31 August 2017, Writing - part x237,
Novel Form, Rebuilding Tension and Release
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.
These are the steps I use to write a
novel including the five discrete parts of 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
I
finished writing my 28th novel, working title, School, potential
title Deirdre: Enchantment and the School. The theme statement is: 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.
Here is the cover proposal for Deirdre:
Enchantment and the School.
 |
|
Cover
Proposal
|
The most important scene in any
novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising
action. I continued writing my 29th novel, working title Red Sonja. I finished my 28th novel, working
title School. If you noticed, I started on number 28, but
finished number 29 (in the starting sequence—it’s actually higher than
that). I adjusted the numbering. I do keep everything clear in my
records.
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 29: 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.
This
is the classical form for writing a successful 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 (protagonist,
antagonist, and optionally the protagonist’s helper)
d.
Identify the telic flaw of the
protagonist (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
The
protagonist and the telic flaw are tied permanently together. The novel plot is completely dependent on the
protagonist and the protagonist’s telic flaw.
They are inseparable. This is
likely the most critical concept about any normal (classical) form novel.
Here
are the parts of a normal (classical) novel:
1.
The Initial scene (identify the
output: implied setting, implied characters, implied action movement)
2.
The Rising action scenes
3.
The Climax scene
4.
The Falling action scene(s)
5.
The Dénouement scene
So,
how do you write a rich and powerful initial scene? Let’s start from a theme statement. Here is an example from my latest novel:
The
theme statement for Deirdre: Enchantment
and the School is: 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.
Here
is the scene development 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
If
you have the characters (protagonist, protagonist’s helper, and antagonist),
the initial setting, the telic flaw (from the protagonist), a plot idea, the
theme action, then you are ready to write the initial scene. I would state that since you have a
protagonist, the telic flaw, a plot idea, and the theme action, you have about
everything—what you might be lacking is the tension and release cycle in your scenes.
Here is an example of developing or
building tension and release in a scene.
This example is from Shadow of
Darkness an Ancient Light novel. In this scene Sveta translates for the head
of the Orthodox Church, but ends up the attention of the party because of her
skills.
This is a complicated but
entertaining scene. This scene
introduces an important foreshadowing, introduces important characters, and
shows exactly how Sveta sneaks her way into the Soviet apparatus. You will need to carefully note the last part
of the scene. I don’t want you to miss
who is manipulating the circumstances to take advantage of the events. This is also an example of something not
directly expressed to the reader that the reader is supposed to figure out on
their own.
Here is the scene:
At
dinner, Sveta’s real work began. She
hardly was given a moment to eat from the wonderful food on her plate; she was
so busy translating the numerous conversations.
In many cases, the foreigners insisted Sveta translate for them. The Russian NKVD had not had time, due to the
war, to perfect their language training, and because of a lack of travel, most
of the translators were unfamiliar with common euphemisms or slang terms in
other languages. Also their heavy accents
made many Russian translators difficult to understand.
In
the middle of a conversation, the American Ambassador made a witty comment to
Comrade Abakumov that included a euphemism.
The translation came out as a Russian insult and Abakumov and the
Russians at the table near him immediately quieted.
Sveta
whispered to His Beatitude, “The translation was wrong.”
Abruptly
he ordered her, “Correct it.”
Sveta
half stood so she could be seen at the table, “Comrade Abakumov, pardon me, but
our American friend and ally, Mr. Harriman simply made a joke about the weather in Moscow Moscow
Comrade
Abakumov slowly nodded his head and smiled.
The table broke into laughter.
Abakumov then glared at his translator.
He turned back to Sveta, “Comrade…?”
His
Beatitude gestured, “Comrade Abakumov, you may address my translator as Svetlana
Evgenyevna.”
Abakumov grimaced at the formality but
he pronounced, “Svetlana Evgenyevna would you please also translate for
me? I wish to understand the jokes
rather than appear the brunt of them.”
He glared again at his translator.
His Beatitude nodded to Sveta.
“Yes, Comrade Abakumov, I would be glad
to translate for you as long as it does not distract from the work I perform
for Father Alexius.”
Abakumov opened his hands.
Sveta translated for half the
table. Except that she only could take a
single taste of her dessert, everything went well. The only ones who were unhappy were the other
translators. They were relegated to a
secondary status, with each guest waiting for Sveta to endorse their
translations.
At the end of the evening, Comrade
Abakumov intercepted His Beatitude in the foyer, “Father Alexius, I am
impressed with your translator. Where
did she learn to understand these languages so well—especially American
English?”
