25 December 2021, Writing - part xx814 Writing a Novel, Using School Setting Plots in Scenes, Example Two
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 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: Deirdre
and Sorcha are redirected to French finishing school where they discover
difficult mysteries, people, and events.
For Novel 32: Shiggy
Tash finds a lost girl in the isolated Scottish safe house her organization
gives her for her latest assignment: Rose Craigie has nothing, is alone, and
needs someone or something to rescue and acknowledge her as a human being.
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
Ideas. We need
ideas. Ideas allow us to figure out the
protagonist and the telic flaw. Ideas
don’t come fully armed from the mind of Zeus.
We need to cultivate ideas.
1.
Read novels.
2. Fill your mind with good stuff—basically the stuff you want
to write about.
3. Figure out what will build ideas in your mind and what will
kill ideas in your mind.
4. Study.
5. Teach.
6. Make the catharsis.
7.
Write.
The development of ideas is based on study and research, but
it is also based on creativity. Creativity
is the extrapolation of older ideas to form new ones or to present old ideas in
a new form. It is a reflection of
something new created with ties to the history, science, and logic (the
intellect). Creativity requires
consuming, thinking, and producing.
If we have filled our mind with all kinds of information and
ideas, we are ready to become creative.
Creativity means the extrapolation of older ideas to form new ones or to
present old ideas in a new form.
Literally, we are seeing the world in a new way, or actually, we are
seeing some part of the world in a new way.
I’ve worked through creativity and the protagonist. The ultimate point is that if you properly
develop your protagonist, you have created your novel. This moves us on to plots and initial
scenes. As I noted, if you have a
protagonist, you have a novel. The
reason is that a protagonist comes with a telic flaw, and a telic flaw provides
a plot and theme. If you have a
protagonist, that gives you a telic flaw, a plot, and a theme. I will also argue this gives you an initial
scene as well.
So, we worked extensively on the protagonist. I gave you many examples great, bad, and
average. Most of these were from
classics, but I also used my own novels and protagonists as examples. Here’s my plan.
1.
The protagonist comes with a telic
flaw – the telic flaw isn’t necessarily a flaw in the protagonist, but rather a
flaw in the world of the protagonist that only the Romantic protagonist can
resolve.
2.
The telic
flaw determines the plot.
3. The telic flaw determines the theme.
4. The telic flaw and the protagonist determines the initial
scene.
5. The protagonist and the telic flaw determines the initial
setting.
6. Plot examples from great classic plots.
7. Plot examples from mediocre classic plots.
8. Plot examples from my novels.
9. Creativity and the telic flaw and plots.
10.
Writer’s
block as a problem of continuing the plot.
Every great or good protagonist comes with their own telic
flaw. I showed how this worked with my
own writing and novels. Let’s go over it
in terms of the plot.
This is all about the telic flaw. Every protagonist and every novel must come
with a telic flaw. They are the same
telic flaw. That telic flaw can be external,
internal or both.
We found that a self-discovery telic flaw or a personal
success telic flaw can potentially take a generic plot. We should be able to get an idea for the plot
purely from the protagonist, telic flaw and setting. All of these are interlaced and bring us our
plot.
For a great plot, the resolution of the telic flaw has to be
a surprise to the protagonist and to the reader. This is both the measure and the goal. As I noted before, for a great plot, the
author needs to make the telic flaw resolution appear to be impossible, but
then it becomes inevitable in the climax.
There is much more to this.
I evaluated the plots from the list of 112 classics and
categorized them according to the following scale:
Overall (o) – These are the three overall plots we defined above:
redemption, achievement, and revelation.
Achievement (a) – There are plots that fall under the idea of the
achievement plot.
Quality (q)
– These are plots based on a personal or character quality.
Setting (s)
– These are plots based on a setting.
Item (i)
– These are plots based on an item.
