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.
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.
Enough teasers from Sister of Darkness. I'll go back to Aksinya. This is a great example of setting character(s) in a scene. The scene is when Aksinya and the Demon look at Natalya through a window. The scene is set in this example, but the focus is Natalya. She is not named here. Note that the character setting is accomplished through Aksinya's memory and information. Aksinya introduces us to these people through her knowledge. The person she doesn't know is Natalya.
The demon led her to the back of the great
house. They climbed a wall and walked
along it to the window of the dining room.
The curtains were not drawn and they could observe the entire family
around the table.
Aksinya stared at the people in the dining
room, “I recognize them.”
“You should.”
“That is the family of Prince Aleksander Simonovich Andronikov. I know them.
They visited us at my father’s estate before.”
“Your estate now…”
the demon purred. He continued, “They
are an aristocratic family, a royal family.
They have a servant who takes care of their daughters and waits on the
Prince’s wife. She is a lady-in-waiting,
and here she is. Near the head of the
table, the door opened. It wasn’t a door
for a servant since the top was rounded.
The girl who came in was petit and beautiful. Her hair was dark and silky. Her eyes were luminous. Her skin was pale and smooth. In all, she appeared very aristocratic and
refined. Her clothing, likewise, though
not as expensive as the gowns of the ladies around the table, fit her perfectly
and brought out the best in her figure and features. It was not unusual that when she entered, the
eye of every man and every woman turned toward her. She whispered to one of the older women at
the table and sat against the wall behind her.
Asmodeus
whispered, “That’s the one.”
“Why her?”
“She has all the
skills required to look after you.”
Aksinya’s voice was bland, “What’s wrong with her?”
“Nothing.”
“There must be
something.”
“She is the
lady-in-waiting to the ladies in a great house, a royal household. She is refined, beautiful, industrious,
kind…”
“Everything I am
not.”
Asmodeus was
silent.
“What is wrong
with her?”
“Nothing is wrong
with her.”
“Then she must be
evil.”
“No more than
you.”
“Zatknis'! I order you to tell me what’s wrong with
her.”
Asmodeus turned
his head away, “Like you, she seeks some power beyond herself. She hasn’t found it yet. The desire in her is so great in her that it
calls out to me.”
This is a very tense scene that is made fun by the actions and conversation of Aksinya as she tries to determine how the demon will use this new person/servant against her. There are many advanced methods in this scene for scene setting and character setting.
This example is a very advanced scene with many connections and important settings for the novel.
This example is a very advanced scene with many connections and important settings for the novel.
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.centurionnovelthesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, http://www.thefoxshonor, http://www.aseasonofhonor.com/.
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