. He has problems with magic circles of all kinds--part of his bounding, but of course Aksinya doesn't know that right now--neither does the reader. This entire description takes elements that are familiar to most Western readers and puts it in a very different perspective. We are like the demon, surprised that a young woman called him. And we are equally wondering how that young woman will win out over a demon.
8. Also, looked at the cadence of the exchange, & (internal) conflict you built up....with the description, the verbal exchange, the length, the rhythm, and the resolution....after contract reached...but, above all...the clear hint of sexuality. Very clear, the demon is simply 'biding' his time...certainly, calling her master (full title, etc.), but, awaiting his opportunity...to monitor, find his opportunity, nurture it, & claim her soul. The fullness of Asmodeus power or temptation isn't evident yet. We will see that he is very, very unscrupulous and all he wishes to do is claim her soul--still there are rules for him, he is bounded.
Would be mighty interested, if you'd care to elaborate on any of the items 1-8, in your writing. More precisely, elaborate on little techniques you used to firmly establish the linkage between theme, plot, storyline, character development, environment, tension....and, most importantly, hint at forthcoming conflict..based on items discussed in item 1-8. The point in this initial meeting is to give enough information to put the reader into suspense and enough to introduce the characters. I told you more than you should or might know (although you can look it up) about Asmodeus. You might guess that he is a demon of lust and from Aksinya's reaction, guess that she is very much an innocent. (Or she could be a great actress.) I try to convey the idea that she is very smart and very well prepared to conjure a demon. Yet, you can see she is innocent. She knows what she is doing, but she doesn't fully comprehend the ramifications of her actions. That will become clear in the next scene. Since, in my writing world, the most important points of the writing are the storyline, plot, and theme, I'll address them directly:
1. Storyline: as I mentioned, the storyline is based in scenes. This is the first scene. It opens (input) with Aksinya conjuring the demon. It ends with them leaving the cellar. I'll put that up tomorrow. The point of the storyline is to present this very remarkable scene to you. A young woman who has conjured a demon. This is the literal level of the story.
2. Plot: the next level doesn't have to be the plot, but that's a good place to go for convenience sake. The next level of the story is what is said and unsaid. The limitations of a demon (what are his bounds). I give you hints. The type of demon (I tell you his name, read Tobit). The sexual nature of the exchange tells you something about the demon and Aksinya. They both have the same issue (they should, she called him). The exchange about control will be very important throughout the plot. Who is in control? The imagery I use intentionally is of marriage. Like a marriage contract (covenant), the contract between the demon and Aksinya is until death. Look back at the words she uses, they should resonate with that idea. Aksinya is wearing a gown made for a princess, but it is black. The wedding theme, but she is like a child in it. So this in itself indicates her problem: she fills the place with her mind, but not her body. This is the point of Aksinya's lust. Whew, there is more, much more, but I'm getting worn out. That's why I write the way I do--I want all these nuances to come to the reader in the art of the writing.
3. Theme: I said before I want this to be a redemptive theme. The beginning of the novel points to the pain Aksinya will experience in the future. It foreshadows the possibility of redemption, but who ever heard of being able to get out of a contract with a demon...
If no time, than, maybe, just discuss the little techniques you employed, to hint at some of these items covered in item 1-8,...ie, description of the environment, change in environment (candle burning, time limit to getting contract; pacing of the demon), details of the dialogue (what the demon communicates vs is implied, what the girl communications vs is implied, what the demon probes, explores & perceies as the potential 'vulnerability' in the girl. I did, I think. I'll give more next time. If I wasn't clear enough or there is more that needs to be said, just ask.
PS: Did observe the dialogue between demon & girl..about God, the state of her soul, etc; have several Q's, but not covered in this posting, on purpose...awaiting to see if/how you develop that matter further...ie, Girl's religious background, understanding of the spiritual realm, authority over demon, spiritual insight, etc.
This will be very important in the overall story. You can't talk about demons without talking about God. As Aksinya remarks later: "Of course I believe in God. How can I not believe in God when I know there are demons. I just don't trust Him."
So bounded demons. I'll keep adding to this idea as we go along.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
A New Novel, Part 4 Temptation at the Door
Okay--the novel, Daemon (working title). I'm going to give you a piece. I'll keep feeding you pieces to make my points. I just thought you might like to see the contract and begin to understand the personalities of the demon and Aksinya. The trick here is to use conversation as the construct to communicate most everything within the storyline. This is part of the first scene. The input was the invocation. This is the contract. The output is leaving the cellar of the guesthouse to save Aksinya's family. Recognize this is the first draft. I need to go over this more than once to refine it, but I think the strength of the writing is still obvious and the point I'm trying to make about developing personalities is evident:
"The creature let out a hiss.
Aksinya licked her lips. She unconsciously spoke Russian, “Hello, demon. Name yourself.”
The demon slitted his eyes. His voice was a hiss only slightly slurred by its fangs, “Russian. I can answer in this tongue. Where is your master little girl?”
“Ha, demon. I am your master.”
“My master? We shall see. Who called me?”
“I did. I demand you name yourself.”
“Little girl, I am Asmodeus. Do you know me?”
“I do know you, and I demand you obey me.”
“Who really called me?”
“I called you.”
“If you lie, you know what I can do to you.”
Aksinya stuck out her chin, “I do not lie, demon.” She began the next part of the reciting in Latin again.
As she spoke, the demon’s eyes widened, “You did call me.” He began to laugh.
Aksinya stopped speaking, “Why are you laughing.”
Asmodeus scratched his nose and let out a little snort, “In all my many years, I have never been called by a girl or a woman. Only men. How old are you anyway. You are nearly breastless. Are you even past the age of accountability.”
“The age of accountability?”
“Yes, are you at least twelve with pubic hair?”
Aksinya blushed, “You, keep quiet. I called you—you have no right to insult me.”
“I have not insulted you, little girl. I only wish to know with whom I deal. If you can’t be held accountable for your sins, then I can’t have any dealing with you.”
“I am more than twelve, and I have…I have,” Aksinya was breathing hard.
“You have pubic hair. I could ask you to prove that, you know.”
“Shut up, demon. I don’t have to prove anything to you.”
“Ah, but you do, and you know it.”
“What I have to prove has nothing to do with, with, that. Listen to me demon, Asmodeus, I claim you as my servant. I called you, and you must now answer to me alone.”
“Very well, I know all that. What do you offer? Usually I get your soul out of the deal.”
Aksinya stammered, “I will not offer you my soul.”
“Why not? You won’t have any other use for it when you die. You’re certain to be in hell for what you did tonight alone.”
“That is not certain. I might have called a demon from the pit…”
“…And worked the blackest of magic.”
“Yes, that too.”
“Little girl, this is how you go to hell—didn’t your mother teach you?”
“My mother did teach me—stand back, demon, Asmodeus.”
“I was only getting closer to you.”
“There is no need until after we have made our contract.”
“Then what do you offer me, little girl? If it is not your soul, then it must be some other part of you. You know that part becomes mine forever.”
Aksinya picked up a dagger from the stone floor. She watched the demon the entire time.
Asmodeus’ eyes brightened. He smiled around his fangs. He licked his lips, “What will you offer me of yourself, little girl? Will it be your virtue perhaps? Or perhaps a body part?”
“You know as well as I do, demon, my virtue is not a part to give but rather a quality. Have you tricked others that way?”
The demon shrugged, “Perhaps I have taken their virtue, and they found out later that that was insufficient for a contract. It really is a bother to be at the beck and call of a puny human.”
“And without a contract…?”
“Without a contract, I take you to hell with me now.” The demon jumped to the edge of the pentagram. He circled it like a cat.
Aksinya turned with him and watched his bright black eyes.
Asmodeus stopped on the other side, “It was well made, little girl.”
“Of course it was well made. Do you think I would try this without being well prepared?”
“From humans, I don’t know what to expect. Now what will you give me? There are rules to this game.”
“This is no game. I know exactly what this is.”
“You know, little girl. I can see right down the front of your dress.”
“Shut up, you have to obey me, demon.”
“Not until there is a contract. Until then, I may do what ever I wish to you.”
“Only if you can touch me.”
“I have all the time in the world. I have been around since that guy laid the foundations of the world. That’s when he created me.”
“You mean God…”
“Don’t say that word. Plus why would a witch like you use His name so easily. You are damned to hell just as I am.”
“Perhaps I am damned to hell, but I know the truth. You were not at the beginning, and he did not create you at first. There is some question as to just who created you and when, so do not speak lies to me demon.”
