Writing - part xx025 Writing a Novel, Background then Names

28 October 2019, Writing - part xx025 Writing a Novel, Background then Names

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 websites 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:  Deirdre and Sorcha are redirected to French finishing school where they discover difficult mysteries, people, and events. 

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. 

To start a novel, I picture an initial scene.  I may start from a protagonist or just launch into mental development of an initial scene.  I get the idea for an initial scene from all kinds of sources.  To help get the creative juices flowing, let’s look at the initial scene. 

1.     Meeting between the protagonist and the antagonist or the protagonist’s helper

2.     Action point in the plot

3.     Buildup to an exciting scene

4.     Indirect introduction of the protagonist

Perhaps I should go back and look again at the initial scene—maybe, I’ll cover that again as part of looking at the rising action.  The reason is that I’m writing a rising action in a novel right now.

That gets us back to the protagonist—complexity makes the protagonist and the telic flaw one and the same. 

I wrote that I don’t use outlines, and I told you I would tell you what I use instead of an outline, but I forgot to tell you.  So let’s look at that today.  This is all related to the protagonist and the telic flaw.

The novel is a revelation of the protagonist.  The telic flaw is connected directly to the protagonist.  The plot is the revelation of the telic flaw.  This connects the protagonist to the plot and the telic flaw.  The point is that to plan a novel, I simply need to plan the revelation of the protagonist.  To accomplish this, you need to develop a protagonist.

When I write you develop your protagonist, you write notes about:

1.     Name

2.     Background

3.     Education

4.     Appearance

5.     Work

6.     Wealth

7.     Skills

8.     Mind

9.     Likes

10.  Dislikes

11.  Opinions

12.  Honor

13.  Life

14.  Thoughts

15.  Telic flaw

I usually start with the physical description before I put on a name.  In fact, I accomplish a lot of character design before I give the protagonist a name.  The reason is that as a classical writer, I try to match the name to my characters.  There is much more than just matching the name.

If you have any desire to produce a historically relevant novel, you must ensure the names of your characters fit their background and time and place.  If you were to name a character in a novel set in 1900, Starship or Spacesuit, you would not be writing a historically accurate novel.  These words and names did not exist at that time.  Perhaps these aren’t the best example, there are many others.   Or if you were to name a character in the modern era, Jezebel or Judas—in fact, these names are so filled with historical issues, you can’t use them to name anyone unless you are writing an allegory or they are a heinous villain whose villainy is not obvious.  The name of every character should, and I would say must be based on the character, background, and appearance.  For this reason, before you put a name on a character and especially the protagonist, you must define the background of the protagonist.  I also argue, you should define many other ideas about the protagonist to match the name to the protagonist.  Let’s talk about my character Essie.

Essie, is the protagonist of my novel Essie: Enchantment and the Aos Si.  Essie is the girl who is discovered naked in Mrs. Lyons’ pantry.  Essie appears as a teen girl.  Mrs. Lyons takes Essie as about fifteen and decides to rehabilitate her.  Essie doesn’t need rehabilitation as much as she needs to reconcile herself to her place because Essie is a creature of the Fae and unintentionally at war with the chief deity in the Celtic lands.  Essie is the Aos Si.  The Aos Si is a Fae creature in Celtic history who is somewhat human, but wholly Fae, and who has incredible powers—powers that she will not use.  The name Essie comes from the name Aos Si. 

The Celtic pronunciation of Aos Si sounds very much like Essie.  Mrs. Lyons decides to call the Aos Si Essie because of the sound of the name.  I relate this in the novel.  Essie’s family name is Lyons—obviously Mrs. Lyons gives Essie her last name.  The novel is set at the end of the 20^th Century in Britain.  Essie isn’t necessarily a common name, but it is a normal name in the time. 

So, here is the ultimate point of the name Essie.  It is based on what and who she is—the Aos Si.  It is based on the sound of the pronunciation of her name.  The name fits in the time and place and her family name is a usual name in Britain.  In fact, the use of Lyons as a name is fundamentally set in time and place in Britain.  Lyons is not super common, but it has historical antecedents and meanings.  There is the whole point in developing Essie Lyons’ name.  Her name fits who and what she is, and her state as a foundling and foster child. 

This is just one example, I can provide you with many more.  How about Lady Wishart. 

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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