The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now (#225) -- Best Laid Plans

Have you ever started a project that turned out bigger than you first planned? 

My projects usually start with a word count, so I don't often have the luxury of stories outgrowing the original concept. However, when I do get to start a project "just for fun" (i.e., not for an existing deadline or word count), more often I find that it will outgrow its format rather than its word count/length. It's like a weed that grows up beside the other plants, then says, "Hey, notice me. I'm the whole freaking garden now!"

Hmm.. Perhaps "outgrow" is the wrong word.

"Adapt" or "evolve" is better.

A concept I originally conceived as a comic book script will suddenly make much more sense as a short story. Or a novella will suddenly become a much better fit for a publisher reworked into a comic book miniseries.

That's what usually happens to me, anyway. Your mileage may vary.