17 September 2022, Writing - part xxx080 Writing a Novel, We are Refining the Protagonist, Powering Through, Reveal
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
I could easily write: if you develop a great protagonist,
the writing will come. That’s basically
what I do, but I know that doesn’t work for the inexperienced and the young
writer.
Writing is really exhausting when you are first
starting. The problem, as I see it is
getting into the rhythm of the writing.
When a writer is in the rhythm, the writing seems to come easily, when
they aren’t, who knows what you might get.
When I was a younger writer, I found many times I had no
idea where I was going or what was going on in my writing. Today, I realize the problem was with my
protagonist, and also with my plot development.
Let’s lump those together and call them writing development.
Below, I’ve left up the outline for the protagonist. This is what you need to develop to build a
proper protagonist.
1.
Define the initial scene
2. At the same time as the above—fit a protagonist into the
initial scene. That means the minimum
of:
a.
Telic flaw
b.
Approximate age
c.
Approximate social degree
d.
Sex
3. Refine the protagonist
a.
Physical description
b.
Background – history of the
protagonist
i. Birth
ii. Setting
iii. Life
iv. Education
v. Work
vi. Profession
vii. Family
c.
Setting – current
i. Life
ii. Setting
iii. Work
d.
Name
4. Refine the details of the protagonist
a.
Emotional description (never to be
shared directly)
b.
Mental description (never to be
shared directly)
c.
Likes and dislikes (never to be
shared directly)
5. Telic flaw resolution
a.
Changes required for the protagonist
to resolve the telic flaw
i. Physical changes
ii. Emotional changes
iii. Mental changes
b.
Alliances required for the
protagonist to resolve the telic flaw
c.
Enemies required for the protagonist
to resolve the telic flaw
d.
Plots required for the protagonist
to resolve the telic flaw
e.
Obstacles that must be overcome for
the protagonist to resolve the telic flaw
Now, if you slavishly follow this outline for the protagonist, it will not
guarantee you a great or even a good protagonist. What it will give you is a protagonist
detailed enough to write about. I’ve
covered the idea of the great protagonist before. I’ll state again, and you should review what
I’ve written, you need a good Romantic protagonist.
The protagonist is developed simultaneously, in my mind with the initial
scene. There are other means to begin
your writing development, but I don’t, and I’ve shown you the pitfalls I’ve
discovered when using other methods or starting places. That doesn’t mean you can’t come at this
writing development from another standpoint.
Here are the four, in order of precedence, means of approaching the initial
scene. I have used all four in published
works. I recommend only the first two. The others can work, but they are not as good
at producing a great initial scene. This
is the first step, in my book, to writing development. As I wrote, it doesn’t matter how you got to
this point, this is where writing development begins. The list:
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
I think the proper organization and approach to the writing
itself is the best solution to writer’s black.
That’s why I spend so much time on the protagonist, scenes, and novel
development. I’m not an outline
writer—that is, I don’t like to write from an outline. You don’t have to be that organized. We aren’t writing technical papers here—we
are writing fiction.
So, the proper organization from my standpoint is the organization
that allows you the greatest latitude to write something really good. That’s what writing development is all
about. Couple that with the
understanding of how to put together a scene, and you have enough organization
to write a great novel. Add to that the
protagonist, and you have everything.
If you remember, the novel is the revelation of the
protagonist, that’s really all you need—along with the organization.
If you are organized in this fashion, I see potential
success in the future. However, I know
everyone gets to the point where they say, “I can’t get any further.” Yeap, that happened to me why I was a
younger, less experienced writer. It
doesn’t happen anymore. The reason is
this: I fix or blow through problems with writing.
It doesn’t matter what the problem is. In writing, if you know the tricks, you can
always fix or blow through your writing problems. This isn’t a great single sentence
description, but I’ll try to explain just what I mean.
What I will do is look at the writing development and
especially, the scene development. We
will apply that to the protagonist development to get into the writing.
If you are stuck at the beginning, in other words, you
haven’t written anything yet, that is definitely a problem of protagonist
development and the initial scene. I
won’t go back over everything we have explored before, but we will start at the
beginning, and figure out how to solve the problem of writer’s block from the
initial creativity. Let’s use an outline
like this (this is a type of technical paper).
1.
Initial ideas (protagonist, initial
scene, and telic flaw)
2. The scene
3. Review and editing
4. Notes
5. Exercises
6. Ideas
7.
Picking up the pieces
We are moving on from the very beginning. I’m going to assume you have an idea with a
protagonist, an antagonist, a telic flaw, an initial setting, and an initial
scene. This is all you need to start a
novel. I showed you how to get to the
initial scene. I will also help you to
write it. I hope you have made it this
far. Usually, people get an idea for a
book and start writing. The problem
isn’t necessarily at the beginning but rather as the novel unfolds, they lose
the strength of their initial enthusiasm.
