Novel - Or Something Else?

HarperLenox · 11-13-2009, 02:54 AM

Have you ever reached a point during the writing or construction of your novel where you have this thought or feeling that the story you are creating would be better suited for a different medium. Like I was writing/researching my fiction novel and I had this inkling that my story would fit better into a screenplay... Novels I know how to write, but I don't know the first thing about screenplay writing.

What do you think? What would be good indicators that a story is better for something other than a novel?

Mark · 01-01-2010, 09:25 PM

That's interesting - I don't think it's ever happened to me, but that may be because it never even enters my mind as a possibility. I already know that I have very little interest in screenplays, and that I would probably be terrible at them if I tried.

I'd have to think about the possible indicators question more. But even if a story would work well in some other medium, that doesn't mean that it couldn't be just as good as a novel. Novels give you an enormous amount of flexibility regarding the story you want to tell (much more so, I'd say, than movies).

vitaeb · 01-03-2010, 04:34 PM

I write my novels very cinematically. Readers tell me they can see my books easily made into movies. Once in a while, I contemplate turning one or two into a screen treatment. But then I falter at the thought, not because I think it might be a daunting project. In some ways, it might even be fun, rather than a chore, to write the screenplay. But I already know how the story ends. And since I write primarily to amuse myself, I'm on longer interested in the story. I've written it so many times, read it so many times. My wish is to find someone who loves the thought of turning the book into a film treatment.

As for the indicator question. If you make of your story as visual an experience as possible, you've written a true novel, and as well a potential movie. More movies come from novels, I believe than the other way around. Few novels come from movies.

Melia · 01-03-2010, 06:02 PM

I think the largest indicator would be whether the story focuses on the main character's thoughts, or just describes their actions. Both are perfectly acceptable ways of writing, but you can't exactly translate internal thought to a movie format.

11-13-2009, 02:54 AM	#1
HarperLenox Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 5	Have you ever reached a point during the writing or construction of your novel where you have this thought or feeling that the story you are creating would be better suited for a different medium. Like I was writing/researching my fiction novel and I had this inkling that my story would fit better into a screenplay... Novels I know how to write, but I don't know the first thing about screenplay writing. What do you think? What would be good indicators that a story is better for something other than a novel?

01-01-2010, 09:25 PM	#2
Mark Administrator Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 615	That's interesting - I don't think it's ever happened to me, but that may be because it never even enters my mind as a possibility. I already know that I have very little interest in screenplays, and that I would probably be terrible at them if I tried. I'd have to think about the possible indicators question more. But even if a story would work well in some other medium, that doesn't mean that it couldn't be just as good as a novel. Novels give you an enormous amount of flexibility regarding the story you want to tell (much more so, I'd say, than movies).

01-03-2010, 04:34 PM	#3
vitaeb Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia, U.S.A. Posts: 5	I write my novels very cinematically. Readers tell me they can see my books easily made into movies. Once in a while, I contemplate turning one or two into a screen treatment. But then I falter at the thought, not because I think it might be a daunting project. In some ways, it might even be fun, rather than a chore, to write the screenplay. But I already know how the story ends. And since I write primarily to amuse myself, I'm on longer interested in the story. I've written it so many times, read it so many times. My wish is to find someone who loves the thought of turning the book into a film treatment. As for the indicator question. If you make of your story as visual an experience as possible, you've written a true novel, and as well a potential movie. More movies come from novels, I believe than the other way around. Few novels come from movies.

01-03-2010, 06:02 PM	#4
Melia Administrator Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 7	I think the largest indicator would be whether the story focuses on the main character's thoughts, or just describes their actions. Both are perfectly acceptable ways of writing, but you can't exactly translate internal thought to a movie format.