|
I swear, if you give the intellectuals any kind of topic to discuss, they’ll figure out a way to make it convoluted for the layman (tongue in cheek). When learning about storytelling format, I notice that most new writers will solely focus on word count as their primary means of categorizing their projects or wip (work in progress). It is true that word count does play a role in figuring out how to classify your story, but word count alone is merely the measure in which you will structure your writing style.
|
Each storytelling format functions differently from one structure to the next, based on the size/scope (word count) of the project. Compare this notion to commercial real estate, and imagine how a niche storefront is going to operate differently than a big warehouse. The buildings aren’t different in size/scope simply because someone had a preference for square footage, but rather it was necessary in order to serve a specific functionality; this is the difference between writing to attain a word count and writing to attain a purpose. When structuring the size/scope of any project I ask myself, “what is the purpose of my story” and “what is it that I’m trying to accomplish,” which allows me to adjust my writing style accordingly.
Format & Functionality
Format –
Functionality –
Each format of storytelling serves its own range of functions that are distinct from one another, and revolve around what the writer is trying to accomplish with their project. If you begin your project with a specific purpose in mind, then that may help you determine the size/scope of your story - which will aid in figuring out how to structure your writing based on the format it falls into. If you choose a format first, then having an understanding of how that particular format functions may help you when brainstorming writing ideas for a project.
Drabble: is a form of writing exercise or marketing gimmick that is meant to help writers work on their word selection. A drabble is a piece of writing that is precisely one hundred words in length. This format serves to entertain the minds of individuals, who carry short attention spans, with a quick string of quips or series of witticisms, or mysterious lines of ambiguity or peculiarity to provoke some semblance of thought in their brain, in a subtle attempt to spark some imagination within it. A creative example would be to write your drabble based on a specific smell.
Blurb: A good blurb is like something out of a witch’s spell book. It is an art form in its own right. A storyteller may actually hire a third party writer just to manifest a blurb that is capable of selling readers on their project, because a good blurb reads like a little story without giving away a story. Unlike a formal summary or synopsis, blurbs are meant to hook the attention of readers by stimulating their imagination and tickling their desire without the writer going as far as to satisfy any curiosities about the project, because that is a pleasure reserved for the actual story.
Flash Fiction: I consider this to be the starting point where stories begin to actually take shape. Where shorter formats would be considered a fragmented or incomplete thought, flash fiction would be considered a complete sentence in terms of storytelling. Flash fiction is a piece of writing where the writer poses a thought provoking question or offers the reader a way to explore a single idea/concept in the shape of a fictional tale. Flash fiction may not contain much of a plot or any in depth character development. Examples of flash fiction projects would be legends (urban & folk), myths (like Bigfoot), or writing that has anecdotal structure. This format is similar to short stories in structure but serves as a practical standard for submitting work towards anthologies, magazines or other periodicals; otherwise this format is typically used in a classroom setting for teaching students creative writing techniques.
Short Story: Picking up where flash fiction left off, the short story format expands upon a single concept, question, or overall message, but the size and scope of the project allows room for the writer to add a little color to the story. Short stories can be short enough to basically cover one idea in depth or long enough to look at the same idea from several angles or incorporate some juxtaposition within the story (i.e. A/B storyline structure). Short stories can be standalone projects that showcase a writer’s creative techniques that are not necessarily character driven or support character development and may have a loose plot.
Novelette: If you ever refer to a project as a “novelette” then I’m just going to go ahead and assume you’re a pedantic individual who sips their green tea with one pinky in the air and spends their time speaking condescendingly towards people who eat meat. In other words, we probably won’t be hanging out anytime soon. Just don’t.
Novella: is the one and only storytelling link that falls between the short story and novel format. A novella shares the same storytelling structure as a novel, with an introduction, a rising action, climax, falling action and resolution. A novella expands upon the short story format by introducing elements of character development that may fully flesh out one or more characters for the reader to relate with or form a connection to, but may not contain multiple interlaced character arcs or complex relationships. The plot may be a little tighter than that of a short story and generally aims to tie up any lingering loose ends in the resolution.
