20 April 2017, Writing Ideas
- New Novel, part x104, Creative Elements in Scenes, Plot Devices, Hidden
Skills
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 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 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 28th novel, working title Red Sonja. I’m also working on my 29th 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
Here is the beginning of the scene
development method from the outline:
1.
Scene input (comes from the previous
scene output or is an initial scene)
2.
Write the scene setting (place,
time, stuff, and characters)
3.
Imagine the output, creative
elements, plot, telic flaw resolution (climax) and develop the tension and
release.
4.
Write the scene using the output and
creative elements to build the tension.
5.
Write the release
6.
Write the kicker
Below is a list of plot devices. I’m less interested in a plot device than I
am in a creative element that drives a plot device. In fact, some of these plot devices are not
good for anyone’s writing. If we
remember, the purpose of fiction writing is entertainment, we will perhaps
begin to see how we can use these plot devices to entertain. If we focus on creative elements that drive
plot devices, we can begin to see how to make our writing truly entertaining. I’ll leave up the list and we’ll contemplate
creative elements to produce these plot devices.
Deus ex machina (a machination, or act of
god; lit. “god out of the machine”)
Flashback (or analeptic reference)
Story within a story (Hypodiegesis)
Third attempt
Secrets
Judicial Setting
Legal argument
Prophecy
Two way love
Three way love (love rival)
Rival
Celebrity (Rise to fame)
Rise to riches
Military (Device or Organization manipulation)
School (Training) (Skill Development)
Supernatural
Comeback
Retrieval
Taboo
Impossible Crime
Human god
Revolution
Games
Silent witness
Secret king
Messiah
Hidden skills – Current discussion.
Fantasy Land (Time Travel, Space Travel)
End of the --- (World, Culture, Society)
Resistance (Nonresistance)
Utopia (anti-utopia)
Fashion
Augmented Human (Robot) (Society)
Mind Switching (Soul Switching)
Unreliable character
Incarceration (imprisonment)
Valuable item
Identification
Contest
Search
War
Brotherhood (sisterhood) (camaraderie)
Crime
Theater
Hidden Skills: here is my definition – Hidden skills is the use of a special and unknown or unrevealed capabilities learned or discovered to further a plot.
Harry
Potty is a series of novels that uses hidden skills as a plot device. The first novel has the most obvious use of
this plot device. That is unfortunate,
because the author just suddenly reveals that Harry can use magic. We don’t get to see any real development of
this, it just happens. That isn’t the
power of the use of hidden skills.
Hidden
skills becomes super powerful as a plot device when the protagonist slowly and incrementally
discovers his or her skill. For example,
the protagonist in a highly charged situation discovers the ability to make a
magical flame (or any magic). The
protagonist has a sudden realization of the ability. The protagonist from that point on seeks to
improve and use the skill that was discovered.
You can use this model with every kind of skill. With hidden skills, it doesn’t have to be
about magic or super mental or other special skills.
For
example, in School, the novel I’m
writing at the moment, Deirdre, my protagonist, is an accomplished singer, dancer,
and artist. She has incredible skills,
but she is hiding them until about the middle of the novel. The reason she is hiding them comes directly
out of her problems and her banishment to Wycombe. I might as well give you an example.
Here
is an example from School:
Deirdre
and Chris MacLeod continued to dance until the orchestra took their first
break. Just as Chris predicted, Mr.
MacLeod stepped deliberately to where Deirdre and Chris stood. Kathrin Calloway and Mrs. MacLeod followed
close behind him. He gave a slight bow,
“Ms. Calloway, I freely admit, I asked you to our Christmas revelry with
ulterior motives.”
Deirdre’s
eyes widened. Older men had never bowed
to her, and she wasn’t sure how to take ulterior motives.
Mr.
MacLeod continued, “I understand you are a professional musician. Your mother assured me concerning your usual
contract rates. I would like to hire you
to sing some Christmas songs at our fete.
I understand you have a wonderful program already prepared. In fact, I gave the music to our orchestra
yesterday and they assured me they could play to your very exacting standards.”
Deirdre
began to respond, but Mr. MacLeod raised his finger, “The second reason I asked
you here is to test your metal, so to speak.
Chris has had so many wonderful things to say about you, I must say, I
was unconvinced. Until I heard you sing
the Messiah, I would have said he was exaggerating. As a matter of fact, at this point, I wonder
exactly what you see in my son.”
Chris
cried out, “Father.”
“Oh,
sorry. I’m joking. A bit of British humor there, and I’m
Scottish. I’m very proud of my son, but
he is still fifteen and still not entirely used to the potential limelight of a
woman of your caliber and upbringing.
