Writing - part x270, Novel Form, more Intimate Conversation and Tension

3 October 2017, Writing - part x270, Novel Form, more Intimate Conversation 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.  Sveta went with Aleksandr to visit his parents.  With the main elements of conversation complete, we can move to deeper subjects.

 

This is just more of the example of intimacy.  Vera has a problem with depression.  She has lost many children to death.  She has lived her life in isolation because of her and her husband’s belief.  She is akin to depression and speaks from direct experience.  Sveta is similar to her.  Her problems are not based on depression, but other issues.  These other issues come from the fact she can’t love herself and therefore, she believes she can’t love anyone else.            

 

Here is the scene:        

 

        When Vera awoke, Sveta sat on the edge of the bed.  She was praying again.  Vera pulled back the covers and slipped out of bed, “I hope you slept, Svetlana.”

        Sveta paused, “Yes, I slept well.  I always rise early.”

        “When you are ready, come down and help me warm the house.”  Vera put on her day dress and went downstairs.

        After only a little while, Sveta came down the steps to the kitchen.  She wore a simple dress and warm coat.  Without waiting for directions, she started helping with the breakfast work and warming the house.

        Vera paused a moment, “You have worked in a kitchen before.”

        Sveta smiled, “Are you surprised?”

        “Not really, just impressed.  You are very organized.”

        “I am used to feeding a lot of…”

        “Yes?”

        “Nothing.”

        When the smell of cooking wafted through the house, Father Kolya and Aleksandr entered the kitchen.  They went out and brought in more wood and water.  Vera and Sveta served the breakfast:  kasha, milk, and tea.  Sveta put milk in her tea—they had no sugar or saccharine.

        After breakfast, Father Kolya took them into the church and prepared for the services and prayers for the day.  Every day, he celebrated morning, noon, and evening prayer.  On Sunday, he celebrated the Eucharist.  Sveta insisted on attending every service.  The number of people in the services was amazing especially for the daily prayers.  Later, Aleksandr took Sveta into Blagoveščensk.  The markets were interesting, but there really wasn’t much to see or buy.  Aleksandr bought Sveta a puzzle box and an oriental scarf.  When she protested, he responded, “You’ve come so far.  You can’t go home with nothing.”

        In the afternoon and evening, Sveta helped Vera prepare the meals.  They all spoke together in the kitchen until late.

        The next day, Father Kolya and Aleksandr went off on business.  Vera found Sveta in the bedroom, “Are you praying again, Svetlana?”

        “I am praying.”

        “And also crying.  Why are you so sad, child?”

        Sveta said nothing.

        “You have such beautiful hair.  Let me brush it for you.”  Vera pulled Sveta’s hair down.  It fell almost to her waist.  Vera began to brush it.  Then she slowly started to braid it up again, “Your nightgown was made in the style of the Novodevichy Convent.  Your rosary is not—it is not an Orthodox rosary.  Your prayers are beautiful, Svetlana.  I can tell what you truly love.”

        “Yes, that is true.”

        “Is that why you can’t love Sasha?”

        Sveta shook her head.

        “What makes you so sad?”

        Sveta’s face was full of anguish, “I can’t love myself.”

        “Ah, that I understand very well.  Sometimes, I can’t love myself either.”

        “What do you do?”

        “I pray, like you, a lot.  I drink tea, just as I like it.  I count the blessings I have, and slowly, slowly everything comes right again.  It takes a lot of time.  Sometimes a very long time.  Will you tell me why your hair was braided in a convent style?”

        Sveta laughed through her tears, “Isn’t it obvious, I am a novice at the Novodevichy Convent.”

        “A novice?  And that isn’t why you can’t love Sasha?”

        Sveta shook her head.

        “You don’t intend to take the vows?”

        “I couldn’t become a bride of Christ for the same reasons I can’t love anyone else.”

        “Or yourself.”

        Sveta nodded.

        Vera sighed, “I am not very good as a comforter.”

        Sveta put her hand on Vera’s, “But you have comforted me.”

        “I am just a mother.”  Vera stood up and headed for the door.

        “Thank you, Vera.” Sveta returned to her rosary.

 

Sveta knows about Vera’s problems.  Vera may or may not know that Sveta understands.  In any case, Sveta seeks Vera’s help and attention.  The other women Sveta knows have conquered their problems—Mother Anna and Marya for example.  Here I can reveal more of Sveta’s personality and person and give you an idea about how she is changing and beginning to understand who she is.

   

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