Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 758, Shiggy, Protagonist’s Telic Flaw

8 May 2016, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 758, Shiggy, Protagonist’s Telic Flaw

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.

     4a. Show what can be seen, heard, felt, smelled, and tasted on the stage of the novel.

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, proposed title, Essie: Enchantment and the Aos Si, is this: Mrs. Lyons captures a shape-shifting girl in her pantry and rehabilitates her.

I just started writing my 27^th novel, working title, Claire, potential title Sorcha: Enchantment and the Curse.  This might need some tweaking.  The theme statement is: Claire (Sorcha) Davis accepts Shiggy, a dangerous screw-up, into her Stela branch of the organization and rehabilitates her.  

Here is the cover proposal for Essie: Enchantment and the Aos Si.  Essie is my 26th 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 editing many of my novels using comments from my primary reader.  I finished my 27^th novel, working title Claire.  I’m working on marketing materials.

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)

 

How to begin a novel.  Number one thought, we need an entertaining idea.  I usually encapsulate such an idea with a theme statement.  Here’s the theme statement from Sorcha.

 

Claire (Sorcha) Davis accepts Shiggy, a dangerous screw-up, into her Stela branch of the organization and rehabilitates her.

 

If you really understand novel writing, you will connect the protagonist’s telic flaw to their character.  What I mean by this, is a telic flaw can be internal or external.  An external telic flaw, is this: David wants to join the football team.  A novel about this telic flaw would have David join the football team (comedy) or fail to join the football team (tragedy).  A similar internal telic flaw is this: David is lazy and weak, and his lack of determination prevents him from joining the football team.  Usually, except for children, youth, and young adult novels, the world and the telic flaws are not as external and simple as the external telic flaw example.  In adult novels, an external telic flaw is almost always connected to the personality and internal character of the protagonist.  Many times, even in adult novels, the protagonist doesn’t have an internal telic flaw.

 

Here’s how you can tell.  If the protagonist must make a change in their thinking as well as their life to achieve the climax, that is an internal telic flaw.  Otherwise it is external.  In many cases, the protagonist has both an internal and an external telic flaw.  The internal change results in an external change.  Then comes the climax.

 

Every protagonist must have a telic flaw.  Shiggy’s telic flaw is her judgement, lack of willingness to take responsibility, and her lack of status in the military intelligence system.  Two of those are internal and the third is external.  I’ve mentioned it before, I’ll say it again—the telic flaw of the protagonist is what leads to the climax and the resolution of the novel.

 

Look at the theme statement above.  The action statement is that Sorcha rehabilitates Shiggy.  The means is not specified, but Sorcha does accept Shiggy into her branch of the organization.  That is listed.  At this point, the how doesn’t matter.  What matters is the basic telic flaw and the character of Shiggy.  Let’s look at the overall setting.  

 

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  

fiction, theme, plot, story, storyline, character development, scene, setting, conversation, novel, book, writing, information, study, marketing, tension, release, creative, idea, logic