Asmodeus snarled and moved the rest of the way around the circle, “I am a demon. I may lie as I desire. Now, stop wasting my time, little girl. Give me your part of the bargain and contract me. Either that or let me take you to hell. When the candles of your magic circle burn out, nothing on the earth will protect you from me.”
Aksinya lifted her dagger.
“What do I get? Your finger? Your ear? Perhaps your arm. Does it offend you that much, little girl?”
Aksinya grasped her long braided hair and cut it with the razor sharp dagger, “I shall give you my hair, demon, Asmodeus. This part of me shall be the pledge of our contract. You must please me, protect me, and obey me as my servant until the day of my death.” Aksinya held the log thick braid in front of her and stepped out of the circle toward the demon.
Asmodeus looked as though he wouldn’t take the braid. His legs twitched as though he tried to take a step back. Then slowly, slowly, his hands reached out, and he grasped the braid. Aksinya let it go. She saw her braided hair in the hands of the demon for a moment, then it was gone. The demon dropped to his knees.
“Where is your surety, demon, Asmodeus?”
The demon reached out his hands. In them was a locket of tarnished silver. Its thick chain was like a thin braid of hair. The locket was about two inches high and shaped like a heart. Aksinya bent her head and the demon slipped the chain over it. It settled around her neck and fell down the front of her dress. Aksinya could feel it burning against her chest, between her small breasts.
The demon gave a laugh, “There is my surety, Lady Aksinya Andreiovna Golitsyna. Are you sure you are not a child?”
So, the demon, Asmodeus and the woman, Aksinya are contracted. Tomorrow, I intend to show you more of the demon. I want you to see how he manipulates and "tempts" Aksinya. The focus of the plot is this temptation. If you didn't get it already, the main temptation of Asmodeus is...perhaps you should guess.
"The creature let out a hiss.
Aksinya licked her lips. She unconsciously spoke Russian, “Hello, demon. Name yourself.”
The demon slitted his eyes. His voice was a hiss only slightly slurred by its fangs, “Russian. I can answer in this tongue. Where is your master little girl?”
“Ha, demon. I am your master.”
“My master? We shall see. Who called me?”
“I did. I demand you name yourself.”
“Little girl, I am Asmodeus. Do you know me?”
“I do know you, and I demand you obey me.”
“Who really called me?”
“I called you.”
“If you lie, you know what I can do to you.”
Aksinya stuck out her chin, “I do not lie, demon.” She began the next part of the reciting in Latin again.
As she spoke, the demon’s eyes widened, “You did call me.” He began to laugh.
Aksinya stopped speaking, “Why are you laughing.”
Asmodeus scratched his nose and let out a little snort, “In all my many years, I have never been called by a girl or a woman. Only men. How old are you anyway. You are nearly breastless. Are you even past the age of accountability.”
“The age of accountability?”
“Yes, are you at least twelve with pubic hair?”
Aksinya blushed, “You, keep quiet. I called you—you have no right to insult me.”
“I have not insulted you, little girl. I only wish to know with whom I deal. If you can’t be held accountable for your sins, then I can’t have any dealing with you.”
“I am more than twelve, and I have…I have,” Aksinya was breathing hard.
“You have pubic hair. I could ask you to prove that, you know.”
“Shut up, demon. I don’t have to prove anything to you.”
“Ah, but you do, and you know it.”
“What I have to prove has nothing to do with, with, that. Listen to me demon, Asmodeus, I claim you as my servant. I called you, and you must now answer to me alone.”
“Very well, I know all that. What do you offer? Usually I get your soul out of the deal.”
Aksinya stammered, “I will not offer you my soul.”
“Why not? You won’t have any other use for it when you die. You’re certain to be in hell for what you did tonight alone.”
“That is not certain. I might have called a demon from the pit…”
“…And worked the blackest of magic.”
“Yes, that too.”
“Little girl, this is how you go to hell—didn’t your mother teach you?”
“My mother did teach me—stand back, demon, Asmodeus.”
“I was only getting closer to you.”
“There is no need until after we have made our contract.”
“Then what do you offer me, little girl? If it is not your soul, then it must be some other part of you. You know that part becomes mine forever.”
Aksinya picked up a dagger from the stone floor. She watched the demon the entire time.
Asmodeus’ eyes brightened. He smiled around his fangs. He licked his lips, “What will you offer me of yourself, little girl? Will it be your virtue perhaps? Or perhaps a body part?”
“You know as well as I do, demon, my virtue is not a part to give but rather a quality. Have you tricked others that way?”
The demon shrugged, “Perhaps I have taken their virtue, and they found out later that that was insufficient for a contract. It really is a bother to be at the beck and call of a puny human.”
“And without a contract…?”
“Without a contract, I take you to hell with me now.” The demon jumped to the edge of the pentagram. He circled it like a cat.
Aksinya turned with him and watched his bright black eyes.
Asmodeus stopped on the other side, “It was well made, little girl.”
“Of course it was well made. Do you think I would try this without being well prepared?”
“From humans, I don’t know what to expect. Now what will you give me? There are rules to this game.”
“This is no game. I know exactly what this is.”
“You know, little girl. I can see right down the front of your dress.”
“Shut up, you have to obey me, demon.”
“Not until there is a contract. Until then, I may do what ever I wish to you.”
“Only if you can touch me.”
“I have all the time in the world. I have been around since that guy laid the foundations of the world. That’s when he created me.”
“You mean God…”
“Don’t say that word. Plus why would a witch like you use His name so easily. You are damned to hell just as I am.”
“Perhaps I am damned to hell, but I know the truth. You were not at the beginning, and he did not create you at first. There is some question as to just who created you and when, so do not speak lies to me demon.”
Asmodeus snarled and moved the rest of the way around the circle, “I am a demon. I may lie as I desire. Now, stop wasting my time, little girl. Give me your part of the bargain and contract me. Either that or let me take you to hell. When the candles of your magic circle burn out, nothing on the earth will protect you from me.”
Aksinya lifted her dagger.
“What do I get? Your finger? Your ear? Perhaps your arm. Does it offend you that much, little girl?”
Aksinya grasped her long braided hair and cut it with the razor sharp dagger, “I shall give you my hair, demon, Asmodeus. This part of me shall be the pledge of our contract. You must please me, protect me, and obey me as my servant until the day of my death.” Aksinya held the log thick braid in front of her and stepped out of the circle toward the demon.
Asmodeus looked as though he wouldn’t take the braid. His legs twitched as though he tried to take a step back. Then slowly, slowly, his hands reached out, and he grasped the braid. Aksinya let it go. She saw her braided hair in the hands of the demon for a moment, then it was gone. The demon dropped to his knees.
“Where is your surety, demon, Asmodeus?”
The demon reached out his hands. In them was a locket of tarnished silver. Its thick chain was like a thin braid of hair. The locket was about two inches high and shaped like a heart. Aksinya bent her head and the demon slipped the chain over it. It settled around her neck and fell down the front of her dress. Aksinya could feel it burning against her chest, between her small breasts.
The demon gave a laugh, “There is my surety, Lady Aksinya Andreiovna Golitsyna. Are you sure you are not a child?”
So, the demon, Asmodeus and the woman, Aksinya are contracted. Tomorrow, I intend to show you more of the demon. I want you to see how he manipulates and "tempts" Aksinya. The focus of the plot is this temptation. If you didn't get it already, the main temptation of Asmodeus is...perhaps you should guess.
Monday, October 4, 2010
A New Novel, Part 3 The Girl and the Demon
Thank you Helena P. Schrader, www.Schradershistoricalfiction.blogspot.com for your great comment on writing historical fiction. I do move in different genres, but my focus is clearly historical. I know that might be difficult to fathom, but even my science fiction is in some degree historically based.
Right now, I'm taking a break from writing by writing. I'm waiting for my tea water to boil so I can prepare Russian tea and eat two left over Krispy Kreem chocolate glazed donuts. Seems like a worthwhile thing to me. I'm wondering if I should have a cigar as well. Such richness in life is the richness of a great novel. You should be able to imagine the tastes, smells, colors, feel, and sounds of the world encompassed by the writing. In Daemon (working title) I want you to feel with Aksinya all she experiences, but especially her constant fight against temptation.
