Mechanics Forum

It sounds like we are similarly afflicted, although I haven't heard of the term "story creep." When I started to write again, I went at it as a pantser. Usually I would imagine a character and a situation, a scene, and though I intended to write a short story I would find myself beginning a novel. As a result I have the beginnings of sooo many novels, but I've failed, so far, to finish a story of any significant length.

That is to say that I've written a few short stories for contests and such, but no finished novels. I'm currently trying to convert a short story into a novella so that I can get to the rewriting and polishing stages and hopefully e-publishing so I can be certain that longer works are even a possibility.

Perhaps if a writing group told me "finish what you start" I would have my vexing character flaw healed, and it seems that I've come to the same advice that is helping you. One thought per sentence, one topic per paragraph, is a good thing to keep in mind.

But it is time for work. I'll talk to you later.

LSO