21 September 2018, Writing
- part x623, Developing Skills, How to Suspend Disbelief, Feelings and Entertaining
Characters, Example
Announcement: Delay, my new novels can be seen on the internet, but my primary
publisher has gone out of business—they couldn’t succeed in the past business
and publishing environment. I'll keep you informed, but I need a new publisher. 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 29th novel, working title, Detective, potential
title Blue Rose: Enchantment and the Detective. The theme statement is: 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.
Here is the cover proposal for Blue
Rose: Enchantment and the Detective.
|
|
Cover
Proposal
|
The most important scene in any
novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising
action. I am continuing to write on my 30th novel, working
title Red Sonja. I finished my 29th novel, working
title Detective. I’m planning to start on number 31, working
title Shifter.
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 30: 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 31: TBD
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
Today: Suspension of
disbelief is the characteristic of writing that pulls the reader into the world
of the novel in such a way that the reader would rather face the world of the
novel rather than the real world—at least while reading. If this occurs while not reading, it is
potentially a mental problem. To achieve
the suspension of disbelief your writing has to meet some basic criteria and contain
some strong inspiration. If you want to
call the inspiration creativity, that works too. Here is a list of the basic criteria to hope
to achieve some degree of suspension of disbelief.
1.
Reasonably written in standard
English
2.
No glaring logical fallacies
3.
Reasoned worldview
4.
Creative and interesting topic
5.
A Plot
6.
Entertaining
7.
POV
Everything is about entertainment. The purpose for all published novels is
entertainment. Other than this is the
only point of fiction literature, one of the main reasons is that entertainment
can fill a lot of holes as well as result in the suspension of disbelief.
The factors that do lend themselves
to entertaining are these:
1.
Characters
2.
Plot
3.
Setting
4.
Topics
5.
Writing
6.
Use of figures of speech (vocabulary
and language).
How to develop entertaining
protagonists? I can’t leave the
discussion of entertaining protagonists without mentioning the romantic
character. I assert that we are still in
the Romantic Era for writing, but whether we are or aren’t, the romantic
character is the favored character of most readers. If your protagonist is a romantic character
or has romantic characteristics, this will improve the chance your readers will
find them entertaining.
So, what does a romantic character
look like? I happen to have a short
list. This isn’t a perfect list, but it
gets the basic idea. I’ll find examples
as well.
1. The common man,
innocence of humans, and childhood (children)
2. Focus on strong
senses, emotions, and feelings
3. Awe of nature
4. Celebration of the
individual and individualism
5. Importance of
imagination
I told you I would give you an example. This if from Blue Rose: Enchantment and the Detective. Azure already embarrassed Lachlann
Calloway. He has prepared a payback
dinner for her. This is what I mean by
the expression of strong senses, emotions, and feelings without telling. They are at Maxims:
The Maitre d’ stood back, “Wing Commander
Calloway, you didn’t tell us if you were celebrating a special occasion. Should we prepare something particular?”
“Nothing special, Jason. This is just a payback dinner.”
Jason smiled noncommittally, “May I bring
the Champaign?”
Lachlann smiled at Azure, “Lady Rose, do
you like Champaign?”
“I do enjoy Champaign.”
Lachlann made a sign to the Maitre d’.
Jason answered, “I’ll bring it right
away. Your server is Joanna this
evening.”
Lachlann made a sign, “You don’t need to
send her in right away. Just the
Champaign for now.”
Azure patently ignored Lachlann.
Jason returned with a bottle, opened it,
and served it. He placed it in an ice
bucket.
When the Maitre d’ left, Lachlann raised
his glass, “To the evening.”
Azure raised her glass and took a sip,
“What did you mean a payback dinner?”
“Ah, you caught that, did you?”
Azure smiled, “I don’t miss much.”
“I asked Jason to give us a little time
for a tête-à-tête.”
“For what purpose?”
“Payback, of course.”
“You are infuriating.”
“You are also, but where you intend to be
infuriating, I do not. I simply wish to
place us on an equal footing, Lady Wishart.”
Azure blanched, “What do you mean, Lady
Wishart.”
Lachlann grinned and picked up his
briefcase. He unlatched it and pulled
out a file. He placed the briefcase at
his feet and opened the file, “The last time we were together, you lambasted me
for my lack of investigational skills.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“I did dare and here is what I
discovered. You’re real name is Azure
Rose Wishart, the Lady Wishart. You are
nineteen years old. Your father embezzled
money form the Crown and is currently incarcerated. From him, you inherited your title among
other things we shall eventually get to.”
“You should stop right now. Stop immediately.”
“You did not give me that opportunity the
other night, and I shall not either. The
Lady Wishart attends Wycombe Abbey School in the Sixth Form. She is the head girl and Student Body
President and goes simply by the name Azure Rose Wishart. She is aloof and regal, but she appears to
have many friends and followers. She
plays golf for the school and is the top student. She is expected to go far.”
