Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 851, The Stage of the Novel, Secret of Developing Action on the Stage

9 August 2016, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 851, The Stage of the Novel, Secret of Developing Action on the Stage

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.

 

Let’s go back to the beginning.  I’ll use my newest novel as an example.  It’s a historical novel, and you can see the theme statement just above.  Let’s look at a novel from the standpoint of a stage play.  A novel is not a stage play or a screenplay, but the author should approach some aspects of the novel from this vantage point. 

 

In setting the stage of the novel follow my rules for writing 4a above:

 

4. Don't show (or tell) everything.

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

 

If you want to write action, if you want to write almost anything, you need knowledge and experience of your subject.  I haven’t been lucky in my life to be exposed to almost everything I write about—I have sought out a life that is filled with all the experiences I wanted to write about.  Perhaps your writing just reflects your life.  If this is true then most people should be able to write about sitting in front of the tele.  What I mean by this is, you need to experience the action and life you want to write about.  I chose my occupation and my life goals to allow me to achieve my experiences.  At first, I didn’t think of them in terms of writing experiences—I just enjoyed an exciting and entertaining lifestyle.  I am literally living the dream.  I fly military aircraft for flight test.  I travel all over the world and don’t have to fight any wars (at the moment).  I experience life at a level most people perhaps wouldn’t care to, but I love it and I use it in my writing.

 

When I was in the Air Force, I couldn’t write about flying, flight test, and engineering because it would belong to the Air Force.  I wrote about ancient history (many of the places I visited), science fiction, and a mix of the history in the now world.  All my technical writing belonged to the government until I retired from active duty.  Now, all I write about belongs to me. Many of my aviation adventures can be read on www.WingsOverKansas.com.  I’m just getting to writing about aviation in my fiction.  Additionally, I have included the military in my fiction from almost the beginning, but I write about other militaries and science fiction militaries—that’s the way I kept it out of the government’s hands.

 

My point is this, if you don’t live, you don’t have anything to write about.  If you want to write, you need to live a life that others would enjoy hearing stories about.  Plus, you need to practice writing—every day.  

 

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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