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Old 06-03-2004, 07:24 AM   #1
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Time scale of a book

When writing a book is there any set of rules that should be used when planning how long the time scale of the story should be. I don't mean how long it should take to write the book, but how long the events in the story should take, for example some books take place in just a day whereas others may take a year to tell the story. I know it will depend on the type of story but I was just wondering.
The book which I am writing at the moment will take place over a period of six months, is that too long or does it depend on how much is taking place in the story?
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Old 06-03-2004, 12:18 PM   #2
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A story doesnt have to play to a certain time line! Where did you get that idea? If your story would play in someone's afternoon, thats how long the story will be. Its up to you to discribe how long the events will take. If you are making a story like the tv show 24 for example, then you could easely fill a book with 120 pages or so becouse you describe every minute of the persone's life.

In a story taking place in six months I think you should think about what the main events in this time line are gonna be and write detailed about that. Some events in a book are just longer then the other, there is no helping that. Some scéne's may take 5 sentences to tell, while others take 120... its just variate's!
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Old 06-03-2004, 07:09 PM   #3
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You do realize that as a writer, you have that decision right? YOU are making up the story, it could be 100 years or even a million. some books are one day.
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Old 06-03-2004, 08:00 PM   #4
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Old 06-03-2004, 09:32 PM   #5
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lol, very true, very true. Thanks for asking, though, if you had any doubts we are here to disabuse you of those crazy notions!!
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Old 06-04-2004, 06:23 AM   #6
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Thanks for the replies, I feel a fool for asking now
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Old 06-04-2004, 06:54 AM   #7
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Don't feel like a fool Seriously, there is no such thing as a stupid question. That is what we are here for though, to answer your questions!
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