Novel: This format is meant to get readers fully immersed into a fictional universe or to see a familiar world from a new perspective based upon fictional accounts. The story is character driven and follows a standard structure of storytelling as mentioned with novellas, but the writer puts more emphasis on character development. A novel’s plot can range anywhere from simple to complex depending on the writer’s chosen genre. Each novel is a standalone project, but the storylines within a single novel can actually build upon an overarching storyline within a fictional universe that can span a trilogy or an entire series of novels. Novels can inspire spinoffs, backstory one-offs, as well as works known as fan fiction (a writing project that either takes place within the fictional universe that may or may not include familiar characters, or one that reimagines the same universe/characters but with alternate/new storylines).
- - Novel > 49,999 words
- - Novella < 50,000 words
- - Novelette = “Just don’t.”
- - Short Story < 25,000 words
- - Flash Fiction < 1500 words
- - Blurbs < 250 words
- - Drabbles = 100 words
Functionality –
Each format of storytelling serves its own range of functions that are distinct from one another, and revolve around what the writer is trying to accomplish with their project. If you begin your project with a specific purpose in mind, then that may help you determine the size/scope of your story - which will aid in figuring out how to structure your writing based on the format it falls into. If you choose a format first, then having an understanding of how that particular format functions may help you when brainstorming writing ideas for a project.
Drabble: is a form of writing exercise or marketing gimmick that is meant to help writers work on their word selection. A drabble is a piece of writing that is precisely one hundred words in length. This format serves to entertain the minds of individuals, who carry short attention spans, with a quick string of quips or series of witticisms, or mysterious lines of ambiguity or peculiarity to provoke some semblance of thought in their brain, in a subtle attempt to spark some imagination within it. A creative example would be to write your drabble based on a specific smell.
Blurb: A good blurb is like something out of a witch’s spell book. It is an art form in its own right. A storyteller may actually hire a third party writer just to manifest a blurb that is capable of selling readers on their project, because a good blurb reads like a little story without giving away a story. Unlike a formal summary or synopsis, blurbs are meant to hook the attention of readers by stimulating their imagination and tickling their desire without the writer going as far as to satisfy any curiosities about the project, because that is a pleasure reserved for the actual story.
Flash Fiction: I consider this to be the starting point where stories begin to actually take shape. Where shorter formats would be considered a fragmented or incomplete thought, flash fiction would be considered a complete sentence in terms of storytelling. Flash fiction is a piece of writing where the writer poses a thought provoking question or offers the reader a way to explore a single idea/concept in the shape of a fictional tale. Flash fiction may not contain much of a plot or any in depth character development. Examples of flash fiction projects would be legends (urban & folk), myths (like Bigfoot), or writing that has anecdotal structure. This format is similar to short stories in structure but serves as a practical standard for submitting work towards anthologies, magazines or other periodicals; otherwise this format is typically used in a classroom setting for teaching students creative writing techniques.
Short Story: Picking up where flash fiction left off, the short story format expands upon a single concept, question, or overall message, but the size and scope of the project allows room for the writer to add a little color to the story. Short stories can be short enough to basically cover one idea in depth or long enough to look at the same idea from several angles or incorporate some juxtaposition within the story (i.e. A/B storyline structure). Short stories can be standalone projects that showcase a writer’s creative techniques that are not necessarily character driven or support character development and may have a loose plot.
Novelette: If you ever refer to a project as a “novelette” then I’m just going to go ahead and assume you’re a pedantic individual who sips their green tea with one pinky in the air and spends their time speaking condescendingly towards people who eat meat. In other words, we probably won’t be hanging out anytime soon. Just don’t.
Novella: is the one and only storytelling link that falls between the short story and novel format. A novella shares the same storytelling structure as a novel, with an introduction, a rising action, climax, falling action and resolution. A novella expands upon the short story format by introducing elements of character development that may fully flesh out one or more characters for the reader to relate with or form a connection to, but may not contain multiple interlaced character arcs or complex relationships. The plot may be a little tighter than that of a short story and generally aims to tie up any lingering loose ends in the resolution.
Novel: This format is meant to get readers fully immersed into a fictional universe or to see a familiar world from a new perspective based upon fictional accounts. The story is character driven and follows a standard structure of storytelling as mentioned with novellas, but the writer puts more emphasis on character development. A novel’s plot can range anywhere from simple to complex depending on the writer’s chosen genre. Each novel is a standalone project, but the storylines within a single novel can actually build upon an overarching storyline within a fictional universe that can span a trilogy or an entire series of novels. Novels can inspire spinoffs, backstory one-offs, as well as works known as fan fiction (a writing project that either takes place within the fictional universe that may or may not include familiar characters, or one that reimagines the same universe/characters but with alternate/new storylines).
