Scenes - Scene Setting, Entrance Scene

20 January 2013, Scenes - Scene Setting, Entrance Scene

Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. This was my 21st novel and through this blog, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.

Today's Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, visit my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

Here are my rules of writing:

1. Entertain your readers.
2. Don't confuse your readers.
3. Ground your readers in the writing.
4. Don't show (or tell) everything.

A scene outline is a means of writing a novel where each scene follows the other with a scene input from the previous scene and a scene output that leads to the next scene. The scenes don't necessarily have to follow directly in time and place, however they generally follow the storyline of the protagonist.

A storyline outline is a means of writing a novel where the author develops a scene outline for more than one character and bases the plot on one or more of these storyline scenes. This allows the scenes to focus on more than the protagonist. This is a very difficult means of writing. There is a strong chance of confusing your readers.

Whether you write with a scene outline or a storyline outline, you must properly develop your scenes. All novels are developed from scenes and each scene has a design similar to a novel. Every successful novel has the following basic parts:

1. The beginning
2. The rising action
3. The Climax
4. The falling action
5. The dénouement

Every scene has these parts:

1. The setting (where, what, who, when, how)
2. The connection (input)
3. The tension development
4. The release
5. The output

There are lots of approaches to scene setting. That means there are about a million plus ways you can set a scene. The main point is you have to clearly get across the where, when, who, what, and how.

Here is another example of scene setting from the novel, Aksinya.  Here is a full scene where the Freifrau makes an entrance to the scene.  From the previous scene, Aksinya had requested a heavy tea and the Sister and Natalya were setting it.

During tea, Freifrau Bockmann came rushing into Aksinya’s room.  She stood just inside the open door to the sitting room, “Countess.”

“Yes, Aunt Brunhilda, we are just having tea.  Would you like Natalya to pour you a cup?”
Freifrau Bockmann pulled off her gloves, “Please.”  She came over to the side of the bed and sat down, “You don’t look like you are at the edge of death.  Was the Reverend Mother’s report wrong?”
Sister Margarethe put out her hand, “Perhaps we exaggerated the event a little in our concern.  The Countess was injured.”
Lady Bockmann cocked her head, “And you are?”
Aksinya put down her cup, “She is Sister Margarethe, our German teacher.”
Sister Margarethe bowed in her chair, “The Reverend Mother has assigned me to watch over the Countess and Lady Natalya.”
“I see.”  Freifrau Bockmann glanced all around the room, “This is a beautiful room.  Are these all your things from Russia?”
Natalya poured a cup of tea for the Freifrau Bockmann and handed it to her.
Aksinya answered, “Yes.”
“We didn’t realize you had set up housekeeping and brought your family’s things out of Russia.”
“We were lucky to get them out.”
“Yes, very lucky.  You picked a lovely house, although it is in the city.  It is convenient to the school.”  She flopped her gloves at Aksinya, “Really, Countess, you should have told us before you made such an important decision.”
Aksinya stared at her, “I am not used to asking anyone’s advice before I make a decision.”
“Yes, of course.  Your uncle could have helped you.  He is a Freiherr and well regarded in Wien.”
“I’m sorry.  Your help would have been valuable.  I will endeavor in the future to ask both your advice before I make such an important decision.”
“That is kind of you.  Thank you, Countess.”
“You do understand, apart from my injury, except for the Lady Natalya and me, the existence of this house would have remained unknown?  That was my point.  I wanted a private and secret place where I could feel the comfort and closeness of my family’s belongings in this city.”
“Oh, I see.  I think I understand.”
“I really don’t wish everyone to know about it.”
“Ah,” Freifrau Bockmann sat back.  She took a sip of tea, “I, we won’t let the cat out of the bag.  You know you will have trouble keeping it secret.”
“I know.”
“We shall not let anyone know.”
“I hope the Reverend Mother is as accommodating.  I will discuss our details tomorrow.”
“You and the Lady Natalya will still be able to come home.  I mean to Grossbock.”
“Yes, we will continue to come to Grossbock for the weekends.  You entertain us well.”
Lady Bockmann bowed.  She took another sip of tea and nipped a biscuit from Natalya’s tea service, “Now will you explain how you were injured and how the Sister Margarethe became involved.  I already spoke with the Reverend Mother, and I’m not clear on anything.”
Sister Margarethe smiled, “The Countess fell in the street.  She was slightly injured and we were all very concerned.”
Lady Bockmann responded, “I see.”  But her look said she clearly did not.

