Writing - part xx107 Writing a Novel, Developing Dialog

18 January 2020, Writing - part xx107 Writing a Novel, Developing Dialog

Announcement: Delay, my new novels can be seen on the internet, but my primary publisher has gone out of business—they couldn’t succeed in the past business and publishing environment.  I'll keep you informed, but I need a new publisher.  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 websites 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 29^th novel, working title, Detective, potential title Blue Rose: Enchantment and the Detective.  The theme statement is: Lady Azure Rose Wishart, the Chancellor of the Fae, supernatural detective, and all around dangerous girl, finds love, solves cases, breaks heads, and plays golf.  

Here is the cover proposal for Blue Rose: Enchantment and the Detective. 

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising action. I am continuing to write on my 30^th novel, working title Red Sonja.  I finished my 29^th novel, working title Detective.  I’m planning to start on number 31, working title Shifter. 

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 30:  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.

For novel 31:  Deirdre and Sorcha are redirected to French finishing school where they discover difficult mysteries, people, and events. 

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

          

Today:  Why don’t we go back to the basics and just writing a novel?  I can tell you what I do, and show you how I go about putting a novel together.  We can start with developing an idea then move into the details of the writing. 

To start a novel, I picture an initial scene.  I may start from a protagonist or just launch into mental development of an initial scene.  I get the idea for an initial scene from all kinds of sources.  To help get the creative juices flowing, let’s look at the initial scene. 

1.     Meeting between the protagonist and the antagonist or the protagonist’s helper

2.     Action point in the plot

3.     Buildup to an exciting scene

4.     Indirect introduction of the protagonist

Ideas.  We need ideas.  Ideas allow us to figure out the protagonist and the telic flaw.  Ideas don’t come fully armed from the mind of Zeus.  We need to cultivate ideas. 

1.     Read novels. 

2.     Fill your mind with good stuff—basically the stuff you want to write about. 

3.     Figure out what will build ideas in your mind and what will kill ideas in your mind.

4.     Study.

5.     Teach. 

6.     Make the catharsis. 

7.     Write.

The development of ideas is based on study and research, but it is also based on creativity.  Creativity is the extrapolation of older ideas to form new ones or to present old ideas in a new form.  It is a reflection of something new created with ties to the history, science, and logic (the intellect).  Creativity requires consuming, thinking, and producing.

If creativity, especially in writing, is caused by writing—then we better get writing.  Write-on.  Yes, so what does this writing for creativity look like? 

Developing creativity is all about writing.  Well, there are the other six actions you should accomplish.  Then write.  Many ask, what should I write about?  I understand this.  If you don’t know what to write about, then what do you write about?  Random stuff?  Nah.

Let’s write about stuff that will help us both write better and that will build up our writing portfolio. 

We started with descriptive paragraphs and then turned them into action scenes.  The next step is to take two of the characters you described and bring them together for a conversation.  This is called dialog. 

Writing dialog seems to be a problem for many beginning authors.  Let me give you an easy way to start and finish.  The rest is kind of up to you, but I’ll help you with that too.

First of all, we have our descriptive paragraphs setting the setting and the characters.  We have written scenes moving these characters around our settings.  Now, we want to bring two characters together for a dialog.

Obviously, we need to start the scene with the setting.  Set the place in the buildings, the characters, and move them together in a single place in the building or outside.  Obviously, you need to describe this new setting in the scene that is the place where the characters meet and the dialog starts. 

Nearly every dialog begins with a greeting.  How is this—don’t start any dialog without a greeting.  Your greeting might be a call, a yell, a scream, but these are all types of greetings.  One character is getting the attention of the other.  Most of the time, we are writing modern dialogs, but in historical dialogs, usually, the person of higher status will address the one with a lower status.  In a modern conversation, the author may choose the character to begin the conversation.

In any case, one character will start a dialog with a greeting.  The greeting and, as I noted, the speaker might be determined by status in the society.  Let’s take an example from the exercise I’ve had you write. 

I’ll presume you have taken a modern building and a modern setting.  Dependent on the setting and the building, you might have a status situation.  Let’s work from these possibilities.  Character one is a lady and character two is the butler.  We don’t need a reason for the conversation yet, but let’s have one.  The lady of the house wishes to discuss the arrangements for a dinner party that evening.  In this case, the lady’s status is higher, and she should speak first.  On the other hand, if the butler wished to discuss the arrangements for the dinner party, he might begin the conversation as well.  First example:

Lady Jane stepped into the kitchen and noted James, her butler, was sitting at the table polishing her husband’s shoes, “James.”

James noted Lady Jane standing in the kitchen doorway.  He stood, “Yes, ma’am.”

Lady Jane moved to the far side of the table, “I’d like to discuss this evening…”

And so on.  The center portion of this conversation will cover the arrangements for dinner.  The end will look something like this:

James nodded, “I think I understand your needs, ma’am.”

Lady Jane smiled, “I’m glad we are clear about that.  I’ll be in my study if you have any other questions.”

“Yes, ma’am.  I’ll get right at it.”

“Good afternoon.”

“Afternoon, ma’am.”

If you notice, the dialog has a closure followed closely by a farewell.  All conversations have a greeting, topics of conversation, a closure, and a farewell.

Let’s look at a less domestic conversation.  You can design some characters that allow this type of dialog too. 

A normal conversation between acquaintances or non-acquaintances, always starts with a greeting.  Following the greeting is an introduction, if necessary.  After the introduction comes words of social lubrication.  This is followed by topics of no depth.  If the conversation is important or about important topics, the speakers will move into deeper conversation.  The end is a closure and a farewell.  You can write an outline:

1.     Greeting

2.     Introductions

3.     Social lubrication

4.     Topics of no depth

5.     Topics of depth

6.     Closure

7.     Farewell

Here’s an example.  Two gentlemen meet on the street, James Green and William Stark:

James stopped abruptly, “Mr. Stark, good afternoon.  I am addressing Mr. Stark, am I not?”

Mr. William Stark stopped and held out his hand, “I am indeed Mr. Stark, good afternoon.  And, you are?”

James shook the hand, “Mr. Stark, I am James Green.  I recognized you by your secretary’s description.  I’d like to speak to you about the Coldridge Affair.”

“How do you do, Mr. Green.  I don’t know whether to be complimented or not that you could recognize we so quickly on the street especially where that affair is concerned.”

James let out a tense smile, “Could I treat you to tea or a drink?”  He looked to the right, “This tearoom has especially pleasant tea and very quiet tables where we might speak.”

William nodded, “Very well, sir.  You lead and I’ll follow.  I do feel like I need a spot of tea.”

And so on.  I didn’t go to the closure and farewell, or into the depth of the deep conversation.

If you notice:  greetings, introductions, social lubrication (how do you do), topics of no depth (tea, the weather, recognition, and etc.), the in depth topic of the Coldridge Affair is touched, this will obviously be the in depth topic the gentlemen with speak about.

There are other rules concerning writing good conversation: no address, contractions, tags, and etc.       

Whatever you do, get your writing into electronic files.  We should also write about formatting too.  In any case, tomorrow, I’ll give you ideas about what to put in your portfolio.   

The most important step in creativity may be to just write.  This begins another chapter in this discussion of creativity—notes, records, and documenting.

I need to get to the point of extrapolating creativity, and also finish the thought about event horizon and worldview.  

The beginning of creativity is study and effort.  We can use this to extrapolate to creativity.  In addition, we need to look at recording ideas and working with ideas.    

    

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