Mi's Writing Classroom: Lesson 7 [Plot Process] Prologue (Part 2)

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The author of this article まろ is the author of the light novel “Southern Cross”. He hopes to use his own experience to help more friends write good stories. Thank you for authorizing the “Content Hacker” website to reprint it. Thank you hereby.

The importance of the beginning of the story not only serves as the initial introduction to the whole play, but most importantly, it lays the initial foreshadowing and echoes the ending.

Recently, netizens have been asking me about “how to write good novels”. Therefore, I organized my experience in writing light novels into 34 themes, divided into three stages: [Preparation Assignment], [Plot Process] and [Writing Management].

Whether you want to write a novel, a biography, or a business history, these articles can help. No matter what your writing level is, I will help you complete a work in the two stages of [preparation] and [plot flow]!

This unit quotes the unique insights of Bangbangtang Creative Marketing. I would like to express my gratitude to Teacher Elton for building a bridge between written communication and psychology.

The prologue sets the direction for the first half of the story, keeping the reader consistent and not getting lost.

Welcome back to the [Writing Classroom] unit! We will continue to take a bird’s-eye view of [Part 2] and [Part 3] of the first chapter of “Southern Cross”. Please study with me! Before proceeding, it is recommended that you check from “まろ’s writing classroom tag” to confirm whether you have read the content of Lessons 1 to 7 (Part 2). If you don’t want to create a fantasy story, you can skip Lesson 5 (Part 1).

So, let’s get started right away!

“First Chapter Part Two”

_The blazing sunshine is unwilling to be blocked outside the boundary drawn by the eaves, and secretly seeps inward. Thirteen years ago in the summer, the air of the southern island was filled with the scent of lavender, the burning sensation in my memory and the sweetness of watermelon.

“Ah, hello. Thank you very much for checking in. The service staff are all our own family members. Ah, this is my grandson Xiaozhe.” The simple middle-aged woman greeted the guests who stayed this time cordially. She had a few deep wrinkles on her dark skin. Because she loved to laugh, everyone said they were laugh lines. Next to her was a silly-looking little boy, who was only four or five years old at most, holding a piece of watermelon.

This guest is a bit special. Except for a gray-haired old man in a kimono with a full face like an ancient official, and a little red-haired girl about four or five years old like Xiao Zhe, there were a large number of men in black suits and sunglasses who were out of touch with the season. The little girl seemed reluctant and looked at the small two-story wooden hotel at the door. _

From the very beginning, the synchronization of the five senses is used to transport readers to the summer of a southern island. Maybe you noticed that “the fragrance of lavender is melted into it”, which is a symbol of the heroine. According to the simplified causal relationship through deletions and distortions in the play, readers know that the heroine has appeared, but the author has no positive confirmation.

Through this narrative, we know that the protagonist has been silly since he was a child, that Yizhi’s family members are a bit unusual, and that Yizhi has been very unpleasant since he was a child. (I actually wanted to use the word “motorcycle”)

“That kid is very talented, and he got it at a young age. But ……”

_“If possible, I hope to replace the eldest lady. Although I am just an outsider, and my strength is far less than that of the eldest lady. But teacher, you are all bound by the agreement that should have been voided long ago. This is what I feel.” The man in black said. _

This narrative brings out a very exaggerated setting. The two things “forbidden” and “Ji Chuan” together are equivalent to what we often call “discipleship”. A little girl of four or five years old has already started teaching? Uh… This should still be the age where you love to play, right? How is it possible to study a certain skill seriously and even become a master? The “promise” in the second sentence implies that the little girl is under some pressure, which can be described as “tied up”.

_In the clearing in the woods, the little girl brandished an unsheathed sword with a serious look on her face. It looked the same as the sword held by Xiao Sahara. They are all made of white wood, with the edges carefully polished by craftsmen and burnt with knife inscriptions. When the sunlight shines through the gaps in the leaves, it has an ivory-like texture. _

It turns out that she has already mastered swordsmanship. No wonder one of the escape stories was easy for her. Moreover, her waist sword is very exquisitely made, which symbolizes that the status of the holder is quite high.

