determined to not write a novel or what?

the picture below is NOT to judge any differences between novelists and other authors. it did seemed appropriate though to demonstrate different approaches. and i don't know if there is a chance to switch between a hare and a tortoise. i don't even know if it is necessary to yearn for such a change.

here's the story.

the gazillion's read of my Copper Moon concluded in finding said novel a short story. an extremely looooong short story. there are no real conflicts, no real evolution of some of the characters (well, at least the main character should show some signs of development - and i don't think the mental and physical changes she present qualify as signs of major development...)

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the story i wrote lacks some of the important elements of a novel. period.

but as for the reason behind?

here are my takes (and i hope to hear yours in the comments section .... )

it is either

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1. the result of my previous experiences with writing.

you know, i am a free-lance journalist. i mostly write on agriculture-related subjects like how to deal with rodents in your house, how to build up a glass house and what are the most important gardening activities of a month and the like. i translate scientific papers. it's all neat and dry and i have no problems with that.

but a garden pond has no character development and the species composition of arthropod assemblages of potato fields show no conflicts either.

it is all description.

and as for literature? some of you might have read some of my pieces.

it's short prose at its best, but mainly flash fiction and poetry.

these are reflections of a state.

no development. nothing long-ish that starts somewhere and goes to a definite direction.

flash fiction is okay, because that reveals a status quo.

but composing a decent short story had gave me hard times and i did not excel at all.

so, reason number one: lack of experience.

potential reason number 2.

my status. my own character.

what if some people are just not 'natural born novelists'?

what if a person's certain psychological factors determine one's affection towards a certain type of writing?

say, a person who loves life, indulges in many activities, lives whole heartedly tends to write romantic stories with lots of actions?

say, someone else, who tends to analyze people around him favours to write psychological stories instead, with less of real actions but more beneath the surface?

what if a natural conflict avoider just can not bring his characters into a real conflict?

someone who is content with contemplating the events of life without interruption just finds content in describing status quos?

if the latter is the case, it is not my characters who are in trouble.

i am :)
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as for the time being i read, and read, and read :)
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photo credits:
http://dscottangle.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/tortoise-and-hare.jpg

the pack is diverging

i started to read my novel again, but stopped at about page 5.

i kind of tried to read it with the eye of someone completely fresh to the story.

isn't it frightening that it took me two years to get the necessary distance?

i'm kind of okay with that - as long as it helps me, though.

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this time i found that the pack is quite a diverse one.

it was not a brand new experience, though. i kind of knew it right from the beginning.

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let me explain the simile.

in my novel, there are parts, sections or paragraphs that are filled with actions. the characters move forwards, confront each other, try to explore something.

there are other parts where they ponder about their lives and relationships and some other parts that are descriptions. sure the descriptions are there to underline a feeling, or make the reader anticipate an action and so on...

but then again, some, if not most, of these descriptions are just tapestry. decoration. almost poetry, if you like. and not tightly needed in the course of actions. these descriptions are valueable. i like them dearly. most of them are palpable, full with emotions and all that stuff we love in emotional poetry.

not the cheesy kind, mind me. not in my novel, or any of my writing.

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so, back to the 'pack'. i fancy my novel a pack of wolves. (my main character is a werewolf, btw, a really good one at that, with lots of social awareness. she only kills 'bad' people.:)

there are individuals, but they all have to behave as one, as a pack.

and as far as i see now, my individual wolves are not acting as one.

they diverge.

see what makes me sad about my novel?

i'm thinking about splitting the pack.

with lots of considerate writing, i'd have a crime-story like novel with less emphasis on the description and more on the investigation and action.

and as for all that poetry-like stuff?

i fancy of saving them for other times.

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any suggestions?
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the photo above was taken from this website.