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.
Here is another example of scene setting from the novel, Aksinya. I'm giving you examples from the book so you can see different ways of introducing and writing a scene. In each snippet, you get the scene setting, the tension and release, and the input and output. This isn't true of every example, but the pieces should be there, and I've been trying to identify for you when all the pieces aren't evident. You can use these ideas to guide your own writing. Make sure you set the scene properly, then make everything come to life through the narration and conversation.
Foreshadowing is one of the most important tools an author has. Through foreshadowing, an author can build anticipation in the mind of the reader and the characters. Many times, the anticipation of the reader is more powerful than that of the characters. In this scene, we have one of the important anticipatory points of the novel. The readers should get it more than Aksinya. Aksinya is patently ignoring all the signs she should note, but the reader can't help but see them. The changes in Natalya that the reader can't help ignore, Aksinya disregards. The foreshadowing is very strong in this scene. See if you can catch all of them.
On
Wednesday, Ernst escorted Aksinya to dinner and the opera. He greeted Aksinya at her house with a
bouquet of roses. He explained the
extravagance, “Because I am working for him, my father increased my
remittance.” At each place they visited,
Aksinya thought she spotted Asmodeus.
She caught a glimpse of him in the mirror at the Palais Coburg Hotel
Residenz, and in the grand foyer of the Wien
State Opera. A strong whiff of
sulfur came to her in both places. When
the Champagne
Before
the beginning of the second act, Natalya prepared a blemis with caviar and
handed it to Aksinya. Aksinya took the
flat piece of bread, “Thank you, Lady Natalya.”
Natalya
smiled oddly at her, “Would you care for another glass of Champagne
Aksinya
cocked her head and grinned back, “Please, as long as you are pouring, Lady
Natalya, I won’t fear for my virtue.”
Natalya
filled Aksinya’s flute and continued to hand her another blemis with
caviar. Natalya wasn’t certain how many
times Natalya refilled her glass that evening, but by the end of the opera, she
couldn’t stand on her own. Natalya and
Ernst had to both help her to Ernst’s landau and then back into her house.
Ernst
didn’t kiss Aksinya that evening, at least she had no recollection that he
kissed her. She wished he had. She didn’t remember much at all. In the morning, she woke with a splitting
headache. A strange whiff of incense and
sulfur touched her nose. Someone was opening the shutters of
her windows. Aksinya didn’t open her
eyes, “Don’t let the sun in Nata. I’ve
told you so many times.”
“I’m
not the Lady Natalya,” came Sister Margarethe’s
voice.
Aksinya
jerked to a sitting position and was overcome with dizziness. Her head ached. She held her head in her hands and fought
down the nausea that enveloped her.
Finally, between clenched teeth, she forced, “Where’s Nata? Where is she?”
Sister Margarethe sat on the side of
the bed, “I have no idea. I assumed you
sent her on an errand last night. She
asked me to take care of you last evening, and she said I was to wake you in
the morning.”
“You’ve
seen her this morning?”
“No. She last spoke to me when Herr von Taaffe
brought you home drunk again.”
Aksinya’s
eyes widened, “Where is she? We must
find her.”
“I’m
certain she is fine. She seemed to be
off on something important.”
“She
can’t be fine. She can’t be. Why are you speaking so nonchalantly about
this?”
“Let
me help you with your bath. I’ve already
drawn it for you.”
Aksinya
was suddenly listless. She allowed Sister Margarethe to pull her out of
bed and remove her nightgown. The nun
helped her into the bath, “I’ll bring your morning tea and breakfast in a
moment.”
Aksinya
sat in the warm tub with her hands clasped together. She heard her sitting room door open and
close. She couldn’t remember a waking
moment when Nata was not at her side.
This seemed too strange to her.
Aksinya stared at her hands. Her
eyes opened wide, the faint line of new scar crossed the many others on her
left hand. She couldn’t imagine how it
could have happened. She hadn’t done
that kind of magic in a while. Finally,
the sitting room door opened again. She
heard Sister Margarethe as she
directed the novices. The door shut
again, and Sister Margarethe
stepped into the bathroom, “Are you ready to get out, Countess?”