_”…” Back in the woods, the little girl’s childish face was completely ashen. “I got the snacks. There are strawberry daifuku cakes and oolong tea, that’s right.” Xiao Sahara showed off his trophies and smiled proudly. “Can you assume that I never said this?” “You can’t be a swindler! Your grandfather told you that you have something to spare.” The little girl couldn’t find any reason to defend herself. Looking at the two snacks in the picnic basket, her plan to turn her grandfather into a bad guy failed completely. Seeing Xiao Sahara smiling so brightly, I guess I couldn’t just let him go. The wind in the woods blew, flapping the little girl’s bright red hair, as if urging something. _

The girl said that if the protagonist got the snack, she would tell him the name. Unexpectedly, she actually got it. We can tell from the girl’s reaction that she is not willing to act shamelessly even if she is in trouble. Her personality is far more mature than the average five-year-old child, and she has high self-esteem. (No wonder he’s so cool…oh no, it’s not flattering)

“The wind in the woods blew, fluttering the little girl’s bright red hair, as if urging something.” This narrative allows the scene to bring out the inner emotions of the character. In fact, as far as I’m concerned, the characters only express about half of their emotions, and the other half, even the important ones, are often brought out by the background.

My friend once said: “In your writing, the flowers, grass, wind and light of the entire scene are emotional.” This is my tribute to director Makoto Shinkai. We will explain it in detail in [Lesson 10: The Emotion of the Background].

_The little girl lowered her shoulders and sighed. There is a faint scent of lavender in the air. At this time, there was only the sound of wind and the little girl’s faint voice…

“My name is…”

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

“Yizhi!?” Zuo Yuan suddenly sat up from the bed. ”…Who is that? Why did I suddenly call this name? Is it a dream?”_

In an instant, we were taken back to the original timeline from the past chapter (the same as one of them). It turns out that the past chapter was Sahara’s dream, and the matter of “red-haired little girl = red-haired girl of the festival = Yizhi” is still brewing. All we know so far is that this puzzle game started when the protagonist remembered the name “Yizhi”.

_“Ha…really? Then let’s watch “Super Heroes”…” As for Ayuha’s thoughtfulness, Sahara can only say that she is at the level of a goddess. But just when I thought about it, I was…

“Ah. Can I bring a friend to see it? 』 Sunk.

“Of course it’s okay to be ……__.”_

_Sahara, who was about to burst into tears, said something against his will. In fact, what he wanted to say was “Of course not!” After politely thanking her, Ayuye hung up the phone. _

Let’s temporarily put aside the main plot about Yizhi and look back at the continuation of the opening branch plot. Oops, the light that finally emerged seems to have encountered a big crisis. We once again experienced the tenderness of the protagonist, but the blow he received seemed to be reaching the critical point.

_Ah, if it were Ayuye, the other party would definitely say very happily, “Xiaoye, you really understand me, I’m so happy,” and give her a big hug. The other party should be a guy called “Kaneko Ichiro”, who was hired by a bank before he graduated from college. After Ayuye graduates, the two will get married and take a honeymoon trip to places like Palau that can only be seen on TV. _

‘Ah? This one? This is just my childhood sweetheart, Kaneko-chan. 』

_The scene of Ayuha smiling in front of the cinema and saying “We’re just childhood sweethearts” became a super high-resolution background image. Every time it is played, Sawara becomes smaller, as if Ayuha’s gentle expression and long brown hair are getting further and further away. _

‘Only children like to watch this kind of childish movie. But with Xiaoye here, everything looks beautiful. 』

‘I’m so happy, Kaneko-chan. 』

“Ah I…”

『Sahara-san, thank you for staying with me. I’ll take Xiaoye to have a meal first. 』