Why pick a woman as the main character. Many of my recent books are plagued with women as the primary characters. I don't just choose them for fun. There is a reason and it is directly related to the theme. Primarily, a woman can be an immediate pathetic character (I don't mean this in a negative fashion). Pathetic means: affecting or exciting emotion. A woman as a character instantly draws your reader into an emotional response. When I describe Aksinya as plain and yet loving, when I tell you that she is willing to risk her soul to save her family, your immediate response is to like her. When I describe her temptations, her personal demon does tempt her sorely, you have pity on her. On the other hand, if I made her character a man, your response to her temptation would not be pity, but anger and disgust. Though men are as tempted as women, you expect a man to be tough and to always be able to fight temptation. You expect a man to be a certain way, and if I write a man as an effeminate character, you won't like him. On the other hand, if I write a woman as a manly character, you will applaud her. So for this reason, because my theme requires an emotionless, manly, but pathetic character, I choose to make her a woman. Here is her description from the first page of the novel (actually the beginning of the novel):
"The dank stone room was filled with shadows. Every corner oozed darkness. Within a pentagram that was encompassed by a circle stood a slight young woman. Fat yellow beef-tallow candles marked the points of the pentagram and weakly illuminated only the area around her. A brazier of incense filled the room with the scent of myrrh along with an underlying smell that was indeterminate, but left a taste of blood in the mouth. The woman was dressed in a black dress that was much too large for her. Beautiful handmade lace cascaded down the front of the dress and decorated the sleeves. Thick velvet competed with black satin to form a perfect attire to greet a Tsar, but certainly not a commissar. The gown fell loosely away from the woman’s thin chest and small breasts. It looked odd draped on her body, like a girl playing dress-up from her mother’s closet. But this dress obviously came from the closet of a princess.
Aksinya, the woman within the pentagram, squinted across the dark cellar. She was barely seventeen and too thin for her age. She was petit; that was a polite way of saying small. And underdeveloped, that was a polite way of saying she didn’t yet appear much like a woman. Aksinya’s hair was brown and her face was plain. Her voice was soft and sometimes too shrill. When she was excited it rose in strength and pitch, so she never sounded very mature or well mannered."
Aksinya does conjure a real demon, Asmodeus. The demon:
"Immediately, Aksinya’s words changed. They words of enticing and cajoling became those of welcoming and greeting. They leapt automatically from her lips. As she spoke, she carefully watched the shape across the room. It began to move. At first it rose and fell as though it was just beginning to breathe, and then it began to grow. It unfolded like a flower, but this flower was like nothing beautiful the earth had ever seen. It was man-shaped and black. Its skin and muscles clung to it as though it was only bone and muscle without any fat at all. When it had unfolded completely, it touched the top of the ceiling, at least seven feet tall. More than two meters. Its limbs were long and at the end of its fingers were talons and of its feet were claws. They were black too. Its face was black and handsome. Fangs jutted out of its lips on the top and the bottom, but the face was aristocratic and fine. At its head were ears that lifted up points like an animal and horns at either side.
The creature was naked, and Aksinya’s eyes moved almost without her control downward. There was nothing there. It was like an expurgated statue. There was nothing but a pubic bulge. Aksinya wasn’t certain whether to be disappointed. She raised her hands in the final greeting and let them fall."
So, we have the girl and the demon. That is the beginning.
Right now, I'm taking a break from writing by writing. I'm waiting for my tea water to boil so I can prepare Russian tea and eat two left over Krispy Kreem chocolate glazed donuts. Seems like a worthwhile thing to me. I'm wondering if I should have a cigar as well. Such richness in life is the richness of a great novel. You should be able to imagine the tastes, smells, colors, feel, and sounds of the world encompassed by the writing. In Daemon (working title) I want you to feel with Aksinya all she experiences, but especially her constant fight against temptation.
Why pick a woman as the main character. Many of my recent books are plagued with women as the primary characters. I don't just choose them for fun. There is a reason and it is directly related to the theme. Primarily, a woman can be an immediate pathetic character (I don't mean this in a negative fashion). Pathetic means: affecting or exciting emotion. A woman as a character instantly draws your reader into an emotional response. When I describe Aksinya as plain and yet loving, when I tell you that she is willing to risk her soul to save her family, your immediate response is to like her. When I describe her temptations, her personal demon does tempt her sorely, you have pity on her. On the other hand, if I made her character a man, your response to her temptation would not be pity, but anger and disgust. Though men are as tempted as women, you expect a man to be tough and to always be able to fight temptation. You expect a man to be a certain way, and if I write a man as an effeminate character, you won't like him. On the other hand, if I write a woman as a manly character, you will applaud her. So for this reason, because my theme requires an emotionless, manly, but pathetic character, I choose to make her a woman. Here is her description from the first page of the novel (actually the beginning of the novel):
"The dank stone room was filled with shadows. Every corner oozed darkness. Within a pentagram that was encompassed by a circle stood a slight young woman. Fat yellow beef-tallow candles marked the points of the pentagram and weakly illuminated only the area around her. A brazier of incense filled the room with the scent of myrrh along with an underlying smell that was indeterminate, but left a taste of blood in the mouth. The woman was dressed in a black dress that was much too large for her. Beautiful handmade lace cascaded down the front of the dress and decorated the sleeves. Thick velvet competed with black satin to form a perfect attire to greet a Tsar, but certainly not a commissar. The gown fell loosely away from the woman’s thin chest and small breasts. It looked odd draped on her body, like a girl playing dress-up from her mother’s closet. But this dress obviously came from the closet of a princess.
Aksinya, the woman within the pentagram, squinted across the dark cellar. She was barely seventeen and too thin for her age. She was petit; that was a polite way of saying small. And underdeveloped, that was a polite way of saying she didn’t yet appear much like a woman. Aksinya’s hair was brown and her face was plain. Her voice was soft and sometimes too shrill. When she was excited it rose in strength and pitch, so she never sounded very mature or well mannered."
Aksinya does conjure a real demon, Asmodeus. The demon:
"Immediately, Aksinya’s words changed. They words of enticing and cajoling became those of welcoming and greeting. They leapt automatically from her lips. As she spoke, she carefully watched the shape across the room. It began to move. At first it rose and fell as though it was just beginning to breathe, and then it began to grow. It unfolded like a flower, but this flower was like nothing beautiful the earth had ever seen. It was man-shaped and black. Its skin and muscles clung to it as though it was only bone and muscle without any fat at all. When it had unfolded completely, it touched the top of the ceiling, at least seven feet tall. More than two meters. Its limbs were long and at the end of its fingers were talons and of its feet were claws. They were black too. Its face was black and handsome. Fangs jutted out of its lips on the top and the bottom, but the face was aristocratic and fine. At its head were ears that lifted up points like an animal and horns at either side.
The creature was naked, and Aksinya’s eyes moved almost without her control downward. There was nothing there. It was like an expurgated statue. There was nothing but a pubic bulge. Aksinya wasn’t certain whether to be disappointed. She raised her hands in the final greeting and let them fall."
So, we have the girl and the demon. That is the beginning.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
A New Novel, Part 2 Answers to Questions
A good friend of this blog and an intellect I really respect put these questions to me based on my "writing about writing" and the new novel I'm writing now and writing about (sorry, run-on). I'll answer the questions using italics.
"Enjoyed your writing workshop; greatly. Will follow your progress, as you can make time for the story.
Before asking about themes in your new book,I have a few Q's to ask. If you're willing, please explain your primary motive for writing:
1. Desire to explore/record significant event or experience?
2. Desire for sharing experience/in sight with an interested group?
3. Desire for free individual expression which contributes to mental and physical health.
4. Desire for creating a production novel vs a work of art...ie, recognition, fame or fortune?
5. Any combination of above.. which, ranked?
This is a great question and the answer is relatively simple. The first is I love to write, and I love to tell a good story. Put the two together and you hopefully get a great novel. This is obviously too simple an answer because even if you love to tell stories, your motives, as an adult, are much deeper than that. The longer answer is that I want to entertain and at the same time present material that when the reader gets to the end, they don't say, "That was a great story, but I didn't take anything away intellectually." I seek to write novels on multiple levels that present information by multiple means. (The end of this is that I need to spend at least a short series on my motive for writing.) The direct answer to the question above is 6. To create a piece of art in words. I want my novels to be enjoyed and enjoyed and enjoyed. I want the readers to love the story so much that they go back to find all the tiny details I lovingly put within it.
When starting a new novel: how much time/detail & physical documentation do you put into your story's outline (framework)concerning the story's primary & secondary themes, primary & secondary narratives, plots, main/secondary characters, character's physical vs emotional vs intellectual world. How carefully, and rigorously, do you look at the way reality is (going to be created) in the works of fiction?
