Writing - part x256, Novel Form, Plot Twist and Tension

19 September 2017, Writing - part x256, Novel Form, Plot Twist and Tension

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.  The telic flaw of this novel is essentially who is Sveta.  As Sveta learns who she really is, she must come to make some decisions.  Sveta was originally captured by a being who kept her prisoner in Berlin.  This creature incited Hitler through Eva Braun to war and atrocities.  Sveta’s purpose in life is to destroy this being.

 

The original reason Sveta and her servant Oba were heading toward the East and the Soviet Union was that Sveta was seeking this creature who caused much of the suffering in World War Two.  This creature’s name was Leila, and she was originally the Egyptian Goddess of Darkness.

 

Sveta has learned since then, that Leila when she was finished with Stalin moved further east to China.  Sveta believes Leila is influencing Mao.  Her goal now becomes one of getting to China and Mao.       

 

Here is the scene:        

 

        Sveta was distracted that morning.  She almost made Marya late for morning prayers.  She spilled kasha on her Isorassa.  Sveta was so preoccupied with her thoughts, Marya had to hurry to dress her though Mother Anna helped.  Sveta’s motorcar had to wait for her. 

        In the office, Sveta continued to be lost in her thoughts.  She cancelled all her morning meetings and sat silently at her desk.  In the late morning, Sveta made some grandiose decision, and called Marya into her office. 

        Marya glanced into the office.  She was exasperated by all the changes she had to make to Sveta’s schedule and the angry people she had to turn away.  She spoke with more irritation than she wished, “Yes, Svetlana Evgenyevna.”   

        Sveta seemed impervious.  She stared straight ahead, “Marya, I must learn to speak Chinese.  Please call my car and make the arrangements with the university.”

        “Do you want lunch?”

        “Not today.  I must go to the university—immediately.”

        Marya stared at Sveta, “Are you all right, Svetlana Evgenyevna?”

        Sveta returned a half smile, “Perfectly all right.  Do you need money for lunch, Marya?”

        Marya almost laughed.  She always carried Sveta’s money, “No, Svetlana Evgenyevna.  Aren’t I going to the university with you?”

        “You don’t need to.  I need you to keep an eye on the office.  Tell Svetlana Iosifovna to make the embassy visits this afternoon.”

        Marya didn’t know what to say for a moment, then she replied, “Will you be all right on your own?”

        “Yes, for this simple visit.”

        “Very well.”  Marya called Sveta’s automobile.  She helped her put on her cloak and hat.  Sveta almost forgot them.

This is a short transitional scene.  Although Sveta is discovering who she is, she doesn’t know entirely who she is.  She only knows she must confront and defeat Leila.  She isn’t certain how to defeat Leila or what she will do—she only knows she must prepare.  Thus, she must learn Chinese.  This is a huge foreshadowing—it will also pay off in the near term because the Soviet Union and China are both making overtures to each other.  They are both communist nations.

 

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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