You will get a mix of responses to this one I think!
It's actually a question that I put to an agent at York. Her
response was, that like anything piece of work she considers, it is
to do with the quality of the story. You can make your characters
anything you like as long as it's one hell of a tale.
I am in the process of writing a trilogy which is essentially a
paranormal romance. Even though there are eventually humans that
have vampire qualities it is not a gory fest of blood lust but a
story of adapting to change and dealing with the outcome.
I have several friends that like me love anything vampire related
and I wondered is there still a place for it or have I missed the
boat , as they say...what do you think?
Totally agree with Barb.
It is a tough market and many will say 'too late' to write
for.
But if you can adapt a vampire novel and do something
different...unique, then why shouldn't anyone pay interest?
The boat has been sailing since Polidori's The Vampyre in 1819.
There's always a market for great stories. Writing about vamps
because you love them will shine through in your work.
Where do I begin...fantasy has always captivated me ... Dragon,
unicorns, etc...but vampires! I think I have to blame scooby
doo...then the lost boys, interview with a vampire, Buffy, and of
course Twilight...but the Buffy and angel unrequited love thing ...
I totally get it! I know a lot of people think I am very sad so I
was glad when the twilight boom showed that there are others just
as sad as me out there. Is my obsession with vampires about
twilight ...hxxx no! It started ages ago. So essentially I love a
good romance story entwined with murder, mystery and suspense,
agatha Christie meets Brampton Stoker!
Thank you for comments ... I had a long chat with two friends today
that have read and love my story...one is just as mad about
vampires as I am, and is in her fifties might I add, and I was
asking them whether I should split the story and work on a romance
instead of having the vampires edge to it...we were all undecided
but all day I keep thinking I want to write it...so I shall
continue. I have written the first two books and have a lot of
editing to do. If anyone knows an agent that particularly like this
kind of thing can you please let me know...I don't want to waste
postage on an unknown that chucks it back at me without taking a
proper glance.
The vampire theme plays so well into a romance. This genre needs
reasons that keep the hero and heroine apart - him or her being a
vampire is a great device.
Buffy can't be with Angel because he'll get his soul back and
there's only so many orbs of Thesulah to go around.
Edward doesn't want to bring Bella into his world as he wants her
to have the experience of being human. Then there's those
werewolves messing things up. (Romeo and Juliet?)
In each of these though, the vampire issue is not the main driver.
Angel could have been a different religion, or not be into blondes,
or girls for that matter. I think there may be some value in asking
yourself if your story would work without the characters being
vampires, that way it becomes a layer, rather than the plot.
I know what you're saying but I actually can up with something
new...after doing lots of research that I'm quite excited about and
so then reason they are like they are is not the same as it is
always portrayed...it's going away from the they are like that
because...
Sorry why does what I type never look the same as what I'm
thinking...my story is more about discovering who you are and the
vampire plot works well for it...I think anyway. But, because it is
based on a vampire idea I am worried that this will make it fall
flat on it's face.
Check out Justin Cronin's The Passage. Vampires as a result of an
apocalyptic virus... there's always a take on it, as others have
said, if the story's good enough
Nothing is dead in the water! just like after LOTR people said
elves etc were dead and now after Twighlight they're saying
vampires are done. But the truth is, if a book/film came along that
was good enough, it would re ignite it all and set the new
standard. Isn't harry potter a slightly different take on malory
towers v adventures of wishing chair etc.
I doubt if before either of these they were all sitting saying 'you
know what guys, we really need a good vampire romance today!'
but the stories came and knocked their socks off.
I think there is always room to get a good vampire story - i don't
think anyone has really called that genre their own ( i mean in the
way Rose Red defined the haunted house genre)
Islander, it will depend on the way you present it.
GD, his book works so well because it's fresh. He hasn't reinvented
the vamp, but changed everything else around them. That to me is
why the story rocks.
Just looked up the passage ... Mine is nothing like that... Reminds
me of I am legend which is also based on a book with a similar
theme...not my cup of tea...I watched the movie but it was just
well, weird...
"When 17 year old Isabella Swan moves to Forks, Washington to live
with her father she expects that her new life will be as dull as
the town. But in spite of her awkward manner and low expectations,
she finds that her new classmates are drawn to this pale,
dark-haired new girl in town. But not, it seems, the Cullen family.
These five adopted brothers and sisters obviously prefer their own
company and will make no exception for Bella. Bella is convinced
that Edward Cullen in particular hates her, but she feels a strange
attraction to him, although his hostility makes her feel almost
physically ill. He seems determined to push her away until, that
is, he saves her life from an out of control car. Bella will soon
discover that there is a very good reason for Edward's coldness.
He, and his family, are vampires and he knows how dangerous it is
for others to get too close."
The focus is on Bella and that it's her story. Being a vampire is
just the reason Edward is acting like he is. You'll be able to
pitch your story the same way with the plot first.
