I am beginning a seven book series that will show the protagonist develop in seven specific dimensions.
It is literary fiction that might remind the reader of Richard Bach’s Jonathan Livingston Seagull from the 1970’s which was about 10,000 words.
My protagonist will be developing in seven dimensions with a book devoted to each one because they are “cumulative” in nature. The plan is for each to be less than 15,000 words.
One reason I need to keep it short is that it will be printed in two languages (interlinearly) and I don’t want it to be unwieldy as they be used in an educational context. The other, equally important reason, is that I desire to leverage it for a more long-term ‘platform’ in which readers can connect as a community.
Therefore, my question is how directly applicable are the Novel Matrix principles to my project?
New characters will be added as necessary across the series and the conflict will change with each dimension.
Should I work with a more “trimmed down” version of the matrix?
As I have read Novel Matrix I can visualize the the whole thing. However, my concern is with whether my “proportions” might need to be modified to keep it on a sub 15k word diet.
Thanks in advance for your coaching.
Hi Roger. Great question.
We would typically classify a 15,000 word story as a novelette. Many of the ideas of the Novel Matrix will apply, but yes, you will want to trim them down. You won’t have enough time to do 3 acts, 5 conflicts, and 7 characters justice.
What you trim down is up to you.
Most commonly, if you’re writing for adult readers, I recommend using any two of the three acts. You could do acts 1-2, 2-3, or 1-3, but the most common is 1-3.
You’ll likely also not develop all 7 characters. While I recommend choosing Big World conflicts to inform yourself as you write, you may not have sufficient space to develop them to any depth.
Many children’s/middle grade authors will keep all three acts, but greatly reduce the number of developed characters. Some of The Magic Treehouse stories, for instance, only have a protagonist, a frenemy, and an antagonist. While there’s a hint of Big World conflicts, the whole focus of the story is on the immediate danger and resolution to the protagonist.
Rather than thinking about what to cut, I would focus on which assets you really want to keep and develop well. When you look at the Novel Matrix plans, which parts are really where your story soars?
TLDR: Yes, you’ll need to trim it down. Think about the assets of your story and what you want to dedicate your limited space to developing.
