Looking for some advice from our prose pros.

Last month I started a project. My goal is to turn a collection of my unproduced short scripts into short stories...with the idea of maybe self-publishing.

The problem: I've never written prose before.

I've quickly realized, just like when I started screenwriting, I know nothing.

Does anyone know of a SimplyScripts-like site for prose writers? What I really need, besides a serious bit of self-education, is feedback.

Or, if any prose writers on here would be open...I'm happy to trade notes for notes. (Though, you may prefer to trade script notes for prose notes...as, again, I know nothing.)

Also, anybody know a good site for prose education? I've found a few, but if ya'll have favorites...I'd love to hear your suggestions.

Thanks in advance!!!

Paul

I'm interested, too, because I'm actually doing the exact same thing. I read quite a few books, and I have always wanted to write books, but my lack of language training in any language always made me terrified even to try. I would stare at a blank page, and absolutely nothing would come to me. I didn't even know how to write a proper sentence. About six months ago, I  decided to try the same thing you are, and I found it much easier to convert an already existing story than to start from scratch. I got a program called Scrivener that Kevin Leitskev recommended, and when I write, I have Scrivener open in the middle of my screen, Grammarly on the left, and the script I'm converting on the right. I'm no longer scared to write prose this way. However, Grammarly keeps telling me I write at a fifth-grade level. Oh well. If I start at the bottom, I can only move up.  :)

Quoted from Grandma Bear I'm interested, too, because I'm actually doing the exact same thing. I read quite a few books, and I have always wanted to write books, but my lack of language training in any language always made me terrified even to try. I would stare at a blank page, and absolutely nothing would come to me. I didn't even know how to write a proper sentence. About six months ago, I  decided to try the same thing you are, and I found it much easier to convert an already existing story than to start from scratch. I got a program called Scrivener that Kevin Leitskev recommended, and when I write, I have Scrivener open in the middle of my screen, Grammarly on the left, and the script I'm converting on the right. I'm no longer scared to write prose this way. However, Grammarly keeps telling me I write at a fifth-grade level. Oh well. If I start at the bottom, I can only move up.  :)

Last month, ScriptRevolution had a newsletter article with a tip on how to use AI to convert your existing scripts to prose. I tried that for one of my scripts. It gives you a VERY rough starting point to work from. I used that with (like you) Grammarly checking everything and (like you) the script open next to my prose doc.

I didn't use any of the AI wording that it added. Most of it is really bad, and it wouldn't feel like my writing. But, it did get me in the mindset change I needed for the tense changes between prose and screenwriting.

All that said...I don't think I'll use that technique going forward. But, it was helpful for the first one.

I'm not sure of any good sites, but like you guys I'm looking into this as well and will post any good resources I come across.

Just a warning about ChatGPT, it knows only what it's fed, and often what it's fed is incorrect.

I was curious about this sentence (below) a certain person posted the other day, from a grammar POV. Instinctively I knew it was wrong but when I searched for correct usage on some of my favourite grammar sites I couldn't find an exact reference:

So out of curiosity I asked ChatGPT 3.5

Me
Him and Peter are going to be fighting over those top leading man roles for the next couple of decades.

Is this grammatically correct?

ChatGPT
Yes, your sentence is grammatically correct. However, for clarity, you might consider adding a comma after "Him" to make it "Him, and Peter are going to be fighting over those top leading man roles for the next couple of decades."

Me
Is it not: He and Peter are going...?

ChatGPT
You're correct. The grammatically correct form is "He and Peter are going to be fighting over those top leading man roles for the next couple of decades." Thank you for pointing that out.

Me
Well which is it, he or him?

ChatGPT
I apologize for any confusion. The correct usage is "He and Peter are going to be fighting over those top leading man roles for the next couple of decades." "He" is the subject pronoun used when the person is the subject of the sentence.

Me
Glad you learned something.

It didn't respond to me chastising it.  ;D
Btw, I think a back and forth comedic script arguing the point with AI might be fun.

I love the way it wanted it both ways.
And inserting a comma after Him? Nuts.

Back to the discussion on prose, the biggest problem I have is slipping out of correct tense when writing first-person.

That's hilarious, LC. Yes, AI is astoundingly bad so far. I definitely wouldn't lean on it in any way. It was helpful to start...but, that was about it.

