Writing - part x242, Novel Form, Revelation Tension and Release

5 September 2017, Writing - part x242, Novel Form, Revelation 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 28^th 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 29^th novel, working title Red Sonja.  I finished my 28^th 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 revelation scene, we see the fulfillment of the promise of the previous scenes.  This is a culmination of those scenes.  In a way, this scene provides an overall release to the tension of previous scenes.  At the same time, it begins building a new tension and answers some questions.   

 

Mother Anna explains some important truths to Sveta.  Other important ideas come out.               

 

Here is the scene:        

 

        In the morning, Mother Anna called for Sveta.  When Sveta entered her office, Mother Anna smiled at her, “Father Nikolay told me of the many personal connections you made last night.  He said His Beatitude was very pleased—again.  I understand you now have a new job, little ptitsa.”

        Sveta grinned.

        “I was happy to hear you defended yourself very well.  Things must change some—you understand this?”

        Sveta nodded.

        “Today, you must quit your job at the bookstore.  I regret that, but it has become necessary.  Next we must purchase clothes for daily wear.  At this moment, I don’t want to take you out of the convent.  Eventually, we may have to put you in another place.”

        “Why, Mother Abbess?  This place has become my home.”

        “I can’t let it cause a problem with the other sisters.  They will envy your clothing and your position.  I can’t allow that.”

        “Can’t we keep it secret?”

        “As long as possible.  Yes, as long as possible.”

        Sveta pursed her lips, “I don’t want to make a lie out of my life here.  Perhaps you should send me away now.”

        “Dear Svetlana, it is not a lie to keep a secret.  There is no false witness in your work.  You don’t share with everyone everything you know or everything that is happening.  This is a truth and not a lie.”

        Sveta’s mouth formed a stubborn line.

        “We lived in prisons and under torture for many years, Svetlana.  We held many secrets in our hearts and minds.  Secrets, that if discovered by the NKVD or SMERSh would have resulted in our deaths and the deaths of many of our friends and servants.  You now hold secrets in your heart.  Some are large and some are small.  Some we share with our sisters.  Some we keep to ourselves.  These secrets protect you and us.  Do you understand?”

        “Yes, Mother Abbess.”

        “Good.  Already, I have bought you dresses that are finer than anything many of our sisters have ever had.  They vow poverty, but the delights of the world are difficult to put out of their heads—especially when one servant is granted much more than they can imagine.  Today, I will buy you dresses for everyday.  They will be the clothing expected of a high Party official.  You understand why?”

        “I am to be like a high Party official.”

        “You are already a high Party official—without the paperwork.”  She laughed.  “Mother Marya is to be your helper and look after you during the day.”

        “Father Nikolay told me.  Will this disturb her?”

        “That is a very kind and astute question, Svetlana.  Mother Marya is perhaps the strongest of us all.  That is why His Beatitude selected her.  She will hold your hand while you are in the belly of the beast, but if she needs your encouragement, I am sure you will provide it to her.”

        Sveta gazed warmly at Mother Anna.

        “Come now, let’s speak to Dov Cohen and start our work today.”

Secrets again, and talk about secrets.  Usually, there is no need to write about secrets.  Secrets are secrets…until they are revealed.  There are no secrets revealed in this scene.  In this scene Mother Anna and Sveta speak about secrets.  There are secrets on top of secrets.  I will eventually show you some of them.

 

There are secrets that Mother Anna knows and that Sveta knows.  There are secrets that Sveta has no idea about, but that affect her daily.  There are secrets I haven’t shown to you about Sveta.  The world of the novel, every novel is about secrets.  Eventually, we will have a revelation of many of these secrets.

 

Apart from secrets, we learn about how Sveta will be used in her mew work.  We also learn that Marya will be with Sveta.  I haven’t shown you how Marya has been supporting Sveta.  She has been Sveta’s mainstay much as Olga was at the beginning.  I even give you a foreshadowing about Marya and the NKVD.  There is more.

 

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  

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