Barb, re the Passage, exactly. I think that's the point I was
trying to make. Vampires aren't dead in the water (unless it's holy
water). Interesting your point about pitching it as something else.
That's the problem I'm beginning to realise I might be suffering
from (amongst one or two others!) The pitch suggests something
that's not the real nugget. Its been an interesting process since
York!
@Jock - Harry P seems to me to a direct derivative of (some say rip
off) of LOTR. Another 'just depends how you pitch it' example...
Totally agree in some respects...my eight year old son has driven
me crazy with HP and now he's obsessed with LOTR...there is a
general theme here that he really digs and he appetite for book is
voracious...if anyone has anything new for me to suggest to him
feel free to tell me...unless it's beast quest, done that...or how
to train a dragon...done that...or Percy Jackson...done that...my
house resembles a library...
I asked this very same question when I joined the Cloud because I
too, at the time, had a story with a vampire in it on the go. As it
happens, I decided to ditch the vampire angle and try something
slightly different - and for me, it's worked, because it got the
old creative juices sloshing about (and proved that I was relying
on vampires as a crutch - it was easier to use them at the time
than go off and create my own mythology). I found evolving him from
a typical vamp into something else really interesting, because it
made me focus on him as a person, rather than him as a character
type. Whether that will work in my favour or not, I don't know...
but he's been fun to work with ;-)
As for Harry Potter - not so much a direct derivative of LotR as
Star Wars. Just replace Harry with Luke, Leia with Hermione,
Dumbledore with Obi Wan, Sirius with Darth Vader (remember, Sirius
was a villain to begin with) with a side order of Han Solo and a
mixture of The Emperor and Darth Vader with Voldemorte - et voila!
It's essentially the same tale!
Has your son tried any Neil Gaiman? He's always good fun. Then
there's RA Salvatore (although they may turn him into a D&D
geek - you have been warned...), Dragonlance, Dragonriders of Pern
(they might be a tad too old for him right now, though), The
Earthsea series... I'm trying to remember what I read when I was
that age.
Well I wondered this last year. I LOVE vamps, they're one type of
storyline I adore reading & watching but I decided that I
wouldn't write it if no one wanted to read it due to the saturated
market (twilight) etc.
But then, I thought hang on - if I want to write about something I
love then why should I not do that? I'm not gaining anything. So I
wrote one of my favourite stories.
Yes the market has been inundated, but that's no excuse not to
write it, enjoy it and maybe in the future send it off.
Barb and Flickimp are right. It's all about the quality, I think.
It's a tough market, admittedly, but if the writing is rich and the
characters are uniquely captivating, then why the hell not?
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ...just saw it on you tube...amazing now
America's first president is an authority on vampires...is ther
anything american's don't take credit for...no offense any fellow
american's ...I have a dream...
I agree with whats already been said, write what intrests you, a
new angle on something thats been done before is always worth a
read and I to started my vampire fetish with lost boys and
interview with the vampire. Anne rice was a favorite of mine a
while ago although I've gone off her newer stuff *shrug*
I think novels about vampires can still work, despite their
overexposure, as long as there's something original about them -
something more than a gimmick, tho.
The best recent vamp novel is 'The Historian' by Elizabeth Kostova.
She based her story on the historical Vlad Tepes of Wallachia,
rather than the usual Hollywood Bram Stoker ripoff.
I wrote a short story in protest about the romanticising of
vampires, called 'I vill come' (which you can find on
http://ienclearyfiction.blogspot.com/
if you'd be interested to read it). Although I enjoyed 'Buffy', I
much prefer the original folklore version of vampires, ie
reanimated corpses possessed by demonic spirits. Vampires (Wampyr)
are supposed to be monsters!
Bah! The Bloody Historian! Even hearing that name makes my blood
boil! Not because the book was rubbish - the book was FAR from
rubbish, and I was really enjoying it until JUDY BUGGERING FINNEGAN
decided on NATIONAL FECKIN' TELEVISION to reveal the ending in her
stupid-arse book club thing! The book had only just come out and
they were reviewing it, even Pinch turned round, gasped and said
'you can't give away the ending like that!'. The most annoying
aspect of this? I was only watching her shitty little show because
The Simpsons were due on next! GRAAAHHH!!! I have *never* forgiven
that woman for spoiling The Historian for me!
*coughs*
I mean, uh... yeah. The Historian - good book, spoiled for me by a
silly TV presenter.
....... *rages within the confines of her head once again*
Ely: Richard Madely announced on Radio 2 this morning (standing in
for Chris Evans) that Judy's first fiction book has just been
acceped. So as soon as its available, get hold of a copy and blog
the ending!
Yeah - don't bother reading the whole thing, just the last few
pages.
Alternative plan: tour the major bookshops, tearing out the last
page of each copy.
