Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 897, Novel Development, Incorrect Protagonist

25 September 2016, Writing Ideas - New Novel, part 897, Novel Development, Incorrect Protagonist  

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.

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, proposed title, Essie: Enchantment and the Aos Si, is this: Mrs. Lyons captures a shape-shifting girl in her pantry and rehabilitates her.

I finished writing my 27^th novel, working title, Claire, potential title Sorcha: Enchantment and the Curse.  This might need some tweaking.  The theme statement is: Claire (Sorcha) Davis accepts Shiggy, a dangerous screw-up, into her Stela branch of the organization and rehabilitates her.  

Here is the cover proposal for Essie: Enchantment and the Aos Si.  Essie is my 26th novel.

Cover Proposal

The most important scene in any novel is the initial scene, but eventually, you have to move to the rising action. I started writing my 28^th novel, working title Red Sonja. 

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)

 

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.

 

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.

 

These are the steps I use to write 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

 

Here is my list of ways an author might add extraneous writing to a novel.  Let’s look at the sixth.

 

1.      Material not relevant to the climax or plot.

2.      Characters or character arcs not relevant to the climax or plot.

3.      Side stories.

4.      Information not relevant to the climax, setting, or plot.

5.      Excessive storylines.

6.      Lack of a sufficient telic flaw.

7.      Incorrect protagonist.

    

A poorly chosen telic flaw (theme) will result in a poor novel more than extraneous writing.  Likewise, choosing the incorrect protagonist gives a poor novel, however, this mistake will also result in all kinds of extraneous material.  I know, I know, currently multiple protagonists has become popular, but they just don’t really work out.  Usually, the result is a chocolate mess—just look at Thrones for a negative example.  None of us would sell such a novel.  Picking the correct protagonist is critical to writing a good novel.  Mixing it up will ruin any good novel or novel idea. 

 

Many people imagine that identifying the protagonist is easy—sometimes yes and sometimes no.  In a novel with a strong protagonist’s helper, identifying the protagonist can be difficult.  I like to have strong protagonist’s helpers.  The trick to identifying the protagonist is in the telic flaw.  The telic flaw will always be the protagonist’s problem to solve.  Sherlock Holmes is always on the case.  He solves the crime or mystery and Dr. Watson helps.  Sherlock Holmes is the protagonist and Dr. Watson is the protagonist’s helper.  It isn’t hard to mix them up.  Other novels aren’t so easy. 

 

Usually the POV (point of view) will also show the protagonist.  Of course, in a first person novel, the protagonist is obvious—unless the author screwed up.  Ah, there’s the rub.  Maybe I should discuss this a little.  I don’t like using the first person for any novels.  The only time an author should use the first person is when the protagonist deserves the first person. I’ll grudgingly allow that in the Hungry Games (ha ha), that is the correct use of a first person protagonist.  In the case of the Hungry Games, the protagonist was, literally, the most important person on that planet or country.  In my novel, The End of Honor, Lyral Neuterra is, literally, the most important person in the Human Galactic Empire.  Her life and death spawns an intragalactic war.  Simply, if you write in the first person, make this check.  I believe an author friend of mine changed his novel from first to third person based on this advice.  Writing in the third person is much more powerful than in the first person for many reasons.  There is much more to this protagonist problem.   

      

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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