Writing a short story, it might turn into a novel?

Question

Okay, i've started a story about a girl, Ana, who's suicidal and depressed. She's also two-faced. At school, she's happy, once she walks through the front door of her house, she loses all of her pride. She isn't abused. Also, i have the points of view from the depressed girl, her 2 sisters, her best friend, and two guy friends. I'm hoping to have the story go from her being 14-24 or maybe older. I should've started a timeline, but i didn't and I already have 24 pages, including the names of the people when it switches points of view. It's kind of like the Blue Girl, but NOT the story, i mean when is changes points of view. i'd like your views on the story and advice on how i could keep the story going without it constantly refering back to Ana's suicidal ideation and depression. I'd also like advise on how to be a better writer and how i can improve my story even though i'm 24 pages in.
Thank you!!!!

by the way, what i meant by the names of the characters when it switches views, I made logos of their names so it takes up space. If i took those logos out then the page number will most definitely go down.

Answer 1

Dont worry about page numbers. For now, focus on writing a really good outline and good character studies. That will help you with backstories. Nobody has just one thing going on in their life. Everybody reacts to different people in different ways. By writing good character studies, you will begin to know how she rubs up against different people and that will help you to flesh out your characters. Maybe she is jealous of one of her sisters. Maybe one of her sisters likes one of her male friends. Maybe her best friend is really two faced and hiding something from her. Maybe her two male friends are gay. See? Everybody has a story and everybody's life rubs against everyone else's in different ways.

Start with an outline - do it in one color ink. Then add your backstories to the outline - each in a different color ink so you can keep track of them and move things around if you want to.

You need to stop writing until you have done your homework. Also, if you are writing about someone who is suicidal and depressed, you NEED to do a tremendous amount of research on the subject, and believe me Yahoo Answers isnt the place to do such research. You need to go out and find some genuine fact and some people to interview. Just saying she is suicidal and depressed is cheating your readers. For one thing, you will find that it is nearly impossible to be happy at school and depressed at home. People would see signs of her depression. You need to work on this subject since your book revolves around it.

Once you have all that info and work done - and believe me it will take you a LONG time - go back to the charcter studies and considere what characters you need to add. I see a school counsellor. Parents. Maybe a psychiatrist they send her to. Each character represents a new backstory because she responds to each one differently.

If you are willing to put the work into it and go in it for the long haul, this could easily translate from a story to a book. But i urge you to approach the suicide subject carefully and with the help of a knowledgeable adult. Remember that young readers can be very impressionable and you do NOT want to give them any new ideas. Work with a counsellor and discuss how best you can deal with that subject.

In my work, I find that I put in about 5 times as much time researching and planning as I do writing. As Mies Ven de Rowe said "God is in the details". Make sure they are accurate.

Good luck. With a lot of work, you can do it. Pax - C

Answer 2

Try dipping your toes in the pool with a short story. It's less stressful. Short stories can be sent to magazines, newspapers, etc. Or, if you write enough of them, they can be sold as a collection. I think Stone Soup is a magazine that takes short stories. American Girl has contests, too. I think it's definitely worth extra effort to write a novel. I've never written one, but just think about it. Your name on the cover of a book. You wrote it. It's yours. And short stories can definitely be expanded! It'll take a while, but it's possible! You sound really determined! Good luck!!

Answer 3

Aside from the previous comments given, which are sound, I recommend tightening up on your spelling and the rule of using numbers. If your story is written similar to the way you've expressed the narrative here you should consider some strong editing.

Logos and fancy fonts are attractive if you wish to print and publish the story by yourself, but agents and publishing houses don't want any of that. They much prefer Times New Roman or Courier, font 12--that is all.

Back to the rule of numbers. Write out any number from zero to nine--as I have done. Numbers of 10 and higher are written in the Arabic version.

Also, avoid duplicating at the end of any sentence your exclamation points or question marks. Only one is desired and required. Practice your writing skills in every medium available, which includes posting questions and answers on this forum and e-mails. Through practice, the art of writing will progress for you.

The advise given about researching suicide and its effects on teens today is most important as Top Contributor has suggested. We don't want impressive teens following the foot steps of the protagonist that will commit suicide.

Answer 4

If you want to change it into a novel, well, go for it! I want to be a novelist too!! I can't help you much but I thought I'd give you a little encouragement. :-)

Answer 5

i think this sounds like an interesting story, so you can turn it into a novel