Topic: Not again!

It's happened again. Someone just read a short story of mine, and reviewed it by saying it would make a good book.

Sorry, guys, but that's insulting. It's my work, and I make the determination of format, genre and language. That's like coming to my house for dinner and telling me you like my lasagne, but I should have served roast beef. What the hell!

I am very careful not to tell a writer how his/her story should be written. Helping each other out by spotting errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling and word choice is one thing. I appreciate that. But I have had reviews that suggested so many or such drastic changes, I would have been taking dictation for someone else's story if I had made them. If you don't like the way I wrote my story, go write your own.

Please don't be insulted by my response, and I won't be insulted by your suggestion. JP

Quote Post 1

Re: Not again!

Happens all the time. I'll say this post has been helpful to me JP because it might be something I'd accidentally tell someone while intending to encourage.

Plot and direction advice can be helpful but I cant imagine my reaction if someone told me my book should be condensed and made into a short story...

Quote Post 2

3 Reply by Rachel (Rhiannon) Parsons (edited by Rachel (Rhiannon) Parsons 2018-05-18 19:02:07)

Re: Not again!

j.p., I don't think people are intentionally insulting you when they say that.  They are suggesting that it might make a great novel is all.  There are lots of examples where an author turned a short story into a novel. Phillip K. Dick wrote a short story about a post-apocalyptic world which used the technology provided by Martians instead of rebuilding the planet, to make little dolls through which they lived their pre-apocalyptic lives vicariously.  He turned it into "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldrich."  There's "Flowers for Algernon," which turned from a short story to a novel to a screenplay. My short story, "The Gorgon," turned into a multi-novel saga.

And there are often different formats for ideas, and they can mean going from success to spectacular success.  Phillip Francis Nowlan wrote a book, "Armageddon 2419" that I've bet you've never heard off.  It's about a WWI Vet, Anthony Rogers, who, excavating a mine, gets overcome by gas and wakes up in the 25th century, where Americans are organized into gangs fighting Chinese Overlords.  It got turned into a comic strip, then a movie series, and a TV show.  The character got a nickname--he became Anthony "Buck" Rogers, and soon his first name was all but forgotten.

And dare I mention George R. R. Martin, who didn't mind at all his novels being turned into a TV series, even though they were altered in the process.  He didn't think that was an implied criticism, but rather what the different medium needed.

  I mean, it's not like they said, "You know, this really sucks as a short story, but would make a good novel," they are just suggesting directions for your creativity.

Quote Post 3

Re: Not again!

Asimov, =Nightfall.=.  Card, =Ender's Game=.

Quote Post 4

Re: Not again!

j p lundstrom wrote:

It's happened again. Someone just read a short story of mine, and reviewed it by saying it would make a good book.

Sorry, guys, but that's insulting. It's my work, and I make the determination of format, genre and language. That's like coming to my house for dinner and telling me you like my lasagne, but I should have served roast beef. What the hell!

Please don't be insulted by my response, and I won't be insulted by your suggestion. JP

Are you off your meds?

Quote Post 5

Re: Not again!

I had a professor put on one of my short stories that it would make a great novel- He was wrong, its now the series I'm currently workshopping right here. Short story= 4 novels. I though it was encouraging to day that my little story was packed with so much potential.

Quote Post 6

Re: Not again!

Yes, it's true that some short stories pack a great punch, and they can yield a great novel (or series), I suppose. But sometimes you just want to tell a story in a few words, especially if the essence of the story is a surprise. And sometimes, you just have a small story, and that's all the attention you want to give it. If the author wants later to make more of it, it's the author's decision.

When I write a short story, it's because that's the format I think is most effective for that story. The short story is an art form, not to be denigrated by those who think it will be more important, or better, as a book. JP

Quote Post 7

Re: Not again!

Oh, jeez, that someone thinks a short story would make a good novel is not an insult unless you are just looking for insults -- no this shouldn't be taken as one either. Every story starts with an idea whether a short story or novel or novella, or just an anecdote and any good idea has the potential to become a short story or a novel depending upon how one wishes to expand upon it. No one forces anyone to turn a good short story into a novel any more than one is forced to turn a good idea into a short story. Writer's choice. But certainly an author would grant a reader to the freedom to compliment the good idea and it's rendition within a short story having the real possibility of a good novel also. Just a differing opinion on the subject. Take care. Vern

Quote Post 8

Re: Not again!

njc wrote:

Asimov, =Nightfall.=.  Card, =Ender's Game=.

