The Genesis of a Novel, the Beginning – Part 1

Posted on July 21, 2016 by Green Dragon Artist — 24 Comments

This is the first installment of a series of posts I’ve been writing, following the process of writing a novel from conception through publication and beyond.

Although I’ve already started on the process, I thought it might be interesting to blog my way through the novel creation process. I’m already through about the first three-four days worth of work, so those will be schmooshed into this post.

I’m working on the fourth novel in the Druid’s Brooch series. Book 2 was just published this month (Legacy of Truth), and book 3 is submitted to my publisher and due out January 2017 (Legacy of Luck).

The idea will be to have three trilogies in total. The first trilogy (the Legacy books) will be in the 18th/19th century. The second trilogy (the Misfortune books) will be in the 11th/12th century. The third and final trilogy (the Age books) will be in the 5th/6th century, and the final book of that trilogy will give the origins of the brooch itself.

So, that means in order to plan my next book, I really have to plan out SIX novels. And make them all tie neatly into a bow at the end. Right. OK, deep breath, let it out easily. Let’s do this.

Most writiers are Planners or Plotters to some extent. I’m pretty strong on the Planner end of the spectrum. That means I like to plan out my book and my scenes, flesh out my characters and my subplots before the first word is written. Yes, it can change later due to the capriciousness of my muse and my own editing, but that’s how I begin. I use something called The Snowflake Method (you can look it up online) which has been a Gods’ Send to this AR accountant with aspirations of authorship.

FIRST: The Concept

My first job was to come up with a basic premise for each book. A once-sentence elevator pitch. Something like ‘1940s nurse travels back in time 200 years and falls in love with a Highlander in the Jacobite revolution’ would be for Outlander. Each basic plot should have a conflict, a main character, and a resolution. For my series, each has to connect in some way to the others in the trilogy. The main character in one might be the grandfather in the next one, or the great-granddaugther of the previous one. Then try to mix it up – make sure you aren’t reusing basic plot devices, character types, even different ages.

For book 4, which has the working title of Misfortune of Vision, my main plot is a quest for an heir, and my main character is a 65-year-old grandmother. Because we need more adventure books with experienced heroes! Sure, I won’t be able to write in as much angst and rebellion, but I can get in plenty of snark and sarcasm. And I love it when little old ladies order everyone else around.

I made sure the main elevator-pitch plot was done on the other five books-to-be, so I had a good variety of themes and plots. and so I didn’t run out of ideas and have to change something I’d already done 😀

SECOND: The Synopsis

Now, this little old lady needs a quest – so she’s going to seek out her grandson. Why? Well, she has this heirloom, you see. A magic brooch she must gift to a relative. And her children are all dead. Why? Well, you might have to read the book to find out.

I want to find a time of great conflict to set the book in. External conflict is easier to meld into the characters’ conflict, adding tension and action. Of course, when I decided on 12th century Ireland, I had NO idea exactly how violent this time was in the northeast of Ireland. I knew it was bad in the southeast with the Norman invasion, but this time period makes Game of Thrones look like a peaceful Sunday picnic. The main historically reliable documents from the time mostly just list the deaths of kings and nobles, bishops, and the like. And there were a lot of them! It seemed like every minor king had a relative who hated him enough to off him for his throne.

Mix in: The Research

Then I lost myself in research. I dropped down into a rabbit hole of the Annals of Irish History, CELT, Lady Gregory, Yeats, and the ever-mocking Wikipedia. I researched kings and social structure. I researched clergy and local saints. I looked up fairy queens and holy wells. I delved into Neolithic mounds and burnt villages. After a good 15 hours’ worth of research, I checked out the local Vikings (called Ostmen at the time, or simly Foreigners), the Normans, and the Irish. I discovered that there was a local king who was a bit of a craven coward. He just fled when the Normans arrived.

Cool! Cowardly kings are great! Let’s use him. Now I know where my main character lives. she has a purpose, plenty of crap to get in her way. I’ve added some characters to make her life even more difficult. I made that one sentence elevator pitch into a paragraph, and then into three paragraphs. Those three paragraphs have now become two full pages of detailed plot synopsis. Whew!!

Now I have to take a break. My head is swimming with possibilities, and the scenes are already beginning to form in my head. No! Not yet! Back, back you fools! You’re not on cue yet. I need my characters first.

THIRD: The Characters

The main character is always the toughest. They set the theme for the whole book. I have a bad tendency to polarize my characters, especially the female leads. They are either contrary and sniping or they are passive and weak. I’m definitely going with the former for Grandma here, but I hope to make her kind as well. But with a nasty temper and a tendency to rap people hard with her walking stick. Because why not?

