Writing - part x301, Novel Form, Example of Expectation Management and Tension

3 November 2017, Writing - part x301, Novel Form, Example of Expectation Management 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.

 

For novel 30:  TBD

 

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.

 

The three types of scenes are serial, parallel, and interlaced.  Parallel and interlaced scenes are a natural setup for a secret or mystery.  I’ll give you the example scene from Deirdre.  In this scene, Sorcha’s secret is revealed.  The expectation management happened in most of the scenes preceding this one.  You can see the evidence of expectation management through the entire scene, however.  Here’s the scene:

 

When Sorcha and Deirdre returned to their table, everyone quieted and stared at Sorcha.  Chris and Tim stood for them.  Chris pulled back the chair for Deirdre.  Tim started to pull back the chair for Sorcha--the one next to Deirdre.  Sorcha touched his arm, “You may seat me properly.”  She pointed to her original chair.

Tim smiled and held it for her.

Sorcha glanced around the table.  She finished with her look by resting it in Tim’s eyes, “I would like to apologize to everyone.  I’ve been feeling under the weather tonight, and I’ve made the evening unpleasant for everyone.  I do apologize.  I’m sorry.”

Tim and everyone else around the table began to gently protest.

Sorcha raised her head in a very dignified manner, “You don’t need to overlook my unpleasantness.  I’m slightly overwhelmed about being seated at such an august table, one with such grand gentlemen and esteemed guests.”

Everyone started to politely protest again.  Tim took her hand and spoke to her.  Deirdre wanted to eavesdrop on what he said, but Chris claimed her attention, “Is everything all right now?”

Deirdre whispered to him, “No.  Nothing is right at the moment, and I’m afraid it’s all my fault.  Don’t ask why.  I can’t tell you, and don’t worry—I won’t become emotional at the moment, but I may have lost my best friend.”

Chris took her hand.  He held it in silence until the bells announced the end of the break and the return of the head table.

Except for the Headmaster, Sir Eric Anderson, the members of the head table sat.  He tapped his glass again, “Ladies and Gentlemen, you may be seated.”

Everyone sat.  Sorcha appeared somewhat herself.  Deirdre couldn’t hold her own back straight—she leaned forward slightly.  She garnered a few ugly looks from around the table, and finally, slowly sat up straight.

The Headmaster continued, “As is our tradition, we announce our schools’ top award winners during this event.  The ladies are always first, because they are our special guests.  To announce the awards for Wycombe Abbey I give you Judith Mary Goodland, Headmistress.”

The Headmaster held her chair, and the woman beside him stood.  She pulled out a piece of paper and moved around the front of the head table.  An instructor, the vice headmistress moved forward with a handful of blue folders. 

The headmistress began with the upper sixth form and moved down the list to the ninth level. That was the youngest allowed to attend the Annual Ball.  She announced the top girls for each class and level.  With the announcement of each girl’s name, they moved from the front tables to accept a blue folder from the vice headmistress.  At the end of each class and level, she also announced the girls who had made first in athletic competition.  During the announcements, ragged cries of encouragement, congratulations, and applause peppered the conclave as each girl stood to accept her award.

When she arrived at level ten, the room seemed to still.  Or at least Deirdre thought it did.  The headmistress paused and glanced at her list more than once.  Her face showed an obvious perplexity.  She cleared her throat, “I have the distinct honor of announcing the name of a young woman who is entirely unfamiliar to me.  In the tenth level, the top honor for grades in this semester goes to Ms. Sorcha Weir.  Ms. Weir please step forward to receive your award.  I would very much like to make your acquaintance.”

Sorcha shuffled at her place.  Every eye at their table turned to her. She let out a great sigh.  Tim stood beside her seat.  He was beaming.  She stood a little slowly but moved around their table and to the front.  When she arrived before the Headmistress, Ms. Goodland took her hand and held it fast.  Sorcha raised her eyes to the lady.  The vice headmistress tried to hand the award folder to Sorcha and the Headmistress.  They both ignored her.  The Headmistress studied Sorcha for a long moment then stated, “In addition to top student in this semester, Ms. Weir also has the distinct honor of being the first in shooting in pistol with Eton’s competition team and the first in foil for Wycombe’s fencing team.”  She squinted at Sorcha as if trying to resolve some inconsistency within her own mind, “What an interesting girl.” 

The Headmaster stood and called, “Gentlemen of Eton.  It is a rare event that a young and beautiful woman would compete and beat us at our own sport.  I would like to add my congratulations to Ms. Weir.  Top in her class and top in pistols and foil.”

The Provost Marshall stood, “Headmaster.  Is it out of place to offer a toast to Ms. Weir?”

The Headmaster nodded, “Indeed.  I would like to offer her a toast on her own, that would certainly put you young gentlemen in your places.”

Everyone laughed.

The Headmaster continued, “We will instead offer a toast to all these honored woman when their awards are complete.  Just don’t forget, lads, the level of competition these ladies represent.”

The Provost Marshall returned to his seat, and the Headmaster sat.

While this was going on, Sorcha couldn’t enjoy it.  The Headmistress and the vice headmistress were whispering to her. 

Sorcha kept her eyes and back straight.  She accepted the three folders one white with the Eton seal on it, the other two in Wycombe’s blue and seal.

When she returned to her chair, she smiled at the table and scowled at Deirdre.

Everyone congratulated her.

 

Sorcha’s secret is out of the bag.  The headmistress wants to speak to her about it, and then everything will come out.  Between now and then Sorcha and Deirdre will have to solve the problem that is unsolvable.  I’ll leave it at that.

 

The point is that inventing, developing, and using secrets and mysteries in novels are the main means for entertainment.  As an author, we build up secrets that are managed until they are revealed.  They should always be revealed.  In real life not every secret is revealed.  That’s okay for the real world, but in novels, the purpose for secrets is entertainment and the power of secrets is their revelation.  That’s just the way the world is.

 

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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