The muse is gone. I want to get
the muse moving. To kick it in the
backside and keep the creative and writing process going. That’s how we will get rid of writer’s
block. The next stage is the scene.
We need to power through the scene writing process. By this, I mean, we must use the scene
development outline to force the writing to continue—that is a means to get rid
of writer’s block. So, here is the scene development outline repeated:
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
I’m leaving the information and outline for writing scenes up because we are
still about writing scenes. All fiction
writing is about scenes. I know your writing
instructors never taught you this, they still took your money. Let me be very clear—fiction writing is all
about scenes. Figure out how to write a
good scene, and you can write a great novel.
We are up to the point where we need to bring out the big guns. If all the other help hasn’t worked or if you
really haven’t been able to break through the creative boundaries—that is, if
you can’t figure out a great protagonist or can’t develop something creative to
write.
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.
We really have touched every technical point possible about writing or
rather putting ideas on paper—and I’ve given you great ways to get to those
ideas, but there is more, and we know it.
The part that is more is not just the origin of the ideas for creativity in
the first place, but the ideas that make the writing pop through the dialog and
the action and narrative.
This is very different than the painter copying other paintings. Those are just copies. Your word copies are a new art, a new idea, a
new creation. That is the great
connection between reality and writing on paper. In a similar way, we take ideas from the
world and make them our own.
Ideas are exactly what we need. Where
can we get these ideas? In general, most
authors just have them. They wouldn’t
want to be authors if they didn’t have anything to write about. But we know exactly where we are with the
little details of scene and storyline in novels. This lcak of ideas is what we call writer’s
block.
Yes, I’ve read novels by people who should write another five to ten novels
before they try to publish another one.
These are mostly self-published authors.
Their writing is really lacking, and I think it is because of the ideas
they try to put on paper. Perhaps it
isn’t the ideas as much as the telling.
These authors blatantly break the rules of showing and telling, and
perhaps this is the solution to the idea problem.
Perhaps the problem isn’t ideas as much as it is the writing the ideas down
on paper. So, the first part of
developing ideas is this:
1.
Show
2.
Action
3.
Dialog
4.
Foreshadow
5.
Secrets
6.
Reveal
7.
Describe
8.
Don’t tell
Fiction writing is all about the revelation of secrets. You may have heard something else like: keep
no secrets or writing shouldn’t be about secrets. The reality is exactly the opposite—the entire
revelation of the novel is a secret (unknown) before the author shows or
reveals it. Fiction writing is all about
secrets—so, let’s use secrets.
Secrets are the mechanism for great fiction writing—the reveal is the perfect
release in the same writing. Every
secret requires a reveal, or not.
There are many types of secrets and many ways of using secrets. The most powerful are those held close. In the first case, a protagonist might have a
secret that is unknown or implied. This
is a secret only known or perhaps unknown even to the protagonist. I’m trying to search my memories for an
example, and here it is. Remember Oliver
Twist in Oliver Twist? He had a
great secret that was unknow to him and everyone else. The whole novel is an attempt resolve this
secret—who is Oliver Twist’s parents and relations. He is of high birth, typical Victorian plot,
but no one knows this. This is a classic
type of secret in many Victorian novels.
This is a great way to play the secret game—the secret unknown to
everyone that provides the resolution of the telic flaw of the novel. Then there are secrets known to the protagonist
alone.
We see this all the time too. There
are all kinds of secrets the protagonist and the reader knows, but no one else
knows. These sometimes provide the resolution
of the telic flaw as well. Look at A
Little Princess. In A Little
Princess, the great secret is that Sara Crew is the little girl everyone is
looking for. This great secret is known
to Sara and to some others as well as the readers. The most important people have no idea. In addition, we also have some secrets
unknown to the reader or to Sara Crew—most specifically that the man next door
is her father’s friend and has been looking for her. Let’s talk about the reveal.
Oliver Twist gives us a reveal at the climax—that’s typical. A Little Princess pisses away the
reveal by letting it out gradually. We
know by the end that the man next door is Sara’s fathers friend. I’m not sure there is a better way to make this
particular reveal, but use this idea in your reveals—all of them.
The most powerful reveal is a reveal that is succulently gradual to specific
characters and includes the reader. As
always, show and don’t tell. The most
powerful reveal ever is the one where something very unexpected and important is
revealed to the many. The play is to
make the reveal to first the protagonist’s helper, then to another, perhaps someone
figures it out, perhaps it is accidental, each and every reveal method can be
used and each one is powerful. As I
wrote, succulently gradual.
Perhaps the most powerful is where everyone who knows is working very hard
to keep it secret and for some reason, the cat gets let out of the bag. One of my favorite reveals was not really a
reveal at all. I like it so much I used
it in another novel.
