Posted on 11/17/2024 4:50:52 AM PST by Lazamataz
I've returned to writing my novel, tentatively titled "Dimensions of Essence". I've gotten somewhat deep into the first act, and I find that my word count is surprisingly low. I tend to be extremely concise. I need to do the opposite of what many authors do... instead of ruthless editing, I need to be more wordy.
I asked ChatGPT what the size of the typical sci-fi novel is, and it replied:
Science fiction novels typically range between 90,000 and 120,000 words. This length allows for the extensive world-building and complex narratives characteristic of the genre. However, some sci-fi novels can be shorter or longer, depending on the story's requirements and the author's style.I'm only at ten percent of the low-end sci-fi novel, so I asked it for suggestions on increasing word-count, and it offered this.
To expand your story into a full-length novel, consider the following strategies:I offer these points to all my writer friends, that you may profit from them in your efforts.By implementing these techniques, you can develop your manuscript into a more substantial work that meets the typical length expectations for a science fiction novel.
- Deepen Character Development: Explore your characters' backgrounds, motivations, and growth arcs to add depth and length to your narrative.
- Enhance World-Building: Provide detailed descriptions of your story's setting, societal structures, and technological aspects to immerse readers fully.
- Introduce Subplots: Weave in secondary storylines that complement the main plot, enriching the overall narrative and increasing word count.
- Expand Key Scenes: Elaborate on pivotal moments, adding descriptive detail and emotional depth to engage readers more thoroughly.
- Incorporate Conflict and Challenges: Introduce additional obstacles or conflicts that your characters must navigate, adding complexity and length to the story.
Go for the sub-plots and be sure you describe the action instead of just saying he cut of his head. Describe the cutlass being carried in the pirate’s mouth, and the blood-thirsty look in his eyes. What is he yelling at his prey? Are the decks slippery with blood and swash? What type of a sea is it? What are the weather and waves doing and how does that affect the action?
Otherwise, Blackbeard approached the victim and sliced his throat.
That perfectly describes a Mack Bolan novel.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=mack+bolan+books&iax=images&ia=images
I second this recommendation.
If you complete the NaNoWriMo challenge (you better hurry now) you may be able to purchase it at a substantial discount. It’s how I got mine.
I used to teach creative writing, and I’m willing to look at what you have and make suggestions for development if you’d like to have a human review.
I also think you could approach this as a short story, or even a collection of short stories. It’s okay to think outside the box and forge your own path.
I wish you great success with your writing!
Yeah, it would have been funny if the last suggestion was "let me have a crack at it". lol
Sounds like you need to develop som LGBTQ characters, that don’t actually contribute to the story, but will expand your potential audience. For instance, include unnecessary sexual encounters that just show up without any connection to the current plot problem or situation, and doesn’t help aid in the solution.
That’s been Hollywood’s go to plot thickener for 30 years.
Sarcastic regards,
Shotgun.
― Mark Twain
On the other side of the spectrum, consider Allen Drury. His first (at least prominent) political fiction novel was Advise and Consent. That got turned into a movie.
Then he wrote a series of sequels, and each one got longer and longer. Bonus points to anybody who can name a movie made from one of the sequels.
Check out my novel (in the works) called “It Was A Dark And Stormy Daniel.” Daniel is my brother who is traveling tonight on a plane and I can see the red tail lights heading for Spain.
Well, I spend 10 chapters to develop each character. Heck, I spend 12 chapters on the busboy alone, and another 14 chapters on the girl selling flowers and 8 chapters on the bum on the street.
I’ll have to be more concise with my main character, Billy Mumphrey. Billy was a simple country boy. You might say a cockeyed optimist, who got himself mixed up in the high stakes game of world diplomacy and international intrigue. I’ll give him at least a half chapter. Oh, and Sally, his love interest? She moves to Latvia to become a nun so I can pretty much blow her off.
Hope that helps. What were we talking about?
Very interesting.
Really? I submitted a short story and the guy said it was too long and said he’d break my hands if I submitted anything else.
“Animal Farm” by George Orwell is only 29,966 words.
Elmore Leonard: 10 Rules for Good Writing
1. Never open a book with weather.
2. Avoid prologues.
3. Never use a verb other than “said” to carry dialogue.
4. Never use an adverb to modify the verb “said”…he admonished gravely.
5. Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose.
6. Never use the words “suddenly” or “all hell broke loose.”
7. Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly.
8. Avoid detailed descriptions of characters.
9. Don’t go into great detail describing places and things.
10. Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.
My most important rule is one that sums up the 10.
If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.
There! That’s a story!
LOL
How about this: I manage a circus...
How to get started. That is the question. I have an idea for a story that I can see play out in my mind. It is set in the 1800’s and has two separate, but connected, timelines... with a hint of time travel by the main character, who is somewhat cloaked in mystery, since she appears once, and then about sixty years previously (subplot), but looks the same in both timelines to the characters involved.
I can see how it would start out and appear as a TV episode or along the lines of a movie short, but for the life of me... I can’t seem to figure out how to get it written down. The plot would sell, I’m thinking... but the goal of getting it on paper, so to speak, has been unattainable. Hell, I can’t even think of what the title would be. I’m hoping I might get some inspiration and “help” on this thread.
I’ve had this idea for decades. The olde “it was a dark and stormy night” comes to mind every time I think about beginning to write it down. Because it was... a dark, and stormy (snow stormy) night. Arrrgh! How to get the thoughts translated to words on a manuscript and keep the plot as good on paper as it is in your mind. How to kickstart yourself to just ‘do it’. That’s the trick.
LOL
“1. Never open a book with weather.”
Sorry. I would automatically have to break Rule #1 with my storyline/idea.
As for #8, I like to leave a bit of mystery in the plot, so that would work for me.
Writing is projecting precise complex imagery involving set,character, wardrobe, lighting, tone and mood plus dialogue, into the readers mind with none of the words getting getting in the way. You’re done writing when all of your collection of sentences does what you want them to do. This requires that you know how everything you write will strike the mind of the ignorant reader, who hasn’t a clue at any given moment what you mean to say or where you’re going.
If it isn’t full of sex and swearing and over-the-top violence, lemme know when it’s out, I’ll buy a copy.
There are some novel writing software out there that help to develop characters and scenes and personalities etc. I tried one, and it was pretty good- can’t remember the name now- but search for “novel writing software”
It doesn’t write the story for you, but gives you a b.ueprint to develop scenes and stuff
Chat ai also has worth as you can write scenes, and it will suggest ideas to build the scene with several suggestions- and the one you choose will prompt the ai to continue the line of thought in that line- but, it is pretty limited and I found it wooden and not very much help EXCEPT to noodle over ideas that i hadn’t thought of-, other than that i thought it was not much use- the novel writing software was much more useful really
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