Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 791, Climax Examples, The Second Mission

10 June 2016, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 791, Climax Examples, The Second Mission

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 started writing my 28^th novel, working title Red Sonja. 

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.  Since I’m writing a new novel, we need a new theme statement.  Here is an initial cut.

 

Red Sonja, a Soviet spy, infiltrates the X-plane programs at Edwards AFB as a test pilot’s administrative clerk, learns about freedom, and is redeemed.

 

I’ll try not to introduce spoilers, but please read my novels and see for yourself these examples.  My first published work is The Second Mission.  This is an unusual work about a man pulled accidentally into the second mission in time.  I’ll leave the first mission as a mystery—read the novel.  The second mission is to confirm the words of Socrates in the Socratic dialogues.  In this novel, I give you five modern translations of the last Socratic dialogues and s partial translations of Clouds and Frogs.  The telic flaw is obvious—the protagonist needs to return to his time.  There is additionally an internal telic flaw.  I’ll stick to the external.  The reader knows this telic flaw must be resolved.  There is also the death of Socrates.  These event come in juxtaposition.  The death of Socrates and the return through time.  The true climax is the death of Socrates.  Thus, this is an expected, but unexpected climax to the reader. 

 

I make this climax action oriented by a literary setup.  The true time traveler, Sophia, has a problem with the recording modules and needs to retrieve some new ones from her house on the outskirts of Athena (Athens).  The protagonist must retrieve these before Socrates’ death and record his death.  This forces the climax into an action event rather than conversation and narration.  Thus, we have my ingredients for a good (powerful) climax: expected but unexpected, action oriented, resolving the telic flaw.  Additionally, there is a secondary (primary) climax in the return from 399 BC (BCE).  This is also expected but unexpected, action oriented, and resolves the time travel problem.  The point is this—you must make your climaxes: action oriented, expected but unexpected, and resolving the telic flaw.  The next is Centurion.          

     

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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