Writing - part x275, Novel Form, Execution and Tension

8 October 2017, Writing - part x275, Novel Form, Execution 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.  Once again, how do you show the personality of your protagonist?  If you haven’t figured it out yet, the following scene will give you a direct and exact example.  This is also an example of what you don’t need to tell your readers.

 

In this scene, Sveta is showing who she really is—on one level.  There is more to her and to this.  If you notice, I don’t tell you how good or protective or generous she is—I show you.  She is good and sacrificial because she acts that way in the face of nearly certain death.

 

Sveta believes she and those who helped her will die.  She preempts the MVD and the Soviet Communist Party by moving quickly before they do.  Sveta puts their lives ahead of hers.  This is not the climax, but this is the beginning of the end.                     

 

Here is the scene:        

 

        Sveta had directed Marya to contact the people Sveta most wanted to protect.  They were all ordered to meet her that evening at her office on the top floor of the MVD.  Sveta had called Marya and Aleksandr along with others in positions of power and ability in her organization.  After her meeting with Mr. Bohlen, she returned despondently to her office.  The ones she called waited in her lobby.

        Sveta entered her office.  Marya and Aleksandr waited there for her.  Sveta did not conceal her anger, “Close the door, Marya.”

        “What’s this all about, Svetlana?”

        “Aleksandr, Marya, I have arranged with the American Embassy to save six of those who depend on me.  You two will be the first two.”

        Marya spoke quietly, “What about you?”

        “There can only be six.  I have a list of twenty.  You two plus four others.”

        Aleksandr stared at her, “I will not leave you, Sveta.”

        “Because you love me?”

        “And because you are my friend.”

        “I don’t love you, Aleksandr.  Now will you go?”

        He crossed his arms and shook his head.

        Marya walked up to Sveta, “Svetlana, I will not go either.  Call in the others.”

        Sveta was dismayed, “Why won’t you go, Marya?  I know what is wrong with this pig headed man, but why won’t you go?”

        “I have been through purges before.  I have been in the basements in this building before.  I have withstood them before, I can again.”

        “But what if they kill you, Marya?”

        “They can only kill me once, Svetlana.  If they put me there again, I can help many—that is my purpose.  That is my calling.”

        Sveta swallowed hard.  She turned and sat at her desk, “Let them each in according to the order of my list.  One at a time.”

        Marya sent them in.  Each accepted Sveta’s gift and she sent the first six in her motorcar to the American Embassy.  None of them came back.  The others still waited in the office lobby, Sveta called them in too, “I have papers for you and money.  The papers are official.  Use them if you need them.”  Sveta handed each their forged papers and a sheaf of money.  “This is my gift to you for supporting me.  I will not be in this office again.  I will try to cover your tracks with mine.  You were all faithful to me.  This is the best I can do for you.”

        Each of them thanked her and left.  They were all quiet and sullen.  They had lived through purges before, but not as the focus of them.

 

Sveta is giving her life for her friends and associates.  She is willing to give her life for their past respect.  This is who Sveta is.  It took perhaps an entire novel to fully build and reveal her character, but there is more.  There is more about Sveta that must be revealed and that must be learned.

   

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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