2 January 2023, Writing - part xxx186 Writing a Novel, A New Romantic Protagonist, Paragraphs Topics in Scenes, Editing Dialog, Small to Big Talk
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: Let me tell
you a little about writing. Writing
isn’t so much a hobby, a career, or a pastime.
Writing is a habit and an obsession.
We who love to write love to write.
If you love
to write, the problem is gaining the skills to write well. We want to write well enough to have others
enjoy our writing. This is
important. No one writes just for
themselves the idea is absolutely irrational and silly. I can prove why.
In the first
place, the purpose of writing is communication—that’s the only purpose. Writing is the abstract communication of the
mind through symbols. As time goes by,
we as writers gain more and better tools and our readers gain more and better
appreciation for those tools and skills—even if they have no idea what they
are.
We are in
the modern era. In this time, the action
and dialog style along with the push of technology forced novels into the form
of third person, past tense, action and dialog style, implying the future. This is the modern style of the novel. I also showed how the end of literature
created the reflected worldview. We have
three possible worldviews for a novel: the real, the reflected, and the
created. I choose to work in the reflected
worldview.
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.
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.
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.
With that said, where should we go? Should I delve into ideas and creativity
again, or should we just move into the novel again? Should I develop a new protagonist, which, we
know, will result in a new novel. I’ve
got an idea, but it went stale. Let’s
look at the outline for a novel again:
1.
The initial scene
2.
The rising action scenes
3.
The climax scene
4.
The falling action scene(s)
5.
The dénouement
scene(s)
The initial scene is the most important scene and part of
any novel. To get to the initial scene,
you don’t need a plot, you need a protagonist.
Let’s be very clear.
You can start with a plot, a protagonist, an idea, or an idea for an
initial scene. The easiest and most
controlled method is to start with a protagonist. As I’ve written over and over, a protagonist
must come with a telic flaw. I think it
is impossible to have a protagonist without a telic flaw, but I suppose you
could develop a completely lackluster protagonist without any telic flaw
connected to them.
Here is my list for the characteristics of a Romantic
protagonist. I am not very happy with
most of the lists I have found. So, I
will start with a classic list from the literature and then translate them to
what they really mean. This is the
refined list. Take a look.
1. Some power or ability outside the norm of society that
the character develops to resolve the telic flaw.
2. Set of beliefs (morals and ideals) that are different
than normal culture or society’s.
3. Courageous
4. Power (skills and abilities) and leadership that are
outside of the normal society.
5. Introspective
6. Travel plot
7. Melancholy
8. Overwhelming desire to change and grow—to develop four
and one.
9. Pathos developed because the character does not fit the
cultural mold. From the common.
10. Regret when they can’t follow their own moral compass.
11. Self-criticism when they can’t follow their own moral
compass.
12. Pathos bearing because he or she is estranged from
family or normal society by death, exclusion for some reason, or self-isolation
due to three above.
13. From the common and potentially the rural.
14. Love interest
Here is the protagonist development list. We are going to use this list to develop a
Romantic protagonist. With the following
outline in mind, we will build a Romantic protagonist. However, I’m going to ignore the first
step. Instead of starting with an
initial scene, I’m just going to design a Romantic protagonist. Then we may apply the outline to them.
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
Here’s what I want to do or how I want to place these on a
protagonist. Let’s clean them up a
little and begin to evaluate a protagonist.
I’m not ready to write a new novel yet, and I’m too busy to
put the extra time to write an initial scene.
I’ll repeat. I just
finished up Rose, and I want to finish up Cassandra. I’m moving in that direction. For now, I’ll focus on the finishing steps of
Rose, and then the marketing development steps. This might get tedious, but I’ll try to keep
it meaningful and helpful.
I am into heavy editing for Rose, and I’d like to
finish with Cassandra. I’m using Cassandra
as an example for my other blog, so I really do need to catch it up before I
run out of material. In any case, I was
going over the basics of real editing.
I’ll repeat myself.
If you have a problem with basic grammar, spelling, and punctuation, you
might not have the required level of education to write effectively. If this is true, you need to get more
education and of the correct types.
True editing is about language, ideas, and reason. It’s not just about grammar, spelling, and
punctuation. We’ve moved well away from
spelling, punctuation, and grammar. I’m
looking at sentences.