My fear with writing prose is that I'm going to ruin one or the other. I'm trying to write both each day to guard against having one influence the other.

The tense thing is rough. It makes everything look wrong, whether I'm writing a script or a story. For me, though, the biggest challenge has been all issues around dialogue. Formatting, mainly.

PK, does FD format novel writing? I haven't looked. I should look on my PC but I'm being lazy.

Any programme that just automatically formats dialogue in prose?

Quoted from LC PK, does FD format novel writing? I haven't looked. I should look on my PC but I'm being lazy. Any programme that just automatically formats dialogue in prose?

FD does have formats for that. I went with Scrivener because it's geared towards novel writers and has more options and features. Files to store research material, different chapters if you want to shuffle them and then a LOT of different export options. Not just a pdf, but manuscripts for editors and publishers, self-publishing, Kindle, any text format and pretty much anything you can think of. I think I got my copy for $60.  :)

Thanks, Pia.

I stopped being lazy and looked up the FD novel template and it's a very basic text editor with no bells and whistles.

And I looked this up:
https://www.novel-software.com/best-novel-writing-software/

That said Scrivener sounds economical compared to their favourite pick.
Will check it out.

P.S.
Dialogue:

https://litreactor.com/columns/talk-it-out-how-to-punctuate-dialogue-in-your-prose#:~:text=In%20prose%2C%20dialogue%20can%20be,do%20I%20use%20quotation%20marks%3F

Quoted from LC Thanks, Pia. I stopped being lazy and looked up the FD novel template and it's a very basic text editor with no bells and whistles. And I looked this up: https://www.novel-software.com/best-novel-writing-software/ That said Scrivener sounds economical compared to their favourite pick. Will check it out. P.S. Dialogue: https://litreactor.com/columns/talk-it-out-how-to-punctuate-dialogue-in-your-prose#:~:text=In%20prose%2C%20dialogue%20can%20be,do%20I%20use%20quotation%20marks%3F

I use FD for quite a bit of text docs, but never thought to check it out for novel writing.

Right now, I'm just using Pages. Basic word processor. Again, never even thought about a novel-specific software. I'll have to check out the links!

On first glance... indenting? Never crossed my mind. Indenting quotes? Definitely never crossed my mind.

That's an EXCELLENT link. Thanks, LC!

SOOOOO much to learn.

I started off writing prose and switched to screenplays as I thought it would be 'easier' to become a professional screenplay writer than an author, LOL!

I find it useful and enjoy the challenge of converting my screenplays into stories and vice versa. I think it has helped me grow as a writer. I'd suggest starting with shorts to ease you in and I'd not rely on AI too much as there are AI detectors out there now and most reputable publishers will not allow AI written materials. There are specific clauses in my publishing contract around that.

Certainly use AI to help brainstorm, and fix spelling and grammar errors - just don't let it write the story for you.

I run a private 'support group' on Facebook called Screenwriters Writing Novels, which is aimed at doing just that. If you are interested, click join and I'll approve. Also, I don't mind giving feedback to anyone on here if you want me to look at anything you've written.

I'm using Scrivner at the moment to write my 2nd novel. I do like the cards functionality which allows you to outline the novel pretty much the way you do a screenplay. It will also format and publish the novel in different formats for you, which is great also. I just find editing cumbersome, and I end up copying and pasting it into Word and doing all my editing there. So I may not bother with it after this and just go back to Word, but we'll see.  

I would recommend, before searching for feedbacks, to get a basic understanding of  the main pillars, otherwise people will not take you too seriously, and the feedbacks might not that useful.

Changing  a screenplay into a story is not that obvious.

I would mention briefly: story segmentation, tagging events or specific plot points and then expanding.

You can learn more about short stories and screenwriting here : https://www.twelvept.com/blog/en/writing/writing-a-novel.html#features

Feel free to ask me directly for more advices.

Quoted from MarkRenshaw I run a private 'support group' on Facebook called Screenwriters Writing Novels, which is aimed at doing just that. If you are interested, click join and I'll approve. Also, I don't mind giving feedback to anyone on here if you want me to look at anything you've written.

Blasted. That's the first actual good reason to join Facebook. I've resisted so far.