C. N. Garraway

When a Story Won’t Let Go

Stories are always rolling around in my head—until one starts screaming louder than the others. That’s exactly how I realized I was writing a thriller without even knowing it. Has that ever happened to you?

Revisiting Old Work

After finishing my poetry book and preparing it for publication, I decided to create a short story collection using some of my older work. My plan was simple: revisit those stories, read them again, and edit them as part of my writing process.

While doing that, I came across a piece I had written in my early twenties. I enjoyed rereading it and immediately felt that it could be improved and expanded. The story I chose was Homeless Until November.

Not a Short Story After All

That’s when I realized something surprising—it wasn’t actually a short story. It was a novelette, coming in at over 8,000 words. As I started brainstorming ways to expand the story, I quickly saw that it had all the makings of a novella.

Discovering I Was Writing a Thriller

Then came an even bigger realization.

It was a thriller.

When I originally wrote it years ago, I didn’t recognize that I was writing a thriller. I was simply telling the story of a woman kidnapped by a twisted individual. At the time, a few classmates and my English teacher had read it and said it had potential—and they were right.

Letting Stories Grow Naturally

Sometimes stories need time to marinate before they become something more.

When I was younger, I didn’t think much about genres—I just wrote. Looking back, I think that’s why my work naturally explored multiple genres. If I had worried too much about fitting into a category, I might not have allowed myself to experiment. I wrote freely, without putting my stories in a box—and because of that, they were able to flourish.

Expanding a Short Story Into a Novella

Now, the excitement I feel about expanding Homeless Until November has me thinking about turning it into a series. We’ll see what happens once I’m finished. I can’t wait to see where it goes.

The ending will remain the same, but expanding the middle of the story will make it far more impactful. I have so many ideas that it’s hard to focus at times—but that’s part of the process when you’re developing a story idea.

What Comes Next

I’ve already created a cover and a blurb for the novella, and I’m considering releasing it next November. Of course, if inspiration keeps flowing, I might finish much sooner. The story is really coming together, and I love it even more now that I’ve rewritten scenes and added new ones.

This story didn’t want to stay buried.

It wanted to take center stage.

Join the Conversation

Do you have a story that refused to stay small? If so, share it in the comments—I’d love to hear what you’re working on and where you are in your writing process.