23 August 2017, Writing - part x229,
Novel Form, Focus Emotional 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 c9n 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 emotional tension and release in a scene. This example is from Shadow of Darkness an Ancient
Light novel. In this scene, because
her cries disturb the neighbors and to prevent her from being sent to a people’s
asylum, the Orthodox Churches’ Nunnery at the Novodevichy Convent in Moscow accepted
her as a novice. Because Sveta speaks
Russian, French, German, Hebrew, and Aramaic the Mother Superior takes her
in.
We write and speak a lot about POV (point
of view). In this example, the POV of
the writing doesn’t change from Sveta to the Abbess, and the focus of the writing
doesn’t change from the protagonist (Sveta).
What changes in this scene is that the focus of the writing moves
directly to Sveta reflected from the Abbess.
This is simpler than it sounds.
What this means is that I use the words of the Abbess to describe and reflect
on Sveta. I do this by actually giving
you the Abbess’ introduction of Sveta to the other nuns.
This is a very important scene
device. In fact, let’s call it a plot
device. I don’t think I described it
when I wrote about plot devices. I use
this type of plot device in almost every one of my novels. Usually the POV in a novel is the
protagonist. If you are writing at your
top skill, the POV shouldn’t change very much.
Even so, most readers want to know more both about the protagonist and
about how other characters view the protagonist. This goes to description too.
Thus, at the beginning, Nina remarks
about Sveta’s beauty. Both nuns speak
about Sveta in general. When the Abbess enters,
she then tells the nuns all about, or as much as she knows about Sveta as an
introduction. She doesn’t tell all and
there is much more that she doesn’t know.
What is fun about this scene is that is does set up an emotional circumstance
for the reader, but with little emotion.
Sveta doesn’t say hardly anything.
The Abbess gives an introduction.
What I want you to especially note
about this scene…well, just read the scene, and then I’ll tell you.
Mother
Larisa didn’t speak to Sveta either. She
led the girl to the other side of the building—the right side, opposite to
where she went with Father Nikolay to meet the Abbess. They entered a long hall similar to the other
side, but this led to a large common room filled with tables and chairs. The smell of food came from a kitchen close
by, and the room was warm. Mother Larisa
pointed to a seat. Sveta laid her bundle
on the table and sat down. Mother Larisa
left through a door on the inner side of the building. Sveta was tired. She could not sleep at night and had not
slept at work today. She spent the whole
day seeing new people and new things.
She had said goodbye to her friends.
She laid her head on her bundle and tried to keep her eyes opened. They slowly closed. No one entered the room. Sveta slowly fell into sleep. She jerked awake every now and then. She didn’t think what might happen if she
dreamed, as she dreamed every night.
Olga could not comfort her, and no one here knew her.
Sveta did not dream—yet. She woke as slowly as she fell asleep. She felt a vague awareness that people
surrounded her. It was so like a
dream. She heard a high lilting voice, “Is
that the new novice?”
A crisp alto, “It must be.”
“Is she asleep? She is asleep. This is the girl who dreams. Look at her Yuliya. She is so beautiful.” Very quietly, “If I were so beautiful, I
wouldn’t be in a convent.”
“Hush, Nina, the very idea. If the abbess should hear you…”
“Of course, I’m joking.”
“Here come the others. Wake her.”
“Not after what I heard.”
“Just, what did you hear?”
“Yes,” the abbess, Mother Anna’s voice
cut through the room, “Nina, just what did you hear?”
“Nothing, Mother Abbess.”
The abbess stepped over to Sveta,
“Svetlana, child, wake up.” The abbess
gently stroked her face.
Sveta raised her head and rubbed her
eyes. Around her stood more than ten
women dressed in dark habits with head coverings. The abbess stood at Sveta’s side and helped
lift her up, “We have just come from Nones.”
She spoke to those around them, “Unless you have duties, sisters, you
may sit and introduce yourself to Svetlana.”
A couple of the nuns exited through the back door. The rest of them sat in the chairs at the
tables. They all faced Sveta. The abbess sat next to her, “I’m sorry
Svetlana. You seem a very quiet and
private person, but for a little you must endure the attention of your sisters
and new friends. We receive so few
novices and see so few new members to our convent that you are a rarity to us.” She gazed around the quite room, “Sisters,
this is Svetlana. I accepted her as a
novice today, and tomorrow at Matins, we will initiate her into our convent and
order. In time, she may share with you
as much as she wishes about her own life and her own thoughts. I wish only to tell you a little about her so
you will not embarrass yourself before our new sister or others.” She stared meaningfully toward a young nun
with a pockmarked face, “Yes, Nina?”
“Yes, Mother Abbess,” Nina responded in
her high voice.
“Svetlana is from Moscow ,
but was captured by German troops and taken to Berlin Berlin
“How old is she?” Mother Yuliya, the nun
with the crisp alto asked.
“She is fifteen.”
“So young for so much knowledge…” more
than one nun seemed to say.
The abbess continued, “I want her to
continue working so she will miss the daily prayers. Do not let this disturb you sisters. She also has some difficulty speaking, and so
she may sing as well as she can. This
should not disturb you sisters either.
“One of the reasons Svetlana came to us
is her commissar wanted to send her to a sanitarium, a people’s asylum,” the
abbess almost spat the words. “When I
heard of that and her skills, I knew she could find a place with us. Svetlana evidently dreams those things she
cannot remember. Her dreams are real and
terrifying to her. They are not unlike
those dreams that sometimes overwhelm us.”
Mother Anna turned toward Sveta and smiled, “You see, Svetlana, there
are many of us who have been in a people’s asylum or the prisons of the
NKVD. Stalin chose to release some of us
in 1941 and 1943 to allow us to return to our convent. Mother Larisa spent many years in a people’s asylum. She does not often speak. Mother Marya will look after you.” The abbess pointed to a tall middle-aged woman
with a deeply lined face. “Mother Marya
spent many years in a Checka, then OGPU, and finally an NKVD prison. Her faith and gentleness as a nurse will help
and comfort you. We will all help you,
too. I myself spent many years as a
guest of Stalin.”
Mother
Yuliya touched her hand to her crucifix, “She is so young to have suffered like
that…To face that kind of abuse…”
Mother
Anna glanced down and back up. With
great compassion, she interrupted the nun, “Mother Yuliya, it does no
good to speculate on such things.” She
spoke quietly, “Sometimes childhood can be so short, too short…” Then
Mother Anna was immediately all business again, “Now, Svetlana, is there
anything you would like to say to your sisters?”
Sveta
shook her head.
Remember,
I wrote to you, you don’t need to “tell” your readers much of anything. Let me add to that, but you can certainly
remind them using conversations all you wish.
Look at how this scene reminds us about Sveta, and then Mother Yuliya
states a kicker, “She is so young to have suffered like that…To face that kind
of abuse…” No where do I have Sveta tell
you about her own abuse—I show all of it to you. In these rare cases, I have other characters
speculate or state something about abuse.
Notice the only way you know about it is through showing—there ain’t no
telling going on in this book.
On
to another point. Many authors might
simply give a narrative abbreviation to this scene:
The
Abbess introduced Sveta to the other nuns.
Or
something like that. I’m telling you in
many if not most cases, there is no reason to abbreviate during critical events
and introductions. This is both a
critical event and a critical introduction.
Introductions are the spice and lubricant of society. Don’t neglect them. Don’t abbreviate or simplify them—use them to
their full power. This is true of
recounting information or events. Many authors
will abbreviate with narration. In many
cases a simple conversation is appropriate and just as short. Go ahead.
Show and don’t tell.
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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