Shiggy was invited to shoot skeet by her boyfriend’s parents. Her mentor and protagonist’s helper, Sorcha
is going along too. The secret is Shiggy’s
official skills. She is a dead-eye with
guns, but she hasn’t shot skeet before.
Sorcha thinks the training will be good for Shiggy, and the people are a
closed part of the Intel Community. In
other words, even if they suspect something, they won’t let it out.
Shiggy comes to play and of course beats them all. Perhaps I should give you the reveal. That will let you see how it works.
In
the morning, Sorcha and Shiggy dressed in long warm dresses. The Major and Captain picked them up at
nine. They drove west on the A40 to the
West London Shooting School. The Major
parked, and they all stepped out.
Captain Cross walked toward another vehicle at the front of the
lot. They were the only two
vehicles. A man and a woman jumped
out. The man hugged the Captain and then
so did the woman. The man looked
somewhat like the Captain. He was trim
and tall. His face seemed more careworn
than his years. He wore a settled
pensive smile. His clothing looked very
dapper with a hunting jacket and matching pants.
The
woman shared many of the Captain’s features as well. She was lean and tall. She smiled much more generously. She worn an equally fine hunting regalia with
a heavy long brown dress similar to Shiggy and Sorcha’s.
Captain
Cross led the couple to where the others stood.
He presented the woman, “This is my mother Donna Cross and my father
Bill Cross. Mother and father, this is
Ms. Sorcha Davis and Mr. Dustin Easom.”
He took Shiggy’s hand, “And this is my good friend, Shiggy Tash.”
They
shook hands all around.
Shiggy
bubbled, “I’m William’s girlfriend.”
Mrs.
Cross took Shiggy’s hand, “You seem a very delicate girl to be hanging about
our William.”
Shiggy
seemed puzzled, “He’s always acted a gentleman around me.”
Mr.
Cross smiled his pensive smile, “She means, William’s always been rough and
tumble. You look like a perfect
lady. I’m not sure I have a shotgun that
will match you.”
Sorcha
remarked, “Shiggy can handle whatever you wish to loan her.”
Mr.
Cross seemed confused for only a moment, “Well, let’s go into the Shooting
Club. I’ve reserved it just for us today. We can practice today and then out on a hunt
tomorrow.”
They
headed into the building.
Sorcha
held back with Shiggy, “Shiggy, I can’t control the safety on these
weapons. Watch yourself and the
muzzle. We don’t need to blow off
anyone’s kneecaps or any other parts.”
“Yes,
ma’am.”
Sorcha
addressed Angel, “Angel, do you hear. If
Shiggy is pointing her weapon anywhere she shouldn’t, give her a warning. You may be stupid, but whatever you do, be
useful.”
Angel
peeped, “Yes, ma’am.”
Inside,
Mr. Cross unlocked the gun locker and examined the shotguns. He handed a light twenty gauge to
Shiggy. Sorcha accepted a similar
weapon, as did Mrs. Cross. He handed
twelve gauge weapons to William and the Major.
He took a very well used shotgun for himself. It sported some extremely elaborate etching.
The
first thing Shiggy did was begin dismantling her shotgun. Sorcha quickly stopped her, “Shiggy!”
“Yes,
ma’am.”
Sorcha
whispered, “Call me Sorcha or so help me.”
“Yes,
Sorcha.”
“Put
it back together.”
“But
I always…”
Sorcha
smacked the back of her head.
Mr.
Cross came around, “Is there anything wrong?”
Sorcha
stood in front of Shiggy while Shiggy frantically put the shotgun completely
back together, “Nothing at all. We were
just examining the… shotguns.”
Mr.
Cross gave his lipless smile, “That’s good.
Not many women appreciate the finer parts of shooting.”
Sorcha
let out a slight frown that she turned quickly into a smile.
Shiggy
held up her shotgun, “Ready to go.”
Mr.
Cross led them out to the range. William
stuck close to Shiggy. Mrs. Cross moved
to the first station. Major Easom stayed
near Sorcha. Mr. Cross took Shiggy to
the center station, “Have you used a firearm before?”
Shiggy
was about to answer, but Sorcha interrupted, “Shiggy has a little experience. I’m not sure she’s fired a shotgun.”
Shiggy
complained, “But, Sorcha.”
When
Mr. Cross turned away for a moment, Sorcha popped her on the back of the head
again. She whispered, “Just play
along. You haven’t fired much. Just dial it back.”
Shiggy
rubbed the back of her head, “Yes, Sorcha.”
Mr.
Cross turned back, “Well, we’ll not expect much of you. Girls sometimes can’t quite get the grasp of
shooting. It seems like a man’s
expertise. Just do your best.”
