What's the best way to drag out a story to make it into a novel?

Question

a couple of friends and i have had an experience that we think could be turned into a good horror novel. its about a gentleman and a lady dressed in victorian outfits in the woods. we were wondering whats the best way to drag out a life experience to make it an interesting story? we would really appreciate it thanks

Answer 1

Add dialogue - that always adds interest and drags out the story.
Also consider describing the sounds of the night, any animal sounds, and the feelings of the characters as they experience their fright.
Let them tell horror stories to each other during the experience, referring to other tales of terror and thus adding to the scary scenario.

Answer 2

Drag Out

Answer 3

If you want to "drag" it out into a longer story - you'll probably get a lousy longer story.

One positive way to make a story longer, add relevant detail. Give the characters depth. Create sub plots. Envision what the hidden meanings are behind the main action. Anyone can make a superficial horror story - but the best of all stories go deeper.

Answer 4

To turn it into a novel, you will need to have a beginning, middle and end. To begin with, you need to know why they are out there in the woods Where are they from? Are these actual Victorian characters or re-enactors or did they just leave a costume ball? How did they get in that fix?

Then you need to have the action, but behind the action you need to know why they don't leave. What is keeping them there? Are they being hunted? Is there a villain they need to fear?

The relationship needs to progress, but not too quickly. You'll have to set up obstacles. Limiting the story to the woods limits your options. Most novels have subplots. Without them, you are likely to end up with a short story.

Answer 5

Not all stories are long. I like to write short stories.

I have had people say to me things like that: "Cant you make the story a bit longer?"

To which I reply, "What would I add to make it longer?"

Most of the time they cant say or just don't answer.

If I've told my story then, quite simply, the story has been told. Many people know when you've simply padded the story and tend to shy away from it.

Thats not to say I won't or can't write a long story. I have - when the story needed to be longer to be told in full.

I would suggest you write your stories as you want to tell them. As you go along, you will naturally put in the things that will hold the readers interest as well a being part of the story.

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Answer 6

Adding dialogue usually does the trick when needing to drag out a novel.

I would also include a 10mn Valium in the sleeve of every novel sold. That ALWAYS works.

Answer 7

Try to add in some sub-plots, little side stories to keep the main character busy while there still is a big picture. Add some long explanation dialogue in somewhere near the last chapter.

Answer 8

Understand how to create a story. Your middle is the hardest part but if you try to break it down into pieces it is easier.

There are some tutorials on http://www.storyentertainment.com that I wrote including one on how to watch movies to learn how write. If you analyze the process you will see how middles are created.

Answer 9

Well you do not want to drag out the story line...you want to make small instering plots and expand them.