Short stories to novel - can it work?

[Vermilion]

OK, so yesterday saw the publication of my first novella. This is a story I started as a series of related chapters on Lit when I was trying to fill as many categories as possible in the notorious Survivor competition.

Now, awaiting the reviews (I submitted to Mrs Giggles, how dumb is that?) I am having fears that this separate chapters conglomerated into one novella will display too obviously its slightly schizophrenic origins. So the question is, I guess, whether a series of short stories featuring the same characters can be turned into a successful and flowing novel or novella?

x
V

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Your query makes no sense as its written. But try using congealed in lieu of conglomerated.

 

[BlackShanglan]

Yes and no? *laugh* If you have the chance, you might look at Seamus Deane's remarkable "Reading in the Dark," portions of which were published as individual stories before being incorporated into the whole. A great deal of it works amazingly well; there's a stunning point near the end when slowly but undeniably, a dozen different narrative strands that one might previously have thought to be unconnected begin to drop into place, and one reads with frantic, excited amazement - "No, no, he can't! Yes, he can! Oh, and he DOES!" It's a stunner of a moment. On the other hand, there's one chapter particularly that stands out in my memory as never really fitting in, and it always does feel a bit graceless.

I think there's a great deal to the structure by which you integrate the stories. If the nature of the structure lets the reader know that these will be loosely connected episodic snips from the characters' lives, I think that the readers will be more forgiving than if the structure promises them a tightly-knit and smoothly connected plot. Deane, for instance, titled his chapters only with the year in which each occurred, and they take place in snapshots often seperated by gaps of two or thee or five years. That worked well for him, I think, because it prepared the reader to see a disjointed series of glimpses into the central character's life rather than a single smooth and tailored narrative.

 

[BlackShanglan]

Your query makes no sense as its written. But try using congealed in lieu of conglomerated.

Never fear! The help you require is near at hand. From dictionary.com:

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
con·glom·er·ate /n., adj. kənˈglɒmərɪt, kəŋ-; v. kənˈglɒməˌreɪt, kəŋ-/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[n., adj. kuhn-glom-er-it, kuhng-; v. kuhn-glom-uh-reyt, kuhng-] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation noun, adjective, verb, -at·ed, -at·ing.

–verb (used with object)
8. to bring together into a cohering mass.
9. to gather into a ball or rounded mass.

–verb (used without object)
10. to collect or cluster together.
11. (of a company) to become part of or merge with a conglomerate.

I hope that helps you to understand Vermilion's request. All the best!

 

[impressive]

OK, so yesterday saw the publication of my first novella. This is a story I started as a series of related chapters on Lit when I was trying to fill as many categories as possible in the notorious Survivor competition.

Now, awaiting the reviews (I submitted to Mrs Giggles, how dumb is that?) I am having fears that this separate chapters conglomerated into one novella will display too obviously its slightly schizophrenic origins. So the question is, I guess, whether a series of short stories featuring the same characters can be turned into a successful and flowing novel or novella?

x
V

Well, why put a square peg into a round hole? Publish them as a collection of serial stories instead. If you try to pass it off as a novel, some bozo will ding you for it.

 

[Vermilion]

Well, why put a square peg into a round hole? Publish them as a collection of serial stories instead. If you try to pass it off as a novel, some bozo will ding you for it.

Perhaps I should have, but 'tis too late now
It's hard to explain, the characters are the same throughout the chapters and the story is set within the same time frame, it's perhaps the very different sexual theme of each chapter that would cause the - eek - what's the word? Disassociation? Between each chapter. Ah well, it was something I was ruminating on and thought it might make an interesting debate. I'm sure Mrs Giggles or similar will haul me over the coals if it does prove to be a problem
x
V

ps- Shang, nice to hear your take on things and I'll look out for the work you mentioned. Thanks for the dictionary definition too, it's always good to introduce new and unusual words into everyday life and that can sometimes confuse people, can't it?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

BLACKSHANGLAN

I beg to differ.

Congealed is the better word because it bonds things with common traits together. Oil & water wont congeal, but you can form a conglomeration of the two within a container. As I understand novellas and novels, the novel form is a structure that is both container and a vehicle to depict change.