I'll answer this by example, and you will see it unfold as I write Daemon (working title). For this novel, I already have spent at least 3 or 4 years of research. I'll talk about that a little below. I chose the period and the country for a couple of reasons. The first is I know a lot about Russia and the Russian revolution of 1917. The second is I needed a backdrop for the theme I am creating. The theme is one of redemption and I needed a plot that supported it. The events of the Russian Revolution provided that backdrop. The basis of research for the novel was complete before I had the idea to write it. I had the idea for the theme first and wrapped it in the plot I started to describe. Within my imagination, I have been building the details for a few weeks. Before I set ink to paper (electrons to virtual paper), I already had an idea what the characters looked like and their personalities. I knew what the world was like because of my reading and research. The trick from that point was to actually put it to paper. So the exact answer is there is 3-4 years of research, an idea for a theme, wrapping the theme in a plot, thinking about the plot long enough to generate the characters, notes on the first scenes, and finally, beginning to write. Since the storyline falls out of the plot which falls out of the theme, the work only needs to be fleshed out. I do that by scene and I'll give more details as I move forward. By the way, the details and the secondary characters usually get researched as needed. For example, I need a name for Aksinya's servant. I have some sites I have used for other novels about Russian names. I'll use them to pick an appropriate name.
Do you give much thought & outline, up front, to primary & secondary character development, ie, the specific characteristics of characters or events that shape them or character studies along the way. Stated another way, do you have a good idea of all their strengths, weaknesses & flaws up front, or does it develop, along the way.
For the primary characters, they must be different than any of my other primary characters. I think I achieve this as well as any author has. Each of the characters in my books are significantly different than the others--especially the primary characters. In general, I develop the theme around that character's differences. That's the point. The theme drives the entire work. The character must fit in the theme, plot, and storyline in their own way, otherwise the writing, but not the novel or work is not different than another you might have written. So about the primary characters, I know them well before they make it to paper, but on paper, they grow from the incipient ideas that formed them. The secondary characters are similar, but obviously not as carefully formed. Generally, they all may be formed but not developed along the way.
Do you have a very general or specific targeted audience in mind when you're writing...ie, demographic, age, education, interest, etc.? Or, do you strive to target two or three overlaid or overlapping audiences...say, like a CS Lewis..Narnia chronicle. Child story, adult story, deep theological examination. etc.
Since my only consideration is the theme, plot, and storyline, I don't want my ideas to interfere with any of them. I don't write for an audience other than I do write stories for adults. What I mean by that is I write works that have adult themes and contain adult concepts. That doesn't mean they are salicious, but it means they are for adults. In my terms, I create art for adults to appreciate. A child or young adult can read them, but they might not understand or appreciate them (plus, I've been told my vocabulary is relatively large--kids might have a problem with that).
Regarding your new novel;you briefly said:
1. Circa 1917, child of aristocracy.
2. Father Russian Count,mother Princess. Young (inexperienced) girl delving into the spiritual world, seeking demon to protect her family...wow!
3. What's your primary focus... desire to examine the turbulence of the era? The Russian aristocracy, or the Feb 1916 Rev from perspective of someone in Russian Aristocracy? Or does it have many layers, say, a historic examination, a character study of the girl & an oblique examination at spiritualism, or more specifically, demonology, or the occult?
The era is simply the best setting for this theme. I intend to include all the details mentioned above to make the world of the novel real. I'll talk about the specific theme and plot below.
Or, is the use of a 'supernatural' figure, a literary device? Say, simply intended to confront the main character w/ something beyond her normal, physical control or influence?
The use of the supernatural is to set the theme in motion. Very similar to Faust, but this isn't Faust. The plot in Faust has been a mainstay of many works. This is a radical departure from that plot and potentially a new theme from it.
Or, if the demon isn't simply a literary device, but rather a more detailed study on spiritualism, demonology or the occult, will you present/examine demons from a Christian point of view..ie Orthodox Russian Christian? Or another?
I am not a student of the occult except to understand it. I am grounded in Frazier's Golden Bough and in P.E.I. Bonewitz as well as many other basic sources of ideas of magic in Western Civ. I have used these ideas in various ways in my works. It isn't Harry Potter. By the way, in this world and novel, the demon is real. He is a real demon, Asmodeus, with a real pedigree (Tobit in the Apocrypha).
You say:
Aksinya is conjuring a demon to protect her family from the Bolsheviks. She succeeds in calling up the demon Asmodeus and contracting him, but she is too late to save her family.
You didnt' say, she contacted him, you say she 'contracted' him...big difference, spelling error, or the proverbial 'deal' with the devil?
She contracted with him. That is the problem for her that drives the plot and the theme.
Also, you mention, her Mom is from the House of Romanov..last imperial dynasty over Russia from 1613 until the Feb 1917 Revolution...big hint, there.
Through dialogue w/ her mother, or her exploring her mother's family history, are you going to explore slavic aristocracy & patriotism, cultural revival, and panslavist ideas, or examine the tight commitment to (Russian) orthodox faith that was required of Romanovs..to make them 'more Russian?'
Generally all that will be covered in many ways. The Orthodox faith of Aksinya and her family is an important part of the plot and theme. From the beginning, her mother is dead, but I might have a flashback or two to flesh out their relationship.
FYI: Go check the background of the 'Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov dynasty and you'll see the Holstein-Gottorps of Russia retained the Romanov surname, sought to emphasize their matrilineal descent from Peter the Great, through Anna Petrovna (Peter I's elder daughter by his second wife. )
And, what about her father...a Russian Count..hum, alot of potential there. He's obviously titled nobility; was it proprietary (actually based on land ownership?) or titular (endowed with the title)? Presume, the former, if he managed to marry a Rom.
Presume, you know, Romanov hereditary nobility was transferred to wife, children, and further direct legal descendants along the male line. In exceptional cases, the emperor could transfer nobility along indirect or female lines, e.g., to preserve a notable family name.
Personal nobility was transferable only to the wife and was of much lower prestige. Unpropertied nobility was nobility gained by state service, but which was not entitled to land ownership.
In addition, the ancient nobility (Древнее дворянство) was recognized, descendants of historical boyars and knyazes.
Anyway...seems like a fascinating start to the story... alot of directions you could take this novel. Those were just some of the different things that came to my mind; when I read your blog today.
Will be interesting, to see how it unfolds."
Good information. Much of this has been folded already into the plot as I will reveal in later posts.
Ultimately the theme and plot is driven by the fact that the demon's goal is to tempt Aksinya to do evil (in the most simple terms, to sin) so she will lose her soul. Aksinya's desire is to break the contract and not lose her soul. The overall point is that she has contracted with a demon though not for her soul. I want the theme to be redemptive and successful. Those are the details I'm working out now.
"Enjoyed your writing workshop; greatly. Will follow your progress, as you can make time for the story.
Before asking about themes in your new book,I have a few Q's to ask. If you're willing, please explain your primary motive for writing:
1. Desire to explore/record significant event or experience?
2. Desire for sharing experience/in sight with an interested group?
3. Desire for free individual expression which contributes to mental and physical health.
4. Desire for creating a production novel vs a work of art...ie, recognition, fame or fortune?
5. Any combination of above.. which, ranked?
This is a great question and the answer is relatively simple. The first is I love to write, and I love to tell a good story. Put the two together and you hopefully get a great novel. This is obviously too simple an answer because even if you love to tell stories, your motives, as an adult, are much deeper than that. The longer answer is that I want to entertain and at the same time present material that when the reader gets to the end, they don't say, "That was a great story, but I didn't take anything away intellectually." I seek to write novels on multiple levels that present information by multiple means. (The end of this is that I need to spend at least a short series on my motive for writing.) The direct answer to the question above is 6. To create a piece of art in words. I want my novels to be enjoyed and enjoyed and enjoyed. I want the readers to love the story so much that they go back to find all the tiny details I lovingly put within it.
When starting a new novel: how much time/detail & physical documentation do you put into your story's outline (framework)concerning the story's primary & secondary themes, primary & secondary narratives, plots, main/secondary characters, character's physical vs emotional vs intellectual world. How carefully, and rigorously, do you look at the way reality is (going to be created) in the works of fiction?
I'll answer this by example, and you will see it unfold as I write Daemon (working title). For this novel, I already have spent at least 3 or 4 years of research. I'll talk about that a little below. I chose the period and the country for a couple of reasons. The first is I know a lot about Russia and the Russian revolution of 1917. The second is I needed a backdrop for the theme I am creating. The theme is one of redemption and I needed a plot that supported it. The events of the Russian Revolution provided that backdrop. The basis of research for the novel was complete before I had the idea to write it. I had the idea for the theme first and wrapped it in the plot I started to describe. Within my imagination, I have been building the details for a few weeks. Before I set ink to paper (electrons to virtual paper), I already had an idea what the characters looked like and their personalities. I knew what the world was like because of my reading and research. The trick from that point was to actually put it to paper. So the exact answer is there is 3-4 years of research, an idea for a theme, wrapping the theme in a plot, thinking about the plot long enough to generate the characters, notes on the first scenes, and finally, beginning to write. Since the storyline falls out of the plot which falls out of the theme, the work only needs to be fleshed out. I do that by scene and I'll give more details as I move forward. By the way, the details and the secondary characters usually get researched as needed. For example, I need a name for Aksinya's servant. I have some sites I have used for other novels about Russian names. I'll use them to pick an appropriate name.
