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.
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. I'm giving you examples from the book so you can see different ways of introducing and writing a scene. In each snippet, you get the scene setting, the tension and release, and the input and output. This isn't true of every example, but the pieces should be there, and I've been trying to identify for you when all the pieces aren't evident. You can use these ideas to guide your own writing. Make sure you set the scene properly, then make everything come to life through the narration and conversation.
When you write a climax for a novel you must give the reader everything they hoped and waited for. That still doesn't mean you give them everything, but you must answer their basic questions and advance the plot. This novel is odd in that it has two climaxes. This is the first. The scene has already been set, and we move to the main revelation of the novel.
Aksinya
raised her head, “Please close the door to the parlor, Sister Margarethe.”
Sister Margarethe nodded and slowly
pulled it shut.
Aksinya
stepped over to the door and made certain it was fully closed then she turned
back toward Ernst, “What do you mean, sir by your statements? I did not send you a letter, and I did not
attend you the other night.”
Ernst’s
face fell for a moment, but he reached into his coat and pulled out a
letter. He shook it open and handed it to
Aksinya, “You sent this to me.”
Aksinya
reached out and carefully took the letter without touching Ernst’s
fingers. She scanned the letter. Then
read it again, carefully.
Countess Aksinya Andreiovna Golitsyna
Sacré Coeur Straße
Wien, Austria
I
love you with my body and soul,
Aksinya
Aksinya
was suddenly breathing hard, “I did not write this letter. After the opera, I did not spend Wednesday
night with you.”
Asmodeus
laughter filled the parlor.
Aksinya
stared at him, “What do you have to say about this demon?”
Asmodeus’
lips rose over his fangs, “Ask your handmaiden where she was on Wednesday
night.”
Aksinya’s
voice rose in volume, “Natalya, what do you know about this?”
Natalya
cringed. Then she raised her eyes and
met Aksinya’s angry glance, “I could not give you to this man. He would take away your virtue and your
sorcery. So I gave him mine.”
Aksinya
rushed forward and threw the letter at her, “Did you write this?”
Natalya
jerked her head to the side and shook her head.
Asmodeus
laughed again, “I wrote it. I wrote it
in answer to the impassioned missive from this stupid young man.” He glared at Aksinya, “It is all true.”
Aksinya
pressed her hands over her ears, “It is not true. None of it is true.”
Asmodeus
wrinkled his nose at her, “This evening, you were about to answer Herr von
Taaffe that you would wed him. You were
planning to give up your virtue to him.
You would have gladly lain in his arms and moaned out your every
desire. You would have pleasured him
already if you had the courage. You
would have loved him just as he foolishly loves you. Do you think I could allow that?”
“Don’t
you want me to sin?”
“I
want you to do evil. That is your
purpose and my purpose, and the evil you created in your wake is truly
breathtaking. Can you not appreciate
it? I would help you bed him now, but
you realize he has already been taken.”
“What
do you mean?”
“Didn’t
you hear your lady-in-waiting? Ask her
again. She already told you.”
Aksinya’s
hand slipped to the side of her face, “Natalya, what did you do?”
Natalya
wailed, “I could not let you do this thing.
So I did it for you.”
Aksinya
spat at her, “You did what for me?”
“I
seduced him for you and gave him myself in your place.”
Ernst
stepped beside Aksinya and grasped her arm, “What does she mean? I slept with you, Aksinya. I did not sleep with her. I saw your face. I touched your body. I heard your voice.”
Asmodeus
cackled, “The Countess herself made the Lady Natalya appear like her. While she was in a drunken stupor, the
Countess made her favorite enchantment.
She made the Lady Natalya appear exactly like her and befuddled the Sister Margarethe’s thoughts. I sent the Lady Natalya to your bed. You did not sleep with the Countess.” He crossed his arms, “You had her maid.”
Aksinya
shook off Ernst’s hand. She moved away
from him—toward the demon, “You did this horrible thing?”
The
demon sneered, “I didn’t do it—you did.”
Ernst
pleaded, “I love you, Aksinya. I don’t
love anyone else.”
“But
you slept with her,” Aksinya thrust her finger at Natalya.
Ernst
put his hands over his face, “I thought it was you. I only wanted you…”
Aksinya
pushed him away, “You defiled her, and you defiled yourself. Do you think I would have slept so easily
with you?”
Asmodeus
voice was droll, “She would have.”
Aksinya
barked at him, “Shut up, demon.” She
whirled toward Ernst, “Get out, Herr von Taaffe. I don’t wish to see you again. I am not damaged goods, and I will not accept
damaged goods.”
Asmodeus
laughed again.
Aksinya
ignored the demon. She scowled at Ernst,
“Leave my house. You stain my honor by
remaining here.”
Ernst
ducked his head, “But, I didn’t know. I
still love you. I want to marry you.”