Now, my confusion about Vermilion's query is I dont know what she wants. Is she wanting approval to call something a novella that isnt a novella? Is she wanting to know if her collection of stories can be improved? Is she inviting hints for how to unify a bag of disparate stories?

 

[Vermilion]

BLACKSHANGLAN

I beg to differ.

Congealed is the better word because it bonds things with common traits together. Oil & water wont congeal, but you can form a conglomeration of the two within a container. As I understand novellas and novels, the novel form is a structure that is both container and a vehicle to depict change.

Now, my confusion about Vermilion's query is I dont know what she wants. Is she wanting approval to call something a novella that isnt a novella? Is she wanting to know if her collection of stories can be improved?

Actually I'm not interested in yours, or anyone's, commentary on my work. Not unless they've read it, that is. No, I wanted opinions on the concept of turning short stories into a novella. I'm not sure why you're having so much trouble with this, as an opinion is rarely something you're short of.

And I prefer conglomerated, otherwise I would not have used it.

 

[BlackShanglan]

BLACKSHANGLAN

I beg to differ.

Congealed is the better word because it bonds things with common traits together. Oil & water wont congeal, but you can form a conglomeration of the two within a container.

You know, this site is free, and it really may spare you a great deal of confusion.

Dictionary.com:

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
con·geal /kənˈdʒil/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[kuhn-jeel] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

–verb (used with object), verb (used without object)
1. to change from a soft or fluid state to a rigid or solid state, as by cooling or freezing: The fat congealed on the top of the soup.
2. to curdle; coagulate, as a fluid.
3. to make or become fixed, as ideas, sentiments, or principles: Some philosophic systems lost their vitality and congealed.

Congealing, you see, is something that happens within a single substance as it moves from one state to another, rather than to different substances as they combine. But don't feel badly - we all have to learn new words now and then. I hope that this helps.

 

[R. Richard]

Actually I'm not interested in yours, or anyone's, commentary on my work. Not unless they've read it, that is. No, I wanted opinions on the concept of turning short stories into a novella. I'm not sure why you're having so much trouble with this, as an opinion is rarely something you're short of.

And I prefer conglomerated, otherwise I would not have used it.

I did exactly what you're asking about. I took a number of short chapters [plus added material] and combined them into a novel. The novel, Pirates of The Keys, is selling well in A1AdultEBooks.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

VERMILION

I get the fact that youre stubborn and rigid and want validation from your pals.

All I know is what you write, and what you wrote made no sense to me.

If BLACKSHANGLAN approves you using a tap dancer in your ballet, I'm okay with it, too. But critics who know what words mean will think WEIRD.

 

[BlackShanglan]

But critics who know what words mean will be fine with it. It shall only be the odd old curmudgeon who enjoys making up his own word meanings who will think that you are WEIRD.

Fixed your post. All part of the handy definition service - don't dream of thanking me.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

BLACKSHANGLAN

Nice try, dear. But folks have dictionaries and they can judge the merits of the words for themselves.

You confuse viscosity with congeal.

 

[BlackShanglan]

BLACKSHANGLAN

You confuse viscosity with congeal.

Oh, dear. Now you're confusing nouns with verbs. I'm not sure that a dictionary alone is up to the task. Still, I have hopes that you may find the help you need. May I suggest the excellent Blair Handbook to assist you with grammar?

All the best.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

BLACKSHANGLAN

I know what words mean, and I know that viscose is different from congeal, and both differ from conglomerate.

 

[sr71plt]

OK, so yesterday saw the publication of my first novella. This is a story I started as a series of related chapters on Lit when I was trying to fill as many categories as possible in the notorious Survivor competition.

Now, awaiting the reviews (I submitted to Mrs Giggles, how dumb is that?) I am having fears that this separate chapters conglomerated into one novella will display too obviously its slightly schizophrenic origins. So the question is, I guess, whether a series of short stories featuring the same characters can be turned into a successful and flowing novel or novella?

x
V

I've been doing this with what I think is success at the same publisher you are trying out. When putting already-published stories together in a new work, I try (unless it is an anthology) to add material and reweave it as a a different or enhanced story line. Much of what I'm doing at eXcessica now is responding to comments on Lit. stories here for a continuation/filling out of the story (and I tend to continue in both directions--earlier and later storyline--if I augment an established story.)

