Writing - part x718, Writing a Novel, Fleshing Out Characters, Merry Christmas

25 December 2018, Writing - part x718, Writing a Novel, Fleshing Out Characters, Merry Christmas

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.

Today, I’ll pass you a Christmas scene from one of my novels.  Merry and Happy Christmas.  Hope you enjoy.

The day progressed with the unveiling of the tree.  All the children gathered their families’ presents to put underneath it.  Klava and Sveta arranged the presents they gave just so.  They all added their stockings to the mantle.  Klava and Sveta entertained the older children with their school tales, and later took a long walk with Kathrin and James across the Hastings estate.  In the evening, after supper, George read the Christmas story in English.  Then Robert read it in French.  Finally, Sveta and Klava stood up.  Sveta pulled out the Bible she and Klava shared.  In her slightly lisping and childish voice, Sveta read the Christmas story in classical Greek.  Many of the family in the room understood the words.  Most of them heard Lumière’s voice in her daughter’s.  Kathrin looked around to see how this affected the others.  Marie’s face was covered with tears.  Robert, Jacques, and their children were completely entranced—they understood it all.  The others just listened because of the wonderful musical words that came from Sveta’s sweet lips.  They were lilting and melodic.

Tilly’s face was filled with a look of rapture, yet Kathrin knew she did not understand Greek.  When Sveta finished reading, everyone was quiet for a long time.  Finally, Tilly perked up and started to sing a Christmas carol.  Everyone joined in, and they shared a rollicking sing until it was time for bed.

Before she went to bed, Kathrin arranged some fresh flowers from the estate greenhouse in the silver pot she brought from London.  Sveta and Klava slept with the four older girls again.  Kathrin did not toss and turn quite as much that night. 

The morning dawned with bright light.  The ground all around the estate was covered with a wonderful blanket of snow.  “Unusual,” George Hastings stated firmly as he and Jacques helped the footman and the butler gather wood and lay a large Christmas fire on the hearth.  “The weatherman predicted balmy weather with clouds and fog.”

Jacques was equally surprised, “I checked the aviation weather yesterday—I have men on alert today,” he explained.  “Your English weathermen were right; it was supposed to be above freezing with low clouds and certainly no snow.”

“Well we have a fine blanket of it today—just in time for Christmas day.”

Sveta and Klava were entranced by the snow.  The older children were too.  They were all awake early and ran off to walk and play in it before breakfast.  James went out with Sveta and Klava.  Kathrin sat in the warmth of the sunroom with Marie and George, Bruce and Tilly and ate breakfast.

After a while, James, Klava, and Sveta came into the sunroom for breakfast.  Their ears and noses were red, but their eyes were full of joy.  They had a great snowball fight and played all kinds of games in the snow.  Bruce and George brought over another table to put them all together.  James procured a large mug of coffee and, for the girls, hot chocolate.  They each ate a big breakfast.

After a little, Sveta looked up from her eggs and toast, “Mama, do you think the Blessed White Lady came by to bring us the snow?”

Marie laughed, “Who is the Blessed White Lady, dear?”

Klava lifted her head, “Our Seanair told us all about her.”

“Who is your, Seanair?”

Sveta cocked her head, “Our grandfather in Scotland.  He is our Seanair.”

“Oh, I see,” Marie smiled.  “So what did he tell you about the Blessed White Lady?  Who is she?”

Klava’s eyes were big, “Seanair told us that Ceridwen is the greatest goddess of the Scottish lands.  Ceridwen means the blessed white.  So she is the Blessed White Lady.”  She said aside, “We figured out that part ourselves,” then continued to everyone, “Seanair told us that Ceridwen is there when the land is covered in the winter by beautiful snow.”

Marie laughed, “Would Ceridwen come so far south?  Would she come just to give us snow for Christmas?”

“Seanair told us that Ceridwen is Gaelic.  She can make everything happen in all the Gaelic lands.”

Sveta whispered loudly, “This is a Gaelic land.”

They all laughed around the table.

Marie asked, “Should we thank Ceridwen for the snow?”

Klava was quite put out, “Of course not.  We should thank God for the snow.  Ceridwen works for him.  That is her purpose.”

“Perhaps, if we see her,” thought Sveta aloud.  “It was very nice for her to bring us snow for Christmas.”

James spoke up, “Perhaps, Ceridwen is celebrating the coming of the Christ child too.”

Klava and Sveta both nodded their heads in the affirmative.  Everyone laughed again.

Klava smiled broadly, “Ceridwen always celebrates the coming of children.  She is the Great Mother.”

In this piece from my novel, Children of Light and Darkness, the joke is that Kathrin is indeed Ceridwen.  The reader knows this, but most in the group don’t.

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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