Writing - part x457, Developing Skills, Telic Flaw, Entertaining

8 April 2018, Writing - part x457, Developing Skills, Telic Flaw, Entertaining

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.  I’m just finishing number 30, working title Detective. 

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.

For novel 30:  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 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:  Many people would like to write, but writing is hard work.  I’ll express again, if you want to be a skilled and potentially a published author, you need to write about one million words.  That equates to about ten 100,000 word novels.  When you look at it this way, it is a daunting goal especially if you haven’t written a single novel. 

To become a good writer, you need two specific skill sets first reading and then writing.  Without these skill sets, I really can’t help you much.  I provide advanced help and information on how to write great fiction. 

Characters are the key to great writing.  Entertainment is the purpose of fiction writing.  The key to entertainment is character revelation.  If we want to be a successful writer, we must aim for great protagonists, and I would say, great protagonist’s helpers.

So what is a compelling telic flaw?  We still need a direct and specific telic flaw.  What can we use?  I hate to do this, but at the moment, let’s look at Harry Potty. 

Harry Potty has a direct antagonist who killed his parents and tried to kill him.  Thus we have a direct antagonist and a very good reason for animosity—from Harry against the V-guy.  This is a great beginning for any protagonist.  What we can note from this is the direct antagonist and the reason for conflict.

In my novel Lady Wishart.  The direct antagonist is not so specific, but Lady Wishart has been fighting the system and winning all her life.  Her antagonist is more systemic, but not any less antagonistic.  She wants her estate back, and she wants success.  This is a more indirect, but more common telic flaw and antagonist.  You can see her reason for animosity—her father was (justly) imprisoned, and her estate was (justly) lost.  Still, we have motivation.  In addition, Lady Wishart is an example of a more common themed protagonist.  Not every protagonist faces an “end of the world” antagonist like the V-guy.  I suggest not using such direct and to a degree irrational antagonists in adult literature—in kid’s stuff, it’s kind of okay.    

In Harry Potty, do you note the exaggeration and magnificence?  It is beyond the pale.  Lady Wishart is exaggerated and magnificent within the framework of her existence and the novel.  It’s supposed to be more like real life.

Let’s look a little deeper at Harry Potty.  Harry is the child who survived.  The V-guy was knocked back into he-double toothpicks or wherever evil wizards go, and yet he came back.  The magnificence and exaggeration in this is first Harry.  Harry has powers beyond the scope of the normal wizard.  Powers that make him literally a god in the community of wizards and witches.  His powers are so great that as a child he defeated the V-guy.  If you are astute, you will note that although magnificent and exaggerated, the die is already cast and the end of the novel(s) known.  No matter what old V-guy does, Harry will survive and defeat him.  That’s just obvious from any standpoint.

Lady Wishart, on the other hand has been granted the Keeper of the Book of the Fae.  She lived in foster care.  She won a scholarship and has fought her way to the top of her school and class.  She is the head girl and the top girl all in one.  She wants to be a supernatural detective and she has been shut out of the British intelligence system for some reason.  Her case and cause seem hopeless and becomes more hopeless as the novel unfolds.  She succeeds as a supernatural detective, but at the risk of her life and position. 

This is an adult type telic flaw.  Lady Wishart is magnificent and exaggerated, but she requires both and all she has to resolve the telic flaw in herself and the plot. 

Here’s what we have.  First, an antagonist who is in some way deeply opposed to the protagonist.  Second, a protagonist who’s skills and capabilities can potentially defeat the antagonist and resolve the opposition in some fashion.  These both should be magnificent and exaggerated.

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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