Writing - part x303, Novel Form, more Solving the Unsolvable, Expectation Management and Tension

5 November 2017, Writing - part x303, Novel Form, more Solving the Unsolvable, 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’m trying to come up with examples of solutions to the impossible resolution to show how expectation management works.  At one time, in this blog, I went through all my novels and showed how I developed the climax and resolution.  I didn’t and wouldn’t go through the entire plot sequence because I didn’t want to give spoilers for my own books.  I still won’t give away the essence of the novels because that is exactly what it is.  Spoilers are spoilers because they give away the unexpected result.  These novels are what critics describe as having an unexpected climax or a twist climax or many plot twists.

 

The question for the writer is how do I write an unexpected climax?  As I noted before, the resolution of every novel is foreordained.  The telic flaw of the protagonist will be resolved no matter what (in a comedy).  The point for the author is to make the resolution of the telic flaw appear to be impossible.  I saw a rather simple example of an action based resolution.  You see similar examples in many movies with action heroes.

 

The criminal super antagonist has created an event to harm the protagonist.  At the same time, the antagonist has put a barrier of some type around the protagonist to prevent rescue.  The protagonist is dying and can’t use their powers.  The protagonist’s helpers or associates have to rescue the protagonist, or at least break through the barrier so the protagonist’s powers can work. 

 

This is a set up for the impossible expectation.  The antagonist has done everything to isolate and weaken the protagonist.  The expectation is failure for the protagonist—failure and death.  We know the protagonist must succeed, but that has suddenly become an unexpected resolution. 

 

How might the author resolve this problem?  As I noted yesterday, foreshadowing and known skills are the means.  The foreshadowing is used to relate previous skills and capabilities that could be used in a new or different way.  The relating of skills is to show skills the protagonist or protagonist’s helpers have that might be used in a new or different way.  Just like the protagonist having long ago learned lock picking skills that he uses to now unlock a door, so having learned a special skill long ago could be used to get out of the current situation.

 

Usually, the author sets up the resolution with the protagonist attempting various methods of escape.  The usual number is three, but depending on the skill and ingenuity of the author, it could be more than that.  Likewise the helpful protagonist’s helpers should make multiple attempts.  These can provide foreshadowing and point to skills.  Finally, the resolution might be accomplished by the protagonist’s helpers combining skills and abilities and working together.  Usually, their attempts result in permanent damage or irreplaceable harm, but they don’t have to.  Once the protagonist’s helpers discover a means, combining skills and abilities, to break through to the protagonist, the protagonist can now use her power to defeat the antagonist.

 

This is just one example of how to put together a unexpected resolution from one that looks impossible.  As I wrote, these are what authors work on all the time.  The solutions may be simple and obvious once explained or intricate and obvious in context.  They should not be simple and obvious.  Intricate and obvious, once they work can be used.  The author will know what seems right in context of the plot of the novel.  The above is just one example of one type of action oriented situation with a type of resolution.  There are infinite potential plots and resolutions each of which requires a similar type but different development approach.  The similarity is that the resolution must appear to be impossible.  The difference is the specific method the author designs for the resolution.  One is a characteristic of all strong plots—the other is dependent on the entire plot itself.    

 

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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