Yes, sentences are much more difficult than words. Look at words. I just need to ensure they are spelled
correctly, are the correct word, are not repeated, and sound right. Sound right is something we haven’t looked at
yet—we shall. That is an advance editing
technique.
Sentences are something else entirely. When we look at sentences, we need to look at
word order, word use, grammar, which includes, punctuation, correct verbs,
correct number, correct tense, and all.
We have touched on these with the word list.
Word editing is simple compared to sentence editing, but
sentence editing may be the most important for cohesiveness, clarity, and
understanding. We really haven’t gotten
into logic and reasoning much. I’ve
centered our original editing on the words, and showed you how editing words
can be used to help edit sentences. I’m standing by the, but you must get to
the more important parts of sentence editing.
Let’s turn sentence editing into logical or reasoned
editing, as well as touching on paragraph or multi-sentence editing.
We’ve looked at word editing and then sentence editing. The next stage is multi-sentence
editing. This specifically means
paragraphs. I’ll bet you didn’t see that
coming. Yes, paragraphs are the next
stage of editing, and this is a very important part of editing.
Unfortunately, many writers have no idea first how to craft
a paragraph, second where to break paragraphs, and third how to use paragraphs.
We all know we are supposed to use paragraphs, but many have
never been taught how to write a paragraph, break, or use them. This is a problem of education. Let me remind you about how to write a
paragraph. Every paragraph has the
following form:
Topic sentence
Sentences supporting, arguing, and/or developing the topic
Conclusion or implied completion
Tie to the next paragraph
This is how every paragraph should be written except one
type—dialog. In English, we break each
statement of dialog by a new speaker into a paragraph break. That doesn’t mean the dialog statement is a
complete paragraph—it’s just the way we break dialog. Extended dialog can be broken into
paragraphs, and each of those should follow the paragraph development form.
Pretty simple, yes?
Paragraphs are relatively simple, but they are perhaps the biggest
problem for new writers. The best hope
for you is to write a lot. Look at your
paragraph structure. Make certain your
paragraphs connect in some fashion. Know
when to stop and when to start a paragraph.
Next, let’s look at these:
Connecting paragraphs
Breaking paragraphs
Paragraph order
Topics in paragraphs related to scene development
I’m leaving this in the paragraph and scene section because
that’s exactly where it should be.
Although in English writing, dialog is treated like individual
paragraphs, we rarely really look at it that way in scene development. Yes, we punctuate it that way, and we put it
together that way, but we don’t tend to treat it that way. I’m as guilty as everyone else at that, but
I’d like to have us look at dialog and especially the editing of dialog in
terms of scenes and paragraphs.
We’ll kind of modify our idea of paragraphs in dialog a
little—let’s call them ideas or complete thoughts.
When we write and edit dialog, we are seeking to make
completed or complete thoughts in the context of the novel and scene. In other words, the writer wants to make some
point, to communicate some idea, or get some information first to the
characters and second to the readers.
This is very important.
1.
Clarity –
a.
Tags
b.
Action
c.
Character setting
2. Realism
a.
Less direct attribution or
identification
b.
More contractions
c.
More real
interaction (correct introductions, etc.)
d.
More showing and not telling
e.
Dum the accents as much as possible
f.
No cutesy stuff
g.
Complex
Dialog may be the most important part of writing, and may
also be the most difficult to master. If
you practice, get experience, and study it, you might have some hope. Then there are the details of the dialog
itself. This is what we will look at
next.
For some reason, realistic interactions is a significant
problem for the inexperienced writer.
I’m not certain why this is, but it’s a real issue, and makes the dialog
not just strange but almost unreadable.
The reason is lack of real human interaction.
Just look at how people interact with one another verbally—they
almost always follow a certain set interaction.
I’ll outline it, and then explain it:
1.
Greetings
2. Introductions and salutations
3. Small talk
4. Big talk (in depth conversation)
5.
Farewells
Almost every human interaction follows this pattern, and everyone
should know it. Perhaps the problem for
the inexperienced is that they don’t converse enough, or they aren’t aware
enough about real human interaction. I
suspect it is just lack of experience, and the desire to get to the pitch
before the buildup.