Right, "Nightfall."  I didn't know that about "Ender's Game," but not surprised.

Quote Post 9

Re: Not again!

j p lundstrom wrote:

It's happened again. Someone just read a short story of mine, and reviewed it by saying it would make a good book.

Sorry, guys, but that's insulting. It's my work, and I make the determination of format, genre and language. That's like coming to my house for dinner and telling me you like my lasagne, but I should have served roast beef. What the hell!

I am very careful not to tell a writer how his/her story should be written. Helping each other out by spotting errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling and word choice is one thing. I appreciate that. But I have had reviews that suggested so many or such drastic changes, I would have been taking dictation for someone else's story if I had made them. If you don't like the way I wrote my story, go write your own.

Please don't be insulted by my response, and I won't be insulted by your suggestion. JP

Hi JP,

While I agree with the sentiment that one should let the author tell the story they way they want, I think a comment that a story could be turned into a novel is relatively benign. In fact, the novel I just published, “Mysterious Ways”, started as a short story here. Many of the reviewers suggested it could be a novel, which got my mind percolating. I’m grateful for the suggestions.

Cheers,
Don

Quote Post 10

Re: Not again!

Don Chambers wrote:
j p lundstrom wrote:

It's happened again. Someone just read a short story of mine, and reviewed it by saying it would make a good book.

Sorry, guys, but that's insulting. It's my work, and I make the determination of format, genre and language. That's like coming to my house for dinner and telling me you like my lasagne, but I should have served roast beef. What the hell!

I am very careful not to tell a writer how his/her story should be written. Helping each other out by spotting errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling and word choice is one thing. I appreciate that. But I have had reviews that suggested so many or such drastic changes, I would have been taking dictation for someone else's story if I had made them. If you don't like the way I wrote my story, go write your own.

Please don't be insulted by my response, and I won't be insulted by your suggestion. JP

Hi JP,

While I agree with the sentiment that one should let the author tell the story they way they want, I think a comment that a story could be turned into a novel is relatively benign. In fact, the novel I just published, “Mysterious Ways”, started as a short story here. Many of the reviewers suggested it could be a novel, which got my mind percolating. I’m grateful for the suggestions.

Cheers,
Don

Oh, come on.  Why let your creative juices percolate and become something positive when you can turn them into outrage and splatter it on a forum?  Outrage is SO much easier.  Hearing a benign comment or suggestion and attacking the person and the suggestion is de rigueur.  Didn’t you get the memo?
*sigh*

Quote Post 11

Re: Not again!

Strange how things affect people differently.  When someone tells me I should consider turning my short story into a novel, I am delighted to hear it because it gives me hope that the reviewer REALLY liked it and would love to read more.  Then it gets my creative juices flowing and makes me consider the possibility.

Many novels were started as short stories.  Virginia Woolf's 'Mrs. Dalloway' started out as a short story called 'Mrs. Dalloway in Bond Street.'  Jhumpa Lahiri's novel 'The Namesake' started out as a short story called 'Gogo!'  Even 'Lassie' started out as Eric Knight's 'Lassie Come Home.'

Quote Post 12

13 Reply by dagnee (edited by dagnee 2018-05-19 03:34:05)

Re: Not again!

JP...I get told that my short stories would make a great book often. I never saw it as an insult, but as a compliment because I grabbed their attention, they got emotionally invested in the characters and they want more of the story.

The problem is, if you write a lot of short stories you know you can't turn every one of them into a novel. And not every one should be a novel. As for people telling you how to write your story, if you don't absolutely love what you're writing, people can tell and will try to take over your work. One reviewer will tell you to lose a character and when you do that, you get a reviewer asking you, 'Why did you get rid of that character...' It's writing by committee, and it never works out well.

I know you JP. You're a strong writer with a clear sense of how your stories should be written. I think you might say something in the blurb before the story the kind of feedback you want and what you don't want. That should stop people from wasting their time and yours.

dags smile

Quote Post 13

14 Reply by njc

Re: Not again!

Card hadn't planned to expand Ender's Game.  But he had the idea for Speaker for the Dead and realized that the protagonist of Ender's Game was the right character to become the Speaker.

Quote Post 14

Re: Not again!

dagnee wrote:

I think you might say something in the blurb before the story the kind of feedback you want and what you don't want. That should stop people from wasting their time and yours.

dags smile

Thanks, dags---what a thoughtful, constructive suggestion. I feel like a dummy for not having considered it. What a simple solution to a situation that evoked such an emotional response in me! ow I never have to worry about it.

