7 November 2016, Writing Ideas
- New Novel, part 940, Publishing, Protagonists, Example: 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
finished writing my 27th 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 28th 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.
These are the steps I use to write a
novel:
1.
Design the initial scene
2.
Develop a theme statement (initial
setting, protagonist, protagonist’s helper or antagonist, action statement)
a.
Research as required
b.
Develop the initial setting
c.
Develop the characters
d.
Identify the telic flaw (internal
and external)
3.
Write the initial scene (identify
the output: implied setting, implied characters, implied action movement)
4.
Write the next scene(s) to the
climax (rising action)
5.
Write the climax scene
6.
Write the falling action scene(s)
7.
Write the dénouement scene
Would you like to write a novel that
a publisher will consider? Would you
like to write a novel that is published?
How about one that sells?
I noted that I’ve learned to develop
characters who are Romantic and pathetic.
As I’ve wrote, these types of characters appeal to readers. Readers like Romantic characters and they
feel an emotional attachment to pathetic characters. I’ll move on to more examples from my
writing. The novel that follows Shadow of Light in the Ancient Light series is Children of Light and Darkness. Children
of Light and Darkness is about the nation of Myanmar, that is Burma,
Britain, spying, and girls who seem to be modern goddesses. The protagonist of this novel is Kathrin
McClellan. She was introduced as a
character in Shadow of Light. She works for the organization which is where
Lumière works. In fact, Kathrin and
James’ assignment is to find Lumière and Alexander. Here is Kathrin’s description from the novel:
Kathrin knew she
was pretty—perhaps bordering on beautiful.
Her face was freckled and sported blazing green eyes. She had heart shaped lips in a heart shaped
face. Her hair was red, and she was
thin, perhaps too thin. She wasn’t very
tall either. None of those
characteristics ever seemed to affect her negatively. She spoke with a thick but improving Scottish
brogue that made her a little difficult to understand at times. She knew she always showed a slightly harried
look, and that was backed by an overly brisk personality. And true to the Gallic stereotype, she did
possess a raging temper. It was a
prideful secret that she kept it in check almost all of the time. When she let it out, it scared her. She didn’t let it out often, not at all since
she had been working for the organization.
Kathrin does not appear to be a
Romantic character. She actually is a
Romantic character, but the protagonist revelation more than this simple
description shows you that. Indeed, in Shadow of Light and in Shadow of Darkness, the reader knew
generally who and what Lumière was. This
is not true of Children. Children
is a discovery novel. Kathrin knows
exactly who she is, everyone else has no idea.
The undercurrent of mystery and secrets in this novel are what propel it
and the plot. Now, concerning pathos. Not much further in the novel we read:
Kathrin met
James on the way to pick her up. She
wasn’t moving very fast.
“Hullo, Kathrin. Any success?”
They continued along the track toward their hotel.
She answered with her head down. She wouldn’t bring her eyes up to his, “Great
success. They are Svetlana and Klavdiya
Diakonov. We are one step closer.”
“Excellent.
I put out some initial feelers about what we must do to get them out of
the county. It’s not pretty.”
“I need you to get me books, in English, and
as many as you can.”
He laughed, “Books?”
“Yes, books.
It is one of the means I intend to use to convince them to come with
us.”
“I saw that too. They might not want to leave here…for many
reasons. Kathrin, you need to work this
as quickly as you can. We can’t hope to
escape detection forever. The villagers
will be our first problem. The
government and potentially the religious structure here will be next on the
list.”
Kathrin beetled her brows and glanced at him,
a tiny look, “Why the religious structure?”
“Burma
“But you said there were thousands of gods
and goddesses…”
“So I did and so there are, but here Buddhism
is the defining religion. We have two
real goddesses on our hands—this would not make the Buddhist monks very
happy—or the government.” He stopped and
grabbed her hands, “Look Kathrin, what’s eating you? You have never acted like this before.”
“Never?”
“Never, since I knew you.”
She kept walking but didn’t pull her hands
out of his, “James, when we get back to England
“Whoa, Kathrin. When did the conversation move from our
mission to us?”
