Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 801, Climax Examples, Children of Light and Darkness

20 June 2016, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 801, Climax Examples, Children of Light and Darkness

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 with Aegypt and individually.  The economy has delayed their publication.  These first three novels are called Ancient Light.  They include Aegypt, Sister of Light, and Sister of Darkness.  They don’t end there.  I wrote eight total novels.  Aegypt begins in 1926 and the last one, Warrior of Darkness ends in the 1990s.  I’ll write about the climax of these novels.  The sixth novel in the series is Children of Light and Darkness.

 

Lumière and Alexandre have twin children, Sveta and Klava.  When these children are five years old, Lumière and Alexandre go on assignment to Burma in an infiltration of China.  They take their children, and they all disappear.  In 1970 when Burma opens to British commerce, Kathrin and James are assigned to investigate the loss of Lumière and Alexandre.  They discover their children, who are being worshiped as goddesses by the locals.  Kathrin convinces the children to come back to Britain with her and James.  The ultimate question in this novel is, who is Kathrin?

 

Kathrin is the protagonist.  Her external telic flaw is that she hasn’t taken her place.  Her internal telic flaw is that she is unwilling to take her place.  The expected climax is that she takes her place.  This is an important event and tied into history, but there is no reason to discuss it here.  The unexpected resolution is how everything works together in the novel, including who Kathrin is.  I wrote already, this novel is a discovery novel about who Kathrin is and how that is important.  There is also action in the climax.  Thus, we have the three pieces for a good climax: resolves the protagonist’s telic flaw, is expected but with an unexpected resolution, and is action based.   

 

My next as yet uncontracted novel is Warrior of Light.           

     

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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