Do you give much thought & outline, up front, to primary & secondary character development, ie, the specific characteristics of characters or events that shape them or character studies along the way. Stated another way, do you have a good idea of all their strengths, weaknesses & flaws up front, or does it develop, along the way.
For the primary characters, they must be different than any of my other primary characters. I think I achieve this as well as any author has. Each of the characters in my books are significantly different than the others--especially the primary characters. In general, I develop the theme around that character's differences. That's the point. The theme drives the entire work. The character must fit in the theme, plot, and storyline in their own way, otherwise the writing, but not the novel or work is not different than another you might have written. So about the primary characters, I know them well before they make it to paper, but on paper, they grow from the incipient ideas that formed them. The secondary characters are similar, but obviously not as carefully formed. Generally, they all may be formed but not developed along the way.
Do you have a very general or specific targeted audience in mind when you're writing...ie, demographic, age, education, interest, etc.? Or, do you strive to target two or three overlaid or overlapping audiences...say, like a CS Lewis..Narnia chronicle. Child story, adult story, deep theological examination. etc.
Since my only consideration is the theme, plot, and storyline, I don't want my ideas to interfere with any of them. I don't write for an audience other than I do write stories for adults. What I mean by that is I write works that have adult themes and contain adult concepts. That doesn't mean they are salicious, but it means they are for adults. In my terms, I create art for adults to appreciate. A child or young adult can read them, but they might not understand or appreciate them (plus, I've been told my vocabulary is relatively large--kids might have a problem with that).
Regarding your new novel;you briefly said:
1. Circa 1917, child of aristocracy.
2. Father Russian Count,mother Princess. Young (inexperienced) girl delving into the spiritual world, seeking demon to protect her family...wow!
3. What's your primary focus... desire to examine the turbulence of the era? The Russian aristocracy, or the Feb 1916 Rev from perspective of someone in Russian Aristocracy? Or does it have many layers, say, a historic examination, a character study of the girl & an oblique examination at spiritualism, or more specifically, demonology, or the occult?
The era is simply the best setting for this theme. I intend to include all the details mentioned above to make the world of the novel real. I'll talk about the specific theme and plot below.
Or, is the use of a 'supernatural' figure, a literary device? Say, simply intended to confront the main character w/ something beyond her normal, physical control or influence?
The use of the supernatural is to set the theme in motion. Very similar to Faust, but this isn't Faust. The plot in Faust has been a mainstay of many works. This is a radical departure from that plot and potentially a new theme from it.
Or, if the demon isn't simply a literary device, but rather a more detailed study on spiritualism, demonology or the occult, will you present/examine demons from a Christian point of view..ie Orthodox Russian Christian? Or another?
I am not a student of the occult except to understand it. I am grounded in Frazier's Golden Bough and in P.E.I. Bonewitz as well as many other basic sources of ideas of magic in Western Civ. I have used these ideas in various ways in my works. It isn't Harry Potter. By the way, in this world and novel, the demon is real. He is a real demon, Asmodeus, with a real pedigree (Tobit in the Apocrypha).
You say:
Aksinya is conjuring a demon to protect her family from the Bolsheviks. She succeeds in calling up the demon Asmodeus and contracting him, but she is too late to save her family.
You didnt' say, she contacted him, you say she 'contracted' him...big difference, spelling error, or the proverbial 'deal' with the devil?
She contracted with him. That is the problem for her that drives the plot and the theme.
Also, you mention, her Mom is from the House of Romanov..last imperial dynasty over Russia from 1613 until the Feb 1917 Revolution...big hint, there.
Through dialogue w/ her mother, or her exploring her mother's family history, are you going to explore slavic aristocracy & patriotism, cultural revival, and panslavist ideas, or examine the tight commitment to (Russian) orthodox faith that was required of Romanovs..to make them 'more Russian?'
Generally all that will be covered in many ways. The Orthodox faith of Aksinya and her family is an important part of the plot and theme. From the beginning, her mother is dead, but I might have a flashback or two to flesh out their relationship.
FYI: Go check the background of the 'Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov dynasty and you'll see the Holstein-Gottorps of Russia retained the Romanov surname, sought to emphasize their matrilineal descent from Peter the Great, through Anna Petrovna (Peter I's elder daughter by his second wife. )
And, what about her father...a Russian Count..hum, alot of potential there. He's obviously titled nobility; was it proprietary (actually based on land ownership?) or titular (endowed with the title)? Presume, the former, if he managed to marry a Rom.
Presume, you know, Romanov hereditary nobility was transferred to wife, children, and further direct legal descendants along the male line. In exceptional cases, the emperor could transfer nobility along indirect or female lines, e.g., to preserve a notable family name.
Personal nobility was transferable only to the wife and was of much lower prestige. Unpropertied nobility was nobility gained by state service, but which was not entitled to land ownership.
In addition, the ancient nobility (Древнее дворянство) was recognized, descendants of historical boyars and knyazes.
Anyway...seems like a fascinating start to the story... alot of directions you could take this novel. Those were just some of the different things that came to my mind; when I read your blog today.
Will be interesting, to see how it unfolds."
Good information. Much of this has been folded already into the plot as I will reveal in later posts.
Ultimately the theme and plot is driven by the fact that the demon's goal is to tempt Aksinya to do evil (in the most simple terms, to sin) so she will lose her soul. Aksinya's desire is to break the contract and not lose her soul. The overall point is that she has contracted with a demon though not for her soul. I want the theme to be redemptive and successful. Those are the details I'm working out now.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Opps I am writing a new book - Daemon
This happens about every six months. I get an idea for a book that is worth pursuing. That's what just happened. Since I am working double full time, this book will take a while to write. Therefore, I thought I could take a break from writing about the subjects I have been pursuing and actually give a little blow by blow about writing this new book. So, we are going to take a little hiatus from writing about writing science fiction to actually talk about starting a new book.
What's it all about. If you have read any of my writing, you know I am not a single genre author. My writing tends to be mixed genre. The plots of my early historical fiction novels tend to be about the ancient world, but I use different mechanisms to bring you to those ancient worlds. My latest novels have been historical moving into the modern era. I have written three novels that are modern era but that point back into the past--they are, as yet, unpublished. They are Antebellum, http://www.antebellumnovel.com/, The Enchantment of the Hearth, http://www.enchantmentofthehearth.com/, and Dana-ana, http://www.goddessnovel.com/. They are all mixed genre books, and like I have mentioned they are different. All my books are different. The reason is, you can't expect people to be enthused with a rewriting of x. Pick any book or any plot to fill in x. Remember, your themes can be similar, but the plots and storylines need to be unique. So my books are unique.
Now I have another unique book to write. As I mentioned, it is kind of set in the modern era, 1917 to be exact. The premise is based on a specific scene. I pictured in my mind a young woman, Aksinya--the age isn't set yet, but I'm thinking 17 to 19. She is not beautiful or developed or refined, but she is a child of aristocracy. Her father is a Russian Count and her mother is a Romanov Princess. She is an odd child who was always alone but who loved her family. She had access to an old guest house on her father's property where she found some odd and ancient Latin books. She taught herself Latin and discovered the books were all concerning the use of magic. (This is all back story). The book begins when Aksinya is conjuring a demon to protect her family from the Bolsheviks. She succeeds in calling up the demon Asmodeus and contracting him, but she is too late to save her family.
That is the beginning. Now I am working 40 hours a week on Engineering, 40 hours a week on all my other business (property, books, author, 2 classes, and management), and the rest on writing this book. We shall see how much I can give to these pages, but I will update you on the book.
What's it all about. If you have read any of my writing, you know I am not a single genre author. My writing tends to be mixed genre. The plots of my early historical fiction novels tend to be about the ancient world, but I use different mechanisms to bring you to those ancient worlds. My latest novels have been historical moving into the modern era. I have written three novels that are modern era but that point back into the past--they are, as yet, unpublished. They are Antebellum, http://www.antebellumnovel.com/, The Enchantment of the Hearth, http://www.enchantmentofthehearth.com/, and Dana-ana, http://www.goddessnovel.com/. They are all mixed genre books, and like I have mentioned they are different. All my books are different. The reason is, you can't expect people to be enthused with a rewriting of x. Pick any book or any plot to fill in x. Remember, your themes can be similar, but the plots and storylines need to be unique. So my books are unique.