_Before Zuo Yuan could say anything, he was interrupted by the words à la prochaine. Looking at the sweet backs of the two, Zuo Yuan, who was frozen by the powerful air-conditioning in the cinema, felt his heart break. _

The poor protagonist begins his own tragic delusion, and we know from this that his low self-esteem is quite high. Mr. Kaneko deliberately used French to say goodbye to show that he was on a different level from the protagonist. As for whether it’s fashionable and elegant or just fake, that’s a matter of opinion. (laughing)

_“Why are you here?” The red-haired and sinister girl who made Sahara look ugly was also present at the festival. Passers-by could not see the little devil hidden under her cute appearance. They only felt that Sahara, who was hugging her from left to right, was really the public enemy of men.

“What!? So Sahara-san is the idiot who asked the girl to watch “Super Heroes”!? You really have your style!” The red-haired girl burst into laughter again, and Zuo Yuan’s face turned red with embarrassment. “Kim…__…_Isn’t Kaneko Ichiro here yet?”

_“Huh? Who is Kaneko Ichiro? Azhe, is your friend?” Facing Ayuye’s smile, Sahara felt confused for a moment. The red-haired girl whispered in his ear, “Hey, do you think Yuba came here with her boyfriend? Poor kid.” He was so embarrassed that he had the urge to hide in the sewer. _

Unexpectedly, Ayuha’s friend is the red-haired girl at the festival. This is the first intersection between Yichi’s main plot and Ayuya’s branch plot (there is more than one branch plot). Normally, this would be the time to introduce each other, but the protagonist was caught in all kinds of chaos, so he couldn’t care less about it.

The question of “How does Ayuye know Ichigo” has been covered here for now, but it will be explained in the seventh episode of the second season.

_“Oops? Didn’t I tell you my name?” The girl jumped slightly behind Zuo Yuan, looked up at the huge poster on the outer wall of the cinema, then turned around and said.

“My name is Strawberry, Amakusa Wild Strawberry. Although this is not the first time we have met, I would like to ask for your advice.” The red-haired girl said with a playful resting posture, her hands resting on the curve of her slender waist and sexy hips. At the same time, it seems that the development of the chest is far beyond the average level of high school students. Ah, another boy passing by was beaten by his girlfriend.

“Yizhi…?” Zuo Yuan blurted out the name. “You missed the last word, Sahara-san.” Strawberry’s mysterious smile and this sexy pose that she didn’t realize were all exactly the same as the night of the festival. _

Let me explain first, the Roman pinyin of strawberry is Ichigo, and the Roman pinyin of Yizhi is Icho. There is only one voiced word “ご” missing. So from page 8, “Her expression is a happy smile after a successful prank.” The foreshadowing has been clearly revealed, and the main theme of the first half of the story is-

Is the transfer student Strawberry who comes to the town the girl Yizhi whom the protagonist met on the southern island when he was a child?

They all have red hair and lavender-scented features, but no one can catch them all yet.

By the fifth chapter, this spindle will start to loosen, then by the sixth chapter it will sway a little, by the eighth chapter it will transition to the next spindle, and by the ninth chapter it will be completely abandoned and replaced with a new spindle, until the ending of the eleventh chapter.

The precise main axis of the prologue will accompany us through [the wavering of the protagonist’s belief], [the road to rebirth], [the prologue to rebirth] and [the resolution of the appearance problem]. It is the first set of three-act plays in the five-act play. (If you don’t know where this process comes from, please refer to “Want to write a story? Or want to try story marketing? [Writing Classroom] column is your good partner!”)

Huh? So what’s the next spindle?

I won’t tell you (laughs), but let’s go back to Chapter 1-2.