“Our relationship never bothered me before. I guess I’m not as emancipated as I
thought. I know I have been a jerk. I was really ashamed at myself. First for giving in to you, and second, for
not giving myself to you. That’s all
over for now.”
“Kathrin, I realized it was over a while
ago.”
“No, you don’t understand. I can’t let you have sex with me anymore, but
I still want you…” An anguished look
came over her face, “I don’t know what I am saying anymore. I just want us to go back to the way it was
at the beginning. Then, you desired me,
and I desired you and we didn’t give in.
I was looking for someone to marry, and I found a friend…only later a
bedmate.”
“I think I understand, Kathrin.”
She glanced away, “I know you will dump me
when we return…”
“Have I ever treated you like I didn’t respect
you?”
“No, you have always acted like a
gentleman.” She smiled up at him, “Even
when I didn’t act like a lady.”
“Then have no fear. I will not take advantage of you, and I will
not hurt you. You have become tired of
me?”
She touched his face, “I am not tired of you
James. I loved you—I still think I love
you. I just need to stop feeling ashamed
of myself. I need to reearn the respect
for myself I once had.”
He stared squarely at her, “These two little
girls made you realize this?”
Kathrin sniffed, “Yes, they did. I think they can read some
thoughts—especially if they touch you.”
“That’s important to know. What gifts will you bring them tomorrow?”
“I am ordered to bring books. I have two more romance novels. The girls think my life is like one of those
stories.”
James snorted, “I have news for you,
Kathrin. Your life is like one of those
stories.”
She giggled, “I guess it is, isn’t it?”
“I have another book to donate to the
cause.” He pulled a small service New
Testament from his pocket and handed it to her.
She stared quizzically at him, “The girls
told me today, I must not just believe, I must do. I think they meant I should act on what I
believe.”
James smirked, “So that is my problem now
too?”
“Do you really think I should give this to them?”
“Bruce Lyons thinks the New Testament is
important enough that they are issued to every agent. Usually they are kept hidden unless you have
a cover like ours. Svetlana and Klavdiya
Diakonov father’s cover was an orthodox priest when he acted as an agent for
the organization. The New Testament
might enable you to bring that up in conversation.”
“Now, you’re telling me how to do my
job?”
“Just helping. I don’t usually get to help you with that
part very much.”
“Thanks, James. That kind of praise makes me feel useful.”
“We don’t need any martini skewers
tomorrow. You still up for a drink?”
“Anytime with you, James, anytime.”
Kathrin does not become a pathetic
character immediately. The readers learn
slowly about her life and her background.
They learn she is poor. She has
been shaking up with James. She
literally escaped from her Scottish parents and sisters and came to
London. She becomes the mother to two
girls quite accidentally but intentionally.
There is action all around her with great pathos development, but slow
and purposeful pathos development. Later
in the novel, we read:
Kathrin thought
it was a delightful idea. She helped
Sveta and Klava write invitations on fancy cards. Sveta and Klava handed them to Susan and
Clare on Tuesday. Susan and Clare
brought their acceptance cards the next day.
On Friday, after school, Susan and Clare with their mothers arrived in
front of Rosewood House.
Mrs. Worth
glanced at her daughter, Susan, “Are you certain this is the right address,
dear? I thought your friends were poor
and disabled.”
Susan shrugged.
Mrs. Keigwin,
Clare’s mother, stared at Mrs. Worth, “Well, this isn’t what I expected at
all.”
They smiled and
headed up the walk to the front door.
Sveta and Klava saw them coming.
They had been waiting in the front window of the study for almost thirty
minutes. They rushed past Herbert and
down the walk, “Hi, Susan. Hello,
Clare.” The girls all giggled.
Susan pointed to
her mother, “Mother, may I introduce Sveta and Klava to you? Sveta and Klava, this is my mother, Mrs.
Worth.”
“How do you do,
Mrs. Worth?” pronounced Sveta and Klava almost together. They curtsied and shook her hand.
