Donna Monday asked:




Vampires are back in a big way, and the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer has sparked the imaginations of many aspiring authors. I’m assuming you’ve read the book and seen the movie, and now you’re all excited to learn how to write a novel like Twilight. Well, I’m going to burst your bubble right here and now – ping!

As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and I’m sure that Stephenie Meyer thinks it’s kind of cool that so many people love her work, but, as an aspiring writer, you should not want to write a book exactly like hers.

Why? You say.

Because, anybody who reads it will just think you’re a big copycat, that’s why. Of course, this won’t stop the slew of imitators coming out with their own badly written versions of the popular Twilight books. But, your novel doesn’t have to be one of them.

The truth is, Ms. Meyer has done her share of fiction reading, and still managed to come up with a unique story in the crowded vampire genre. Sure, people are ragging on her for not being a great writer, but whether they liker her writing style or not, her characters and story have some unique qualities.

If Ms. Meyer’s story didn’t have some special uniqueness, then it wouldn’t stand out from all the other vampire romance novels – and there are lots of them. As an aspiring author, what you really want to do is capture the same kind of magic that her story has. Creating this originality means you need a good imagination and willingness to expand on the vampire legend a bit.

I know this because I’ve written my own black vampire novel. I’m from a different generation, so I was inspired by the Ann Rice vampire series, which taught me that you can make vampire characters behave and say things that go beyond old stereotypes. I mean, having a vampire wear a cape and go around saying “I want to suck your blood” is quaint now days.

When I wrote my black vampire book, I hadn’t read any other black vampire books, and I didn’t want to recreate an Ann Rice style novel. No, I wanted my vampires and story to be unique, which I think I achieved.

So, here’s some things to keep in mind while working on your own vampire book:

Know Your Audience

Who are you writing this book for? Who will be your typical reader? Teen or adult fiction? Before you begin, you need to know this. Now, your audience for your story may expand, just like it did for the Twilight books, but you should stick with writing for your core audience.

Vampire Characters

Who exactly are your vampires? What do they look like? What kind of habits do they have? Edward is brooding and walks slowly. If you want to create a romantic male vampire, please don’t create one just like Edward. The audience for these types of stories already have Edward. What unique type of romantic vampire can you bring them?

My leading male vampire is handsome, charming and laid back. But, he does have this hidden dark side to him, because he does kill people to satisfy his bloodlust. Deciding whether or not your lead vampire will kill people, or, be a “vegetarian” is an important characteristic. It will affect his relationships with any mortal women he’s involved with.

What kind of vampire powers will your vampires have? Most vampires can fly, but what else can you think of that’s a cool power? You can take an existing vampire power like telepathy and give it an interesting twist. My vampires can stand some daylight, but only if they do something specific. You can weave these special powers subtly into your story, which creates a sense of authenticity for the reader.

Mortal Female Lead Character

Who is the leading mortal woman in your story? Why is she encountering her vampire? Is it love at first site, or does he have to win her over? There must be something that stands out about your leading lady – a reason why he’s strongly attracted to her. If you can’t make your leading lady appealing enough, then your story is going to be a let down. The reader must feel a connection between this mortal woman and the lead vampire.

Supporting Characters

You can have a variety of strong vampire, mortal and other mystical characters in your story. Before you begin writing, sit down and create all of the supporting characters you want to appear. What is their role in the story and why are they there?

Some supporting characters can add lots of color and drama to a story, while others are just minor characters that keep the story interesting. Don’t take these characters lightly. Creating strong supporting characters can take your story to a whole new level of excitement.

Create characters that you like writing about, and don’t worry if you don’t see them in someone else’s story. The New Moon part of the Twilight series features werewolves. My story doesn’t have these characters because I don’t want to write about them. Yet, my story is fine without them.

Do you know who the Wampati are? No? That’s because I made them up and they only appear in my story.

Location of the Story

You need to make decisions about where they live and who they live with. The location where the action takes place is a big part of the story. It’s important that you pick a location that you’re comfortable writing about. Picking a particular big city, or rural area, just because you saw it in a movie may mean you’re going to struggle with authenticity.

Writing a novel, especially a fantasy one, requires that the author get into the feeling and mood of the story. If you’re not comfortable with the location, your characters aren’t going to be either. Create a location that’s close to home, or somewhere you visit often. You can even make up a town or city to your liking. You should be able to see this place clearly when you close your eyes. When you’re writing about a location you’re familiar with, your story will flow better.

Story Plot

Creating an interesting story is essential. You can have great characters, but if you put them into a slow, plodding story, your readers may valiently finish the book, but probably not want to read anything else you write ever again. I think a lot of new novel writers struggle with this.

But, Stephenie’s books aren’t that great and people are raving about them.

Yes, maybe Stephenie Meyer isn’t a great writer, but she obviously got something in her plot right. She created compelling characters and put them into a storyline that resonates with millions of females (and some men) – both young and old. To be fair, her books are written for tweens and teenagers. Many adults just happen to like the Twilight storyline too.

It’s unlikely that you’ll have the same good fortune as Stephenie, so just focus on creating great characters, and putting them into your own original vampire story. If other people, besides yourself, truly enjoy reading your novel, then you’ll have accomplished your goal of writing an entertaining vampire book.


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