_“So the only possibility is that we became lovers on the way to the shrine. Or, we were lovers in the first place…” ”…What?” Strawberry said this enigmatic declaration easily and naturally, ignoring the incomprehensible expression on Sawara’s face. Looking at her smile, she didn’t look like she was joking, but Zuo Yuan didn’t understand it at all. Compared to an ordinary boy like Zuo Yuan, strawberries are like the flower of the mountains on the top of the mountain. Moreover, it is a dreamy and famous flower on the top of the Himalayas, which can only be seen by crossing a large landmine grassland. As for the sentence “We are a couple from the beginning”, it is better to pretend that we did not hear this incredible statement. _

We synchronize the protagonist’s signature posture of being yizhi to the night of the festival (technically speaking, it is a narration), and continue to tell the story after the protagonist is forcibly kissed at the end of one of them.

What kind of divine logic is the first sentence? Right. But for Yizhi who knows the truth, it may be true, if the protagonist, like Yizhi, also misses the other party.

This foreshadowing is more for the protagonist Sahara than for the readers. I want to use this sentence to express Yizhi’s thoughts and contrast it with a very obvious problem.

Why didn’t Yizhi tell the protagonist directly that she was the girl he met on the southern island?

I think as far as the previous layout is concerned, I have given a lot of reasons (assuming you have read the novel). But if you want the answer explained by herself, maybe you can recall [Lesson 4: Creating Conflict (Part 2)] (link).

There is also a very romantic explanation, which comes from the beginning of Chapter 1-3.

“Part 1 Part 3”

_I really want to forget you, but I can’t. I can only let time gradually seal up the memories with you. But at this time, I saw you again.

Just like, God is laughing at my cowardice.

I have imagined countless times the scene of you and me meeting again, chewing your gentle words to keep warm in the cold night. However, many years later, you are right in front of me, but I don’t have the courage to say to you…

───I miss you so much. _

Yizhi was very seriously kidnapped by the shadow of her family, causing her emotions to be very tangled and awkward. To paraphrase Tokatsu Hide Police Department’s supplement in “Wakahyo Wings” (the next story of Southern Cross): “I think you are a good girl, but you were born in the Amakusa family.”

_Walking among the crowds attending the festival, Sahara strolled towards the shrine. In the past, he would only think about what he wanted to play today, what he wanted to eat, and whether there were any new stalls. But what he cared about at this time was the strawberry walking behind him, and the scenery in front of him was just like an out-of-focus halo. The touch of fingers that come into contact from time to time due to the crowds, and the distance that is so close that you can feel the temperature of your breath.

“I wonder what her expression is now…?” 』 Are you looking around at the stalls and crowds? Or looking at your own back? You can only find out if you find a reason to turn around and look. _

Do you still remember that we mentioned in [Prologue (Part 1)] that we need to test the protagonist’s dedication? This is where the loosening begins. I use the synchronization of writing with the five senses to enhance the reader’s feelings.

_“I said, should we walk faster? It would be embarrassing for a beautiful and eye-catching girl like you to walk with me. But before I finished speaking, I found that the person behind me became my mother-in-law.” “Woohoo~” Strawberry opened her eyes wide, laughed and said, “You are so honest.”

“But when you held my hand and led me down the hillside. I didn’t reject you, did I?” After saying that, he playfully added “Where?” “Only tonight, only here, I reluctantly serve as your girlfriend for the time being.” Strawberry smiled and stretched out her slender arms.

Then, please take my hand, Mr. Knight. Don’t let go. _

It seems that our protagonist is really upright and lovable (laughs). I think Yizhi wanted to say, “Don’t let go of my hand, ever,” but she was too tough-talking, and it was really hard to be happy like this.

_As night falls, there are fewer people coming to worship. In front of the torii gate, I heard the sound of drums coming from the distance. Looking up, I realized that the shrine in the town was so big, and that the roof of the main shrine was made of elegantly raised Kasuga-zukuri. It turns out that the halo of the whole row of paper lanterns hanging from the stone steps is so simple and beautiful. _

In this section, of course I wanted to create a real feeling of visiting the shrine. But did you notice that the sentence “It turns out that the roof of the main temple is an elegantly raised Kasuga-zukuri” is very special? For readers who are familiar with Japanese culture, they will know that “Kasuga-zukuri” is a shrine style unique to the Kansai region of Japan; for readers who are not so familiar with Japanese culture, they will know that it is “a certain style of elegantly raised roof of the main shrine.”