My Man's Man novel hit #1 on the eXcessica best-seller's list (and is currently #7 on the top-rated list there). It is a rework of a series of short stories that came out separately with the same protagonist and was only later considered for novelization. I did the same with my Flying High (which is currently #1 on the eXcessica top-rated list). My recently released Neighbor's Hot Tub is such a redo into a novella. It's currently #3 on the eXcessica best-seller's list. My Raven Possession (currently #2 on the top-rated list at eXcessica and for three weeks on the top 5 rated list on Fictionwise) started out as a serialized novel, but I added material and refocused the theme into an even longer novel. I did the same with Vortex (now #8 on the eXcessica top-rated list.). I'm redoing/broadening/adding theme to two of my short stories here on Lit. ("Blue Roses Tattoo" and "Trip Money") now. BRT will probably be an expanded--in both directions--short story; TM is becoming a theme-enriched novella). After those are done, I'll do the same with the "Dance of the Ravishers" and "Cynthia's Box."

Repurposing short stories in themed anthology also seems to work well. Three of my eXcessica anthologies are in the top 30 anthology/bundled listings at Allromanceebooks.com (out of 237 listings), and my most recent eXcessica release, Tropical Sizzlers, only launched at Fictionwise yesterday and is already at #7 on the eXcessica best-sellers list there (out of 90 books).

All of these have at the base short stories that have already sold at least twice each beyond publication at Lit., and they are selling well as repackaged/enhanced at eXcessica.

I also coauthor with Sabb, both here and at eXcessica (under the name Shabbu). And two examples of what started out as just bandying writing exercises and passages back and forth between each other have resulted in a short story (Angel in the Barn) and a novel (Tree of Idleness), both of which hit the best-sellers list at eXcessica. Tree of Idleness is a more complex literary work based on the writing techniques of Lawrence Durrell--and using the villa where he wrote the Alexandria Quartet as both central theme and a character in the novel. Complexity and subthreads were added to this when it was turned from just a few short stories bounced off each other to a coherent work set to a chronology of fifty years. Repurposing the work was probably more interesting--and more of a literary challenge--than writing and publishing the separate bits and pieces that went into it.

So, yes, I think it can be successfully done. It's also fun and a good literary challenge to repurpose the work this way, I think. For some, I've twisted the material into a new, deeper (I think) theme.

 

[Saucy_Sage]

Not that I don't enjoy the byplay between Miss Congealiality and the Horse, but with respect to the original question, I think it will be difficult. Short stories, by their nature, have very little time to devote to character development and a long-running plot. Moreover, each has to have a real ending - not a cliffhanger, like many of the serialized stories here on Lit, but a real ending that satisfies the reader. The short story itself must be a whole, and be able to stand completely on its own.

It seems to me that unless you're very, very talented, it would be hard to take a series of short stories, even ones about the same characters, and pass them off as anything but a series of short stories, at least without some substantial reworking.

 

[Safe_Bet]

Oh, dear. Now you're confusing nouns with verbs. I'm not sure that a dictionary alone is up to the task. Still, I have hopes that you may find the help you need. May I suggest the excellent Blair Handbook to assist you with grammar?

All the best.

I think I love you!

 

[BlackShanglan]

Not that I don't enjoy the byplay between Miss Congealiality and the Horse, but with respect to the original question, I think it will be difficult. Short stories, by their nature, have very little time to devote to character development and a long-running plot. Moreover, each has to have a real ending - not a cliffhanger, like many of the serialized stories here on Lit, but a real ending that satisfies the reader. The short story itself must be a whole, and be able to stand completely on its own.

It seems to me that unless you're very, very talented, it would be hard to take a series of short stories, even ones about the same characters, and pass them off as anything but a series of short stories, at least without some substantial reworking.

I like your focus on the endings. I was also thinking that the beginnings and endings would be where the real work would have to be done to get the stories to knit together. Creating some carefully-planned transitions would go a long way toward creating a sense of unity - and really, chapters need that anyway. It's an interesting art, one in which I'm still a struggling tyro, but it's a really enjoyable challenge.

