Writing - part x368, Novel Form, A New Novel, Aftermath Investigation Example Initial Scene

9 January 2018, Writing - part x368, Novel Form, A New Novel, Aftermath Investigation Example Initial Scene

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:  Lady Azure Rose Wishart, the Chancellor of the Fae, supernatural detective, and all around dangerous girl, finds love, solves cases, breaks heads, and plays golf.

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.

With a protagonist, a telic flaw, a theme statement, and an initial setting, I’m ready to begin a novel.  I’ll move to the telic flaw for the novel.  Since I am going to provide the first chapter as a teaser any way, I might as well show you the initial scene.

Here is the theme statement as a reminder:

Lady Azure Rose Wishart, the Chancellor of the Fae, supernatural detective, and all around dangerous girl, finds love, solves cases, breaks heads, and plays golf.

Number one—once I’ve introduced the protagonist, I must reveal the protagonist in all her glory.  This isn’t the full glory of Lady Azure Rose Wishart, but it’s pretty close, or at least, her detective persona.  Yesterday, Azure solved the crime.  She basically used her knowledge and skills to figure out the solution to  a crime New Scotland Yard could not solve.  The crime was made up and the situations made up.  Most hopefully, the plot or the storyline of the scene makes sense and results in a suspension of disbelief for the reader.  This is exactly what I, as an author, am aiming for.  Here I continue the initial scene for Lady Wishart:

Miss Rose stepped back into the room and then out of the door.  Ms. Morris followed her.  They stood together at the side as policemen and the forensic crew the chief inspector called rushed into the room.

While they stood there, Miss Rose pulled off the forensic gloves and tossed them to the floor.  She dug in her white purse and pulled out a box of John Player Special cigarettes.  As Ms. Morris watched in horror, the young woman lit a cigarette with a gold embossed lighter and took a deep draw.

Ms. Morris licked her lips, “I’m certain smoking is not permitted in this building.”

“Don’t be shocked, Ms. Morris.  I deserve a cigarette for this one.  If it was in my contract, I’d charge you for it.  A little tobacco smoke after aeriated blood and dry ice fog won’t hurt a soul.”  Miss Rose pulled a portable ashtray from her purse and knocked the ashes into it.

Ms. Morris looked down.  She tried to keep herself a little in front of Miss Rose as the bank employees began to seek the source of the tobacco smoke.

After a few minutes, La Cross came out of the office.  He glanced at Miss Rose and Ms. Morris and scrunched up his nose. 

Before he could say anything, Miss Rose flicked the butt of her JPS into the potable ashtray and returned it to her purse, “La Cross, you owe me a Guinness, and two thousand pounds.”

The initial scene needs to be exciting and entertaining.  I think this one is exciting and entertaining.  Most of the time, you have to wait for the entire novel to have such an intricate crime be solved.  I wanted and did have it solved by Lady Wishart lickity split.

If you think back to what I have written over and over again—the initial scene must be exciting and entertaining.  It must introduce the plot and the protagonist.  It must set the novel.  This scene meets all those criteria and it isn’t complete yet.  That is, I haven’t given you the whole of it yet. 

The ultimate point of the scene is to launch the reader into the novel.  I hope that you would want to read the novel because of what you read in the initial scene.  That’s what will sell this novel to a reader or to a publisher.  If I didn’t achieve that goal of exciting you about the protagonist and the rest of the novel, then I’ve failed.

Most precisely, once I’ve hooked you on the entertainment of the initial scene—at least enough for you to buy the novel and read it, I really want you to desire to know more about the protagonist.  The protagonist is the reason for the novel and the direct point of the initial scene.  No matter what your plot might eventually be, the initial scene sets in action the revelation of the protagonist and as a quality of the protagonist, the telic flaw resolution.      

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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