I looked at each novel and pulled out the plot types, the telic flaw,
plotline, and the theme of the novel. I didn’t make a list of the themes,
but we identified the telic flaw as internal and external and by plot
type. This generally gives the plotline.
Overall (o)
1. Redemption (o) – 17i, 7e, 23ei, 8 – 49%
2. Revelation (o) –2e, 64, 1i – 60%
3. Achievement (o) – 16e, 19ei, 4i, 43 – 73%
Achievement (a)
1. Detective or mystery (a) – 56, 1e – 51%
2. Revenge or vengeance (a) –3ie, 3e, 45 – 46%
3. Zero to hero (a) – 29 – 26%
4. Romance (a) –1ie, 41 – 37%
5. Coming of age (a) –1ei, 25 – 23%
6. Progress of technology (a) – 6 – 5%
7. Discovery (a) – 3ie, 57 – 54%
8. Money (a) – 2e, 26 – 25%
9. Spoiled child (a) – 7 – 6%
10. Legal (a) – 5 – 4%
11. Adultery (qa) – 18 – 16%
12. Self-discovery (a) – 3i, 12 – 13%
13. Guilt or Crime (a) – 32 – 29%
14. Proselytizing (a) – 4 – 4%
15. Reason (a) – 10, 1ie – 10%
16. Escape (a) – 1ie, 23 – 21%
17. Knowledge or Skill (a) – 26 – 23%
18. Secrets (a) – 21 – 19%
Quality (q)
1. Messiah (q) – 10 – 9%
2. Adultery (qa) – 18 – 16%
3. Rejected love (rejection) (q) – 1ei, 21 –
20%
4. Miscommunication (q) – 8 – 7%
5. Love triangle (q) – 14 – 12%
6. Betrayal (q) – 1i, 1ie, 46 – 43%
7. Blood will out or fate (q) –1i, 1e, 26 – 25%
8. Psychological (q) –1i, 45 – 41%
9. Magic (q) – 8 – 7%
10. Mistaken identity (q) – 18 – 16%
11. Illness (q) – 1e, 19 – 18%
12. Anti-hero (q) – 6 – 5%
13. Immorality (q) – 3i, 8 – 10%
14. Satire (q) – 10 – 9%
15. Camaraderie (q) – 19 – 17%
16. Curse (q) – 4 – 4%
17. Insanity (q) – 8 – 7%
18. Mentor (q) – 12 – 11%
Setting (s)
1. End of the World (s) – 3 – 3%
2. War (s) – 20 – 18%
3. Anti-war (s) –2 – 2%
4. Travel (s) –1e, 62 – 56%
5. Totalitarian (s) – 1e, 8 – 8%
6. Horror (s) – 15 – 13%
7. Children (s) – 24 – 21%
8. Historical (s) – 19 – 17%
9. School (s) – 11 – 10%
10. Parallel (s) – 4 – 4%
11. Allegory (s) – 10 – 9%
12. Fantasy world (s) – 5 – 4%
13. Prison (s) – 2 – 2%
Item (i)
1. Article (i) – 1e, 46 – 42%
So, what is it about writer’s block? Many if not most authors and writers will
complain about writer’s block. When I
was a younger author, I would get writer’s block very often, but I’ve
discovered something very important about writer’s block. Writer’s block is a function of the plot and
not the protagonist. The correction or
resolution of writer’s block comes from centering our writing on the
protagonist instead of the plot. This is
what I’d really like to get into as a topic.
Here is an outline of how we will approach this.
1.
Problems
with a plot focus
2. Correcting with a protagonist focus
3. How to figure out a plot with a protagonist focus
4. Writing development
5. Fixing or blowing through problems with writing
6. How to write to prevent writer’s block
7. The Scene Outline
8. Exercises
9. Examples
10.
Conclusions
The novel is the revelation of the protagonist and the scenes,
not the plots, are the process of that revelation. In fact, the plots are really part of the
scenes. Now, some plots interact beyond
and between one scene, but this is the real point we should address. What really is the plot and how is the plot
connected to the scene and the telic flaw.