Now I have another unique book to write. As I mentioned, it is kind of set in the modern era, 1917 to be exact. The premise is based on a specific scene. I pictured in my mind a young woman, Aksinya--the age isn't set yet, but I'm thinking 17 to 19. She is not beautiful or developed or refined, but she is a child of aristocracy. Her father is a Russian Count and her mother is a Romanov Princess. She is an odd child who was always alone but who loved her family. She had access to an old guest house on her father's property where she found some odd and ancient Latin books. She taught herself Latin and discovered the books were all concerning the use of magic. (This is all back story). The book begins when Aksinya is conjuring a demon to protect her family from the Bolsheviks. She succeeds in calling up the demon Asmodeus and contracting him, but she is too late to save her family.
That is the beginning. Now I am working 40 hours a week on Engineering, 40 hours a week on all my other business (property, books, author, 2 classes, and management), and the rest on writing this book. We shall see how much I can give to these pages, but I will update you on the book.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Writing Science Fiction, part 4 Without Telling
I do like to present some deep descriptions of technology in my science fiction. Since I design aircraft, wrote a dissertation on insect flight, and have a patent for a winglet, I think I have some basis for giving my readers a degree of scientific explanation and excitement. I teach classes and write technical papers about this stuff, so I should be able to get it right. In my mind, that is the brilliance of science fiction. That is, to be able to express a new technology or a new idea within the context of a story or novel and make that new technology alive and reasonable to the reader. That, of course, isn't the primary purpose of science fiction, but it is one of the primary building blocks of science fiction. So then, what is the purpose of science fiction? And what does this discussion have to do with what I left you with last time--"how to get across the framework without telling about it." Let's go back to the basics of writing. I already made the point that writing is about storyline, plot, and theme. All three have to support each other and all three are critical to any writing. There must always be a reason for your choice of writing genre and style. The choice shouldn't be just to sell books, what you like, or whatever. You chose the style and genre to get across the theme. A science fiction theme is well suited by the exposition of an idea that can't be conveyed by a modern novel. My series, The Chronicles of the Dragon and the Fox, www.DragonandFox.com is a great example of this. I wanted to write a series of novels about honor as a theme. I wanted to reflect on ideas that in the modern world are not as black and white as they were in the past. I could have chosen to write a set of historical fiction novels, but the ideas I wanted to express were timeless and I wanted to put them like a gem in the center of a black velvet cushion. That cushion was the science fiction world I created to set off the theme of the novel. This wasn't a backdoor choice; it was a cognizant choice to express a theme that would otherwise not have a mode of expression. And that's the point. The choice of the genre and style and person (first, second, third) are not choices of convenience, they are choices of expression for the theme.
That comes full circle back to the point from last time--"how to get across the framework without telling about it." The choice of the plotline is derived from the theme. The storyline flows from the plotline. When I set up the universe of the Dragon and the Fox, my theme was honor (you can see the details in the secret pages about each book). I needed a means to set up a culture that was driven by honor. The basis for this culture was genetic manipulation that developed leaders. Those leaders became eventually feudal style aristocrats. They fulfilled their functions too well, but they were a society ordered and controlled by honor. Against this background, this framework, I could write a set of novels about honor. Broadly, since one of my uhmm...hobbies is ancient Anglo-Saxon, I could make a world like that of the ancient Anglo-Saxons, driven by honor, but set in a future to make the concepts as timeless as possible. The undergirding of the culture was gene manipulation to make leaders; the outcome was a feudal based society and hierarchy. The framework was critical, but it is hidden and known by the characters--the unspoken truth, the 800 pound gorilla in the corner. I used a prolog in each novel to convey and build on the basis of the culture. This was an old Jack Vance technique that I loved in his novels. He usually used it throughout. I only build the prologs to convey the background. The prologs in Dragon and Fox are short, simple, to the point and written as though they were encyclopedia entries by a verbose and pompous academian. The point is to give a little humor. You can read the books without reading the prologs--you'll still get every point, but the prologs set the stage for each novel. They give hints and flashes about the culture and universe you are about to enter. Still, they are not completely necessary. I use other methods to convey the depth of the issues in the culture, but I'll show you some of those next time. The main points here--the theme chooses the genre. The purpose of style, genre, and person are to forward the theme and for no other reason. Writers shouldn't pick science fiction as their style just because they just like it--they need to have something to say and chose the best means to say it. That is the ultimate point!
That comes full circle back to the point from last time--"how to get across the framework without telling about it." The choice of the plotline is derived from the theme. The storyline flows from the plotline. When I set up the universe of the Dragon and the Fox, my theme was honor (you can see the details in the secret pages about each book). I needed a means to set up a culture that was driven by honor. The basis for this culture was genetic manipulation that developed leaders. Those leaders became eventually feudal style aristocrats. They fulfilled their functions too well, but they were a society ordered and controlled by honor. Against this background, this framework, I could write a set of novels about honor. Broadly, since one of my uhmm...hobbies is ancient Anglo-Saxon, I could make a world like that of the ancient Anglo-Saxons, driven by honor, but set in a future to make the concepts as timeless as possible. The undergirding of the culture was gene manipulation to make leaders; the outcome was a feudal based society and hierarchy. The framework was critical, but it is hidden and known by the characters--the unspoken truth, the 800 pound gorilla in the corner. I used a prolog in each novel to convey and build on the basis of the culture. This was an old Jack Vance technique that I loved in his novels. He usually used it throughout. I only build the prologs to convey the background. The prologs in Dragon and Fox are short, simple, to the point and written as though they were encyclopedia entries by a verbose and pompous academian. The point is to give a little humor. You can read the books without reading the prologs--you'll still get every point, but the prologs set the stage for each novel. They give hints and flashes about the culture and universe you are about to enter. Still, they are not completely necessary. I use other methods to convey the depth of the issues in the culture, but I'll show you some of those next time. The main points here--the theme chooses the genre. The purpose of style, genre, and person are to forward the theme and for no other reason. Writers shouldn't pick science fiction as their style just because they just like it--they need to have something to say and chose the best means to say it. That is the ultimate point!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Writing Science Fiction, part 3 Extrapolation
First, I want to be very clear. I am not a metrosexual. I am perhaps a modern hedonist (tongue in cheek). Any time you get to have a great beer before twelve is a positive. When my wife thinks my hair needs to be cut, she sends me to CAs in Wichita. At CAs I get a head and neck massage, a hot towel, a hair cut and style, a manicure, my shoes shined, a beer, and all by beautiful young women. My wife tells me to go see my girlfriends, and to get back into full grooming shape. I think of it as providing jobs in the economy. This is not science fiction--it's just life. But about science fiction...
I was talking about extrapolation and knowledge of science. The point is, it is impossible to extrapolate from a position of ignorance. You must have some level of detailed knowledge about science to extrapolate from a basis. That level doesn't have to be super detailed. You do need to know the basics of science or you might have your space ships banking in space. Or you might hear explosions in space. Or some other stupid impossibility. Science is not about impossibilities, but about possibilities. So, even though A.C. Clark told us that science looks like magic to the ignorant--there is still a whole lot of stuff that is impossible. You have to know what is not in reality before you can write about future realities.
So, knowledge is critical in writing science fiction. If you don't have some strong science background or education or knowledge, don't do it or go get it. Once you have the knowledge, the next step is extrapolation. If you visit my website http://www.ldalford.com/ or http://www.lionelalford.com/, under the educator section, I have a whole series of lectures on extrapolating technology. This is a great place to get some ideas about extrapolation. The trick is, to extrapolate, you must know the linage of science and technology. Extrapolation assumes you have a line (figuratively) to extrapolate from. The more points on your line, the better your extrapolation. If you want to write about genetic theory, you need to delve into the details of early genes and knowledge about genetic theory. To extrapolate, you don't just need to know current theory, but past ideas as well--otherwise, where is your line of thought. In my Dragon and Fox Novels http://www.dragonandfox.com/, the future society was genetically manipulated to create humans who could conquer the galaxy. That is the main premise of the technological extrapolation. I built this premise from extensive study about genetic manipulation from the beginnings of human science. I folded in the idea that human colonization of space could only be made possible by humans selectively breed and made for certain skills. This was the basis of technological extrapolation for the books. Everything that ensued from this technological basis drove the culture and societies of the future world I developed in the novels. You can see in these novels that this is the driving framework of all of them. The political system, the cultural system, the social system are all driven by the technological framework that was the basis of the novels. Everything revolves around these ideas of genetic manipulation, but they are almost not spoken about in the novels themselves. You see, as in the past and the present, the framework of the future is not expressed by the people in it--it just exists. It is assumed--the writer must express that framework to his readers. That makes great science fiction, and that's what I'll discuss next time--how to get across the framework without telling about it.