“That is quite enough, Wing Commander
Calloway.”
“I told you to call me Lachlann.”
“That is enough Lachlann—you needn’t go
any further.”
“But I do.
The Lady Wishart is also known as Azure Rose. She has a number of aliases including a few
male sounding names. She appears to have
some connection with New Scotland Yard under the name Azure Rose. Azure Rose drinks beer and smokes
cigarettes. She seems to have a number
of fake IDs which she uses to purchase alcohol and cigarettes. She is partial to John Player Specials.”
Azure dug into her purse. She pulled out a box of JPS and put a
cigarette between her lips. She lit it.
“Lady Wishart, that is entirely out of
character for your current persona, or are you Azure Rose at the moment.”
Azure snarled, “I need a cigarette. You don’t need to continue.”
“But I do need to continue. The woman Azure Rose has an official company
registered under the Crown called the Blue Rose Supernatural Detective
Agency. This company has formed more
than one contract with Scotland Yard. I
assume doing supernatural investigations for them.”
Azure put her hands over her ears.
“That is childish and won’t do you any
good.”
Azure put her hands back down. The fingers that held her cigarette were
trembling.
“The Lady Wishart is also known as the
Lady Rose, the Keeper of the Book. This
is her usual title. The full title is
the Lord Chancellor of the Book of the Fae.”
Azure rose to her feet, “Stop it. Stop it now.
That is quite enough. No one is
supposed to know any of this. Where did
you find this out? All of this is
classified on many levels.”
Lachlann laughed, “Most of it is not
classified at all. It is simply some of
your secrets, Lady Wishart or may I call you Azure?”
Azure pounded the table, “You may not be
so familiar with me, you detestable man.”
“Detestable? You didn’t think you were being detestable to
air my personal information at Lady Atwell’s party. Sit down this very minute, Azure.”
Azure looked to the left and right. She put her dead cigarette back into her
mouth. With decision, she sat heavily in
her chair and slumped in it, “Is that all?”
“No, there is more. Apparently, my mother thinks you are
detestable. That’s the official word in
the records. Can you tell me why?”
Azure relit her cigarette. She downed the
remaining Champaign in her glass and held it out for a refill.
Lachlann refilled it.
She took another sip, “I should
leave. I really should go.”
“You can’t, and I insist that you
not. If you do, who knows where all this
information might end up? The papers
would have a field day.”
Azure trembled. Her eyes filled, “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me.
Go, if you wish, but I have it all right here. The MIs have blacklisted you. Still, the Crown works with you. At the moment Wycombe and New Scotland Yard
have you in their good graces.” He
leaned back in his chair, “Why are you detestable to my mother and to the
intelligence structure?”
Azure was panting, “Mrs. Calloway hates me
because I charge the Fae a fee for mediating for them.”
“Why would you do that?”
Azure stood, “Do you see this dress? This jewel around my neck?”
“Yes, they are beautiful, and you are
beautiful.”
“If you know so much about me, tell me
what my childhood was like?”
Lachlann looked through his file, “When
your father was incarcerated, you lost your estate and were abandoned by your
family. You spent years in the care of
the state and in foster care. I missed
that part before.”
Azure sat and primly crossed her legs,
“That is the part you shouldn’t have missed.
I had nothing then. My father
lost his inheritance and his freedom. I
lost my home. I owned nothing except my
title, but I shall not live like that ever again. I took up the proper fees for the Keeper of
the Book. My father never would. Because of that, I have all the immediate
money I need.”
“More than enough by the looks of you.”
“Nah, not nearly enough yet. I will eventually buy back my estate and my
property. This is my goal, among
others.”
“Why does my mother hate you for that?”
“It’s more than hate—she blacklisted me
from any work in the government.”
“But you work extensively with the Crown.”
“Because they have to—they have no choice
but to accommodate me.”
“I see.
Then our conversation has begun.”
Azure sat up, “What do you mean?”
“I told you that people get to know each
other by sharing their lives and interests.
We have shared our lives, and now we can continue with some decent
conversation.” He glanced behind her,
“And here is our server right on time.”
The point in modern
writing is the expression of the senses, emotions, and feeling through showing
and not telling. The means is generally
through dialog although you can show the mind and feelings of a character
through their actions. The point of this
example is to show you how these thoughts and feelings are shown and not
told. You can get a great deal of
information about the Lady Wishart and Lachlann Calloway from this dialog. You would have gained even more information
about Lachlann Calloway from the previous scene at another Lady’s party.
The point of writing especially in this era is to show and not
tell. The point is to show the inmost
heart and thoughts of the protagonist without any telling. This is a critical aspect of modern
literature and a key skill you must learn.
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
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com
fiction, theme, plot, story, storyline, character development, scene, setting, conversation, novel, book, writing, information, study, marketing, tension, release, creative, idea, logic
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