Aksinya
nodded.
Sister Margarethe helped her out of
the tub and dried her. She put a
dressing gown around Aksinya’s shoulders, and led her into the sitting
room. Sister Margarethe poured the tea and served Aksinya
breakfast. That’s when Aksinya finally
caught a whiff of it. Aksinya lifted her
head and enunciated a couple of Latin words.
She hadn’t practiced any sorcery in a while. The crucifix between her breasts heated
immediately, but Aksinya knew it then. Sister Margarethe had been touched
with sorcery. Her room had a definite
scent of incense and under that, the sink of sulfur. Aksinya understood there could only be one
source for it—it had to be that cursed demon, Asmodeus.
She
didn’t know what to do. She had no idea
where Natalya had gone. She wasn’t
certain she could get anyone to help her.
Sister Margarethe was
convinced that Natalya had just gone out on an errand. Aksinya couldn’t appeal to her or to anyone
in this world except… She began to pray. She wasn’t certain it would do any good, but
she reasoned prayer couldn’t hurt. If
Natalya didn’t return soon, Aksinya would call the demon that evening and
demand that he come to her—explain everything to her.
After
breakfast, Sister Margarethe
dressed Aksinya and brushed her hair.
She didn’t notice the strange expression on Aksinya’s face. She didn’t see how pale she was or how wide
and frightened her eyes were. Or, if she
did, perhaps she attributed it to the alcohol and lack of sleep.
Aksinya
was ill during chapel and vomited before Sister
Margarethe could rush her into the hallway outside. Sister
Margarethe tried to comfort her and brought her tea before class, but
the tea was not made to Aksinya’s taste, and Aksinya was in no mood to be
comforted. By the time, she arrived at
her first class, her hair was loose around her face and her clothing had spots
from her accident and from the tea she spilled.
She put her head down on her desk and tried to sleep. She couldn’t do anything else, Sister Margarethe had forgotten
Aksinya’s bag. It was the bag Nata
always carried for her. The bag had all
her school books and papers inside.
Finally,
in the late morning, Natalya opened the classroom door. Someone touched Aksinya’s arm, and she raised
her head. Aksinya’s eyes widened. She stood at her desk and nearly fell. She started toward Natalya and did fall. She tripped on the desk and dropped to one
knee. Natalya was instantly beside
her. She took Aksinya’s arms and lifted
her up. Aksinya put her arms around
Natalya and held her close. Her eyes
widened again—there was that smell plus another. There was the scent of sorcery and a strange
musky smell Aksinya couldn’t place.
Aksinya pulled back slightly from Natalya and stared at her. Natalya lowered her eyes. She led Aksinya back to their desks. Natalya straightened Aksinya’s hair and
brushed off her clothing.
Natalya didn’t say anything to her, and Aksinya was
afraid to ask anything.
Natalya gets Aksinya drunk. This is obviously purposeful. That, in itself, is not foreshadowing, but the actions and appearance of Natalya are. Likewise, where ever they go, the demon is present. Aksinya note him when they are out that night. In the morning, she notes incense and sulphur in her room. She notes a new scar on her hand. She notes the sorcery on Sister Margarethe. Each of these and the disappearance of Natalya foreshadow what will happen next in the novel. I use foreshadowing all the time. It doesn't have to be that obvious. It can be as subtle as a new scar from an incantation. It can be as simple as a smell. Note the smell on Natalya when she returns. She won't look Aksinya in the eyes.
The following is a question asked by one of my readers. I'm going to address this over time: I am awaiting for you to write a detailed installment on identifying, and targeting your audience, or audiences...ie, multi-layered story, for various audiences...like CS Lewis did. JustTake care, and keep up the writing; I am enjoying it, and learning a lot. ldalford.com/, and the individual novel websites: http://www.aegyptnovel.com/, http://www.centurionnovel.com, www.thesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, thefoxshonor, aseasonofhonor.
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