I was talking about extrapolation and knowledge of science. The point is, it is impossible to extrapolate from a position of ignorance. You must have some level of detailed knowledge about science to extrapolate from a basis. That level doesn't have to be super detailed. You do need to know the basics of science or you might have your space ships banking in space. Or you might hear explosions in space. Or some other stupid impossibility. Science is not about impossibilities, but about possibilities. So, even though A.C. Clark told us that science looks like magic to the ignorant--there is still a whole lot of stuff that is impossible. You have to know what is not in reality before you can write about future realities.
So, knowledge is critical in writing science fiction. If you don't have some strong science background or education or knowledge, don't do it or go get it. Once you have the knowledge, the next step is extrapolation. If you visit my website http://www.ldalford.com/ or http://www.lionelalford.com/, under the educator section, I have a whole series of lectures on extrapolating technology. This is a great place to get some ideas about extrapolation. The trick is, to extrapolate, you must know the linage of science and technology. Extrapolation assumes you have a line (figuratively) to extrapolate from. The more points on your line, the better your extrapolation. If you want to write about genetic theory, you need to delve into the details of early genes and knowledge about genetic theory. To extrapolate, you don't just need to know current theory, but past ideas as well--otherwise, where is your line of thought. In my Dragon and Fox Novels http://www.dragonandfox.com/, the future society was genetically manipulated to create humans who could conquer the galaxy. That is the main premise of the technological extrapolation. I built this premise from extensive study about genetic manipulation from the beginnings of human science. I folded in the idea that human colonization of space could only be made possible by humans selectively breed and made for certain skills. This was the basis of technological extrapolation for the books. Everything that ensued from this technological basis drove the culture and societies of the future world I developed in the novels. You can see in these novels that this is the driving framework of all of them. The political system, the cultural system, the social system are all driven by the technological framework that was the basis of the novels. Everything revolves around these ideas of genetic manipulation, but they are almost not spoken about in the novels themselves. You see, as in the past and the present, the framework of the future is not expressed by the people in it--it just exists. It is assumed--the writer must express that framework to his readers. That makes great science fiction, and that's what I'll discuss next time--how to get across the framework without telling about it.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Writing Science Fiction, part 2 Science
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Writing Science Fiction, part 1 Introduction
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 - colliery: immerse your readers in the world of your writing.
If you haven't been paying attention, I've spent almost a month developing these rules for you. Since I am a scientist and an engineer by trade, I have built up my understanding of writing like the engineering community solves problems. First you bound the problem, then you solve it. As long as you can properly bound the problem, you can usually solve it. The same is true of writing and this is especially true in writing science fiction. Perhaps the first bounding question should be just what is science fiction? Let me give my own answer. Science fiction is writing that presumes and interacts with a future. Writing, broadly focuses on three general periods of interest: writing that interacts with the past (historical fiction), writing that interacts with the present (fiction), writing that interacts with the future (science fiction). There you have past, present, and future. Really simple, right? The complexity becomes developing the worlds that you will immerse your readers within. In every case of each period of interest, the overall point must be to immerse the reader into the world of your writing--rule number five. I wrote at length about developing this world in historical fiction. In engineering terms what we were talking about there is interpolation. We were taking data from the past and interpolating, that is building the world from the data we had. Interpolation is relatively easy and it is really very accurate. The world a writer of historical fiction can build is easy to get right as long as the writer's data is good and plentiful. In looking at the future, you can't interpolate, you must extrapolate. Extrapolation means to take your data points outside the maximum bounds of your equations or data. It means to move beyond current knowledge. Notice, I didn't say you toss out current knowledge--that's fantasy, and I'm not writing about fantasy here. In science fiction, we move beyond the knowledge we have now. We extrapolate beyond our solution sets and equations, but we can never lose our grounding in those bounds. If we do, we aren't writing science fiction, but rather fantasy. There is more to come. Tomorrow, I'll expand on this idea of extrapolation and begin to explain how you do it.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Writing Historical Fiction, part 12 Conclusions (for now)
I decided that it is time to conclude this series about writing historical fiction and turn to writing science fiction. I do write in both genres. I hope you discovered that all fiction writing requires immersion in the world you are writing about. Historical fiction isn't as much a special genre of fiction as much as it is a special discipline of fiction. The author must be disciplined enough to become steeped in the culture and history of the times he writes about, and he must be able to communicate that past world to his readers. Further, the author must not compromise the ideas and cultures of the past to make feel-good with modern mores. When an author does this due to lack of discipline or knowledge, then he aren't writing historical fiction anymore. Plus, it is kind of stupid to write about the past with the blinders of the present. Such writing cannot stand the test of time and such writing can't enlighten the next generation that really wishes to know what the world was like. Such writing is like an Oliver Stone movie--a docudrama about a time that never was and never could be.
So my five personal rules of writing I have articulated thus far:
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 - colliery: immerse your readers in the world of your writing.
The fifth "rule" was my main concern in these twelve short articles. This rule is pertinent to all writing. It is critical to historical fiction, but in historical fiction, the "world" must reflect some strong degree of reality. What I want to do next is move to the next obvious point--about worlds that reflect little reality to the past or the modern world. The how to of science fiction. We will expand on this concept of immersion there.
So my five personal rules of writing I have articulated thus far:
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 - colliery: immerse your readers in the world of your writing.
The fifth "rule" was my main concern in these twelve short articles. This rule is pertinent to all writing. It is critical to historical fiction, but in historical fiction, the "world" must reflect some strong degree of reality. What I want to do next is move to the next obvious point--about worlds that reflect little reality to the past or the modern world. The how to of science fiction. We will expand on this concept of immersion there.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Writing Historical Fiction, part 10 Practicum
One of the readers of this blog asked these questions after reading the previous posts. He kindly allowed me to quote him and answer the questions here. I think this will be very helpful. I will give my answers in italics to set them off.
"Enjoyed your 'Zen of Writing'; particularly the (5) rules thus far. Curious, how many primary sources, and how strictly do you adhere to primary source docs, when developing story outline & details? Almost exclusively where they exist. For example, my yet unpublished Civil War/Civil Rights novel Antebellum http://www.antebellumnovel.com/, is almost completely based in letters and correspondence from two periods 1860 to 1865 and 1965. I supplemented it with personal accounts of soldiers from the 1860s. Only to get the locations and the architecture right did I use modern information and other tertiary source documents. The elements of the secondary source documents are very strong in the novel as well. I actually wove them into the storyline. And, how much 'knowledge' do you a......ssume your audience has, when you're trying to provide sufficient historic context, events, culture,etc, to help bring out both the historic, cultural & descriptive authenticity (& consistency) in your writing? I actually assume my readers know nothing about the period, culture, and times. I think this is obvious in Centurion http://www.centurionnovel.com/ where I lead the reader just as I lead Abenadar into the knowledge of the Legions. In that book, I had a convenient means to introduce the readers--the main character was learning along with them. Plus, the contrast between Abenadar's culture and the culture of the Romans made both easy to convey--it gave a reason to explain them. In spite of this, many times only the details of a culture are shown, but when they are important, they are explained--they are necessary to be explained so you don't confuse your readers (one of the rules).
I explained much of this above, but I will answer in the context of the example below, because I think it is a good one and helpful. For example, let's say, you're writing a military adventure, in sub-Roman Britain, early fifth century, detailing the Romans leaving Britain. Would you assume, the reader is a student of Roman history, or not? Not at all. And, if not, how would you go about communicating the historic context, in a subtle but cohesive manner? For example, let's say, your goal is to communicate the following:
1. The Roman Empire legions are leaving Britain because the Romans needed troops to face increasing barbarian attacks on the Rhine and Danubian. Most likely a conversation between two characters who would be in the know. I could also use a letter to or from a major character. Even more exciting a battle scene that transitions to an interrogation of a Roman or a Germanic soldier and results in a letter requesting more troops in Germania.
2. Say, you hint at signs of decay in Roman rule in Britain. And, you're in the forth quarter of 4th century; urban and villa life had grown less intense; decline of military Roman culture, maybe hint at rarity of Roman coins, culture, etc. (minted past 402 AD. Have the lady of a house or a slave make a comment about the fact the markets won't take Roman coins any more--perhaps part of a scene in the marketplace. Or show the contempt the Britons have in the marketplace for a Roman slave, children, or lady.
