Writing - part x263, Novel Form, Internal Tension

26 September 2017, Writing - part x263, Novel Form, Internal 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.  If you remember, I’ve written about internal and external telic flaws.  The external telic flaw is the obvious external situation that the protagonist must reconcile in the climax of the novel.  The external telic flaw in this novel is the rescue of Sveta and the return to who she really is.  The internal telic flaw is basically about who Sveta really is.  In the novel, both must be reconciled.

 

This scene illustrates the conflict inside of Sveta.  In a poorly written novel, all this would be written in the minds of the characters.  This is a means of revealing the mind of a character by showing.  Remember show don’t tell.  In this scene, Sveta reveals why she won’t accept Aleksandr’s romantic love.          

 

Here is the scene:        

 

        Marya said nothing to Sveta.  In the morning, she found that Mother Anna, Mother Marya, and Father Nikolay waited for her in Mother Anna’s office.  When she walked in Mother Anna stated, “Svetlana, sit down.  We need to talk.”

        “Mother Abbess, I don’t wish to speak about it.”

        “This is very important to all of us.”

        “It is time for me to dress, and if Father Nikolay stays here, he may be embarrassed.”

        Mother Anna caught Sveta’s hands, “Svetlana, listen to me.  We don’t oppose the attentions of this young man.”

        “But I do.  I have not encouraged them.”

        “But he is persistent.”

        “Yes, he is very persistent, and he says, he loves me.” 

        Mother Anna led Sveta to the chair beside her desk, “He says he loves you?”

        Sveta gave a half laugh, half sob, “As though anyone could love me.”

        “Why not Svetlana?”

        She wiped her eyes vigorously, “No one can love me.”

        “We all love you, Svetlana.”

        “That is different.  This is something deep in my heart and soul.  It is a taint that nothing can remove.”  She gazed around at them, “It doesn’t touch my love of God.  It affects the way others should see me.”

        “But we love you, Svetlana.”

        “Because you don’t know me.  There are secrets, horrible secrets locked in my heart that God would not want me to reveal to anyone.”

        “God will forgive your every sin.”

        “My secrets are not sins—they are power.”

        Father Nikolay put his hands on her shoulders, “Svetlana, you don’t need to say anything else.”  He crouched at her side, “This young man is Orthodox.  He goes to my church every Sunday.  You may not love him, but you might find he is a friend.  You can trust him.  You might find some protection in knowing him.  The MVD is a dangerous place, and he is well versed in the university and the Gulag.  Yes, I know all about his parents.  You might check out his dossier.  If I were your father, I would tell you to continue as friends and use him as cover.  You can communicate with me through him, and listen to me carefully…I will say it again, you can use him as cover.”

        “I think I understand.”

        “Good.”

        Mother Marya stood, “It is time to get ready for our day at the MVD.”

        Father Nikolay stood, “I’m off to my church before my MVD deacon locks me out.”

 

To a degree, Sveta doesn’t want to acknowledge who she is.  She doesn’t believe others can love her because she doesn’t love herself. This will come out more directly in the future.  This is a foreshadowing of that specific event and revelation.  Many readers who are astute about people and personalities will get this already.

 

There are a few jokes in this scene.  Many of them are simply the tension and release of the scene.  This is about Sveta’s supposed interrogation about Aleksandr—that’s what she thinks.  In reality, her friends are giving her latitude to love Aleksandr if she wishes.

 

This is part of the heartache of this novel.  Aleksandr loves Sveta.  Sveta would like to love Aleksandr.  She doesn’t believe she is allowed to—that is in the scheme of life.   

   

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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