How do you know…

[LA Thomas]

If a short story has legs and also whether it could have enough clout to turn into a novel?

PJ and Matt inspired me with a premise featuring zombies at tonight’s huddle!

 

[Hannah F]

Write a quick draft of the short story (or at least start one) then see if it sets your brain cogs whirring. If it does, play with the outline for something novel-length - not necessarily straight away; often these things must percolate for a while, let your brain take a foray through its library of ideas. If your story has the legs for a novel, the ideas will start coming. If not, make it into a great short story.

 

[Hannah F]

I wrote a short story which became the first chapter of a novel which morphed into a completely different novel that wouldn't have come into existence if the short story had never happened. I have another short story which people say would make a great start to a novel, but no. It will stay a short story.

 

[E G Logan]

I wrote a short story which became the first chapter of a novel which morphed into a completely different novel that wouldn't have come into existence if the short story had never happened.

Me, too. Mine is the middle part.
The characters just refused to fit into a short story – they almost took over.

 

[LA Thomas]

Thanks both.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

If you need to write it. If your need to go this particular walk is so strong that you are not put off by the prospect of a long, lonely and gruelling haul with not one iota of a guarantees of diddlysquat at the end of it, except for the simple existence of this manuscript you have birthed.

 

[JohnBertel]

When you ask if it has legs I assume there is something about the idea that has already hooked you. When you think about it, outline it, draw it or whatever, can you imagine the idea will give you 50-60 scenes?

 

[Robinne Weiss]

I agree with @Hannah F--play around with an outline and some ideas. Let it percolate in your brain for a while. I wrote a piece of flash fiction for Litopia's monthly Flash fiction challenge years ago, and knew as soon as I wrote it that it sat within a larger story. A whole lot of outlines later, I'm currently writing the first draft of the third novel in the epic fantasy series it became.

I also have a file of short stories I tried to write, but realised were actually novels--they're sitting in the drawer as half-finished short-stories that devolve into novel outlines awaiting my attention.