Buildup and pitch are exactly what we are building up to. We are moving from introductions and small
talk to big talk. This transition is
perhaps the most important in dialog construction. This is also where authors get hung up.
Usually, the problem is moving into the big talk. You see that’s exactly where we want to
go. We need to discuss the big and important
subjects, and we need to transition to them in a way that feels and seems
natural.
You can’t write a complex or entertaining novel filled with
only small talk. You can try, but I’ll
bet no one will read it. If they do,
they’ll not be entertained. The most important
point to remember in dialog is this—the author wants to get out information to
the readers and the characters. That is
the entire point of dialog. There are
just plain entertainment aspects as well, but although that’s not secondary, getting
the information to your readers and characters is not more important than entertainment,
but you need to do it together. Entertain
and communicate. That’s asking a lot.
At this point, let’s just say we want to get information to our
readers and our characters. We hope the
rest will follow—I’ll try to help you with that to, but we are writing about
style and skill, and that is very hard to teach.
Point is, we want to get from small talk to big talk, and we
want to do it so the dialog sounds reasonable and normal. You need to play this out in your mind. That’s the way I do this for every scene I
write. I imagine the characters in the
scene and I write exactly how I want them to seem in the scene. This is all about using imagination to see
the scene and to then communicate the scene including the dialog. I see my characters moving, acting, emoting, sensing,
speaking, and communicating to build from small talk to big talk.
I wrote yesterday that I would provide you with more
examples. Okay. Here’s another one:
Rose read the room quickly. Although another door lay behind the chair to
the right of the hearth, it was closed, and by its looks either a closet, an
entrance to a water closet, or perhaps a phone closet. Rose wanted a clear view of the entire room,
but she also didn’t necessarily want to sit directly next to Leora. If Shiggy was any example of the strength and
reflexes of these people, Leora could be deadly at that close a range.
When Rose didn’t sit immediately, Leora
laughed and sat on the left-hand chair.
Rose sighed and sat to the right on the loveseat.
Leora rang a bell, “Shall we have tea?”
Rose nodded.
Leora sat back, “I did notice that you
didn’t want to sit next to me or with your back to a door. I’m not that dangerous.”
“Not as dangerous as Shiggy?”
Leora covered her face, “I know exactly
how you met my Shiggy. She’s a dangerous
person. I’m not trained to the same
pitch as she or Sorcha—they work for me.
I know this is a question of trust, so let me tell you a little about
myself.”
Rose nodded.
At that moment, Francis pushed a tea cart
through the doorway. On it sat tea,
cups, and some tea dainties arranged on a three-tiered China tray. The plates were all decorated in classic blue
Delft patterns. Rose had wondered why
one of her lessons included Delft as well as other types of China. It couldn’t be for this moment, could it?
Francis poured their tea. Rose took a few biscuits and a couple of
small sandwiches. Then Francis left, and
they retained control of the wonderful tea tray. He closed the door behind him.
Leora picked one of each of Rose’s
choices of dainties from the tea tray.
She took a single bite of each, “If I wanted to poison you, I’d have had
Burgundy Rose do it earlier.”
Rose licked the crumbs off her lips then
sipped her tea, “Burgundy Rose would never have been able to hide that from
me.”
Leora gave a hearty snort, “I’m liking
you as much as Shiggy does already, Miss Tash.”
Rose blushed.
“I know you noticed the pictures in the
hallway. I did slow my steps just a
little so you could get a good look. I
also know that you have an eidetic memory.
It’s in Shiggy’s reports. What
did you see in the pictures, Rose?”
“Is this a test?”
Leora smiled, “Not really. Let’s just say, I exceedingly like your
skills and want to see them in action. I
know you were looking and absorbing.
Plus, I did say I wanted to tell you about me—to gain your trust.”
Rose glanced up, and almost licked her
lips again. She stopped herself and
answered, “I noted four children in the photographs: two boys and two girls. Although I should say the boys are young
men. In the last, the boys were at
Oxford.”
“How did you gather that?”
“Their clothing and the background.”
“Have you been to Oxford?”
“No, but Shiggy gave me some studies
about university and advanced learning.
I recognized the buildings. The
girls are about my age—I guess.”