I didn’t want to address the scenes yet, so let’s start with
the plot(s). In the first place, we have
a telic flaw. This is the problem the protagonist must resolve. In a comedy, the protagonist overcomes the
telic flaw, while in the tragedy, the telic flaw overcomes the protagonist. Where is the plot? That’s a great question.
Almost every novel is a revelation of the protagonist. The author uses various plots and nudges the
novel toward the telic flaw resolution. What
about these plots, and how can we create, invent, and/or use them?
Except for the protagonist, the telic flaw is the most
important point of any novel. It’s so
important that most people don’t even know what it is, yet it is the key point
of every novel, and as I’ve noted over and over, the telic flaw is a
characteristic of the protagonist. The
protagonist owns the telic flaw. Just
like Harry Potty and Voldermort. Voldermort happens to be the overall
antagonist as well as the telic flaw of all the Harry Potty novels. Then there are the plots.
Now, the plot or plots are the means of the telic flaw
resolution and they are the means of tension and release development in the
scenes. They are also the means of the
development of the rising action to the climax of the novel. They are parts, but look at the other parts.
Mainly, we have the scenes.
The scenes are cohesive parts of a novel. They are the building blocks of a novel. Yes, scenes are made of paragraphs,
sentences, and words, but you can’t have a novel without scenes. As I noted in the outline of writing 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
So, I have a telic flaw, and I know there are scenes. Each scene is filled with tension and
release. The tension and release are the
plot(s). In fact, the tension and
release are the plots. This is the
trick, and this is where we want to go.
We need to develop tension and release in the scenes and this happens to
be the plots.
In the development of a scene, we start with the output of
the previous scene. The author then
needs to design the output of that scene.
For example, in the Harry Potty travel scenes, the output of the
previous scene is that Harry Potty must go from London to Hogwarts. That becomes the input for the travel
scene. The output for the travel scene
is that Harry arrives at Hogwarts.
Anything else is purely for tension and release. The author then provides other plots in the
scene to create tension and release.
The focus of writing any novel is the scene. The scene is all about tension and
release. The tension and release comes
from the plots. This is how we bring the
plots into the scenes and into a novel. This
means that as an author, we have the scene input and output of the scene, we
need to choose plots to then write and install in the scene.
We have five types of plots: overall, achievement, setting,
quality, and item. From these plots, we
note that, in the scene, achievement, quality, and item can be set into many
scenes. Setting can be used as the
setting of the scene, however, there is generally less control over these
plots. In other words, when we move into
the scene, the setting is usually already set.
The other types of plots give us the opportunity to build
tension and release in a scene. In
general, it is difficult to demonstrate this without delving deeply into
examples. Instead, let’s review the
potential plots and see how we might use them.
We choose plots based on three things.
First, is the input and output of the scene. Second, is the telic flaw resolution. Third, is the tension and release of the
scene.
Setting (s)
1. End of the World (s) – 3 – 3%
2. War (s) – 20 – 18%
3. Anti-war (s) –2 – 2%
4. Travel (s) –1e, 62 – 56%
5. Totalitarian (s) – 1e, 8 – 8%
6. Horror (s) – 15 – 13%
7. Children (s) – 24 – 21%
8. Historical (s) – 19 – 17%
9. School (s) – 11 – 10%
10. Parallel (s) – 4 – 4%
11. Allegory (s) – 10 – 9%
12. Fantasy world (s) – 5 – 4%
13. Prison (s) – 2 – 2%
Item (i)
1. Article
(i) – 1e, 46 – 42%
Achievement plots are easy to apply
to scenes and to overall novels. Some
quality plots lend themselves very well to scenes and some do not. Still, just like the achievement plots, we
can pick and choose them based on our overall plot(s) to power the novel and
our scenes. Then, there are setting
plots.
