Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 806, Climax Examples, Aksinya

25 June 2016, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 806, Climax Examples, Aksinya

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 finished 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’m writing about how to develop the climax of a novel.  I’m giving examples from my published and yet to be published novels.  I’ll try not to introduce spoilers.  You can’t read some of 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.  In addition to the Ancient Light novels, I’ve written some very fun novels I call my enchantment novels.  They all have to do with enchantments.  The third is Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon.

 

With my enchantment novels, I can explore new and creative ideas outside my normal writing.  They’ve kind of become my normal writing lately.  Aksinya is a Faustian type novel.  In 1917, Aksinya calls a demon from the pit to protect her family from the Bolsheviks.  The demon who answers her call is Asomodeus.  Asmodeus is the demon of luxuria (lust) and that is precisely Aksinya’s problem.  Aksinya is too late, her family is dead, and now she has contracted herself to a demon.

 

Aksinya’s external telic flaw is that she has called a demon.  Her internal telic flaw is that she has called a demon.  This is a complex but entertaining novel.  It has many deep ideas and concepts.  This is an interesting novel that explores an idea that I don’t think has been written about.  That is, a novel where the protagonist calls and contracts a demon but then figures out a way be free from her contract.  That’s not the expected climax.  That is a kinda possible climax, but not expected.  Like I wrote, I don’t know of any Faustian novel where the protagonist is freed from the demon.  In any case, the expected climax is that Aksinya is freed from the clutches of the demon.  This could also be the unexpected resolution.  As usual, the unexpected resolution comes generally through the development of the plot—it’s unexpected. 

 

The climax must have action—dispelling a demon might provide that.  It also must resolve the protagonist’s telic flaw.  If the telic flaw is the demon, the answer is easy.  I’ll give you a little hint—the plot build up includes an ecclesiastical trial and a civil trial against Aksinya.            

 

My next as yet uncontracted Enchantment novel is Khione: Enchantment and the Fox.           

     

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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