“Trained by our excellent Soviet schools
Comrade Abakumov, I am sure. Our own
church schools have not been around long enough to graduate anyone.”
“You, Svetlana Evgenyevna, you have been
to America
“No comrade. I just understand these languages well.”
His Beatitude put his hand on Sveta’s,
“What Svetlana Evgenyevna will not tell you is that her papers extend further
than her memory.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, she was severely injured during
the siege of Berlin
“She was a soldier?”
“No, a prisoner repatriated by the Fifth
Shock Army.”
Comrade Abakumov took a deep breath, “I
did not realize.”
“Her language skills are intact and that
is what matters—eh?”
“Yes, of course. I must not forget to thank you, Svetlana
Evgenyevna. You prevented an issue of
political dimensions at the table.”
Sveta turned her head in a half bow.
“Again, goodnight Father Alexius and to
you Svetlana Evgenyevna.”
Outside the door, His beatitude handed
Sveta over to Father Nikolay. They put
on their cloaks, and Father Nikolay helped Sveta with hers.
Sveta and Father Nikolay entered his car
and headed back to Novodevichy Convent. As they
turned into the first street, Father Nikolay looked back behind them, “I don’t
think they are following this time. They
will eventually.”
“Why?”
“They will want to know where you come from and where you
go. They will not ask for your papers at
these parties, too embarrassing for them.
They will want to see your papers, of course. Oh, before I forget about it. I brought this for you.” Father Nikolay took out a box with the
dessert from dinner in it. He handed it
and a spoon to Sveta, “The kitchen fixed it for me. Comrade Abakumov was happy to provide it when
I reminded him his request prevented you from finishing your dessert.”
Sveta’s eyes shone.
While she ate the dessert, Father Nikolay continued, “You acted exactly
as you ought tonight. I probably should
have warned you about the many translation errors we note at these affairs.”
Sveta pulled the spoon out of her mouth, “That’s why you need
me?”
“Exactly. In most
cases, His Beatitude would like you to point out the errors and correct
them. The purpose is to establish you as
authoritative.”
Sveta stared at him.
“Don’t worry why right now.
You saw the effect of your intervention?”
“Yes,” Sveta spoke around a mouthful of chocolate cream.
“You prevented a war—or at least reduced the tension that
could lead to misunderstandings.”
“This happens often?”
“Very often. There may
be times when His Beatitude will not want you to point out an error or
intervene.”
“What if they ask me to clarify?”
Sveta could hear the smile in Father Nikolay’s words, “His
Beatitude will instruct you in exactly what to say.”
They arrived before midnight at the postern, and Mother Anna
let them in.
This
scene introduces Beria and Abakumov.
These are very important historical figures and two of the worst
butchers in Soviet history. Beria is the
head of the NKVD, the predecessor to the KGB, and Abakumov is the head of
SMERSh (Death to Spies).
Father
Nicolay, Mother Anna, and His Beatitude all want to introduce Sveta to these
men. Their intent is to display her
usefulness with the knowledge that they will want her capabilities. I, the author, want to show you, the reader,
these capabilities too and let you note that their plan is working.
Thus,
I have Sveta solve a political problem caused by poor translation at the dinner
table. Because of the clarity of her speech
and language skills, Sveta is then asked to provide translation services for Abakumov
and other officials at the table. This
leads to Abakumov’s interest.
I
also wanted you to note how I didn’t shy away from just showing, in conversation,
exactly what the men discuss. I could
have written: Father Nicolay told Abakumov how Sveta escaped the German Army. Instead, I gave you a blow by blow of their words
and conversation. First to remind the
reader, and second to limit exactly what Nicolay told Abakumov. This is a game of subterfuge. I have no problems repeating in conversation
events and scenes that happened earlier or the recounting of previous
events. I’ve discovered that many, if
not most can be explained in a few paragraphs.
I wouldn’t repeat verbatim, except when that is specifically called for,
and I wouldn’t repeat the scene or add extraneous information. I would recount the events just as I did it
in the example scene. Sweet, simple, and
in conversation.
The
end portion is an entertainment created by a creative element. The creative element is dessert. Sveta didn’t get much because of her
work. If you notice, the dessert was
provided by Nicolay through Abakumov.
The resulting conversation shows the plan of the Church for Sveta. This completes the foreshadowing. The point of everything should have become
clear to the reader, if it wasn’t already.
Sveta is the tool the church expects to use to infiltrate and learn more
about Soviet plans and politics. They
have a plan and are working that plan as the knowledge and strength of Sveta’s capabilities
become more evident.
I’ll
give you more examples.
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