As I mentioned before, we want to
pick our plots first based on the input and output of the scene, second, the
telic flaw resolution, and third, the tension and release of the scene.
Setting plots are based on the
setting of the novel or the scene. Now,
here we have a slight conundrum. There
are obviously some setting plots we might not be able to use in a scene. I will try to place each of them in a scene,
but I can’t guarantee we can be successful.
Let’s look at the school setting
plot. I love the school setting plot
both for novels and for scenes. It is
admittedly more useful for an overall plot, but it can be used effectively in
scenes.
I’ve mentioned this before, but I
should mention it again. Although the
school plot is only found in about 10 percent of the classics, it is a very
popular and effective setting plot. If
you remember there was a time when a very small percent of the population even
went to school. If you are a reader of
Victorian literature, you know that in that period most children were educated at
home and very few went to any kind of school.
It was only after 1850 that education began to become more and more
institutionalized. Before that, the only
institutionalized education was advanced university type education. As people became more and more wealthy and
books became more and more available, all levels of society wanted to improve
the education of their children and to allow them to advance them to a
university education. A university
education increased social degree and wealth.
This is what propelled education in society and obviously in literature.
In literature because it became the
common setting for children, youth, and adults.
Since 1850, the average person attended elementary school, middle, high
school, and in many cases a university or college education. This is a common setting. Therefore, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that
the most popular setting is the school setting.
Now, we see the school overall
setting as so wonderful that it is used in some of the most popular novels
including Harry Potty. The very idea of
the boarding school setting, a common school setting, is so exciting to the
average person that it’s sold millions of copy.
The school setting is also very popular
in modern classics in all its variants.
When I write all its variants, I mean elementary, middle, high school,
and the university, as well as adult education.
We see the idea of adult education
in Starship Troopers. In this
novel, the education is for boot camp and in officer training. Education permeates Starship Troopers. This novel also gives us an idea about the
use of the school setting plot in scenes.
Now about scenes. Let’s start with the scene outline.
Here is the scene 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
In Starship Troopers, the
overall setting is not school although many of the scenes are about
education.
In the beginning of Starship
Troopers, we see Johnny Rico graduating from high school with a couple of
flashbacks to his high school education.
The overall plot isn’t school, the scene plot setting is school.
After Johnny graduates, he decides
to join civil service and is placed in the Mobile Infantry (MI). That’s when he goes to boot camp and we see
another school setting. Most people love
this part of the novel because it either reminds those who were in the military
of their time, or it reminds those who were not in the military of their
dreams. Every boy dreams of military service. Most people are interested in military ideals
and customs. This is the draw of the
entire idea of the school plot in the classics.
For example, most Americans hove
not been to elementary boarding school, but they are intrigued and interested
in it. Harry Potty gives them a glimpse. Likewise, most people have not been in the
military, but Starship Troopers gives them a glimpse of military life.
Further, using Starship Troopers
as an example for the school setting plot in a scene, we see Johnny Rico
accepted into officer training. He is in
what we would call an Officer’s Candidate School for the MI. This is a scene setting and then we see
Johnny off to his Third Lieutenant training assignment. That is a type of education setting, but not
entirely a school setting.
The difference is really a question
of class size and setting. The school
setting is specifically an institutional idea.
It is also a communal idea. In
other words, the individual might be in an educational scene setting or an overall
educational setting, but without a group at a similar educational level for
training or education or an institution for that education, it really isn’t a
school setting.
I like the school setting both
overall and in scenes. I’ll give you
some examples from my writing.
This scene is from my novel, Essie:
Enchantment and the Aos Si. This is
not a school setting novel, but there are some school setting scenes. This is the first of those scenes. This is the scene where Essie meets her house
buddy and goes to supper.
Essie
returned to her room for a moment. She
made sure her book and the branch lay settled in her dresser under her
clothing, then she headed to Tabitha’s room.
