Writing - part x236, Novel Form, Showing in Tension and Release

30 August 2017, Writing - part x236, Novel Form, Showing in 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.

 

Here is an example of developing or building tension and release in a scene.  This example is from Shadow of Darkness an Ancient Light novel.  In this scene, the Abbess praises Sveta for the work she sccomplished.            

 

The example in this scene is the use of multiple ways to express the mind without telling.

 

Here is the scene:        

 

        Just before Sveta was about to depart for the bookstore, Marya brought a message for her to report to the abbess’s office.

        With some slight dread, she made her way to the chamber.  When she reached the door, it was already open.  Mother Anna noted her immediately through it and stated, “Come in Svetlana, and close the door after you.”  When the door was shut, Mother Anna continued, “I saw you pause before the door almost five minutes the other day before you knocked.”  She smiled broadly.  “I will not bite you and I have no reason to punish you, Svetlana.  Come closer, child.”

        Sveta walked to the center of the room between the desk and the door.

        Mother Anna gestured her to come closer until she stood directly at the edge of the desk, “I received a report from Father Nikolay about your performance last night.  He used the word perfect so many times I was afraid his vocabulary had been affected.  The words came directly from His Beatitude, so I was led to believe.  You have done very well, Svetlana.  I am pleased.  Father Nikolay did have two things to add.  First, he said you are to have your hair done for the next event.”

        “I don’t want to cut it.”

        “No child, we won’t have to cut it.  He means to have it styled in the current fashion.  His Beatitude thought your clothing was exactly what was necessary, but that your hair seemed too simple and colloquial compared to the other participants—that is easy to fix.  Second, he says you are to be given a seat at dinner next to His Beatitude during these events.  That is out of our hands, and Father Nikolay will take care of that.

        “I don’t want you to think too highly of yourself… No, why am I saying this to you, Svetlana.  You never think too highly of yourself.  One of the few I have met in this world.  Now, you may be very pleased with yourself.  Not a word to anyone—yes?”

        Sveta nodded.

        “Then off to the bookstore with you.  Dov Cohen will be wondering where you have gone.”

        When Sveta had left, Mother Anna whispered under her breath, “Imagine, to hide her, sending the brightest child you have ever met, a jewel, a pearl of great price, off to a Jewish bookstore to work every day.  Perhaps this pleases the Lord God more than I want to imagine.”

Instead of telling the readers what is on Mother Anna’s mind, I use more than one technique for her to say herself—this is showing and not telling. 

 

First, the entire incident is a showing.  It shows how pleased Mother Anna is about Sveta’s work and performance.  Additionally, Mother Anna conveys Father Nikolay and His Beatitude’s opinions. 

 

Second, she expresses her absolute feelings to Sveta directly.  Mother Anna speaks even when Sveta doesn’t.  In this way, I’m using Sveta as a sounding board for passing this information.

 

Third, after Sveta has gone, Mother Anna peaks to herself.  She provides a kicker to the end of the scene. 

 

This is a very full and powerful scene.  Its purpose is to provide a transition between the events of the evening and the events of the day.  It sets up in a foreshadowing for the next event—about the hair.  It gives feedback to Sveta and provides some feedback to the reader about Mother Anna’s thoughts.  It also reveals more about Mother Anna and her work.  Of special note, we see an example of expressing ideas without telling.  Character conversation keeps us in the showing realm and out of telling.

 

I’ll give you more examples.

 

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