Writing - part x219, Novel Form, Building Tension and Release

13 August 2017, Writing - part x219, Novel Form, Building Tension and Release

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. 

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 your scenes.

 

So in showing how to build tension and release, I thought a few examples with explanation might b helpful.  I gave one yesterday.  Here is another one.  This example is also from Valeska.  I thought it might be interesting because it is a scene of a telephone conversation.  The entire scene is one of conversation with little description or action.  The main characters are Sveta, Scáth, and Klava.  Sveta and Klava are sisters.  The tension in this scene is built on the assigning of Scáth to investigate Heidi.  As you can tell in the scene, that is not the only tension builder in the scene.  In fact, the assignment of Scáth causes almost no tension at all—everything is handled without any real problem.  The real tension in the scene is about Klava’s daughter, Leila:

 

Sveta made a call the next morning.

The phone was picked up almost immediately.  The voice on the end sounded youthful with strange overtones of age, “O’Dwyer residence.”

“Yes, Scáth, is that you?”

“Yes, mistress, it is I.  Did you wish to speak to my mistress?”

“Yes but primarily, I wished to speak to you.”  Sveta took a breath, “To be blunt, I may have met another like you.”

“Like me…?”

“A being like you.”

Scáth’s voice was low, “But who might have made someone like me?”

“That is exactly what I would like to determine.  I didn’t read any direct animosity in this creature.  I’d like to know if she portends any danger to us.”

“And you wish me to do it?”

“Yes, she won’t tell me.  She says she is broken—I gather she is cursed in some way.”

“Cursed indeed.  If she is cursed like I am, she is the most hopeful creature in the world.”

“I take it she feels the opposite.”

“I see.”

“Do you think you could come along down to town in the next few days?”

Scáth registered surprise, “Really, Mrs. Long, it is the middle of the holidays.”

“Monday, next is still before the official vacation.  Consider it business.”

“It will take me that long to get there and I am not allowed to travel by myself.  I’ll let you speak to my mistress.”

“Please do Scáth.  I really need your help.”

“Give me a moment…”

After a few minutes a gentle alto voice came on the line, “Hello sister.”

“Ah, it’s you Klava.  Did Scáth brief you?”

“Yes.  She told me.”

“Are you willing to let her come?”

“I am willing, but I want to send Leila along with her.”

“Leila?”

“Yes, Leila. You know as well as I do Scáth can’t travel alone.  Plus, I’ve had it up to here with Leila.  She is causing familial discord.  I can’t handle her, especially around the Christmas season.”

Sveta laughed, “What makes you think I can handle her any better than you?”

“Brigitta and I have a wonderful holiday planned for Leora and her children.  I have half a mind to send Leila on assignment…”

“Then this is your chance.”

“This is my chance.  I’ll miss Scáth, but she is a downer…especially at this time of year.”

“You should marry Leila off…”

Klava made a depreciating sound, “She’s twice as bad as I was.”

Sveta laughed again, “Really, then perhaps twice as effective.  Does she drink and smoke like you do?”

“You know she doesn’t—as far as I know.  She has habits less obvious, but much more infuriating…”

“Send her down to town with Scáth.  I’ll entertain them both.”

“Keep them away from our mothers—you know what happened last time.”

Sveta laughed again, “I really shouldn’t laugh, but banishment was a bit much.”

“They aren’t still banished?”

“No, it was only for summer holidays and not at all for work.”

“I hope you are right about that…although a little chastisement where Leila is concerned might be a good thing.  Scáth will keep her in line.”

“Yes, well… please send them along, and Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, sister.” 

 

This scene is a perfect example of what I call building tension.  I needed a scene where Sveta enlists Scáth to help her.  Such a scene isn’t very entertaining.  Take out the references to Leila and the above is pretty mundane.  The issue of Leila drives the tension and the final release in the scene.  The tension is Leila, the release is that Leila and Scáth are coming down to town for this assignment, but also to get Leila out of the way for the holidays.  This is also an introduction and a setup.  It is an introduction to Scáth and to Leila, but a setup to what we should expect from Leila. 

 

Note, everything is done with conversation. The tension and release build from the words of the characters alone.  I knew this scene was necessary.  I made this scene to be entertaining.  How could it not be entertaining when we are talking about spies with issues—or children with issues?

 

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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