Please sing for us. That in
itself would be very pleasant.”
Deirdre
cleared her throat to respond. Her mind
was moving as fast as usual. She smiled
very pleasantly, “Mr. MacLeod, could I offer a Christmas medley as a gift to
your family?”
Mrs.
Calloway cut her off with a firm gesture, “One moment. I wish to speak to Deirdre privately.”
Mr.
MacLeod stepped to the side. Chris
reluctantly moved with him.
Deirdre
clenched her fists. She squinted and
raised her lip, “What is it mother?”
Mrs.
Calloway came very close and put her arms around Deirdre. She whispered, “Luna told me I should slap
you every time you do that. This time I shan’t.”
Deirdre
stiffened.
“You
know what that means, don’t you dear?”
“It
means you are treating me like an adult.”
“Excellent. Now, here is what you must consider. Your costs at school have been rather high
this semester.”
“That’s
because I have been taking care of my best friend.”
“I
understand that too. Luna told me—well,
she did after our little meeting with the Queen. I wondered how such a frugal
girl could rack up such high expenses.”
“Are
they really that high?”
“No,
but I wish to place some adult pressure on you.
So far, you have had most everything you could ever want or need. As I said, you are a frugal girl, but an
adult must consider the costs of friendship and life.”
Deirdre
choked, “You want me to give up on Sorcha—you’ll take care of her needs, won’t
you?”
“My
sweet Deirdre, I want you to face the consequences of your actions. They are wonderful, but they are yours
alone. I love that you have taken care
of Sorcha and Eliana.”
“Luna
narked on me.”
“Yes
she did, and I’m very proud. However…”
Deirdre
steeled herself.
“However,
I would like you to pick up the tab for your friends. You may take care of them as much as you
desire, but with your funds. A little
singing at your normal rates will go a long way this semester. In fact, the pay you received from Father
Malloy will further bolster that your little fund.”
“I
was going to give it all back to Father Malloy for the widow’s and orphan’s
relief fund.”
“Sorcha
and Eliana both are missing parents—they are orphans. Which one do you wish to support, those
unseen or your friends.”
Deirdre
smiled, “Mother, perhaps I never listened quite as well as I should to you, but
you are forcing me to sing…”
“I’m
not forcing you to do anything. I’m
simply pointing out realities to you and giving you a choice.”
“I
see. You must not let Sorcha or Elaina
know.”
“Never. This is our private understanding. Plus, my sweet, you want independence. I can’t give you any greater
independence.” She started to pull back,
but then hugged Deirdre closer, “One more thing. I like this Chris MacLeod very much. He is a gentleman and has a wonderful
future.” She did pull back and stared in
Deirdre’s eyes with a half-smile, “Don’t take that to be a license or
permission. Do you understand me?”
“Yes,
mother.”
“Your
ball, in your court.”
Deirdre
sighed, but she didn’t mean much by it.
She stepped toward Mr. MacLeod with Mrs. Calloway at her side. She nodded to the gentleman, “Mr. MacLeod, I
accept your terms. My standard
rates. I do wish to warn you. The press is here and that might cause undo
attention to your family and mine.”
Mr.
MacLeod tried not to smile to broadly, “Your mother explained everything to
me. I accept your conditions and
understand the circumstances.”
Deirdre
shrugged, “When would you like me to sing?”
“Do
you need any preparation?”
“I
need to speak to the conductor and the orchestra.”
“Very
well. They are on their break.” He glanced at his watch, “They should be
returning in a couple of minutes.” He
sounded almost military, “You may brief them as you desire. I shall announce you, myself.” He began to turn, then swiveled back to her,
“One thing. Do you need a mic or other
equipment?”
“My
mother likely told you, I don’t need a mic for this room or this size of an
orchestra. I was the only singer not
miced during the Messiah performance.”
Deirdre
was a professional child performer. She
was known in the musical community and to her fans as D. She was later called the Dangerous Diva by
the press. The point is that she hid her
skill from everyone. At this moment is
her coming out, so to speak.
I
love to use hidden skills. I’ve used it
in quite a few of my novels. I recommend
it as a plot device in your novels—if you have a place for it. Hidden skills is a powerful plot device for
entertainment, and that’s the point. The
main reason I use these plot devices is because they are entertaining to
me. If they are entertaining to me, I
assume they are entertaining to others.
We can see, Harry Potty is well accepted as an entertaining story and
idea, the use of hidden skills as a plot device adds to the entertainment
factor. You can also see how better use
of hidden skills might have improved the novels.
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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