Scenes - more Scene Setting

5 November 2012, Scenes - more Scene Setting

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/.

Here are my rules of writing:

1. Entertain your readers.
2. Don't confuse your readers.
3. Ground your readers in the writing.
4. Don't show (or tell) everything.

A scene outline is a means of writing a novel where each scene follows the other with a scene input from the previous scene and a scene output that leads to the next scene. The scenes don't necessarily have to follow directly in time and place, however they generally follow the storyline of the protagonist.

A storyline outline is a means of writing a novel where the author develops a scene outline for more than one character and bases the plot on one or more of these storyline scenes. This allows the scenes to focus on more than the protagonist. This is a very difficult means of writing. There is a strong chance of confusing your readers.

Whether you write with a scene outline or a storyline outline, you must properly develop your scenes. All novels are developed from scenes and each scene has a design similar to a novel. Every successful novel has the following basic parts:

1. The beginning
2. The rising action
3. The Climax
4. The falling action
5. The dénouement

Every scene has these parts:

1. The setting (where, what, who, when, how)
2. The connection (input)
3. The tension development
4. The release
5. The output

There are lots of approaches to scene setting.  That means there are about a million plus ways you can set a scene.  The main point is you have to clearly get across the where, when, who, what, and how. 

The major failing with most authors seems to be that either they don't understand how important scene setting is, or they act as if the setting is a mystery the reader must unravel.  Let's put it this way.  How many times have you gone to a play and had to spend more than two minutes deciphering the time and place of the play?  Or how many times have you gone to a movie and had to think very hard about the time and place?  Usually, in a stage play, the playbill will tell you the when and the where.  The setting of the stage will show you, and sometimes tell you the when and where.  The writer of a stage play or a movie does not wish the audience to question the location and time setting of the movie or play.  Now, there are likely some rare plays and movies where the time and place might be questioned or a mystery, but I can't remember them--they were so unimportant artistically and commercially, that I don't remember a single movie or play like that.

Let's face facts--the mystery in any novel isn't normally the time and place, the mystery is in the plot and theme, not the setting.  This means that, as an author, you need to be at least as clear as a movie or stage play in setting your scenes.

As you begin to write, make sure you have the basics down. I'll write more in detail about the basics of scenes tomorrow.

My Notes: once you have a theme, you need to begin to visualize your plot, focus your theme, and define your characters. More tomorrow.

I'll move on to basic writing exercises and creativity in the near future.

The following is a question asked by one of my readers. I'm going to address this over time: Please elaborate on scene, theme, plot, character development in a new novel creation....ie, the framework, the development, order if operation, the level of detail, guidelines, rule of thumb, tricks, traps and techniques.

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