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The first book in a science-fiction fantasy series that I'm writing right now, entertains by exploring good versus evil, and evil's relationship to sound.
This series of articles can help you to write a book because I am revealing my writing process, which includes
- Developing a concept
- Writing
- Reviewing the writing - asking myself if it is honest - asking myself if it is well written - asking myself if I am happy with the direction that the book is taking.
- Making changes, as appropriate and
- Reviewing and refining until a manuscript is polished and complete.
In this series, of articles I'll be quoting from one or more of my books, and then offering writing tips. When you see words in Italics, they are taken from a manuscript. Comments follow the quoted text.
Tip 1: Specifics are important:
"I am weak," the black stallion said to The Empress. "This energy field drains me. The best that I can do is produce illusions. I cannot..."
"Illusions will be enough, brother," replied The Empress. Quite." She paused, then continued, "Best to make them powerful, ones that will not be questioned."
The first paragraph above is weak because it does not describe the energy field. It is also weak because it tells instead of showing. However, it's a good start for a project. It's easy to come back later on and add specifics. Placing too many specifics in the very first draft can be counterproductive for me because it causes me to lose the continuity of the story.
Tip 2: Encourage readers to wonder
The Empress touched her jeweled necklace. A platinum chain holding thirteen gemstones: emerald, ruby, opal, moonstone, cat's eye, sapphire, diamond, amethyst, ametrine, morganite, obsidian, peridot and petrified wood. As she stroked the slightly jagged pink morganite stone in the necklace, the black unicorn reflected upon his sister's advice and became aware of an actuary, driving his classic 1961 white Chevrolet Impala, up Long Valley to meet I-80 at Lockwood, NV. He watched through the actuary's eyes as Vermazen and Duke roared passed him. Duke's humongous cherry-apple red custom 1995 Harley Davidson and the woman's gleaming school-bus yellow Hog, both sported front shocks and so much chrome that the actuary squinted to cut the glare. "Evil," the actuary said under his breath. The black unicorn focused his intent and Vermazen signaled to her brother, Duke--take the side road. Duke followed her, driving along the side of a hill on a little-used road. She pulled over. Duke stopped too, and they both got off their bikes.
Readers wonder about:
- What touching the necklace will accomplish
- Why there are 13 gemstones
- If petrified wood is a gemstone (it is)
- If a black unicorn is evil
- Why the actuary said "evil"
- The intent of the black unicorn
- Why Vermazen pulled off the road
- How a unicorn and a person can be brother and sister
- What will happen next.
Tip 3: Avoid telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
There was no way Vermazen was going in that cave. Here at least they had a chance. Okay it was a one-in-a-thousand chance, but once they went inside. They heard the rattle and saw the coiled snake at the same time. Instinctively, the tattooed biker momentarily forgotten, Vermazen and Duke backed up. The entrance rock slid closed and in the distance they both sensed pure unadulterated evil.
In the above paragraph it turns out that there is no snake and the entrance rock never slid closed. These are both illusions. It is my intent to lead the casual reader astray and to reward the perceptive reader for picking up clues that most readers will miss.
Tip 4: Use a placemarker symbol to indicate when you want to flesh out details.
In this sentence I use the "@@" symbol to indicate that I want to add concrete details to the manuscript. I can rapidly search for this symbol, and it shows up clearly in printed versions.
"This energy field drains me. @@ The best that I can do is produce illusions."
Tip 5: Develop interesting characters, preferably with a twist
In this series, we meet Jonathan at age 11, but we also get to know Jonathan as a teenager, young adult and mature man. Jonathan is able to transverse several universes.In the next two 101 Tips For Writing Quality Fiction articles I will reveal (a) Tips on how reading other writer's work helps me to stimulate my imagination and overcome writing hassles and (b) How to use "Sandboxes" to get useful feedback from other authors.
Alan Jordan is the author of hundreds of magazine articles, six business books, six children's audio books and The Monster on Top of the Bed, a picture book for children ages 2-7. His poetry has appeared in major poetry magazines such as Mobius, the Poetry Magazine.
Visit http://www.JeweledPlanets.com to download mp3 files of the early drafts of the stories (great for classroom discussions) or place an advanced order for The Occluded Emerald, or obtain other resources that to assist your writing process, or the process of students.
Drop by http://www.MonBed.com to order Mr. Jordan's children's book and CD, The Monster on Top of the Bed.
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