There is a very important foreshadowing in this piece--the point specifically made by the Freifrau that Aksinya should have consulted with her Uncle.  We will find out later that the demon has set up Aksinya for a horrible fall.  He purchased everything, but isn't paying the bills.  The scene setting is very simple but gives the place, time, and charcters.  There is more in the setting for the well informed--that is the exact time (tea time 4:00 pm).  The place, Aksinya's sitting room with some details in comparison.  Notice that the sister lies and enters the realm of Aksinya and Natalya.  She was tempted and failed.
 

My notes: once you have a theme, you need to begin to visualize your plot, focus your theme, and define your characters. More tomorrow. I'll move on to basic writing exercises and creativity in the near future.

The following is a question asked by one of my readers. I'm going to address this over time: I am awaiting for you to write a detailed installment on identifying, and targeting your audience, or audiences...ie, multi-layered story, for various audiences...like CS Lewis did. JustTake care, and keep up the writing; I am enjoying it, and learning a lot.

I'll repeat my published novel websites so you can see more examples: http://www.ldalford.com/, and the individual novel websites: http://www.aegyptnovel.com/, http://www.centurionnovel.com, www.thesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, thefoxshonor, http://www.aseasonofhonor.

A New Novel, Part 48 Beginning of the Dormitory Tour

In this short vignette and transition, we wrap up the tour of the school proper with tea.  You will find that everyone has tea--that is the proper thing to do.  I want you to see this cultural phenomena clearly.  In this society and this time, tea is de rigeur.  We have nothing quite like it--perhaps those who still hold to offering coffee or tea to their friends keep it in their heart, but tea is becoming a lost function in modern culture.  It is such an important function, I'm surprised we let it go. 

We see that the RM Kluge has tea.  Note how everyone is arranged and note who serves.  Because it is time for tea, I don't have to tell you it is the early to late afternoon.  Since, we know they came during the late morning, we can infer that this is relatively early in the afternoon, but likely near or after two.  You might note that they didn't have dinner (lunch).  In this time, the usual practice was to have a light breakfast, a light dinner (lunch), a light tea, and then a large supper.  We will see that this is the practice at Sacré Coeur.  We eat much more during a day than the usual aristocrat during this time.  Though their suppers are long, the portions are small.  We shall see some in more detail as we go along.

They ended the tour at the Reverend Mother’s office. The Reverend Mother sat Aksinya directly in front of her desk. Natalya stood behind Aksinya. The others arranged themselves on the chairs against the wall. The office wasn’t very large. The Reverend Mother called for tea and served them herself. While they had their tea, the Reverend Mother asked, “Countess, do you have any questions about our gymnasium or our curriculum?”


Aksinya shook her head.

“Then when we are finished with our tea, I will take you to the dormitory and let you see the room we have prepared especially for you.”

Aksinya glanced over her teacup, “Thank you.”

When they were finished, the Reverend Mother led them to the dormitory. The long hallway down the center of the school building ran into a large set of open doors. To the left of the door was a small office with a split door. On the other side, Frau Drescher sat at her desk and handled paperwork and correspondence.

The Reverend Mother rapped on the top of the door. She changed back to German, “Frau Drescher, we are ready to begin our tour of the dormitory.”

Frau Drescher frowned then tried unsuccessfully to turn the frown into a smile. She paused a moment too long, then stood abruptly. She came to the door, opened it, and stepped out. She spoke intentionally in exaggeratedly enunciated German, “If you please, Countess, follow me.”

Aksinya twisted her lips in a grimace and replied in quiet but finely articulated German, “I will be pleased to Frau Drescher.”

So now we return to the very Austrian Frau Drescher.  Frau Drescher has a typical office for such a lady.  She takes care of a dormitory.  She keeps watch on who goes in and who goes out--thus the split door.  This is the typical use of such a door in Europe at the time.  Dormitories and apartment buildings for women tended to have such offices with their typical ogre guardians.  Frau Drescher does much more than the usual, however, she handles paperwork and correspondence.  This should key you into the fact that Frau Drescher is a bit more than she seems. 
 
Frau Drescher has this problem with smiling.  She is either out of the habit or unable to smile.  We see the joke of the languages again at the Frau's expense.  Aksinya speaks more to her than to RM Kluge.  And so the joke and the transition to the Dormitory tour.  Tomorrow a description of the dormitory.