Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 578, Plot Climax Release Complexity Q and A

9 November 2015, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 578, Plot Climax Release Complexity Q and A

Announcement: Delay, my new novels can be seen on the internet, but the publisher has delayed all their fiction output due to the economy.  I'll keep you informed.  More 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 26th novel, working title, Shape, is this: Mrs. Lyons captures a shape-shifting girl in her pantry and rehabilitates her.

Here is the cover proposal for Escape from Freedom.  Escape is my 25th 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 on my first editing run-through of Shape.

I'm an advocate of using the/a scene input/output method to drive the rising action--in fact, to write any novel. 

Scene development:

1.  Scene input (easy)

2.  Scene output (a little harder)

3.  Scene setting (basic stuff)

4.  Creativity (creative elements of the scene)

5.  Tension (development of creative elements to build excitement)

6.  Release (climax of creative elements)

I can immediately discern three ways to invoke creativity:

1.  Historical extrapolation

2.  Technological extrapolation

3.  Intellectual extrapolation

Creativity is like an extrapolation of what has been.  It is a reflection of something new created with ties to the history, science, and logic (the intellect).  Creativity requires consuming, thinking, and producing. 

One of my blog readers posed these questions.  I'll use the next few weeks to answer them.

1.  Conflict/tension between characters

2.  Character presentation (appearance, speech, behavior, gestures, actions)

3.  Change, complexity of relationship, and relation to issues/theme

4.  Evolving vs static character

5.  Language and style

6.  Verbal, gesture, action

7.  Words employed

8.  Sentence length

9.  Complexity

10.  Type of grammar

11.  Diction

12.  Field of reference or allusion

13.  Tone - how tone is created through diction, rhythm, sentence construction, sound effects, images created by similes, syntax/re-arrangement of words in sentence, the inflections of the silent or spoken voice, etc.

14.  Mannerism suggest by speech

15.  Style

16.  Distinct manner of writing or speaking you employ, and why (like Pinter's style includes gaps, silences, non-sequitors, and fragments while Chekhov's includes 'apparent' inconclusiveness).

Moving on to 9. 9.  Complexity

Short digression:  I’m in Paris on a short world tour.  I just got off the plane, so I might not be as cogent as I should.

Complexity is related to the value of the unstated or the intentionally understated.  Complexity comes out of tension and release.

What is complexity?

The first level of complexity is the theme.  I discussed theme complexity earlier.

The second level of complexity is the plot.  What makes a complex plot?  In addition to the interweaving of the storylines, the tension and release cycle of the plot itself is directly related to the climax.  This leads to the third level of complexity.        

The third level of complexity is the integration of the tension and release into the climax and the revelation of the characters.  The linear tension and release cycles in each scene drive the plot to the climax.  Each tension and release cycle must drive toward the climax.  They should drive directly to the climax.  But notice, complexity and entertainment in writing is the degree of tension and release the author can integrate in the novel.  I am not suggesting anything extraneous, but rather layers and layers of tension and release all driving to the climax.  Each scene should build tension and release toward the climax.  Within each scene, the actions of the characters and their interaction should be a tension and release that also drives toward the climax.  The number of these small tension and release events reflects entertainment and complexity.  All the better if they include unstated or understated conclusions (release).

This was one of my points yesterday.  The ah ha moment for the reader is an event of pure entertainment.  The writer who can build these events and moments will be a great author.  I gave you an example of one such unstated conclusion.  If you read a lot of good and complex writing, you will see many more.  Your job as an author is to set them up in the context of your scenes.  A full release or a climax can’t really be unstated—it might be able to be understated, but usually, the author wants to pound the climax in.  The climax also is usually action based and not purely intellectual.  Jack Vance does work to build very strongly understated climaxes.  You might take a look at his works to see how he sets them up.

The fourth level of complexity is the integration of language into the tension and release of the scenes.

The fifth level of complexity is the integration of literature and culture into the tension and release of the scenes.     

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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