Tuesday from the Cottage of Blog about theme and premise
This charming scene can be seen outside the cabin where Elena and Alex meet Tony for the first time. It's the spot where Alex relizes that Elena belongs here--it's her setting. Awwww. Then, of course, all hell breaks loose.
Except for two small details, Arms of the Enemy is as finished as its ever going to get. I'd like to finish Legacy this summer (before school starts--and a new project)
and have two novels to push somewhere. Two sounds better than one any day of the week.
Today, I'm checking on Legacy Premise and Theme to make sure my story includes those throughout the character's journey. I'm taking a course from Alicia Rasley on "Theme, The Glue That Holds the Story Together." Today we're talking about sacrifice. what one character will sacrifice for the well-being of the other/the thing they wanted the most in the beginning and no longer want it because something else has become much more important to them. Like the hero or they're long-lost child. Or something like that. We're discussing going from one point to another.
Even in a bad way. For instance: Maybe someone is a total isolationist. Wants nothing to do with the world at hand, but prefers to live in seclusion. Enter heroine and her journey which he must join (for whatever reason) He learns that he has been an isolationist because of past events and that he no longer has those issues because he's grown. Now he's become involved. He's grown. He's gone from isolationist to involvement. (Thank you Alicia)
Can I give you an example of a theme? Oh sorry. Of course I can. The end doesn't justify the means. In Arms of the Enemy Adam goes after the woman he thinks is involved in the plot to kill his father's horse, the horse's trainer and indirectly his father. He falls in love with his suspect -- but -- he still will stop at nothing to find the killer and nearly gets them both killed.
I believe that to be the theme.
I'm still working out Legacy's and I've written over half the novel. The premise is tied into the theme. Murder and life threatening events in the present leads to discoveries and solutions to mystery's unsolved in the past. Conflict: present vs past and betrayal vs trust found on many levels in both the plot and subplot. Theme: Elena may go from fear to courage,(on several levels) Alex may go from dillusion to realization (personal) and mystery to truth (professionally) Overall theme: Good will triumph over evil (still a bit bland) or: Finding the truth will overcoming deceptions, dillilusionments and destructive forces blanketing everything.
There. My lessons of theme and premise for the day. Some instructors advocate writing your draft first and then finding theme and premise. Maybe. I'd like to have a feel for this before I start. Writing a draft takes a long time. Having to go back and writing another because of a faulty first premise or theme gets me tired. (no exhausted just thinking about it.)
I've just ordered Dwight Swain. I've heard from many it's a master piece for scene and sequel. Just a word about that before I receive and read the book. Let's see if I feel the same after I study him. events should follow in chronolgical order. How many times have I heard that? Is that easy to do? Hell no. Look at this:
Charles passed the butter down the row of aunts and uncles to Cassie.
"Charles pass me the butter."
Yuch, huh? Out of sequence. "Charles pass me the butter, please." (she's just learned manners.) Begrugingly, Charles passed the butter down the row of aunts and uncles to Casse." "thank you."
I guess that's a pretty simple example. The problem I have is the series of events as it happens. ie. A girl is kidnapped. the rescuers go to where they suspect she's been taken and interview. The girl is being held downstairs and has to be moved because the FBI is moving in. She's taken to another hideout. Meanwhile, the FBI and hero learn where she's being kept and the hero ventures down to the hideout. But, meanwhile, the heroine has found a knife to cut her ties when she hears a noise. Down falls the hero into the room. It's the buts and meanwhiles that catch me--I don't want to make too many scenes, but if I have it in exact chronological order,I'd have to. So, Mr. Swain, I hope you can answer that for me. Maybe the next novel won't be so logistically difficult.
Today, back to Legacy. I've been avoiding it. Another logistics problem.
It's a beautiful day. I wish I could see the water from my Cottage of Blog, but I can daydream. I'm sitting on the porch, the coffee smells delicious and a motor boat went by with the cutest guy at the helm. And I'm stuck behind a computer.
Boy I love my Cottage of Blog. I feel just like Alice falling down the rabbit hole into fantasy land.
Happy reading, writing and revising.
Pat
posted by Unknown at 10:32 AM
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