My story morphed!

icerose · Aug 21, 2009

Okay, so I decided today I'd write down a short that's been swirling around my head. I got to page seven, everything's going as planned, then all of a sudden this total twist came up. I made one of my characters a total jackass and changed the direction of how things were going.

Suddenly my short isn't so short and I have all these possibilities of where to take this short and it becomes longer and longer with each possibility.

Now my problem is I don't know if it's enough for a feature, but it's feeling like it's too long for a short.

Should I just let my story take me where it wants to go and just see where it ends up, or do I need to be making some major plans right now to ensure it's either a short or a feature?

What do you think?

odocoileus · Aug 21, 2009

just let my story take me where it wants to go and just see where it ends up

This.

Let it grow to its natural length, then change it around if you need to.

You're not under contract or on deadline. There's nothing in particular you need to deliver at a specific time. So let the story take you wherever it leads you.

It may end up as a story for a graphic novel. Or a radio play. Or... well, you get the idea.

Sometimes the best ideas come from something which seems like nothing at the time.

Not to mention the fact that free play is a hell of a lot more fun. There may be a time when you have so much work that you don't have time to work on your own stories just for fun, so take advantage.

icerose · Aug 22, 2009

Thanks Odo, it's one of those stories that could be a horror or could be more of a suspense thriller, or even more of an action movie.

I'm standing at the crossroads and I honestly don't know which path the story is going to take but I do believe it already knows which it's going to be. It just hasn't let me in on the secret yet.

sommemi · Aug 24, 2009

I agree - I think writing (no matter what form) needs to flow and not be controlled until it's all 'puked out' so to speak. Let it flow... at some point you might realize something needs cut, but you never know, something might come out that prompts extra things after you get to the end. You might realize something is about to happen and you have to add in a little 'back story' earlier on and it might turn into something totally different.

If you're not under 'assignment', run with it! Sounds like you are on a great roll! Have fun!!!! YAY!

ATP · Aug 25, 2009

As one who is used to the discipline of feature article length journalism: deadlines, wordcounts, sometimes even number of interviewees, & lots of research--as Odo says, no deadlines, then enjoy it while you can.

The process of "the story finding itself" is not new, and quite common among writers of creative material.

WMcQuaig · Aug 25, 2009

Let the story dictate where it goes. Be a slave to the story. If it turns out to be a feature, it's a feature. If it turns out to be a short, it's a short. Either way just have fun writing it.

padnar · Aug 25, 2009

Many people are asking for web series writing . The genre is violence probably you can tailor make it afterwards. Anyway i would like to know what is this type of writing ? pl help
padma

icerose · Aug 26, 2009

Thanks everyone for responding.

ATP said:
As one who is used to the discipline of feature article length journalism: deadlines, wordcounts, sometimes even number of interviewees, & lots of research--as Odo says, no deadlines, then enjoy it while you can.

The process of "the story finding itself" is not new, and quite common among writers of creative material.

Yeah, I've had stories do this before, but not the short to feature before so that was totally unexpected. Every other short I have written turned out pretty much like I planned and I've found twists and turns in my features, but never a complete zag. I am excited, it's an awesome story and it has a lot of life to it, it just really caught me off guard.

padnar said:
Many people are asking for web series writing . The genre is violence probably you can tailor make it afterwards. Anyway i would like to know what is this type of writing ? pl help
padma

For web series it's simply script writing. Usually web series run 5-10 minutes in my experience. Also violence isn't a genre, it's an element. Violence exists in thrillers, action movies, horror, suspense, fantasy, mystery, drama, historicals, paranormal, sci-fi, heck even some romances if there's an abusive one. Let's face it, human beings are violent.

aceinc1 · Aug 26, 2009

I agree

icerose said:
Thanks everyone for responding.

Yeah, I've had stories do this before, but not the short to feature before so that was totally unexpected. Every other short I have written turned out pretty much like I planned and I've found twists and turns in my features, but never a complete zag. I am excited, it's an awesome story and it has a lot of life to it, it just really caught me off guard.

For web series it's simply script writing. Usually web series run 5-10 minutes in my experience. Also violence isn't a genre, it's an element. Violence exists in thrillers, action movies, horror, suspense, fantasy, mystery, drama, historicals, paranormal, sci-fi, heck even some romances if there's an abusive one. Let's face it, human beings are violent.

I agree, Human beings are wired for revenge, else they go crazy like me

padnar · Aug 26, 2009

Thanks Ice Rose for your clarification.
padma

Raghu · Aug 27, 2009

Sara,

Plotting, either for a novel or a screenplay takes place in three stages:

1) Before you starting, i.e, during the outlining stage.
2) While you are writing.
3) When you are revising after the first draft is finished.

Making any sort of a change, either small or large to the storyline, character development etc, at any of the stages mentioned above is standard and accepted practice. The point is this - whatever you do should enhance the screenplay, increase tension and build depth to characters. That is your justification.

Raghu.

Stijn Hommes · Aug 30, 2009

Go with the flow. You can always edit later.

My story morphed!

icerose

Lost in School Work

odocoileus

icerose

Lost in School Work

sommemi

Uses loquacious in sentences

ATP

What happened to my LIFE?!

WMcQuaig

insert something original or whitty

padnar

icerose

Lost in School Work

aceinc1

can't wait to die

padnar

Raghu

Slumdog Screenwriter

Stijn Hommes

Know what you write...

My story morphed!

Lost in School Work

Lost in School Work

Uses loquacious&#8194;in sentences

What happened to my LIFE?!

insert something original or whitty

Lost in School Work

can't wait to die

Slumdog Screenwriter

Know what you write...

Uses loquacious in sentences