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Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Writing - part x229, Novel Form, Focus Emotional Tension and Release


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.  She was injured during the battle for Berlin and cannot remember any of her previous life.  Therefore, she doesn’t know how or when she learned to speak French, Hebrew, and Aramaic.”  The abbess paused meaningfully.  “She is, of course, Christian, but she may need our help to remember the liturgy and prayers.  She works at a Jewish bookstore cataloging Hebrew and Aramaic texts as well as Russian and French.” 

        “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:

fiction, theme, plot, story, storyline, character development, scene, setting, conversation, novel, book, writing, information, study, marketing, tension, release, creative, idea, logic

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