7 December 2015, Writing Ideas
- New Novel, part 605, still more Examples of Tone Q and A
Announcement: Delay, my new novels can be seen on the internet, but the publisher
has delayed all their fiction output due to the economy. I'll keep you
informed. 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 website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production
schedule," you will be sent to 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.
5. Immerse yourself in the world of
your writing.
All novels have five discrete parts:
1. The initial scene (the
beginning)
2. The rising action
3. The climax
4. The falling action
5. The dénouement
The theme statement
of my 26th novel, working title, Shape, is
this: Mrs. Lyons captures a shape-shifting girl in her pantry
and rehabilitates her.
Here is the cover proposal for Escape
from Freedom. Escape is my 25th novel.
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Cover
Proposal
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The most important scene in any
novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising
action. I'm on my first editing run-through of Shape.
I'm
an advocate of using the/a scene input/output method to drive the rising
action--in fact, to write any novel.
Scene development:
1. Scene input (easy)
2. Scene output (a little
harder)
3. Scene setting (basic stuff)
4. Creativity (creative
elements of the scene)
5. Tension (development of
creative elements to build excitement)
6. Release (climax of creative
elements)
I can immediately discern three ways
to invoke creativity:
1. Historical extrapolation
2. Technological extrapolation
3. Intellectual
extrapolation
Creativity is like
an extrapolation of what has been. It is a reflection of something
new created with ties to the history, science, and logic (the
intellect). Creativity requires consuming, thinking, and producing.
One of my blog readers posed these
questions. I'll use the next few weeks to answer them.
13. Tone - how tone is created
through diction, rhythm, sentence construction, sound effects, images created
by similes, syntax/re-arrangement of words in sentence, the inflections of the
silent or spoken voice, etc.
14. Mannerism suggested by
speech
15. Style
16. Distinct manner of writing
or speaking you employ, and why (like Pinter's style includes gaps, silences,
non-sequitors, and fragments while Chekhov's includes 'apparent'
inconclusiveness).
Moving on to 13. 13.
Tone - how tone is created through diction, rhythm, sentence construction,
sound effects, images created by similes, syntax/re-arrangement of words in
sentence, the inflections of the silent or spoken voice, etc.
I'm writing from Florida--thought you should know.
If tone is the feel of the writing,
the author must start first with what tone he wants to convey.
Aksinya is a great example of tone
in a novel. The novel moves from horror
and murder to blissful elegance and high society. The tone of the scenes range from love to
hate and from great happiness to despair.
The peaks of human emotion and human suffering are found in Aksinya—the tone
of the novel must therefore fit the scenes.
Here is an early scene. Can you
guess the tone?
Asmodeus
strode through the door with a service in his hands. He laid the tray in front of her on the
bed. It held a hot pot of tea. He poured it for her and lifted the covers
from the dishes. The smell of the food
overwhelmed Aksinya’s senses. The
sulfurous scent of the demon was only a trace in the air. He had made her an omelet and bread. Everything was fresh. She prayed and crossed herself.
The demon let out a depreciating sound, “To
bless that which was made with a curse is perhaps the act of a fool.”
Aksinya ignored his comment and began to
eat.
She ate almost everything he brought
her. Then she settled back in her
pillows with the cup in her hand, “Thank you, demon. I feel much better.”
“You needn’t thank me, you gave up part of
the virtue of your soul along with your life to gain that repast.”
“I understand that, but I needed to eat.”
“These human needs…”
Aksinya sipped her tea, “Don’t you eat?”
“Never.
I have no need for food. I have
no human needs and no human desires. My
only desire comes from our contract and from my desire to do evil.”
“It is not evil to prepare good food or to
take care of my needs.”
“It is evil for you to use up your soul and
life to gain them.”
She peeked over her cup, “Perhaps.”
“Now,” Asmodeus sneered, “since your human
needs are assuaged, it is time to plan.
What do you intend to do now?”
“I only thought to save my family. Now, I have no family. They are all dead. I don’t know what to do. You tell me.
You can’t or will not help me fight the Bolsheviks. You told me, you won’t help me fight this
revolution…”
“I like revolutions. The evil it brings to the world is pleasant
to me.”
