Making a story a novel

StevieC · Oct 8, 2009

I am currently writing a crime thriller and while all is coming easy ( between 1500-2000 words a day) at present, my fear is that being used to writing screenplays I think I may be coming up short on overall word count, by some distance. With a target of 75-80k words, can anyone else relate to this problem or offer advice as how word count of such a high level ( In comparison to S/P) is best obtained.

Thanks for all and any advice

RJK · Oct 8, 2009

I had the same problem with my first novel. You need to remember there's no director or art director following you. You need to describe the scene. You can do that by pointing out three items in the room, or area, if outdoors. You also need to Show rather than Tell. Showing takes up a lot more pages than telling.
If you're already doing these things, then it's probably the 120 page wall from screenwriting, that's bothering you. Don't worry about how long each scene is, you have the room to do what you want.

Lady Ice · Oct 8, 2009

StevieC said:
I am currently writing a crime thriller and while all is coming easy ( between 1500-2000 words a day) at present, my fear is that being used to writing screenplays I think I may be coming up short on overall word count, by some distance. With a target of 75-80k words, can anyone else relate to this problem or offer advice as how word count of such a high level ( In comparison to S/P) is best obtained.

Thanks for all and any advice

Okay, so in a screenplay, let's say we're in a warehouse, night-time, just us.
[INT. Warehouse, late at night]

In a novel, you'd expand that into more sentences:
Mary shivered. She was standing in the warehouse, waiting for Chrissie to arrive so they could make a plan of action.
'Oh, Chrissie!' she cursed. The empty echo of her voice vibrated through the air...etc.

Apsu · Oct 8, 2009

My advice, as someone who's pretty new too and hasn't been published, is to just spit it out now. It'll fill out a lot in the rewrite process, as you sit and analyze further motivations, landscapes, behaviors, plot holes, (narration) language, and so much more.

katiemac · Oct 8, 2009

You also need to Show rather than Tell. Showing takes up a lot more pages than telling.

This is what I would suggest, as well. Make sure you are showing.

dpaterso · Oct 8, 2009

I switched from novels to screenwriting for a time... and after the brevity of screenwriting, found it quite a struggle to get back into writing novels.

Things I discovered (tho' we're all different): Adapting a novel into a screenplay was a chainsaw job that required focusing on the main story (usually the most interesting character and plotline) and trimming the rest. Adapting a screenplay into a novel, there just wasn't enough material, total rewrite needed, with more major characters and subplots blended into the dough.

-Derek

TheIT · Oct 8, 2009

If your first draft comes up short in word count, you can expand it in the second draft. Some people write lean first drafts then add content in later revisions. Others (like me) write huge first drafts then need to revise using a chain saw.

For now, I'd say concentrate on getting the complete story down. If necessary, think of the first draft as an extended outline. Once you see the shape of the whole story, you can figure out what needs to be done.

Good luck!

StevieC · Oct 8, 2009

Thanks to all, it is much appreciated.

Putting the accounts to one side, today is now writing day !

Making a story a novel

StevieC

RJK

Sheriff Bullwinkle the Poet says:

Lady Ice

Makes useful distinctions

Apsu

Orange

katiemac

Five by Five

dpaterso

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TheIT

Infuriatingly Theoretical

StevieC