I guess it hurt because the story was published years ago, and I posted it because I succumbed to the author's curse of still wanting to polish it.

Thanks for being a thoughtful friend.  JP

Quote Post 15

16 Reply by Dallas Wright (edited by Dallas Wright 2018-05-19 21:18:04)

Re: Not again!

j p lundstrom wrote:
dagnee wrote:

I think you might say something in the blurb before the story the kind of feedback you want and what you don't want. That should stop people from wasting their time and yours.

dags smile

Thanks, dags---what a thoughtful, constructive suggestion. I feel like a dummy for not having considered it. What a simple solution to a situation that evoked such an emotional response in me! ow I never have to worry about it.

I guess it hurt because the story was published years ago, and I posted it because I succumbed to the author's curse of still wanting to polish it.

Thanks for being a thoughtful friend.  JP

1.  When you fill in the form to post, it says:
“Describe what type of feedback you would like to receive for this chapter. For instance, do you want in-line reviews, or more feedback on plot and character development?” So this suggestion is no epiphany.  It’s called following instructions and using common sense.  And if it wasn’t offered with a healthy dose of sarcasm, it should have been.   
2.  People rarely read instructions like this and often don’t follow them, so it’s not liable to change anyone’s behavior.
3. The problem is not other people.  The problem is “you.”  You need to grow up and be tolerant and learn to ignore meaningless things and stop being so judgmental and hateful.
4. A thoughtful friend is not one who spouts platitudes aimed at reinforcing bad behavior or glossing over it.  A thoughtful friend is one who tells you when you are being a jerk, then gives you a hug.
5. You’re being a jerk.
6. *hug*

Quote Post 16

17 Reply by j p lundstrom (edited by j p lundstrom 2018-05-19 21:42:03)

Re: Not again!

Thanks, Dallas. I needed that. I'm over my jerkiness now.
I thanked dags for reminding me the solution was at hand. I was thoughtless;she was thoughtful. Now don't be a jerk about feminine bonding.
*hug* to you, too! JP

Quote Post 17

18 Reply by dagnee (edited by dagnee 2018-05-19 23:29:29)

Re: Not again!

Dallas you wrote: A thoughtful friend is not one who spouts platitudes aimed at reinforcing bad behavior or glossing over it.  A thoughtful friend is one who tells you when you are being a jerk, then gives you a hug.

I rarely defend myself, but that description of my post was simply wrong.

I reminded JP it was her story and she was a strong writer, which she is, and has a clear vision of what her story should be, which she does.

I also saw no reason to label her a jerk just because I couldn't relate to her reaction. Why judge when you can make an effort to understand?

I gave her a solution to think about, as any friend would.

As for hugs, JP and I were raised with brothers, we don't do that.

smile

PS...you might examine why you feel the need to change people's behavior. That sounds a little controlling to me. The only thing you can control is your own behavior. (Now, THAT'S a platitude.)

Quote Post 18

Re: Not again!

j p lundstrom wrote:
dagnee wrote:

I think you might say something in the blurb before the story the kind of feedback you want and what you don't want. That should stop people from wasting their time and yours.

dags smile

Thanks, dags---what a thoughtful, constructive suggestion. I feel like a dummy for not having considered it. What a simple solution to a situation that evoked such an emotional response in me! ow I never have to worry about it.

I guess it hurt because the story was published years ago, and I posted it because I succumbed to the author's curse of still wanting to polish it.

Thanks for being a thoughtful friend.  JP

You're welcome, JP. *fist bump*
smile

Quote Post 19

Re: Not again!

dagnee wrote:

Dallas you wrote: A thoughtful friend is not one who spouts platitudes aimed at reinforcing bad behavior or glossing over it.  A thoughtful friend is one who tells you when you are being a jerk, then gives you a hug.

I rarely defend myself, but that description of my post was simply wrong.

I reminded JP it was her story and she was a strong writer, which she is, and has a clear vision of what her story should be, which she does.

I also saw no reason to label her a jerk just because I couldn't relate to her reaction. Why judge when you can make an effort to understand?

I gave her a solution to think about, as any friend would.

As for hugs, JP and I were raised with brothers, we don't do that.

smile

PS...you might examine why you feel the need to change people's behavior. That sounds a little controlling to me. The only thing you can control is your own behavior. (Now, THAT'S a platitude.)

May God Bless You

Quote Post 20

Re: Not again!

I've always seen comments such as that to be a giant positive, not a negative. Unless they told you it sucked as a short story--they were paying you the ultimate compliment.

Quote Post 21