Writing - part x191, Novel Form, Tension and Release, Pathos, Pity – Japan day 4

16 July 2017, Writing - part x191, Novel Form, Tension and Release, Pathos, Pity – Japan day 4

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.

     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 28^th novel, working title, School, potential title Deirdre: Enchantment and the School.  The theme statement is: Sorcha, the abandoned child of an Unseelie and a human, secretly attends Wycombe Abbey girls’ school where she meets the problem child Deirdre and is redeemed.  

Here is the cover proposal for Deirdre: Enchantment and the School. 

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising action. I continued writing my 29^th novel, working title Red Sonja.  I finished my 28^th novel, working title School.  If you noticed, I started on number 28, but finished number 29 (in the starting sequence—it’s actually higher than that).  I adjusted the numbering.  I do keep everything clear in my records.  I’ll be providing information on the marketing materials and editing.

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 29:  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.

 

This is the classical form for writing a successful 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 (protagonist, antagonist, and optionally the protagonist’s helper)

d.      Identify the telic flaw of the protagonist (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

              

The protagonist and the telic flaw are tied permanently together.  The novel plot is completely dependent on the protagonist and the protagonist’s telic flaw.  They are inseparable.  This is likely the most critical concept about any normal (classical) form novel. 

 

Here are the parts of a normal (classical) novel:

 

1.      The Initial scene (identify the output: implied setting, implied characters, implied action movement)

2.      The Rising action scenes

3.      The Climax scene

4.      The Falling action scene(s)

5.      The Dénouement scene

             

So, how do you write a rich and powerful initial scene?  Let’s start from a theme statement.  Here is an example from my latest novel:

 

The theme statement for Deirdre: Enchantment and the School is: Sorcha, the abandoned child of an Unseelie and a human, secretly attends Wycombe Abbey girls’ school where she meets the problem child Deirdre and is redeemed.

 

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

          

If you have the characters (protagonist, protagonist’s helper, and antagonist), the initial setting, the telic flaw (from the protagonist), a plot idea, the theme action, then you are ready to write the initial scene.  I would state that since you have a protagonist, the telic flaw, a plot idea, and the theme action, you have about everything—what you might be lacking is the tension and release cycle in the initial scene.

 

Tension and release is the means to success in scene writing.  The creative elements you introduce into the scenes (Chekov’s guns) are the catalysts that drive entertainment and excitement in a scene, and this is what scenes are all about.     

 

I am moving into the way to develop sufficient tension and release.  One of the best means is through pathos.  I’ve written about pathos developing characters.  What I want to do is expand this into pathos developing scenes.  In most cases, a scene with a pathos developing character can be made pathetic.  In any case, almost any scene can invoke pathos—pity and fear.  This development of pity and fear is the driving force in tension and release.  The question is how the author develops it.

 

I’m in Tokyo Japan—this isn’t a travel log, but I might find some examples to put here.

 

Fear is just one mechanism for developing powerful and sufficient tension and release in a scene.  The other mechanism is pity.  

 

I’m not writing a travel blog, and I already have a hit and miss food, drink, and cigar blog, but I thought it might be fun to give some direct reporting from the Land of the Rising Sun. 

 

Day four in Japan began at Fussa station at 0700 with overnight bags packed.  We grabbed onigiri (rice balls), beer, coffee drinks, and sake for the early morning trip to Tokyo east.  The first stop was the Sensoji Temple and temple markets.  I’m into the Shinto—I’ve written about it, but many of the shrines in Japan are mixed.  The Sensoji is a mixed Shinto and Buddhist.  On the approach to the temple is a huge market.  We spotted mostly Japanese tourists that day.  They were all going for the tourist junk, so we didn’t feel so bad about it. 

 

For all these Shinto and Buddhist temples in Japan, the enma wooden plaques make great souvenirs from each temple.  You can also get temple stamps.  I’m not sure what to say in describing these shrines and temples.  They are not at all the same, but after a while, they all kind of fade into similarity.  All of them are worth the trip.  Most cost a bit to gronk to get into.  Sensoji was free.

 

Following the Sensoji Temple, we made a quick hop over to the Edo Museum.  We had a full English tour—just ask at the front desk.  We skipped the special exhibit because it was all in Japanese, but the main museum is in multiple languages.  It was a very worthwhile experience. 

 

From the Edo Museum, we walked to the Tsukiji fish market.  We made it just in time for lunch.  We wandered around until we found a place that welcomed us inside.  Everyone had sushi and shashimi, of course.  I had a tuna and salmon rice pot—with sake.  We have been sampling the cold sake everywhere.

 

From the Tsukiji fish market, we went to the Imperial Palace.  You gotta go, but you will be disappointed.  I thought they might invite us in.  You get to walk all around it—oh well.  We headed for Roppongi and the Toyko tower.  We weren’t interested in going up, but that’s one of the usual tourist stops.  Just a few photos and we were on our way to check into our capsule hotel.  I’ll describe that a little later.  From the capsule hotel, we went to the Zaou fishing restaurant for dinner.  One of our group fished for flounder and we went for half shashimi and half fried.  One flounder will fill four people.  Great dinner—in fact, I don’t think we have had anything from Family Store onigiri to fancy cooking that wasn’t great.

 

Catching dinner was only the beginning of the evening.  We went to the Robot Restaurant show.  This is almost impossible to explain—it’s a mix of live and robots with an Asian kick.  The show doesn’t change much, but it’s four acts with plenty of opportunity to get drinks.  We drug ourselves to the capsule hotel.  Guys have an inside onsen.  Girls have showers.  You put on the supplied PJs, bathe, and go to your capsule to sleep.  Inside, you have a TV, a light, and a clock.  There is supposed to be porn on the TV, but I didn’t see any.  The capsule is one meter by one meter by two meters.  You get a duvee for the top and a futon below.  The only problem is there is little air flow.  The capsule gets stuffy and warm—especially when the light is on, but you can dim it.  The opening has a curtain.  During the night, I heard the guy in the capsule above me get up to go to the bathroom.  Sleeping is okay, but not comfortable.                

 

End of day four.

                

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  

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