You can use this narrative method for little-known trivia. Those who understand will be synchronized, and those who do not understand will be hinted.

_”…Officer Higashi? Why are you here.” Strawberry’s shocked words came from behind Zuo Yuan. “That goes without saying. Wherever you are, I will be.” The owner of the voice is a handsome and upright young man. The black suit he wears is simplified and designed to facilitate movement. His gentle face had a serious expression, and his piercing cold eyes were as sharp as a cheetah. The neat short black hair and his outfit can only be said to be perfect.

“This…is this the legendary ex-boyfriend!” ? 』 Tall and handsome, a social figure, and a messenger of justice. None of the above three points were comparable to Zuo Yuan. Even if his whole body was put together, he was still far from it. He was completely sunk. But Strawberry didn’t let go of his hand, but held it tighter. _

It’s really miserable. I just met a girl, and a character suspected of being an “ex-boyfriend” appears immediately, and the conditions are completely incomparable.

_“But.” Zuo Yuan let go of Strawberry’s hand, turned around and grabbed her thin shoulder. “You can’t live in the shadow of the past your whole life and tie yourself up forever! Didn’t you just enjoy teasing me? Why did you shrink like an insect when you met this guy?” ”…” Strawberry’s eyes widened and she was speechless for a while. Her expression seemed to hide many thoughts running through her. The light from the paper lantern couldn’t penetrate her deep eyes, not even the subtle and deep changes in her expression. _

Fortunately, the protagonist was not defeated so easily. He felt Yizhi’s emotions, and his passionate words pierced deeply into Yizhi’s heart. Fortunately, Yi Zhi was accustomed to hiding his emotions, so his brain just shut down and he didn’t immediately reveal his identity.

What evil have you done! Tetsu Sahara! !

_‘After tonight…I only exist to protect you. 』 On the big screen, the male protagonist, whose steel armor was in tatters, used his whole body to support the huge cement roof and twisted steel bars when the building was about to collapse on the heroine. In the opened mask, his expression was full of sweat but he pretended to be relaxed, flashing with pain and struggle from time to time. _

This sentence is a line from the fictional movie “Super Heroes” in this work. “Tonight” implies that starting from the night of the festival, the protagonist only exists to protect Yizhi. However, just like the plot of this movie, things will not be too easy for them.

_“Hello everyone, my name is Ryuzenji Hikaru. Please just call me Hikaru. Please give me your advice.” The blond boy bowed deeply in front of the blackboard. The summer uniform, which was so deep indigo that it was almost black and permed straight, fit so well that it seemed like it was specially designed for him.

After the summer vacation, Strawberry transferred to the class as expected. In addition to the crazy commotion she was causing the boys of course, there was another transfer student, Ryuzenji Hikaru. He has an idol-like handsome appearance, a gentle and polite conversation, as well as affectionate eyes that girls can’t resist and a cheerful smile that lives up to his name. In an instant, he outshone other boys and naturally became the focus of the girls’ eyes. _

As if having an “ex-boyfriend” wasn’t enough, on the day Yizhi became the protagonist’s classmate, a beautiful boy transferred to another school with him. It is true that “misfortunes never come singly” and “when the house leaks, it rains all night.” Our dear protagonist Tetsu Sahara must pass this harsh test to impress readers and gain their support.

_“Ah then…__…_Why did Amakusano-san transfer here?”

_The young teacher wearing glasses with ultra-thick lenses asked this routine question.