 

[epiphany65]

First of all, congratulations, Vermillion. Yes, I don't see why not a series of short stories cannot be edited and tweaked into a novel. Stephen King's last novel "Duma Key" began as a short story he published somewhere -- but this is a guy who can write 1000 pages about It. But seriously, I don't see why it wouldn't work, assuming the author has the talent to do it. I don't say this as a swipe at your talent, merely a comment to a hypothetical situation. Go for it! You might not be happy with the results, but you won't know till you give it a go. I think it's a worthwhile pursuit and if nothing else I'm sure it will help to hone your skills even more.

 

[Saucy_Sage]

I like your focus on the endings. I was also thinking that the beginnings and endings would be where the real work would have to be done to get the stories to knit together. Creating some carefully-planned transitions would go a long way toward creating a sense of unity - and really, chapters need that anyway. It's an interesting art, one in which I'm still a struggling tyro, but it's a really enjoyable challenge.

On the other hand, Beethoven ended his symphonies lots of times. And they're pretty good.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

So, yes, I think it can be successfully done. It's also fun and a good literary challenge to repurpose the work this way, I think. For some, I've twisted the material into a new, deeper (I think) theme.

Agreed.

And since I did read A Bad Influence, I can say that your hesitation is warranted, V, to some degree, but you probably shouldn't be as worried as you are.

You tied your stories together well, I believe, and made them a narrative. What I think readers are going to complain about is length - they're going to want MORE of the story. What happened between x and y, and what happens now after z? I think you could have spent more time fleshing it out, but also I think it's solid as it stands.

I have one like this, "Taken" - which was gleaned from three short stories here on Lit, also in different categories - lesbian, bdsm and threesome/group - for which I've received similar complaints. "Too rushed," and "I want more of the story." I tied the pieces together, but I didn't go into a great deal of detail, and I think you did the same with Bad Influence.

And our endings, too, are similar. They leave the reader hanging (and readers traditionally hate that, although we writers do love to do it! lol).

 

[R. Richard]

Not that I don't enjoy the byplay between Miss Congealiality and the Horse, but with respect to the original question, I think it will be difficult. Short stories, by their nature, have very little time to devote to character development and a long-running plot. Moreover, each has to have a real ending - not a cliffhanger, like many of the serialized stories here on Lit, but a real ending that satisfies the reader. The short story itself must be a whole, and be able to stand completely on its own.

It's true that a short story needs an ending. However, the ending only needs to be an ending for one character at one time. If you have several characters in a novel, you can set up and resolve a problem in a chapter and then repeat the process for another character in the next chapter.

IMNTHO, the key is to set up a common world in which the characters play. Common landmarks provide continuity, even as the characters change. Also, common actions, by different characters within the world can also provide continuity. The landmark doesn't have to be exatly the same from character to character. For instance, a small town park might figure in each chapter. However, the part of the park and the way the character sees the park may change with each chapter.

 

[Stella_Omega]

On the other hand, Beethoven ended his symphonies lots of times. And they're pretty good.

And taken as a whole there does seem to be a thematic progression from symphony to symphony. Of course, we humans are pattern-seeking animals.

I'm glad you asked the question V, since this is what I keep on attempting myself, and I haven't been successful at it yet. More often I take my idea for a novel and turn it into a couple of short stories

 

[sr71plt]

Very few stories, short or otherwise, end in the Shakespearean "everyone fell on their swords. THE HONEST TO GOD ENDING." In every story there is another beginning (or two) at the end (as well as interesting stuff before the written story begins). In most of the stories I've put together to make a new work, each story was only a snippet or one aspect of the protagonist's life/activity. And often I've brought out a subthread (or more) that ran through all of the stories and developed that (or those) into a enhancement of or enlightenment on or twisting of the original main themes of the story. And I've usually started the new work earlier in time/development than the existing work(s) being redone and also then extended them in time/development.

I think the main problem here is whether or not you had stories (plot/character/scene/problem/resolution development) in what you started with, or whether it was just an isolated sex scene. To make a new work out of already-existing works, they sort of have to be real works to begin with.