Not a bad idea, Tony... not a bad idea at all! ;-)
(Finnegan has a book deal? And who says 'nepotism' ('celebotism'?)
is dead... *rolls eyes* You know, the cynic in me does wonder if
we're hurtling towards a future where you have to be famous before
you're even looked at for a regular publishing deal...)
To flag this one again...I read yesterday that publishers in the uk
are not touching paranormal romance anymore, whereas in America
it's still huge...is this true? Should I be pitching to American
agents? What are my chances???
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37 Comments
It's actually a question that I put to an agent at York. Her response was, that like anything piece of work she considers, it is to do with the quality of the story. You can make your characters anything you like as long as it's one hell of a tale.
What draws you to writing about vampires?
I have several friends that like me love anything vampire related and I wondered is there still a place for it or have I missed the boat , as they say...what do you think?
It is a tough market and many will say 'too late' to write for.
But if you can adapt a vampire novel and do something different...unique, then why shouldn't anyone pay interest?
Write what interests you.
Buffy can't be with Angel because he'll get his soul back and there's only so many orbs of Thesulah to go around.
Edward doesn't want to bring Bella into his world as he wants her to have the experience of being human. Then there's those werewolves messing things up. (Romeo and Juliet?)
In each of these though, the vampire issue is not the main driver. Angel could have been a different religion, or not be into blondes, or girls for that matter. I think there may be some value in asking yourself if your story would work without the characters being vampires, that way it becomes a layer, rather than the plot.
I doubt if before either of these they were all sitting saying 'you know what guys, we really need a good vampire romance today!'
but the stories came and knocked their socks off.
I think there is always room to get a good vampire story - i don't think anyone has really called that genre their own ( i mean in the way Rose Red defined the haunted house genre)
good luck buddy
Jock
GD, his book works so well because it's fresh. He hasn't reinvented the vamp, but changed everything else around them. That to me is why the story rocks.
"When 17 year old Isabella Swan moves to Forks, Washington to live with her father she expects that her new life will be as dull as the town. But in spite of her awkward manner and low expectations, she finds that her new classmates are drawn to this pale, dark-haired new girl in town. But not, it seems, the Cullen family. These five adopted brothers and sisters obviously prefer their own company and will make no exception for Bella. Bella is convinced that Edward Cullen in particular hates her, but she feels a strange attraction to him, although his hostility makes her feel almost physically ill. He seems determined to push her away until, that is, he saves her life from an out of control car. Bella will soon discover that there is a very good reason for Edward's coldness. He, and his family, are vampires and he knows how dangerous it is for others to get too close."
The focus is on Bella and that it's her story. Being a vampire is just the reason Edward is acting like he is. You'll be able to pitch your story the same way with the plot first.
@Jock - Harry P seems to me to a direct derivative of (some say rip off) of LOTR. Another 'just depends how you pitch it' example...
As for Harry Potter - not so much a direct derivative of LotR as Star Wars. Just replace Harry with Luke, Leia with Hermione, Dumbledore with Obi Wan, Sirius with Darth Vader (remember, Sirius was a villain to begin with) with a side order of Han Solo and a mixture of The Emperor and Darth Vader with Voldemorte - et voila! It's essentially the same tale!
Has your son tried any Neil Gaiman? He's always good fun. Then there's RA Salvatore (although they may turn him into a D&D geek - you have been warned...), Dragonlance, Dragonriders of Pern (they might be a tad too old for him right now, though), The Earthsea series... I'm trying to remember what I read when I was that age.
But then, I thought hang on - if I want to write about something I love then why should I not do that? I'm not gaining anything. So I wrote one of my favourite stories.
Yes the market has been inundated, but that's no excuse not to write it, enjoy it and maybe in the future send it off.
I will always want to read it. xx
The best recent vamp novel is 'The Historian' by Elizabeth Kostova. She based her story on the historical Vlad Tepes of Wallachia, rather than the usual Hollywood Bram Stoker ripoff.
I wrote a short story in protest about the romanticising of vampires, called 'I vill come' (which you can find on
http://ienclearyfiction.blogspot.com/
if you'd be interested to read it). Although I enjoyed 'Buffy', I much prefer the original folklore version of vampires, ie reanimated corpses possessed by demonic spirits. Vampires (Wampyr) are supposed to be monsters!
*coughs*
I mean, uh... yeah. The Historian - good book, spoiled for me by a silly TV presenter.
....... *rages within the confines of her head once again*
Alternative plan: tour the major bookshops, tearing out the last page of each copy.
(Finnegan has a book deal? And who says 'nepotism' ('celebotism'?) is dead... *rolls eyes* You know, the cynic in me does wonder if we're hurtling towards a future where you have to be famous before you're even looked at for a regular publishing deal...)
By the way, what didn't form me with Buffy was the angel angle...someone who was good when they were supposed to be bad...fighting against your nature
That's what twilight hooked on to...
http://www.cracked.com/article/128_7-vampires-around-world-worse-than-ones-in-twilight/
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