What literary vehicle or scene, would you use, to set up such a story? That depends on the plot and the theme. Would you choose a high ranking Roman soldier in a Garrison, in formal military correspondence w/ his Superiors in Rome, communicating the state of affairs, the Roman strategy, garrison efforts, difficulty at obtaining supplies, etc; or, avoid giving (broad) historic context, and instead, use private dialogue w/ a peer at the military garrison to (simply) hint at decay in Roman rule, or maybe, private letter back home to wife, to convey the above? The choice of theme and plot determines specifically these details. For example, if I was writing about the redemption of the Britons, I would choose a young man who had lost everything to the Romans and wanted to remove them from his land. The plot might be one where he learns to pity the Romans more than hate them--that would drive the entire plot. On the other hand, if I wanted the theme to be about the Britons' lack of culture and society, I might pick a Roman and his Briton bride whose lives would contrast as he had to leave her.
And, however you do it, precisely how do you outline, map or track the storyline 'facts' that are being revealed, over various pages of the novel, to confirm you've provided sufficient info, and ensure both historic & storyline consistency? For the non-historical parts, my prepub readers are critical. Stated another way, what writing tools (spreadsheets, word documents, reader boards, white boards, character or journey maps) might you use, to track how well you are developing or convey (authentic) info to the reader in the most precise, but subtle manner...ie. "immersing yourself in the world you're creating"? You can see some of the examples of the documents I use in the secret pages for each book on my website http://www.ldalford.com/. In fact, many of them have pictures and data that I mined for the novels in them and that I hope will be in the final published books. These aren't comprehensive, but they are what I put up from my base files. I could put up Megs of data if I were to put up the whole of the info and notes from one novel. I use four basic files to keep everything straight:
1. A file of the names, places, descriptions, and basic knowledge from the time. This includes the characters I made up as well.
2. A file of in depth knowledge I mined and need for parts of the novel. Includes quotes and sections of books as well as pictures, maps, and charts.
3. A file of notes for inconsistencies and issues that need to be addressed in the novel. Especially those further on.
4. An outline of the scenes in the novel."
I hope this answers these questions in sufficient detail. In the next post, I will give some examples from my books.
"Enjoyed your 'Zen of Writing'; particularly the (5) rules thus far. Curious, how many primary sources, and how strictly do you adhere to primary source docs, when developing story outline & details? Almost exclusively where they exist. For example, my yet unpublished Civil War/Civil Rights novel Antebellum http://www.antebellumnovel.com/, is almost completely based in letters and correspondence from two periods 1860 to 1865 and 1965. I supplemented it with personal accounts of soldiers from the 1860s. Only to get the locations and the architecture right did I use modern information and other tertiary source documents. The elements of the secondary source documents are very strong in the novel as well. I actually wove them into the storyline. And, how much 'knowledge' do you a......ssume your audience has, when you're trying to provide sufficient historic context, events, culture,etc, to help bring out both the historic, cultural & descriptive authenticity (& consistency) in your writing? I actually assume my readers know nothing about the period, culture, and times. I think this is obvious in Centurion http://www.centurionnovel.com/ where I lead the reader just as I lead Abenadar into the knowledge of the Legions. In that book, I had a convenient means to introduce the readers--the main character was learning along with them. Plus, the contrast between Abenadar's culture and the culture of the Romans made both easy to convey--it gave a reason to explain them. In spite of this, many times only the details of a culture are shown, but when they are important, they are explained--they are necessary to be explained so you don't confuse your readers (one of the rules).
I explained much of this above, but I will answer in the context of the example below, because I think it is a good one and helpful. For example, let's say, you're writing a military adventure, in sub-Roman Britain, early fifth century, detailing the Romans leaving Britain. Would you assume, the reader is a student of Roman history, or not? Not at all. And, if not, how would you go about communicating the historic context, in a subtle but cohesive manner? For example, let's say, your goal is to communicate the following:
1. The Roman Empire legions are leaving Britain because the Romans needed troops to face increasing barbarian attacks on the Rhine and Danubian. Most likely a conversation between two characters who would be in the know. I could also use a letter to or from a major character. Even more exciting a battle scene that transitions to an interrogation of a Roman or a Germanic soldier and results in a letter requesting more troops in Germania.
2. Say, you hint at signs of decay in Roman rule in Britain. And, you're in the forth quarter of 4th century; urban and villa life had grown less intense; decline of military Roman culture, maybe hint at rarity of Roman coins, culture, etc. (minted past 402 AD. Have the lady of a house or a slave make a comment about the fact the markets won't take Roman coins any more--perhaps part of a scene in the marketplace. Or show the contempt the Britons have in the marketplace for a Roman slave, children, or lady.
What literary vehicle or scene, would you use, to set up such a story? That depends on the plot and the theme. Would you choose a high ranking Roman soldier in a Garrison, in formal military correspondence w/ his Superiors in Rome, communicating the state of affairs, the Roman strategy, garrison efforts, difficulty at obtaining supplies, etc; or, avoid giving (broad) historic context, and instead, use private dialogue w/ a peer at the military garrison to (simply) hint at decay in Roman rule, or maybe, private letter back home to wife, to convey the above? The choice of theme and plot determines specifically these details. For example, if I was writing about the redemption of the Britons, I would choose a young man who had lost everything to the Romans and wanted to remove them from his land. The plot might be one where he learns to pity the Romans more than hate them--that would drive the entire plot. On the other hand, if I wanted the theme to be about the Britons' lack of culture and society, I might pick a Roman and his Briton bride whose lives would contrast as he had to leave her.
And, however you do it, precisely how do you outline, map or track the storyline 'facts' that are being revealed, over various pages of the novel, to confirm you've provided sufficient info, and ensure both historic & storyline consistency? For the non-historical parts, my prepub readers are critical. Stated another way, what writing tools (spreadsheets, word documents, reader boards, white boards, character or journey maps) might you use, to track how well you are developing or convey (authentic) info to the reader in the most precise, but subtle manner...ie. "immersing yourself in the world you're creating"? You can see some of the examples of the documents I use in the secret pages for each book on my website http://www.ldalford.com/. In fact, many of them have pictures and data that I mined for the novels in them and that I hope will be in the final published books. These aren't comprehensive, but they are what I put up from my base files. I could put up Megs of data if I were to put up the whole of the info and notes from one novel. I use four basic files to keep everything straight:
1. A file of the names, places, descriptions, and basic knowledge from the time. This includes the characters I made up as well.
2. A file of in depth knowledge I mined and need for parts of the novel. Includes quotes and sections of books as well as pictures, maps, and charts.
3. A file of notes for inconsistencies and issues that need to be addressed in the novel. Especially those further on.
4. An outline of the scenes in the novel."
I hope this answers these questions in sufficient detail. In the next post, I will give some examples from my books.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Writing Historical Fiction, part 9 Into the Future
I just came home from my new work--it's a lot of work. Mostly all brain kind and writing. Right now, the thunderclouds outside are delivering rain and hail in equal measure against my basement window. I'd like a drink. I need some wine, but the future beacons. It brays out its clarion call from a different direction--so why is it a topic in writing historical fiction? Because all writing whether it is historical fiction, science fiction, or modern fiction requires the same approach. I didn't trick you, I showed you what it takes to write historical fiction. I hope those who might take a slipshod approach to writing historical fiction might be reformed, but more than that, I hope all authors would at least think about the concept of immersion when they write. Perhaps this is normal for most authors--I've never met an author who was normal, so I don't know. I just know that a lot of historical fiction is crippled because the author never grasped the voice of the times. Equally, a lot of fiction is crippled because the author never grasped the voice of the story. You might ask, how could that happen? It happens because the writer was not immersed in the background of the writing and never fully understood his storyline, plot, or theme. How can you write a historical fiction novel? You must be immersed in the times. How can you write a modern novel? You must be immersed in the times. How can you write a science fiction novel? You must be immersed in the times. This is the very difficult concept an author must grasp--you must live the life and in the world of your characters. You must understand the forces that move them. You must have the tools in hand to make their motivations and their lives real to your readers. This is a new rule for you in my personal rules of 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.
new rule 5. Immerse yourself in the world of your writing.
How trite, but true. If you imagine you are writing a simple story, you will produce a simple story. If you know you are creating a world, you will create a world. Your characters act within that world and the depth of your immersion in the development of it, is the size and reality of the world you create. I will wrap up this subject next time. I intend to write about writing science fiction next.
1. Don't confuse your readers.
2. Entertain your readers.
3. Ground your readers in the writing.
4. Don't show (or tell) everything.
new rule 5. Immerse yourself in the world of your writing.
How trite, but true. If you imagine you are writing a simple story, you will produce a simple story. If you know you are creating a world, you will create a world. Your characters act within that world and the depth of your immersion in the development of it, is the size and reality of the world you create. I will wrap up this subject next time. I intend to write about writing science fiction next.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)