Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 1000, more Creative Elements in the Rising Action

6 January 2017, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 1000, more Creative Elements in the Rising Action

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

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 Sorcha: Enchantment and the Curse. 

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 also working on my 29^th novel, working title School.

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: transition from input to output focused on the telic flaw resolution)

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.

 

For novel 28:  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.

 

For novel 29:  Sorcha, the abandoned child of an Unseelie and a human, secretly attends Wycombe Abbey girls’ school where she meets the problem child Deirdre 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

 

Look back at the scene development outline.  The creative element forms the climax of the scene.  You automatically have a scene input.  You choose a creative element for the scene.  Then you write to the release of the creative element.  If you chose well, the release of the creative element will lead to the scene output which becomes the next scene input.  If you didn’t figure it out yet, I’m giving you a great way to create a scene output.  Notice in the scene outline, the output is usually the most difficult part of the scene development.  That is as long as you can write relatively well.  The tension and release part can be real buggers for beginning writers. 

 

Choose a strong creative element and the scene writing is a snap.  When I write scene writing, I mean writing an entertaining scene is a snap.  Many can write a scene--the trick is to write an entertaining scene.  Every scene must be entertaining.  So about creative elements. How do we get a good creative element?  Let’s make up a scene.  I have a mystery novel.  The mystery has to do with a criminal smuggling gang.  The detective has discovered how the smuggling works.  The scene input is the detective going to a meeting with a smuggler to receive some smuggled goods.  You might think the creative element is the meeting.  That’s good, but let’s spice it up a little.  The additional creative element in this case is the smuggler is a friend of the detective.  Her participation in the criminal activity is unexpected.  There you have a powerful and potentially entertaining creative element in the scene development.  You can already feel the tension as the detective approaches the smuggler, recognizes the person (or not), and then the smuggler recognizes (or not) the detective.  Other creative elements might be they are both in disguise, or only one is in disguise.  This is a really powerful creative element. 

 

In School, I am writing a scene where the girls go to a mall to shop with their new friends.  It would be a simple scene.  The creative element is the shopping with friends that is ordered by Luna as one of the girls’ electives.  During the shopping trip with these tea-party type girls, Sorcha and Deirdre spot the girl who has been following them waiting tables in a tea shop.  This is a real turn in the scene and a creative element to entertain and excite.  In your scenes, design them with an entertaining creative element.  This will help with the tension and release and the output of the scene.     

 

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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