12 March 2015, Writing Ideas – New Novel, part 251, still more Protagonist’s Helper Characters and Plot, How to Develop Storyline
Announcement: Ancient Light is in publication, and you can buy it at almost any internet book sellers or order it from any brick and mortar bookstore. You can read about it at http://www.ancientlight.com. Ancient Light includes the second edition of Aegypt plus Sister of Light and Sister of Darkness. I’ll keep you updated.
Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. This was my 21st novel and through this blog, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.
I’m using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I’ll keep you informed along the way.
Today’s Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, visit my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select “production schedule,” you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.
The four plus one basic rules I employ when writing:
1. Don’t confuse your readers.
2. Entertain your readers.
3. Ground your readers in the writing.
4. Don’t show (or tell) everything.
5. Immerse yourself in the world of your writing.
All novels have five discrete parts:
1. The initial scene (the beginning)
2. The rising action
3. The climax
4. The falling action
5. The dénouement
The theme statement of my newest novel, Valeska, is this: An agent of the organization becomes involved with a vampire girl during a mission, she becomes dependent on the agent, and she is redeemed.
Here is my proposed cover for Valeska:
I decided on a white cover style. You can see more at www.GoddessofDarkness.com.
I haven’t started writing yet, but I have a theme statement for my next novel: a girl in a fascist island nation will do anything to escape–a young cargo shuttle pilot not following the rules crashes on the island.
This theme statement lends itself well to each part of the development of a novel. Note, there is a setting, an initial scene, protagonist, protagonist helper, antagonist, and the climax is obvious. Let’s talk about each.
The development of a friend or lover is one of the best types of revelation in any novel. That’s why so many kids and young adult novels are about friends and friendship and so many adult and young adult novels are about love. The development of love is a powerful human revelation. Here is where I can help you see how character revelation works in a novel. Note that the author has already “developed” the love relationship for the novel and the characters. The author knows how the relationship has already developed–the point of the writing is to reveal that already developed relationship. The point is the revelation and not the development. To the reader, the revelation looks like a development, but it is simply a revelation of what the author has already determined.
In any novel, the relationship between the protagonist and the protagonist’s helper can be already developed (complete) or it can be developing. In either case, the author shows us the relationship by revealing it in the novel. In the case of the novel I am writing right now, the protagonist and the protagonist’s helper meet for the first time after an aircraft accident. They have never seen each other before. The point of this novel is to reveal their developing relationship.
More tomorrow.
For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:
http://www.ancientlight.com/
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com
ldalford 