“I have no other plans.”
“You must survive. Whether you accomplish the desires of your
heart are beyond my understanding or care, but for our contract, you must
survive.”
“The desires of my heart…I had but one
desire and that is dust and ashes.”
“Then perhaps you will meet my desires.”
Aksinya’s lip curled up, “Your desires are
the least of my concern.”
“But your desires are mine. Especially those that are evil, and those
that continue to abrade your soul.”
Aksinya glowered at him, “What would that be?”
“It should be obvious to you. I wish you to do evil. The most evil thing you have ever done was to
bring me into this world and to contract with me. It was a lifelong goal for you. This is a very pleasant kind of evil to me.”
“What if I don’t wish to do evil?”
Asmodeus smiled, “It is too late for
that. If not willfully, I will force you
to engage in evil doings. You have
engaged in it so long…why should you complain if I ask you to continue in
it? I know your heart—it is as black as
mine. Plus, what I ask you to do is
simple for you.”
Aksinya turned her head, “Why? What do you want of me?”
“I wish you to continue with your study of
sorcery. That is certainly evil.”
“I have no purpose for it anymore.”
“You put years of study into it, and you are
very adept—perhaps the greatest sorceress in this lifetime. The fact you called and contracted me are the
evidence of that.”
Aksinya sipped her tea, “I did not intend to
give it up.”
“I thought so. It already has marked your soul—the forbidden
fruit. Such things become like the
lustful desires you already know, they are difficult to purge from your heart
and mind once they are experienced.”
“Zatknis'[1]! You may know my mind, but you needn’t say
such embarrassing things.”
“It is like all human desires. It is what makes you human,” his lip curled
up over his fangs. “Humans are so
disgusting.”
Aksinya sipped her tea and ignored him.
“Now, Countess, let us plan what you should
do. The first is that you cannot stay
here.”
“I have nowhere else to go.”
“Foolish lady, we will soon run out of food
to feed you and heat to sustain your puny body.”
“You can provide me all these things…”
“At the expense of your soul.”
“I thought you desired that.”
“And at the expense of my reputation. I told you, I do not wish to become your
domestic.”
Aksinya laughed, “You already are.”
“I have my pride, that is one of the seven
deadly sins, you know.”
“So, if you are my domestic it hurts your
pride?” Aksinya continued to chuckle.
“This is not funny. I am Asmodeus. I will not remain this way.”
“What can you do to stop it?”
“I will protect you and I will fulfill our
contract, but I can make it exquisitely painful for you to carry on in this
manner.”
Aksinya’s brow rose, “How could you do
that? What suffering could you bring me
that I haven’t already experienced?”
“Your people and friends will be pursued by
the Bolsheviks. I can bring great
suffering to them—that is my purpose.”
Aksinya let her cup fall to the saucer, “You
wouldn’t dare. I would simply order you
to…”
“I told you.
I can’t stop this revolution, and I don’t desire to stop it. The lives of your friends and your people are
nothing to me. You can order all you
wish, but I will protect only you. My
purpose, otherwise, is evil. You know
this.”
“I understand this,” Aksinya ran her fingers
through her short hair. She regretted
that as soon as she did. It reminded her
of everything she had done already.
Meekly, she whispered, “Then what do you wish me to do.”
“First, I must find you a servant.”
“If so, it must be someone you will not
harm.”
Asmodeus grinned, “I have the perfect
servant in mind.”
“Then what?”
“I told you, you must continue to study
sorcery. To do that, you need a safe
place to live and work.”
Aksinya mumbled into her teacup, “Where is
such a place?”
“There are many such places. I know your mind so I know you have relatives
beyond the boarders of this country.
They will be willing to take you in and give you leave to live as you
wish.”
This
is one of my favorite tones—it is simply communication. In it are highs and lows, some excitement and
a little conflict, but generally communication.
You should be able to taste the tone moving through the words and the
interaction—it is somewhat gentle with only a few peaks. This is a direct contrast to the other scenes
and tones I’ve shown you. Right now, I
want you to get the feel of tone—later we will look at the how of the tone.
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
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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