#that's 24k words!!! less than half the requirement to be classified as a novel!

[andromedainruins]

Homework || Starting a Novel

The first homework for SAN is due on Monday, Jan. 23rd. We are to read up through page 22 in Walter Mosley's The Elements of Fiction. I have found that I have a great distaste for his writing and cannot wait to finish reading this... novella. It doesn't deserve to be called a book. Because this post contains my writing, I have decided to throw in a read more. This post is rather long, and though I would not care about that thanks to the new 'expand post' feature, I do care about the ability to remove my writing in the future if needed during the publishing process.

The Instructions:

-Write down at least one thing you’d like to remember from each of the sections in the assigned Mosley readings; Preface, Introduction, The Structure of Revelation, What Is Structure in Fiction?, The Blank Page, The Novel Is Bigger than Your Head, Context, Character.

Preface “Fiction is one of the few constructive human activities in which we have the potential to make something from almost nothing. Something from nothing. That kind of alchemy is a recipe for failure and also the hope for the miraculous.” pg. vi Introduction “We all have a piece or two of the puzzle somewhere in the depths of our souls” pg. xii The Structure of Revelation “…designed to show us that there has always been hope, even in the darkest moments; and the potential for that hope resides in all of us, no matter our foibles, shortcomings, or even our cowardice.” pg. 2 What Is Structure in Fiction? “Story doesn’t start out as structure but slowly assembles itself into a tale filled with surprises, comparisons, and resolution.” pg. 5 The Blank Page “You cannot dance without stumbling now and then. You cannot build the story without mastering the tools the way children learn to play and speak—by discovering the truth while telling it.” pg. 10 The Novel Is Bigger than Your Head Honestly I didn’t get much from this chapter. I don’t approach writing or stories in the same way that Mosley does. This chapter was about letting things get messy and not knowing where you’re going but like I already do that? I don’t think that much about my stories and the interactions between characters so much as I just write the story I want to tell. It doesn’t matter to me what other people think or what other information they need. I tell what I want to tell from the perspective I want to tell it. Context Same for this chapter. It barely even talked about context, just referred back to the previous chapter and its characters. I get what context is, we use context clues in translations and readings all the time for my other classes. But that’s not even mentioned here. Maybe I just can’t see the meaning of what the author is saying because of the way he phrased it (a qualm I’ve had with the book from the very first sentence), but I see no use in this chapter. Character “Character is a beast of burden… In this way character is also history.” pg. 19-20 These two snippets really stood out to me and resonated with me. The rest of the paragraph in between did not. -Then imagine a broad context for your novel and freewrite, for a page or so, about a particular character within a particular setting within that broader context. You may begin a scene or simply write down ideas that come to mind.

I have an idea for a myth about one of the characters. So far, I have 4 characters that I plan on using in the story. Adonai (the second God), Kit (the MC), Sister Benedictine (Benny, a nun and friend of Kit), and Father David (a priest and friend of Kit). The scene starts with Benny and Kit trying to wrangle kids for story time, a tradition that I fondly remember from my childhood in the Church, that then cuts to the myth itself. 

Growing up in the Church, Kit had always been surrounded by stories. Tales as old as time weaving stories about any and everything.

He could vividly remember sitting in a circle in front of the old Priest of his Parish as he read parables to them.

Those were some of his best memories from that time in his life, so when Benny asked if he wanted to join them today he jumped at the chance.

He had lost his chance to lead these story-time circles when he had dropped out of Seminary. While he never regretted that choice, he did miss this. He loved the way the kids’ eyes would light up as he told the parables, the way that they would hang on to every word and every motion of his hands as he told them.

Now, though, he was sitting with his back pressed up against the book lined shelves of the Church’s library as he watched Benny calm the kids.

He watched as she desperately tried to wrangle the handful of restless children. When it became clear that this wouldn’t work, she instead said, “Now come, children. Let me tell yous a story…”

—

Long ago, before there were humans, there existed two Gods.

One God, Adonai, ruled over the material. They created the world and everything on it, then left the heavens to come live among their creations.

The other God, Elohim, ruled over the spiritual. He is the Universe and the Universe is him. He granted Adonai’s creations the gift of a soul, so that they could have free will.

Under the guiding hand of Elohim, Adonai molded the creation in their image. With the blessing of a soul, this would come to be known as man, Adam in name.

The last thing Adonai created before retreating was the Garden of Eden. A place for mankind to grow and be at peace. At least, that’s what it was supposed to be.

For what he didn’t know as he isolated himself in the remote stretches of woods was that Elohim had planted a thought in the mind of his creation. One that would end with the consumption of the Forbidden Fruit and the start of the Fall of Man.

[these fragments are missing]

… [The] light of Elohim had graced them, telling of the Son of Man that was soon to join them on Earth. They had been asked to oversee the newborn, guide him down the path of light to become humanity’s Messiah.

[another missing section, assumed to be about the life of Jesus the Messiah]

They cried.

As they looked up at the sight of the Son of Man, sacrificed and resurrected once again, they cried.

They cried for the torture that the child had to go through to become the Son of Man. They cried for the souls of their creations, which he had just saved. They cried for the salvation that would spread across the land.

Most importantly, they cried for what was to come.

For they knew that without the Son of Man, that their creations would shun them. Declare them an outcast and punish them. And they were not ready…

[the longest missing passage, assumed to be about The Hunt]

Adonai, having retreated once again, found themselves graced with the light of Elohim.

Tears fell from their eyes as He spoke into being a betrayal.

An apology whispered into the wind as Hunters surrounded Adonai. A curse whispered back as they went down without a fight. After all, who could fight His will?

Seven long days and seven long nights the Hunters traveled. The God could do nothing but watch as they were brought before the Church they had helped create.

For despite their involvement with the creation, they were unknown. They created out of love, and now that love was being repaid with cruelty.

Into the cellar they were led. There they were chained and broken. And there they shall stay.