“What else?”
“Their father is a military man. He was an Army Colonel last assigned to the
Sixth Division, the Army Special Operations Brigade, First Battalion, First Regiment,
Ranger Regiment. He was last assigned in
Afghanistan.”
Leora’s mouth fell open, “You gathered
all that just from a glance at my photographs?”
Rose looked uncomfortable, “Shiggy
included military units and operations in my studies.”
“About Sir Brian Marshall?”
“Is that his name, ma’am?”
“You gathered all that just from his
uniform and the backgrounds?”
“I could also give you his previous
units, at least the ones whose uniform he is pictured in.”
“No need.
I believe you. You said,
was. Did you gather that he’s dead?”
“The portrait above the hearth is Colonel
Marshall. He’s pictured wearing the Victoria
Cross but there’s a standing lion on the table next to his hand. He’s touching it with his right hand.” Rose’s voice dropped, and her eyes filled,
“I’m sorry for reminding you.”
Leora didn’t laugh this time, “The
Colonel, my husband, is indeed dead. He
lost his life during the fighting in Afghanistan. You’re very astute, but I wouldn’t have asked
you to make such a decisive determination if such a reality would trouble
me. I do miss him very much, and because
of your deductions, I like you even more.
You are kind and yet perceptive.
Shiggy made a very good choice.
Can you tell where the girls are?”
“I couldn’t tell. May I meet them, and your sons?”
Leora’s face regained her smile, “In the
future perhaps. I will provide you with
study materials for your assignment.
Although there is some rush, we won’t start on that until the
morning.” Leora perked up, “Oh, by the
way, the boys, my young men are Brian and Archie. They are both at Oxford. The girls are Pheobe and Sophie. You will learn about them—that is the
girls. I’m not certain I want you around
my boys yet?”
“Why not, ma’am?”
“If you don’t know, I guess I must tell
you. You are ravishingly beautiful. It is an almost unearthly beauty combined
with a natural elegance. I’m not sure my
boys are ready for you yet. Plus, if
Shiggy was training you, you will already be dangerous to any man in the
kingdom.”
“I’m sure Shiggy was not teaching me
anything like that.”
“You do know what I’m implying. That’s good.
We shall include it in your lessons.
We don’t need any accidents. Did
Shiggy teach you any offensive or defensive techniques?”
“I’m not sure I understand. She said I was already too proficient and assured
me my other abilities could protect me.”
Leora glanced at the ceiling, “I’m sure
she did. After your performance on the
freighter, I’m sure you can handle yourself.
The most important point, however, is that you can handle Robyn.”
“I’d like to know what she meant about
her power more effective than glamour.”
“That’s a bit problematic. In the main, she shares the same powers I
do.”
Rose stared at her.
“Oh, sip your tea. It’s a necessary revelation that I must make
to you, but you must keep all of this secret.
You told me Shiggy had not shared anything with you about the Organization
or Stela, so I’ll tell you from the beginning.
More tea?”
Rose nodded, and Leora refilled her cup.
This is an intentionally slow and long transition from small
to big and bigger talk. I thought you
might like to see the transition. This
is also a transition from little trust to large trust. We are still not certain, by the end how much
we should trust Leora O’Dwyer, but Rose is getting there.
There is a lot going on in this conversation—this dialog. There is a lot of information transfer from
character to character and to the reader.
We eventually get to perhaps one of the most perplexing questions for Rose
and for the reader. Just what is this
power more powerful than glamour. Eventually,
in the big talk, Leora explains to Rose just what it is. We don’t get a demonstration like in my other
novels. Why not?
I thought long and hard about giving a demonstration, but I
decided I’d potentially like to write another novel about Rose and her exploits
at Monmouth. I also have long term plans
for her, and I’m thinking about another novel or some of the same in another
novel.
The reason I’m not showing this power is because I’d really
like to be a surprise when Robyn uses it in the next novel. She will.
There are other characters that I wanted to introduce, but I won’t until
the next novel.
We’ll get there.
Should we have another example?
Next, we will transition to the small talk and the big talk.
I want to move on to editing dialog next.
We’ll continue to look at logic and reason as we transition
to multi-sentences and paragraphs.
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
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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