Writing - part x397, Novel Form, Designing a Plot from a Character, Using Zero to Hero, Plot Examples, Dana-ana

7 February 2018, Writing - part x397, Novel Form, Designing a Plot from a Character, Using Zero to Hero, Plot Examples, Dana-ana

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.

With a single scene—the initial scene (along with the characters, setting, and the telic flaw), you have enough to write an entire novel.  This was the wonderful discovery I made by the time I wrote my eighth novel. 

In writing thirty novels, this is what I’ve discovered about developing a plot:

1.       Protagonist and setting are used to design an exciting and entertaining

2.      Initial scene which provides a

3.      Scene output and a theme question based on the telic flaw of the protagonist

a.      The scene output leads to the next scene

b.      The theme question provides a basis for the plot

4.      The scene outline provides the continuing scenes and the theme question focuses the plot

5.      Resolving the theme question (telic flaw) resolves the plot

Today:  If I have a romantic character who is pathos building, I can build a plot based on the revelation of the protagonist.  This is flat out how I write a novel.  I do want to write a little more about protagonists and characters in general.  I’m going to put this plot development method into an outline form like the above.

1.      Develop a great protagonist (romantic and pathetic)

2.      Determine a zero point for the protagonist

3.      Determine a hero point for the protagonist

4.      Figure a means (plot) to get the protagonist first to zero and then to hero

5.      Determine a telic flaw that conjoins the plot and the protagonist’s development from zero to hero

Let’s move to Dana-ana: Enchantment of the Maiden.

I’m not sure I should state Byron or Dana-ana as the protagonist for Dana-ana.  The novel and telic flaw is Dana-ana’s but the novel is seen through Byron’s Point of View.  Let’s go with Dana-ana. 

Dana-ana starts in a zero state.  She is a bullied and abused girl in a Sothern High School.  Her clothing is worn out, she snags food from the garbage, she will not speak, she has no friends, but she does her work and assignments.  This is the state Byron finds Dana-ana in.  He is a relatively new student to the High School.  When Dana-ana is abused, Byron rescues her.  He also finds that she can speak, only she is required to give the other person a welcoming ceremony.  This is all at odds with Byron’s understanding of the world.  In any case, Byron brings Dana-ana home and his family eventually takes her in.  This is where things get really strange.  Byron’s father almost immediately recognizes Dana-ana’s actions as those of an ancient Anglo-Saxon person.  Is Dana-ana crazy, a time traveler, an alien?  The mystery of who is Dana-ana is the telic flaw of the novel.  To be most precise, the reason for Dana-ana to act and be who she is, is the telic flaw of the novel.  This telic flaw leads some to plot to kill her and still others to protect her. 

The hero state for Dana-ana is that she overcomes the threat to her new family because of who she is, and she is accepted in her place with that family—Byron’s family.

You can see, I developed a great protagonist.  She is really pathos building and at a very low point in her life.  I don’t have to make her any lower although in the novel she is brought lower—that’s part of a good plot.  The hero point is her acceptance in this family.  There are some deep and ancient connections between Dana-ana and Byron’s family.  This is a subtle hero state, but that’s the kind I like to write about. 

The means of moving from zero to hero is the solution of the mystery of who is Dana-ana.  This is almost the entire novel.  Throughout, no one, not even the reader knows just who Dana-ana is.  I drop hints and puzzle pieces throughout.  Eventually, the who of Dana-ana is revealed in the resolution of the novel—the telic flaw is revealed and then Dana-ana is in the hero state.

As I wrote before, I developed Dana-ana from the initial scene, but this method for plot development also could have defined the novel.          

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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