Essie
knocked, then knocked again. She heard
the sound of a short scramble then the door opened a crack. Tabitha stuck her head out, “Oh, it’s just
you.”
Essie
pushed her way inside. She spoke Welsh,
“It’s just me.”
Tabitha
stared at Essie for a moment then flounced on the bed. Clothing still covered most of the
floor. Essie closed the door and still
in Welsh asked, “You are my house buddy.
What does that mean exactly?”
Tabitha
wrinkled her nose again, and asked in English, “Could you stop speaking Welsh?”
“Why? I like Welsh…it’s your language too.”
“Listen,
Essie of the Lyons, you don’t want to stand out too much here. That’s just one way to stand out.”
Essie
changed back to English, “Too much?”
“Yes,
too much. The other girls will tease you
and put upon you.”
Essie
cocked her head. She sat on the desk
chair with the least clothing on it, “How will you be put upon?”
“They’ll
make fun of you. The seniors might
confront you…physically.”
“They
might hurt you or me?”
“That’s
just it.”
Essie’s
nose came up, “What’s that smell?”
“It’s
cigarettes. Do you smoke?”
“I
don’t know what cigarettes or smoke is.”
“Oh
man, you are an odd duck…just my luck to have you as my boat anchor.” Tabitha pulled out a pack of cigarettes and
tapped one out, “Listen, if you are going to be my house buddy…” She emphasized the word buddy, “…you need to
learn some things.” She lit her
cigarette and ignited a small incense burner at the same time. “Amie and I smoke. You keep your mouth shut about that in front
of the teachers and the housemistress and anyone else around here. Do you understand? It took us until this year to finally get a
room together. I don’t want anyone
messing up our little accommodation.”
“It’s
a secret?”
Tabitha
waved her cigarette around, “Yes a secret.”
Tabitha stood and walked to the window.
She opened it a little wider to let the smoke out and the fresh air in,
“You want a cigarette?”
“I’ve
never tried one before.”
“Well,
you shouldn’t start now. It’s a vile
habit.”
“Do
you want to stop?”
Tabitha
grinned, “No. I need it for my nerves
and to put up with this school.”
“Is
it all that bad?”
“Depends
where you fit in. What kind of girl are
you anyway?”
“I
play the organ…”
Tabitha
laughed, “Ah, you’re that girl. You’re
the one they were talking about. You
gave that concert a week ago. I wish I
could have heard it. Still, that isn’t
very good for you…too much attention. I
don’t want that rubbing off on me.”
Essie
stared at her, “You are supposed to show me around and help me become
acquainted with the other students.
Isn’t that your job?”
“Perhaps
my job, you just keep my secrets.”
Essie
asked, “Dr. Rowley is your form tutor too?”
“Yes,
because of the Welsh. You are I are part
of the new Welsh curriculum. The
headmistress hired Dr. Rowley this year to teach it, but don’t expect too much
from her. I hear she was kicked out of
university and had to come here to teach.
I’m just happy to get out of French and German. I was flunking out and went over to Welsh to
pull up my grades. My mum would kill me
if I didn’t.”
“I
see. Where’s your roommate?”
“Amie’s
working her schedule with her form tutor.”
“Is
she studying Welsh too?”
“No,
she’s good with most subjects. She’s my
best friend here.”
“I’d
be happy to be your friend too.”
“Let’s
just hold it at house buddies for now.
If you keep our secrets you might be friend material. Right now, I think you’ll stand out too
much.”
“I
don’t try to stand out at all.”
Tabitha
gave her a long look, but dropped her eyes, “You won’t be able to avoid
it. You look too young, you speak Welsh,
and you’re the new music scholarship student.
Just keep your distance for now—and don’t spill the beans.”
“Spill
the beans?”
“What
part of Britain do you come from? Don’t
let out our secrets.”
“What
other secrets do you have?”
