Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 353, Transition to the Rising Action

29 March 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 353, Transition to the Rising Action

Announcement: My new novels should be available from any webseller or can be ordered from any brick and mortar bookstore.  Information can be found at www.ancientlight.com.  Check out my novels--I think you'll really enjoy them.

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 25th novel, working title, Escape, is this: 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.

Here is the cover proposal for Lilly: Enchantment and the Computer.  Lilly is my 24th novel.

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising action.  I'm writing about the transition from the initial scene to the rising action of my newest novel, "Escape."  Escape is the working title.  I'll decide on the proposed title when I finish the novel.  I'm at the eighteenth chapter right now.  That means I've written about 360 pages.

Let's review my guidelines for conversation.

1.  Cultural norms (greeting, introduction, small talk, big talk)
2.  Logical response (characters must respond to each other in the conversation)
3.  ID the speaker
4.  Show us the picture of the conversation
5.  Use contractions (most of the time)
6.  What are you trying to say?
7.  What is unsaid in the conversation?
8.  Build the tone of the conversation.
9.  Show don't tell.
10.  Keep proper names to a minimum.

I left up the rules for writing good conversation just as a reminder, but I'm moving on to the transition from the initial scene to the rising action.  Most of any novel is in the rising action.  Although the initial scene gets my blood moving, the rising action is the part of the novel I absolutely love.  The initial scene just is, the climax is the culmination of everything, but the rising action is the setup for the climax.  The rising action is where the author places the puzzle pieces that at the climax form the Davinci.  The rising action is where the reader gets to know and love the protagonist and the protagonist's helper.  The rising action is where the reader feels the pain, suffering, and success of the characters.  The rising action is the journey while the climax is the end of the journey.

A journey implies you have a destination (the climax), a beginning (the initial scene), and a plan to get from the beginning to the destination.  Since I write in scenes, my plan is to write scenes that move my characters from the initial scene to the climax.  I directly manage this through scene input to scene output.  My plans are very general.  Let's specifically discuss Escape.  The initial scene is the force landing on the island and the meeting of Rebeca and Scott Phillips.  The climax is their escape (or grand failure).  At the climax, they could both escape, both die trying, one or the other die, or be captured and tortured by the Party.  There are many options.  The point is to move the ball from the initial scene to the climax.         

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  

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