Writing - part x261, Novel Form, more Secrets and Tension

24 September 2017, Writing - part x261, Novel Form, more Secrets 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: who is Sveta?  This is a mystery and a secret.  In this scene, we see that others are beginning to notice and realize who is Sveta.  Even if Sveta doesn’t know herself—someone knows.

 

If you remember, the Harrimans were ambassadors to the Soviet Union from the USA.  They knew Sveta very well.  They also met Marie Bolang who is Sveta’s sister.  Marie is living with Mr. and Mrs. Lyons in London.  Mr. Lyons is the head of a special intelligence organization.  He has access to language and political intelligence from the Soviet Union.  He can find out almost anything as long as it is known.          

 

Here is the scene:        

 

        Bruce Lyons returned to his house in London with a large packet under his arm.  Tilly and Marie rushed down the stairs.  He received a big kiss from Tilly and a kiss on the cheek from Marie.  He held up the manila colored package meaningfully.

        “Is that the information?” Tilly asked.

        “Might be,” Bruce answered.  “I’d like a cigarette, to read the paper, and a Scotch whisky before I have to explain anything.”

        “Very well,” Tilly gave him a look, “It’s just…we’ve waited so long.”

        “Then a little longer won’t make any difference.”

        They did wait until after dinner.  At the table, after dessert, Bruce Lyons pulled out the packet again, “Are you ready to know the truth—or at least the best my operatives can tease out about this woman, Svetlana Evgenyevna Kopylova?”

        “Yes, please,” mouthed Tilly and Marie together.

        “Very well.  Here it all is.”  He pushed the dishes back and opened the package.  There were many photographs and lots of printed material.  “You don’t have to read it all.  I have, and here is the synopsis.”  He paused for a long time until Tilly and Marie both complained, “All right.  Here it is.  Svetlana Evgenyevna Kopylova was injured in Berlin during the war.  She had extensive damage to her lungs, legs, and right arm.  We understand the injury was caused by an antitank weapon during the last stages of the siege of Berlin.”

        “Why was she in Berlin?” Marie looked up from the pictures on the table.

        “The Soviet tale is that she was brought there by the Germans as a sex slave and escaped.”

        “How horrible.”

        “That may not be the whole story.  They think she is Russian.”

        “Why?”

        “She speaks perfect Moscow Russian.  We haven’t been able to piece anything together beyond that.  A Jewish writer brought her to Moscow from Berlin.  She lived with his family for a while.  The Jew took her to a convent.”

        “Why?”

        “Our report doesn’t say.  There are some indications of lasting injuries—perhaps mental.”

        “Poor Lumière.”

        “Her paperwork is perfect.”

        “What does that mean?”

        “It meets all Soviet criteria.  They think she is fully Soviet.”

        “That is good for her?”

        “Bad for our theory—if there were questions, that might be more indicative.”

        “It might be possible to get perfect papers—right?”

        “Possible, very difficult.”

        “What else is there?”

        “She started acting as a translator for His Beatitude, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.”

        “The Orthodox Church?”

        “The same.  From there, the NKVD, the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs, and SMERSh, the Counterintelligence Directorate became interested in her translation skills.  Apparently, she speaks languages perfectly with no accent and understands them like a native.”

        “That would be Lumière.”

        “The NKVD hired her and set up a special office for her called Embassy Relations.  She was essentially a spy inside the embassies.  A very good one according to the embassy staff we talked to.  Somehow she gained Stalin’s attention.  Pravda calls her Stalin’s Little Ptitsa.”

        “What’s that mean?”

        “His little bird.  Stalin was also impressed by her skills.  He made her his personal translator and put her in charge of a new directorate in the new MVD, the Special Directorate for International Understanding.  Marvelous the names the Soviets give their agencies—isn’t it?  She manages all the offices she previously controlled, all the Soviet translators, and the university language programs.”  Bruce paused for a long moment, “Marie, I want you to think about this with me very carefully.”

        “When you say that, I’m always afraid it means I will be very unhappy.”

        “You may be, but contemplate this.  Whether this person is Lumière or not, this woman has acquired power in the Soviet Union.  She is a member of the Communist Party.  She is the head of a Soviet directorate.  She has the ear and the approval of Stalin.  If it is Lumière, how difficult would it be to spirit her away?”

        Marie looked down at the table, “Impossible.”

        “If she wanted to leave, how difficult?”

        “Impossible.”

        “How much effect do you think this woman has on the Soviet Union and all the nations it works with?”

        Marie looked up into his eyes, “I suspect she has a lot of effect.”

        “She has connections with the Orthodox Church, the Jewish community, and the MVD.  This woman is powerful and can act with incredible power.  You can say nothing about this, but we know from the Americans, she helped get a very important Jewish manuscript out of the Soviet Union.”

        Bruce pulled Marie close to him.  Tilly put her arms around Marie’s shoulders.  Bruce murmured to her, “Marie, even if we wanted to, I don’t think we could get her out alive.  She might not want to leave.  She might see the work she is doing as beneficial to many.  It might be better to imagine she is not Lumière.  To imagine she is just whom the Soviets believe her to be.”

        Marie tried hard not to cry, “What about mother and father?”

        Tilly pulled her closer, “For them, Lumière is dead.  If we bring up this hope, this false hope, what do you think that would do to them?  What has it done to you?”

        “I loved her so much, Tilly.”

        “I loved Lumière too.  I loved her like a daughter.  What do you think we should do?”

        A few gentle sobs escaped Marie’s lips, “This is so hard for my heart, Aunt Tilly, but I know what we must do.  We must keep this our secret.  Mother must not know.  Mother must not suppose.  Lumière is dead for her and for father.  She is dead, and she should remain in her grave.  Anything else is too horrible to contemplate.”   

        Bruce quietly choked, “She might not even be Lumière.”

        Marie glanced up at him and fell weeping into Bruce and Tilly’s arms.  After a while, Tilly helped her up the stairs and into bed.

 

Now we are talking.  No confirmation, only conjecture.  The reader knows this is Lumière.  Bruce, Tilly, and Marie know this is Lumière.  They know and they can do nothing about it.  The important thing is, they know.

 

The power of this is we have a long term set up foreshadowing.  I will not tell you where the foreshadowing will lead, but you might be able to figure it out.  The important point is that someone and the reader knows.  This is a great secret that few would believe and fewer would accept.  Not even Sveta understands as much as the reader, Tilly, Bruce, and Marie.

 

This is a very powerful development in the novel and sets it up for the climax and the resolution.

 

I will mention this.  One of my prepub readers did not like the fact that Tilly, Bruce, and Marie decided together to keep this secret from their family and others.  I think I would.  Especially in light of the business I have been in and the business they are in—secrets are best kept close.  

   

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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