The story that will not die...

Sometimes as a writer, you run into that story that just will not finish. I have run into just such a beast.

For the past year, I have been writing short stories for Phaze and for Cambridge Press, works between 5,000-15,000 words. Nice easy to handle lengths. I have managed to get six stories published in the last ten months or so, and a couple more due later this year. It's been a nice rhythm to maintain. And then THE STORY happened.

I had this idea for a story revolving around a chef and a food critic. I had a great opening hook and a cute scene where she gets mad and....well, I don't want to reveal too much just yet, but suffice to say, mayhem ensues. In short order I was up to about 5000 words, and I hadn't gotten to the first love scene yet. Hm. I didn't let myself get too concerned just then, but when 10,000 came and went and still I hadn't reached the getting naked part, I began to fret. Had I misjudged my WIP? Was it not a short, but instead a novella?

Well, okay, I could handle that. Actually a novella would be a good thing. It could be priced higher, so I'd get a larger royalty from sales. Yes, I quite liked the sound of that. So I continued. Well, today I reached the lower end of novella length at  20,000 words, and after chapters and chapters of build up and flirting, I'm on the verge finally of the first toe curling love scene. Um, really?? 

It appears I have taken on the story that will not die. It seems it wants to be a novel. I didn't want to write a novel. I don't have time to write a novel. I have two or three novel WIPs already waiting to be finished. Why would I ignore them to write a new one?  But it seems that the choice is not mine. My characters have spoken. I am just their reluctant servant. Le sigh...