Tabitha
just stared at her for a moment. She
snubbed out her cigarette and put it in a sealed glass container. She waived the incense around a little, then
snuffed it out, “You’re hopeless. Let’s
get it over with…come on, we’ll go to dinner.
Do you have your student card?”
Essie
looked quizzically at her.
“For
goodness sakes, didn’t they tell you anything?
You need your student card for the dining facility and for just about
everything else around here. Didn’t they
give you a packet of materials?”
“It’s
in my room.”
“Come
on.” Tabitha gestured with her head,
“Let’s go to your room and get your card.
We’ll go to dinner. Dinner starts
at five every weekend evening. They did
tell you that, didn’t they?”
Essie
shrugged.
Tabitha
rolled her eyes, “There’s a trip to the Newport Cinema at six. The usual Saturday fare.” Tabitha headed to the door, “Come on.”
Essie
hopped up. They went to her room. Essie led her down a floor.
Tabitha
groaned, “You are in the 10th year, aren’t you?”
Essie
answered without turning, “Yes, 10th year.”
“Why
are you in an 11th year room?”
“My
mother requested it.”
Essie
unlocked and opened her door. Tabitha
stepped right inside, “Nice room this.
More negative attention. Where’s
the packet they gave you?”
Essie
picked up the envelope Mrs. Morris had handed her. Tabitha pawed through it, “Here it is. Do you have money for the cinema?”
Essie
pulled the wad of pounds Mrs. Lyons gave her out of her pocket, “I have money.”
“Ah,
geeze, what are you thinking. You can’t
go around with that much money on you.
Hide most of it in your room.
Keep a fiver or a tenspot and leave the rest here.”
Essie
pulled out a ten pound note and put the rest in her dresser under her clothing.
“You
are just too green to believe. Let’s go,
and don’t forget to lock your room—things have a way of disappearing if you
don’t.”
“Disappearing?”
“People
will take your things if you don’t keep them locked up.”
“I
see.” Essie made a slow pass with her
hands over her closed dresser.
“Just
what are you doing?”
“Putting
some protection over my things.”
Tabitha
gave a sigh, “Too much attention right from the beginning. Let’s go.”
Essie
locked her door and they headed for the dining facility.
When
they entered, girls were just arriving for dinner. Tabitha waved at some girls at a table to the
side, “Now just try not to stand out too much…”
Essie
wasn’t certain what she meant.
Tabitha
led her to the table.
One
of the girls made room for Tabitha, “Amie, this is my new house buddy, Essie.”
Amie
was a gentle looking girl with a tight short haircut. Her hair was burnt blond, and her face was
round and fine. She wore long earrings
in piercings in her ears. Her blue
earrings matched her eyes. Where Tabitha
looked dark, Amie appeared very fair.
Amie glanced at Essie and tugged her earring, “So that is an Essie. I wondered what kind of girl they would give
you.”
Tabitha
sat beside Amie and made a space for Essie, “She’s as green as a booger, but
she seems nice.”
Amie
pointed around the table, “Essie, these are all girls from Prosser. That’s Anne, Jilly, and Celia.”
Essie
sat, “What exactly is Prosser?”
Anne
snickered. She was brown haired with
long lashes and wore makeup. Her
clothing looked especially fine. She
looked much older than 10th year.
Amie
leaned across Tabitha, “Prosser is our house.
You’re in Prosser. The other
houses are Mather Jackson, Imbert Terry, and Bagnall Oakeley. We call them Jacks, Terry, and Baggy.”
Anne
grinned, “…but don’t let them hear you say that. She stuck out her hand, “Welcome Essie. Where are you from?”
Essie
shook the proffered hand, “I’m from Lyonshall?”
Celia
buttered a slice of bread, “Never heard of the place. Did you go to school there?” Celia was also dark haired, and her eyes
looked slightly heavy lidded. She wore
makeup too. Her hair fell in long locks
with curls, obviously a perm.
