Writing - part x274, Novel Form, Plans and Tension

7 October 2017, Writing - part x274, Novel Form, Plans and Tension

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.  How do you show the personality of your protagonist?  If you haven’t figured it out yet, the following scene will give you a direct and exact example.  This is also an example of what you don’t need to tell your readers.

 

The first is this: why didn’t Sveta return to the office for a few days?  The answer should be obvious.  She is figuring out what she will do if Beria does not succeed Stalin.  She is making her plans.  The big question is whether she is doing this on her own or with the assistance of Mother Anna.

 

The second question is the orders given to Marya.  The answer should be clear later.                    

 

Here is the scene:        

 

        Sveta didn’t return to the office for a few days.  Aleksandr watched for her each day.  When Sveta finally came back, the entire office gave a collective sigh of relief.  The knowledge of the death of Stalin was already released, and Beria was consolidating his power.  The MGB was absorbed into the MVD, and for a while, Sveta’s office grew.  Sveta gave orders to Marya that caused alarm to her, but she accomplished them secretly and exactly as Sveta decreed.  The additional support and money available to Sveta’s directorate made such requests simple to complete.

        In April the interim ambassador, Beam, was replaced by Charles E. Bohlen.  Sveta arranged tentative contacts with him, but the turmoil in the Soviet State made long term alignments difficult. 

        In June, Beria was arrested.  Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev and a consortium of those opposed to Beria conspired against him.  That afternoon, Sveta had Marya call her automobile, and she headed directly to the American embassy.

        Charles Bohlen received Sveta immediately.  Although the embassy was accustomed to afternoon visits from Sveta’s office, she herself had not visited regularly—she had been too busy.  Sveta entered the ambassador’s office.  Mr. Bohlen greeted her with a cup of tea prepared precisely as she liked it with milk and sugar, “Thank you, Mr. Bohlen.  He seated her in the chair before his desk.  He sat down at his desk and sipped a cup of coffee.”

        Bohlen looked over his cup, “Svetlana Evgenyevna, this is indeed a pleasure.  What can I do for you today?”

        “You are certainly aware of the difficulties caused by the death of Stalin.”

        “Yes, it is the most important issue on our minds right now.”

        “Lavrentiy Beria has been arrested and unless some action happens from his supporters or the MVD, he will not succeed Stalin.”

        “Beria arrested, that is news to us.”

        “You likely know, that though I don’t owe allegiance to Beria, he was one of my major supporters.”

        “Yes, Beria and Stalin.”

        “Beria, Stalin, and Abakumov.”

        “Precisely.”

        “Then you understand my problem?”

        “Abakumov is in the basement of the MVD with Beria.  Stalin is dead.  Svetlana Evgenyevna, you seem to be in a pickle.”

        “That is precisely true.”

        “What do you want from me?”

        “I would like asylum.”

        “That is very easy to accomplish—you have helped us before…”

        “Not just for me.  I have a list of people who I would like you to protect.  They are my translators and office personnel who are most vulnerable in this power struggle.”

        “Let me see the list.”

        Sveta handed it to him.

        “One or two of these we can handle.  All of them, that is quite impossible.”

        Sveta stood up, “Do you think you could get the other embassies to help.”

        Bohlen shook his head, “You have about twenty people on your list.  I will take you and a couple of others.”

        “How many will you accept?”

        “Four.  I cannot risk angering the Soviet State right now.”

        “I will send them tomorrow.  Tonight if I can.”

        “Will you be with them?”

        “No.  That would not be right.  Another can take my place.”

        “Svetlana Evgenyevna, from what you tell me, in a few days you could be in the basement of the MVD.”

        “If you will take five, I will add another from my list.  If you will take six, another.  Unless you take them all I will not be among them.”

        “Send them on.  I hope you will change your mind.”

        “Thank you, Mr. Bohlen.”

        Sveta exited the American Embassy and took her motorcar back to her office. 

        As she left, Mr. Bohlen told his secretary, “That is one courageous young woman.”

 

Obviously, the arrest of Beria and the ascent of Khrushchev make Sveta and much of her office vulnerable.  Perhaps I should have made this clearer in the writing for those who don’t understand autocratic governments.  When there are power struggles, the winners don’t just purge the organizations, they usually rename and rebuild organizations while purging the people.  Whatever crimes they might imagine Sveta perpetrated, those punishments will be delivered to everyone below her.  We know Sveta has been playing a dangerous game—everyone close to her in her office is at risk of death or torture or both.

 

In fact, a problem that will come up in the next novel is that those in the Orthodox Church who helped Sveta are all at risk.  Khrushchev moved backwards on many of Stalin’s freeing of the Church and other nongovernmental organizations.  Khrushchev moved quickly to consolidate and declare his power over the Soviet State.  Sveta realizes what will happen and moves to help those she can.

 

The example of how to show the personality of a protagonist.  You can see the kind of person Sveta has become.  She is understanding herself and who she is.  This is still somewhat of a secret to the reader.  She moves immediately to save the people in her office who are vulnerable.  There is no need for a full list.  The point is that she is willing to give up herself for others and those closest to her.  It is as she explained to the ambassador.  This is also reflected in his statement to his secretary.  This is how you show and don’t tell.

   

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  

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