25 September 2017, Writing
- part x262, Novel Form, Problems 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 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 tension and release in a scene.
This example is from Shadow of
Darkness an Ancient Light novel. Sveta is slowly discovering who she was and
is. She seems to be a person of strong
control and growing into one of great power.
She has her own problems like anyone else. The problem with problems in people with
great responsibilities is that they can blow out of control in proportion to
the importance of an event.
Here we have the typical problem for
translators. When a term or a euphemism isn’t
fully understood and the response or translation is incorrect. I’ve used this before, but usually Sveta is
the one correcting. Here we see a
difference and a different side of Sveta.
Here is the scene:
Pleasantly, Andrei Zhdanov drank himself to death in August,
and the still warm days of September 1948 allowed easy access and travel for
their Chinese visitors. As a result of Zhdanov Zhdanov Zhdanov Ukraine
Sveta took Marya with her.
After they arrived, she sent her motorcar back for Aleksandr at the
university. When Stalin made his
appearance, Sveta came immediately to his side.
He smiled at her, “Good evening, Little Ptitsa. We have Chinese guests tonight. I’m not sure you will be able to help us.”
“Don’t worry Comrade Stalin, I have made
arrangements.”
“Very good. Now my Little Ptitsa, I want you to meet
Comrade Khrushchev. Comrade, this is Svetlana
Evgenyevna Kopylova. She is my Little
Ptitsa—perhaps the best translator and representative we have.” Stalin looked meaningfully at Khrushchev.
Nikita Khrushchev seemed indifferent. He was an ugly man with large features and a
bald head. His very appearance gave the
impression of brashness and stubbornness.
He stepped up to Sveta, “Very nice to meet you Comrade Kopylova.”
Sveta smiled. Nothing
seemed to make an impression on the man.
Out of the corner of her eye, Sveta saw Marya direct Aleksandr toward
her. When Aleksandr stepped up beside
her, Sveta turned back to Stalin and Khrushchev, “Comrades, this is Associate
Professor Aleksandr Nikolayevich Diakonov from the University of Moscow
Stalin smiled at the professor. Khrushchev only scowled.
When the leaders turned away, in Chinese, Aleksandr whispered
to her, “I made a good impression?”
Sveta returned in the same language, “A smile from Stalin is
as good as life. About Khrushchev, I
don’t know.”
They did not have long to speak, the Chinese delegation moved
toward their position. Liu Shaoqi was
long-faced with a large nose. His hair
was swept back from his forehead.
Stalin and Liu Shaoqi shared pleasantries, and Sveta translated for
them. When Sveta began to speak, Liu
Shaoqi stared in surprise. Stalin also
raised his brow. After a few moments, Liu
Shaoqi pointed at Sveta, “Who is this?”
Stalin smiled, “My Little Ptitsa, Svetlana Evgenyevna
Kopylova.”
“She speaks Chinese with great
skill. Was she born in China
Stalin laughed, “Our language education,
which Svetlana Evgenyevna directs, is the reason for her skill.”
Liu’s brow raised, “Surely, a very well
developed program.”
The conversation continued without
anymore references to Sveta, and the party moved to dinner. At dinner, Sveta sat across from the Soviet
leaders and the Chinese delegation. Aleksandr sat
next to her. His gaze assured Sveta of
her careful mastery of the language. The
Chinese contingent seemed equally pleased.
Everything went well until near the end. Stalin had made a comment about the American
actions in regard to the Nationalist Chinese.
The statement was potentially inflammatory on many levels. Liu replied with a complex sequence of words
Sveta had not heard before. Sveta knew
the words, but she didn’t understand their context or their full meaning. She didn’t speak for so long, Stalin was
about to say something.
Aleksandr quickly responded for her. Sveta flushed and hid her mouth with her
napkin. Nothing like this had ever
happened to her. She had never been
confused by a clear statement in any language.
She knew Liu’s statement had been a complex modified metaphor, but she
should have been able to decipher it.
She almost missed the Soviet leader’s response. She replied too quickly before she could
reflect on the statement appropriately.
Liu and the Chinese party stiffened.
Aleksandr immediately replied to them with the correct words, and the
Chinese immediately relaxed. At the end
of the state dinner as the guests were leaving, Sveta apologized to the Chinese
party, “I am sorry Comrade Liu, my grasp of your language still requires the
help of my teacher, Professor Diakonov.”
She bowed.
Liu stared at Sveta, then at Aleksandr, “If you are the pupil
and this the teacher, then he is surely a very fine teacher indeed. Good evening to you Little Ptitsa.”
The moment, the Soviet leaders left, Sveta ran out of the
Kremlin onto Red Square . She ignored her motorcar—it was stuck in the
line of vehicles before the buildings, and rushed past the checkpoints. Aleksandr followed after her, and at the
street called to her, “Where are you going?”
Sveta didn’t reply. Aleksandr
easily caught up to her. She could not
run fast. The best she could do was a
hopping jog. It was late and the streets
were almost empty. She gritted her teeth
for a while and finally burst out, “Why are you following me?”
“You might need me to help you when you decide it is time for
you to go home.”
She stopped suddenly and struck his chest with both hands, “I
needed you tonight. I hate you.”
Aleksandr’s voice was confused, “You needed me, and I was
there for you.”
Sveta’s speech was raw with emotion. Sveta punctuated her statements with her
fists, “I always need help. I would have
died, but Vasily saved me. They would
have sent me to a people’s asylum, but Father Nikolay saved me. I would have gone crazy, but Mother Marya
saved me. Everyone is saving me. I hate it.”
She turned her face away, “I have one skill and one skill only. I don’t want anyone to have to save me, yet I
find in this one thing, the one thing I can do, I still need saving.”
Aleksandr grabbed her shoulders, “I am willing to save you
any time, Svetlana Evgenyevna.”
“But what if I don’t want to be saved?”
“Then that is the time when you most need my help. I love you Svetlana
Evgenyevna. I am willing to die for you.” Aleksandr pulled her face close to his and
kissed her. Sveta let him. For a moment, she melted in his arms. Then she pushed him away and lowered her head.
“What’s wrong, Svetlana Evgenyevna?”
“Such pleasures are denied me.” She glanced up into his eyes then looked
straight ahead, “Marya watches from the car.
She is waiting to pick me up.”
“Can we speak later?”
She spat the words out, “Later?” Then more controlled, “Later? Soon, you must begin my lessons in
Cantonese.” She pushed away from him and
stepped to the curb. Her car came up,
and Aleksandr
opened the door. Marya glared from the
other side of the back seat. Sveta
touched his arm, “The university is a long walk from here. I will send the car back for you.”
Aleksandr
is infatuated with Sveta. Sveta believes
she is denied such pleasures as love.
This will be a recurrent theme for her and her personality through this
and the next novel. Sveta is a very
powerful person who doesn’t want to accept help. Aleksndr is not usually bold and many times
unready, but he is skilled in his own way.
Sveta
is a warrior, and Aleksandr is an academic.
There
are other issues suddenly set in motion by this scene. Marya saw the kiss. There will be problems for Sveta based on that. Khrushchev was also introduced in this
scene. He is not as high as Beria, but
obviously is making his move in the Kremlin.
By
the way, this is an account of a real meeting and dinner party held in the
Kremlin at this time. The leaders I
represented in the scene were there for the reasons I noted. This is what makes historical fiction
powerful and exciting.
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
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
No comments:
Post a Comment