Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 797, Climax Examples, Sister of Light

16 June 2016, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 797, Climax Examples, Sister of Light

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.  You can’t read these novels yet, but it’s worth writing about the process of developing the climax for them.  I have two contracted novels Sister of Light and Sister of Darkness.  These are supposed to be published in a three-in-one and individually.  The economy has delayed their publication.  I’ll write about Sister of Light first.

 

Sister of Light is a standalone novel that follows the characters from the end of Aegypt.  At the end of Aegypt, Paul Bolang loses his command, but he marries the woman Leora whom he discovered in the desert.  Leora claims to be the Goddess of Light.  At the end of Aegypt, Leora and Paul defeated the Goddess of Darkness, but the Goddess of Darkness is still out in the world and influencing men and woman.  Most specifically, she is influencing Germany and Hitler.  Paul and Leora work to confound the Goddess of Darkness at every turn. 

 

Paul and Leora have children and Paul is assigned to help the British and French in the Middle East gain antiquities before Hitler can acquire them.  Paul disappears and Leora is threatened.  Evidence is brought that questions Paul’s role in the loss of Fort Saint, his command and Paul is court martialed in absentia. 

 

The expected climax for a comedy is that Leora, the protagonist, recovers her husband, Paul.  The unexpected resolution is exactly how she accomplishes this.  Leora’s external telic flaw is that she has lost her husband.  Her internal telic flaw is a little more complicated and deals with the loss of her husband, having to leave her family, and the loss of Paul’s employment etc.  Even a goddess needs to eat.  You can see the resolution of the expected climax will also mostly resolve the telic flaw of the protagonist.  We also require action in the climax.  This is a function of the unexpected climax, and is related to the writing or style of the author.  I can assure you, the climax has action and does resolve the telic flaw (internal and external) as well as developing an unexpected turn in the writing.  At the end of Sister of Light, the world is heading toward darkness and war, and the Goddess of Darkness is not defeated.  Please read it when it becomes available.

 

My next contracted and supposed to be soon published novel is Sister of Darkness.           

     

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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