Clare introduced
her mother to them. Sveta took Susan’s
hand and Klava, Clare’s and led them up to the house. Herbert opened the door with a broad smile,
“Good afternoon, Ladies.” He helped Mrs.
Worth and Susan and Mrs. Keigwin and Clare with their coats. Then, he glanced at Sveta and Klava, “Miss
Sveta, Miss Klava, should I announce our guests or will you do that
yourselves?”
“We will, Herbert. Come on.”
They skipped to the foyer and were about to head toward the bright
sunroom at the back of the house.”
Kathrin and Tilly
had heard Herbert’s door signal and waited in the foyer. Kathrin stepped forward and Sveta and Klava
took her hands. Klava spoke for them
both, “Mother, may we introduce you to Mrs. Worth and Mrs. Keigwin?” Kathrin nodded and shook their hands, “Good
afternoon, Mrs. Worth and Mrs. Keigwin.
I am Kathrin McClellan.”
Mrs. Worth was
surprised, “You are these girls’ mother?”
Kathrin smiled,
“I am.”
“Mother,”
continued Klava, “May we introduce, our friends Susan and Clare?”
Kathrin shook the
girls’ hands.
Kathrin glanced
at Klava and Sveta, “Please don’t forget Aunt Tilly.”
Klava opened her
mouth and rushed to Tilly’s side, “I’m sorry, Aunt Tilly.” She pulled Tilly forward, “Aunt Tilly, may I
introduce Mrs. Worth and Mrs. Keigwin and our friends Susan and Clare?”
“Hello,” Tilly
shook their hands, “I am Tilly Lyons. I
am so glad to meet you.”
Kathrin waved
them forward, “Let’s go to the sunroom.
The girls have planned a very nice tea.”
They all moved to
the sunroom. Mrs. Worth and Mrs.
Keigwin’s eyes were everywhere. They had
expected a hovel, at best a cottage. In
the sunroom, Klava and Sveta, assisted by Mrs. Lamport and Herbert served tea.
“We made the
biscuits, ourselves,” bragged Klava, “It’s our Gram’s recipe.”
After tea, Sveta
and Klava took Susan and Clare up to their room to play. Their mothers and Tilly remained in the
sunroom.
When the girls
left, Mrs. Worth put her hand on Kathrin’s, “Miss McClellan, I am so glad you
invited us to tea. And I do apologize
that I have not had you and your wonderful girls over after school.”
“I second that,”
Mrs. Keigwin stated, “We had no idea.”
Kathrin frowned,
“I hope Klava and Sveta didn’t leave you with a bad impression before.”
“Not at all. Not at all, Miss. McClellan,” Mrs. Keigwin
continued, “I am ashamed to admit, I wasn’t sure I could handle your girls at
my house. I had heard so much that was
rumor. I think those rumors are wrong.”
“You just can’t
trust everything you hear.” Mrs. Worth went on.
“What did you
hear?”
“Oh, that Klava
and Sveta were poor and didn’t have much to eat. Susan said they were on a nutrition watch at
the school.”
“A nutrition
watch?” laughed Kathrin.
“Well, what else
are people to think? We knew they were
from a missionary family and that you are still a Miss, we naturally assumed…”
“You assumed they
didn’t have much.”
“And they do
have…you know…disabilities. Although, I
am not sure they act disabled at all.”
Kathrin spoke
very clearly, “They don’t imagine that they are disabled at all.”
“Oh, I see.”
The ladies
continued in other conversation for a while longer. Then it was time to go. Sveta and Klava said a nice farewell to Susan
and Clare and their mothers. When they
had gone, Kathrin and Tilly broke out in uncontrolled laughter. Klava and Sveta couldn’t figure out what was
so funny.
As
you can see, the idea of pathos is generated through the novel based on many
factors. My point in this as a discovery
novel is to slowly allow the reader to come to understand Kathrin and the world
around her. This is the power of a
discovery novel.
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
fiction, theme, plot, story, storyline,
character development, scene, setting, conversation, novel, book, writing,
information, study, marketing, tension, release, creative, idea, logic
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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