1 May 2017, Writing Ideas - New
Novel, part x115, Creative Elements in Scenes, Plot Devices, Identification
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
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 – Current discussion.
Contest
Search
War
Brotherhood (sisterhood) (camaraderie)
Crime
Theater
One way love
Identification: here is my definition – Identification is the use of an attempt to discover the identity of a person or thing to further a plot.
One
of my favorite novels by Jack Vance is from the Demon Princes series. In The
Book of Dreams, the identification plot device is used in multiple
ways. Jack Vance is likely most well
known as a science fiction and fantasy author, but he also wrote some great
mysteries. His skill at mystery writing
pours over into his science fiction and fantasy. In The Book
of Dreams and in all the Demon Princes novels, the protagonist is attempting
to identify and find the intragalactic criminals called the Demon Princes. This leads to the use of the identification plot
device in all of its glory and in many manifestations. In most cases, the protagonist is at work
trying to use all types of means to discover exactly who a given person is and
whether they are one of the dreaded demon princes. In the case of this last book, the protagonist
is trying to identify the people in a picture along with the details of the
picture itself.
The
creative elements necessary for this plot device are a person or item that is
not identified, a reason to identify them, and some connection to the protagonist
or other character.
I’ve
used this plot device in various ways and in various novels. In Aegypt,
the main mystery in the novel is the identification of the tomb and the contents
of the tomb(s). In Sister of Light, the protagonist is seeking to identify many
different items and people. In Sister of Darkness, the protagonist is
seeking to identify both items and individuals.
In many of my other novels, I use this plot device as a means to develop
the plot and to entertain.
Here
is an example from my novel Hestia:
Enchantment of the Hearth.
When each of them held a glass of wine,
and a large steaming bowl of fried calamari sat in the center of the table,
Phil put on a thoughtful look, “Okay, time to get to work.” He popped a hot
piece of squid in his mouth, “Jack, open up your notebook.”
Jack
complied. He pulled a small notebook
from his pants pocket. He always kept a
notebook and pen with him.
“We need a place
in Greek myth with a gate, a door, and a box or jar—preferably all three in the
same location.”
Jack chewed on
the end of his pen for a moment, “There were seven gates in Thebes
Hestia leaned
forward, “Yes seven: Ogygian, Electran,
Neistan, Hypsistan, Homoloidian, Proetidian, and Dircean. But I don’t know what good that will do, we
don’t have seven keys, and the gates of Thebes
Timon tapped the
table, “I don’t think any of the Thebian Gates are still standing.”
“Write it down
anyway,” said Phil, “but it sounds like a dead end. What other gates?”
“Odysseus’ house
had gates, doors, and boxes,” Jack threw out another idea.
“The problem with
that,” stated Angela, “is where is Ithaca island
of Ithaca off the northeast coast of Greece , but no ruins match Homer’s descriptions,
and not all archeologists agree Ithaca is
Odysseus’ Ithaca
“Homer says Ithaca
“I dwell in shining Ithaca
high Neriton, covered in forests.
Many islands
lie around it, very close to each
other,
Doulichion, Same, and wooded
Zacynthos--
but low-lying Ithaca
towards the sunset, and the others
are apart, towards the dawn and sun.
It is rough, but it raises good
men.”
“The modern island of Ithaca
“Yes, one of
Homer’s many paradoxes,” Jack looked happy with himself.
Hestia gestured
with her hand, “Ithaca is on the island of Leucas
They all stared
incredulously at Hestia.
She shrugged and
looked smug.
“Okay,” Phil
rocked forward a bit, “We have an island…”
Angela cut him
off, “Leucas is a very large island, and since the ruins of Odysseus’ palace
are unknown they probably still aren’t standing. If not standing, then no gate, no door, no
box.”
“I know where
Odysseus’ palace is,” stated Hestia.
They stared at
her again.
“Very good. Write that down, Jack,” Phil rolled his hand
on the table, “We have one potential, but there must be other gates in Greek
myth.”
Timon pursed his
lips, “There is the Gate of Hades.”
“Not a good
gate,” stated Phil.
Timon continued,
“The Gates of Heaven are guarded by the Horae.
They are the wardens of the sky and of Olympus . Their purpose is to open and close the Gates
of Heaven. Could the iron key open one
of the Gates of Heaven?”
Phil shrugged.
Timon continued,
a reflective tone filled his words, and a pensive look came over his face,
“There are the Gates of Sleep. The child
of the goddess Nyx, Oniros, dreams, comes to men in their sleep through one of
two gates. The first gate is the Gate of
Horn. If Oniros comes through the Gate
of Horn, the dreams are true and will come to pass. The second is the Gate of Ivory. Through the Gate of Ivory come dreams that
deceive men and events that will not come to pass.”
“No doors, no
boxes, not corporeal,” Jack spoke as he made notes, “I don’t see a direct
connection.”
Timon’s face
became more thoughtful, “There are references to Hades about doors and boxes. In Hades, specifically, is a place of
punishment called Tartarus—the pit.
Around Tartarus runs a fence of bronze.
Night is said to spread in a triple line all about it. Some ancient Greek authors write that the
gates are iron with a threshold of bronze.
Others say a threefold wall itself made of night encircles it. Around this triple wall flows the river
Pyriphlegethon filled with flames and clashing rocks. The entrance of Tartarus is said to be an
enormous iron gate. On either side are
pillars of solid adamant that not even the gods could break. At the top of this gate sits the Tower of Iron
“Yes, many
treasures are in Hades, I’m sure,” Angela made a chopping motion with her hand,
“but I don’t want to go there. First we
would have to find Hades and then get into Tartarus. Jack can write them down, but let’s put Hades
and Tartarus at the bottom of the list for now.
Come on, think. Aren’t there any
other gates?”
No one spoke for
a while. Finally, Jack sat up straight,
“What about the Lion’s Gate at Mycenae
Angela barely looked up, “The gate itself is
gone, and there are no doors in the ruins.
Same for the Gates of Troy
They all sat back in their chairs and stared
at the table top. Once or twice someone
half opened their mouth about to speak, but thought better of it and said
nothing.
“Let it rest for now,” Phil rubbed the back
of his neck, “The pitcher of wine ran out a while ago, and I don’t have any
more ideas. Let’s sleep on it.” He rose and shook Timon’s hand, “See you
early in the morning.”
“Yes early,” Timon’s thoughts were still
filled with what they had discussed. He
sat back down. Angela and Jack stood up
and, with Phil, left for their rooms.
Hestia remained with Timon at the taverna.
In
this novel, the characters are trying to identify a place with gates that
require keys. In addition, Angela has a
set of three keys on her arm. The reason
for the search for gates is for these keys.
The keys need identification, the locks need identification, the one who
can take the keys off Angela’s wrist needs identification. All this is a real problem in the novel—just one
example of the use of the identification plot device.
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
No comments:
Post a Comment