Sorcha’s
eyes blazed, “Shiggy. Forget everything
I said. Do your best. That’s an order.”
Shiggy
let out a brilliant smile.
Sorcha
whispered, “If you want to take out one of his kneecaps—have at it.”
Shiggy
stepped to the line. Mr. Cross pulled a
couple of shells out of his belt. He
took the shotgun, loaded it, and handed it back to Shiggy. Shiggy held it. While Mr. Cross explained the safety and the
trigger. He showed her how to sight the
weapon, “Now, for these targets, you’ll have to lead them a little. It can be tricky. Would you like to try a shot without a clay
first to get the feel of it? The kick
might surprise you.”
Shiggy
chewed on her lip, “Why don’t we just launch a clay and see. I do much better when I have a goal.”
Mr.
Cross laughed, “A goal? Then let’s do
this. Since you’re William’s girlfriend,
if you can shoot a single clay, I’ll spot you and William dinner for each one.”
Shiggy’s
shoulders raised. She grinned, “I’ll
take that bet.”
Mr.
Cross stepped back, “When you say pull. I’ll launch the clay. The first will come from the left.”
Shiggy
raised the gun and pressed it tightly into her shoulder, “Pull”
A
clay flew from the left. Shiggy followed
it and fired. It burst. Shiggy laughed, “That’s one dinner.”
Mr.
Cross sat his hat on the back of his head, “Well, I’ll be…beginner’s luck? Why don’t you try another one?”
He
handed a round to Shiggy who loaded it without a fumble. She raised the gun, “Pull.”
A
clay flew from the right. Shiggy fired
and it burst.
Mr.
Cross stared at Shiggy for a long time, “You’ve done this before.”
Shiggy
laughed, “Never. Not quite like
this.” Shiggy looked at him slyly, “Mr.
Cross, I’m a girl who isn’t very good at these things, but would you like to
play a round with me?”
Mr.
Cross let out his breath, “I will definitely play you a round. Double or nothing?”
Shiggy
grinned, “I’ll let you out of your original agreement if you can beat me.”
Mrs.
Cross handed Shiggy a score card, “You are full of surprises, Ms. Tash.”
“Call
me Shiggy. That’s what I am.”
They
moved to the first station. Shiggy shot
two perfect rounds and missed on a double on the third. She had the best score of their squad. Sorcha was second, Mr. Cross third, Captain
Cross tied third, Mrs. Cross forth, and Major Eason fifth.
Shiggy
didn’t snag any kneecaps. Angel trembled
in Shiggy’s hair the entire time—loud noises upset her.
At
the end, Mr. Cross tossed his scorecard away, “Are you absolutely certain, Ms.
Tash, you haven’t shot clays before?”
Shiggy
was about to respond, but Sorcha stepped in front of her, “Shiggy may not say
what she has and has not done, but I can assure you this is her first clay
shoot. You should understand that Mr.
Cross.”
Mr.
Cross glanced at his son, “I very much understand Ms. Davis.”
Shiggy
glanced around Sorcha, “By my accounting, you owe me about one hundred thirty
dinners, Mr. Cross.”
Mr.
Cross let out an extraordinarily real smile, “That I do. As long as you’re his girlfriend, I’m happy
to supply the two of you dinners. He
hasn’t met a girl as lively…or skilled as you before. I do have a question, however.”
Shiggy
and Sorcha nodded.
“William
has a hand mark of extreme proportions on his face. Which of you placed it there?”
Shiggy
trembled. Sorcha turned to Captain
Cross, “William, this one’s yours. You
father wants to know how you achieved the shiner.”
Sorcha
started to step away. Mr. Cross put up
his hand, “It looks to me like a classic hand to hand open hand Teisho strike
with a follow-through to reduce the impact and the damage to the target.”
Sorcha
slitted her eyes, “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t ask such questions. Let’s just say, everything isn’t always what
it appears.”
Captain
Cross stepped up, “Dad, you should understand these things without saying.”
“I
think I do, William. I’ve never been
this impressed by anyone before, and I worked with the best of them.”
The
Captain shook his father’s arm, “I had an accident. I fell this morning.”
“I’ve
heard that one too,” he grinned. “Let’s
go for dinner. I believe it’s on me.”
Mr.
Cross took them to a pub on the west end.
Mrs. Cross plied Shiggy and Sorcha for information, but didn’t get
anything worthwhile. Mr. Cross and the
guys yacked about very general subjects like politics and sports—they weren’t
disappointed.
This is from my novel, Sorcha: Enchantment and the Curse. This is a great reveal and a couple of
reveals.
All of this can and will reduce writer’s block. I do all these things as a matter of course
in my writing. This is just some of the
basics of writing. It’s the kinds of
ideas they never taught me in school.
We will continue to move along in the list of how
of get rid of writer’s block.
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.
F or 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
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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