I fill in her physical characteristics, her hobbies, her quirks. Everyone must have virtues and vices. Tics and habits. Catch phrases, favorite curses, anything to humanize her. Does she like cloud-watching? Play with her hair? Yell ‘Gadzooks!’ whenever she meets someone new?

Now do this with the rest of your characters. You should have a good collection of people from your synopsis at this point. I’ve got a dozen already – Irish, Normans, Norsemen, and some Fae. Set up conflict. Make some inflexible, some easy-going. Don’t go for the obvious. Make the churchman the easy-going one and the Fool the guy with a stick up his butt. Mix it up. Remember, everyone has flaws and everyone has good points. No one is a perfect villain or a perfect hero. Make sure each of your characters has motivations, and for the bigger ones, good story arcs and growth within the story.

Now, it’s time to let things percolate. I’m going back to editing my other manuscript, and let the synopsis, characters and scenes percolate in my brain while my palate clears.

Next up: The Scene List.

Part I – The Beginning

Part II – Research

Part III – Place

Part IV – Scenes

Part V – Opening Lines

Part VI – Characters going Awry

Part VII – Scene by Scene

Part VIII – The Boggy Middle

Part IX – Procrastination and NaNoWriMo

Part X – More Procrastination and First Draft Done!

Part XI – Beta Readers

Part XII – Beta Edits

Part XIII – Submission!

Part XIV – Acceptance!

Part XV – First Round of Edits

Part XVI – Last Round of Edits and Cover Art

Part XVII – Artist Package, ARCs and Review Requests, Oh, My!

Part XVIII – Release Day!

*****

I write historical fantasy novels, mostly set in Ireland, and a contemporary romance based on my parents’ 30-year search for true love. Don’t miss information on Celtic myth and history, as well as practical travel planning tips, and hidden places, in my travel books.

Call of the Morrigú – Historical fantasy set in 1797 Ireland.
The Enchanted Swans– Historical fantasy set in 500 BCE Ireland, based on The Children of Lir, an Irish Fairy Tale.
Better To Have Loved– Contemporary romance based on the true story of my parents’ 30-year search for love
Legacy of Hunger– Historical fantasy set in 1846 Ireland. Druid’s Brooch #1 (Now available in PRINT!)
Legacy of Truth– Historical fantasy set around 1800 Ireland. Druid’s Brooch #2
Legacy of Luck – Historical fantasy set in 1745 Ireland and Scotland. Druid’s Brooch #3
Misfortune of Vision – Historical fantasy set in 12th century Ireland. Druid’s Brooch #4 (release date January 10, 2018)
Misfortune of Song – Historical fantasy set in 12th century Ireland. Druid’s Brooch #5 (projected release date April 2018)
Misfortune of Time – Historical fantasy set in 11th century Ireland. Druid’s Brooch #6 (first draft done – in editing)
Turlough’s Tale – Short Story in The Druid’s Brooch series, set ten years before Legacy of Luck.
Stunning, Strange and Secret: A Guide to Hidden Scotland
Mythical, Magical, Mystical: A Guide to Hidden Ireland

More info at Green Dragon Artist :: Home ,

Christy Jackson Nicholas, Author , and

Tirgearr Publishing – Christy Nicholas

Green Dragon Artist Blog

About Green Dragon Artist

Celtic Fairies, Fables, and Folklore! Bestselling author (top #100 Amazon Canada, #1 in Paranormal Fantasy, Amazon Canada) Christy Nicholas, also known as Green Dragon, is an author, artist and accountant. After she failed to become an airline pilot, she quit her ceaseless pursuit of careers that begin with 'A', and decided to concentrate on her writing. Since she has Project Completion Disorder, she is one of the few authors with NO unfinished novels. Christy has her hands in many crafts, including digital art, beaded jewelry, writing, and photography. In real life, she's a CPA, but having grown up with art all around her (her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother are/were all artists), it sort of infected her, as it were. She wants to expose the incredible beauty in this world, hidden beneath the everyday grime of familiarity and habit, and share it with others. She uses characters out of time and places infused with magic and myth. Combine this love of beauty with a bit of financial sense and you get an art business. She does local art and craft shows, as well as sending her art to various science fiction conventions throughout the country and abroad. Facebook: www.facebook.com/greendragonauthor Homepage: www.greendragonartist.com Blog: www.greendragonartist.net Twitter: www.twitter.com/greendragon9