Writing - part x716, Writing a Novel, Fleshing Out Characters, Pathos and Other

23 December 2018, Writing - part x716, Writing a Novel, Fleshing Out Characters, Pathos and Other

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 29^th 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 30^th novel, working title Red Sonja.  I finished my 29^th 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:  Why don’t we go back to the basics and just writing a novel?  I can tell you what I do, and show you how I go about putting a novel together.  We can start with developing an idea then move into the details of the writing. 

You must have a protagonist and an antagonist. You may have a protagonist’s helper.  Then there are other characters.  Let’s talk about characters in general and then specifically. 

I’ve been writing about choosing and developing protagonists who are interesting and entertaining to your readers.  Readers like characters who they can intellectually identify with.  These are the characters who appeal to them.  If there is no intellectual connection, there is usually no connection.  We saw this by the many characters whom readers can’t share any or many characteristics, but the characters still appeal.

The perfect character should be pathos developing and appeal to the intellect of the reader.  This is the kind of character I developed for my novel Deirdre: Enchantment and the School.  There are other characteristics that appeal to readers beyond intellect.

These other characteristics can be coupled with pathos or intellect to develop even more powerful characters.  Imagine the people and the characters you like.  For example, celebrity appeals to many readers, but you have to have the right type of celebrity.  Readers dream about certain types of celebrity and it isn’t the type you might commonly imagine.

Movie and rock and roll music celebrity doesn’t necessarily appeal to readers.  Remember, think intellect.  Sports and political celebrity doesn’t necessarily appeal to readers.  Again, think intellect.  Local celebrities who gained their celebrity through pathos means or through intellect are much more powerful.  So, the poor kid who found a wallet and turned it in or returned it to the person who lost it.  The kid from across the tracks who won a scholarship.  The poor kid who sings in the choir and at every city football game. 

Music does appeal and so does acting, but not popular music, rather classical or anything that can have a touch of classical.  The person who is famous for playing in musicals in a city or town.  The person who is a classical music star.  The intellectual part helps this appeal.

H. Granger from Harry Potty is a perfect example of this.  She is a mud blood, a magical person from non-magical parents.  She is dedicated to scholarship and study, and she likes to read.  She is the perfect protagonist.  Plus she is bullied for who she is and who she isn’t.  This is a perfect type of pathos building character.  If I wrote the Harry Potty novels, H. Granger would have been my protagonist. 

If you can tie intellect to pathos and produce especially local acceptance and admiration, this is a very positive step.  For example, H. Granger from Harry Potty, is called the Witch of her Age by multiple observers.  This is a type of intellectual celebrity—admiration by adults and by those in the know.

As you develop characters accentuate the intellect and the pathos building.  These appeal in every way with readers.                     

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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