“I…I transferred here in order to become the bride of a certain classmate__…__…”_

_After speaking, he winked at Zuo Yuan, which made Zuo Yuan so frightened that he and his desk and chair fell to the ground, and he was in so much pain that he couldn’t get up. “Tetsu Sahara! Are you dizzy, aren’t you!? Get out and stand for a while!” The teacher didn’t understand what happened, but the male students in the class knew it well. _

After all, it is a romantic comedy (at least part of it is), so of course it has to be interesting. But behind the appearance of Yizhi teasing Zuo Yuan, there are deeper emotions.

_However, the truth is quietly hidden in the past that even he himself has dusted off.

night. In the pure darkness there is only the shining starlight, and the sea and sky seem to merge into one. The track drawn by the side of the ship on the sea surface is filled with light distorted by the water waves. Parallel to the sea, the beam tries to cut through the night. That is the beacon that ships rely on.

On the surrounding balcony, the little girl’s hair was reflected in bright red by the lights. A lighthouse in the dark night, a little girl with tears in her rose eyes, a conversation with a little boy.

───Because I…want to be happy.

In the faint scent of lavender, there is the bitter taste of sea water. _

At the end of the first chapter, with a strong visual synchronization, the reader jumps to the agreement we made on the lighthouse 13 years ago that we have not yet explained in detail.

This answers all the questions in this story, but it raises more. I think, structurally speaking, this episode has completed the suspense. But it is obviously not powerful enough. After all, it has not gone through a series of detonations, so its strength is very limited.

If this paragraph makes you think, “Wow, this looks like it’s going to be interesting next,” then it’s good foreshadowing. If you think, “Oh my god, I have to watch this quickly,” then it becomes suspense. Well…I sure hope it’s suspenseful for you.

At the end of this chapter, I think you will still have a little problem, if you really read the first chapter.

“You spent a lot of space describing the appearance of Yizhi and Ayuha. Let’s not talk about Hikari who only appeared at the end. It seems that even the idiot duo who played a supporting role and the non-existent Kaneko Ichiro have more descriptions of their appearance than the main character Tetsu Sahara!”

Well, that’s intentional. Remember the three keys from NLP? Delete, distort and generalize.

When I deleted almost all the external image of the protagonist, I twisted his personality to be gentler than ordinary people, and emphasized that he is really ordinary. In this way, how will your brain present this character?

Maybe you guessed it right, it’s you. The reason is that I want you to “possess” this character. Moreover, the intensity of “possession” will be higher than other characters. I hope this character will be almost 100% synchronized with you. In this way, in future stories, you will be able to experience his growth and share his joys and sorrows.

congratulations! Completed the study of [Prologue]! Do you think writing really requires a lot of knowledge as a basis? As I recently started studying NLP. Maybe, you can study “Southern Cross”! (laughing)

In the [plot flow] stage, I will use my own light novel “Southern Cross” as a teaching material. If you want to study in depth, you can collect this novel book and look at every sentence with the attitude of “Why does Yu write like this?”, and you will grow faster.

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You can visit Blog (link) or [Kingstone Online Bookstore (link)](https://www.kingstone.com.tw/book/boo k_page.asp?kmcode=2018611603983&lid=search&actid=wise) to purchase this book, or refer to the version of Online Serial (Link). After this practice lesson, we will go into the details of [Plot Process] [Lesson 8: Minimum Plot Unit]. The main academic theory cited is the anthropologist Van Gener’s theory of rites of passage.

There are no specific chapters in the novel passages referenced, so please take some time to read “Southern Cross” as much as you want. In the next practice class, A.J. Greimas’s “Behavioral Pattern” theory, which I haven’t seen for a long time since [Lesson 3: Character Setting (Part 2)] (link), is coming again!

Next time it will be a special article [From conception to writing] (click the link to read). Fans ask questions about novel creation, which are also common problems that many people encounter. I hope it can help you!

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Further reading

• Misaki’s Writing Classroom: Lesson 7 [Plot Process] Prologue (Part 2)
• Misaki’s Writing Classroom: Lesson 7 [Plot Process] Prologue (Part 1)
• Want to write a story? Or want to try story marketing? [Writing Classroom] The column is your good partner!

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