“Do
you think I could love you now? Do you
think that after you took the virtue of my servant I could ever think of
marrying you? I am not so low. You may have had her, but you will never have
me now.”
Asmodeus
gave a yawn, “The Lady Natalya had no virtue remaining to give. Others took it from her long before Herr von
Taaffe. He was just one of many.”
Natalya
bowed her head a little lower.
Aksinya
stared at Natalya then jerked her eyes back to Ernst. She didn’t look in his eyes, “Herr von
Taaffe, you disgrace my house. I already
told you to leave.” She motioned
violently toward him.
Ernst
ducked his head and bowed, “I am sorry.
I will leave. May I contact you
later?”
Aksinya
screamed at him, “Do not try to speak to me again. I will not entertain your letters or abide
your presence again.”
“Very
well. I do still love you. I am sorry.”
He dropped to one knee.
Aksinya
kicked at him and missed, “Take your apology and get out. Now!”
She pulled back her hand and this time connected with the side of his
face.
Ernst
stood wide-eyed. He took one other
glance at Aksinya then backed out of the door into the foyer. They heard the outer door open and
close. The fire rose and fell among the
coals.
Asmodeus
inspected his claws, “He got off easy.
If he had taken you, he would be dead.
There is still the problem of your handmaiden.”
Aksinya
whirled around. She stared at Natalya as
though seeing her for the very first time.
Natalya was so beautiful. She was
so much more beautiful than Aksinya.
Aksinya wondered why she hadn’t noticed before. No wonder Ernst or any man would choose
Natalya over her. Aksinya moved slowly
toward her lady-in-waiting, “Natalya, you took him from me. You took away the only man who ever loved
me.”
Natalya
crumpled in on herself, “I did it for you, mistress.”
Aksinya’s
voice rose to a scream, “For me? For
me? How could you do such an evil a
thing for me?”
Asmodeus
smacked his lips, “Actually, it was my idea.”
Natalya
cried, “I didn’t want you to lose it.”
Aksinya’s
voice rose again nearly inarticulate, “Lose what?”
“Your
sorcery.”
Asmodeus
smirked, “I told her that if a man took your virtue, you would lose your power
to accomplish sorcery. The Lady Natalya
knows how important that is to you.”
“But
that was all a lie. I could have loved
him.” Aksinya’s furious features were distraught.
Natalya
raised her eyes, “But not any more. Now,
you can do what you love the most. You
can have what you love forever. I love
you, mistress. I could not see you hurt
like that.”
“Hurt? Hurt?” Aksinya’s eyes were wild she sought
anything around her that she could take into her hand. She ran to the side of the fireplace and
removed the poker from the implements there, “I will let you know how much this
has hurt me.”
Aksinya
struck Natalya’s side, and she fell to the floor on her face. Natalya put her hands over her head and
Aksinya struck her shoulders again and again with the poker. Aksinya’s blows were so wild half of them hit
the floor. Curses and cries flowed from
Aksinya’s lips, and bright blood suddenly appeared on Natalya’s dress. At each blow, a breath burst from Natalya’s
lips. Dark red stains drenched Natalya’s
back, but the girl didn’t make any other sound.
While Aksinya raised feral and shrill screams, blood began to streak the
floor. Sister Margarethe rushed through the door. She grabbed Aksinya’s arms and wrestled the
poker from her. Aksinya fell back. She cursed the nun with her remaining
breath. After that Aksinya’s mouth only
opened and close without a sound.
Sister Margarethe knelt beside Natalya and hesitantly touched
her. She glanced up at Aksinya, “What
have you done? What have you done,
Countess?” Tears streaked Sister Margarethe’s face. She cried out again, “Sister Rita.” She screamed, “Sister Rita, Sister Tria, come
help me.” The novice sisters ran to the
room and halted in the opening of the parlor.
They glanced at Aksinya and at Natalya’s silent body beside Sister Margarethe. Their eyes widened, and they trembled. Aksinya, still filled with rage, rushed at
them, and they scattered screaming.
What could bring out Aksinya's rage? What could make her beat Natalya? What could make her do the singular thing she would never wish to do in her life. The demon orchestrated it all. He made everything come to fruition. He put together the events that would lead to the downfall of Natalya, Ernst, and Aksinya. His actions led to Aksinya's murderous rage. His temptations led to all the actions of the climax. Now, in this scene everything comes together. Much of it could have been put together by the reader. There were clues throughout. The mystery of all the actions of the previous days and the reason he brought Ernst to Aksinya suddenly becomes obvious. The result is that Aksinya does try to murder Natalya. She beats the person who loves her most in the world. She strikes the man who does love her. In an instant, she loses everything she hoped to have and all her friends...but this is not the end.
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. ldalford.com/, and the individual novel websites: http://www.aegyptnovel.com/, http://www.centurionnovel.com, www.thesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, thefoxshonor, aseasonofhonor.
No comments:
Post a Comment