Writing.Com General Discussion

I have the opposite problem. I am writing for adults and my novel is coming out as 15,000 word series of novella-type things.

Since I think I can finish my novel-size story in 3 of those, that's a mere 45,000 words for a novel (aka not enough). I have have feedback to cut them down (too much exposition).



To you problem, I couldn't tell you if your idea is good or not, but I would question when you said "threw in everything but the kitchen sink"

If your goal is children, what kind of story arc have you got that will hold their attention for 250,000 words (or less, you cut it down)?

If you just daisy-chained events/random encounters/challenges, then you may be writing a very long, very boring journal of somebody's D&D party, rather than a story.

Get the outline for your story. Compare it to the 3 Act story model. How much of what you have is excess material to that? If you've got a sidestory to Tom Bombadil's house for some silly singing, maybe cut that out if it doesn't really really contribute to the story. I know Tolkien-folk freakin love that scene in the book, but good god it would have added an hour to the 4 hour movie and it didn't freaking matter anyway.

That's not to say, as somebody else did, that you can't make a long novel work for kids. The 1 book = 1 school year pattern can work. But if your concern is that you've got a long book, how much of that material is needed to tell the same story?

As you are doing, I would at least question your pacing, plotting and such, if somebody else tell the same basic story in less scenes. Make that outline and check if you need all the scenes.