Essie
glance at her, “I’ve never gone to school before.”
Tabitha
and Jilly choked on their drinks.
Amie
squinted at Essie, “Never gone to school?”
Essie
sat straight, “I’ve just begun learning…I’m not very quick.”
Tabitha
put her chin on her hand, “More attention.”
Jilly’s
hair was in a bob. It wasn’t as short as
Amie’s. Her face looked thin, and her
nose turned up a little, “Well then, how did you get into this school? The exams are notoriously difficult.”
“I
barely passed them. Father Maddison and
my mother taught me everything so I could get in.”
Tabitha
sighed, “Well I guess it will come out eventually—she’s that music
student.” She left the implication
dangling.
Jilly
scratched her cheek, “The one everyone was talking about?”
Tabitha
raised her eyebrows, “Yeah, that one.
She’s good with Welsh too.”
“Ah,”
Jilly laughed, “They needed another 10th year student for Dr.
Rowley…she’s stuck with you Tabs.”
Tabitha
growled, “I never thought I’d get tied to a house buddy, and here she is—small,
green, and musically obscene.”
The
servers brought around the food and set it on the table. Essie said a quick prayer and crossed
herself. The other girls stared at her. They were already reaching for the food.
Jilly
rubbed her nose, “Are you RC?”
Essie
stared at her, “What’s RC?”
“Roman
Catholic?”
“No,
I’m Anglican.”
Jilly
reached for the meat dish. It was
chicken in gravy. She snagged a piece,
“She’s green all right.”
Essie
asked, “Don’t you pray?”
Celia
laughed, “Sometimes on Sundays and especially before exams.”
The
meat came around to Essie, she pulled out a couple of pieces. She didn’t take any of the bread, peas, or
potatoes.
Tabitha
stated, “You better not let them see you eating like that.”
Essie
began devouring the meat. She hadn’t
perfected the cutting part, so mostly large pieces ended up in her mouth. She answered with a full cheeks, “Why not?”
Tabitha
giggled, “Never mind.”
Jilly
watched Essie with a touch of horror in her eyes, “Well I don’t think much of
your upbringing.”
Essie
poured a full glass of milk. She drank
that with gusto.
Anne
batted her eyelashes, “Well, she’s your problem Tabs.”
Tabitha
tried to keep her eyes off Essie, “I get the slow country girl who just happens
to know Welsh, and who just barely made the mark…”
Jilly
laughed again, “Well, you’re well matched aren’t you…”
Tabitha
blushed and lowered her eyes.
Amie
put down her fork, “That’s enough of that, Jilly. They’re both Prosser and Tabs is my friend.”
Jilly
wrinkled her nose, “Don’t take it that way.
Tabs fits in…about Essie?”
Tabitha
let out a little huff, “Essie is new.
Give her a break.”
Essie
looked up from her chicken, “I can make tea.”
The
girls began to laugh. Jilly had a
conniption. Anne smirked. Celia covered her mouth with her napkin. Amie let out a great guffaw. Slowly Tabitha joined in their laughter.
Essie
looked indignant, “What’s wrong with making tea?”
Jilly’s
eyes brimmed with humor, “Perhaps you were born in the wrong era my dear. Tea of all things.”
They
finished dinner, and the mood felt light.
They all watched Essie to see what she would do next.
Of course Essie does all kinds of
things that these girls are not expecting.
Essie is a poor and naive child who is musically a genius. She is also related to the Fae. Perhaps the most interesting scene is when the
girls in her house discover Essie has been abused. Perhaps I’ll show you that next. That is a very powerful school plot setting scene.
We’ll look at the next setting plot
tomorrow.
In the end, we can figure out what makes a work have a great
plot and theme, and apply this to our writing.
The beginning of creativity is study and effort. We can use this to extrapolate to
creativity. In addition, we need to look
at recording ideas and working with ideas.
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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