Thursday, February 28, 2008

THE LURE OF THE VAMPIRE

Vampires never die--at least not in literature. This genre is still alive and well, especially if the vampire in question is a modern-day girl or guy.

I like vampire books quite a bit and I'm not alone. From Dracula to Lestat to those slayed by Buffy, vampires offer readers a love-hate thrill. So, how does an aspiring horror / fantasy / romance writer compose a vampire book that will rise to the top of the slush pile?

In the words of a fellow-agent, "Good writing trumps all." Give your vampire a unique personality and a job to match. A vampire is just like you and me. He has his good side and his bad side. In the vampire's case, however, his bad side involves, well, drinking human blood and sleeping all day. There are so many ways you can spin this to your advantage. But, dear writer, as you spin your vampire novel, write like an angel.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

how does one find an agent??

Tarmon Louis said...

Yes, I have been wondering the same thing. I can't even get past the query letter. I get immediately rejected without ever having my manuscript actually read. Is anyone out there actually willing to take on new authors at all??

C.V. Hunt said...

I'm already self-published, is it too late to get an agent? I'm working four jobs and trying to market the book, I think I need help.