A New Fantasy Series Idea

[ronkimmons]

Dear People I Don't Know But Already Like:

Hi!

I just discovered this forum, but I think it's pretty awesome. This is now my second post.

I recently published my first short story collection (via Amazon), and I want to get more serious about my writing. I have been writing stories ever since I was little, but I keep prioritizing other things over my writing. (Well, I actually am a professional writer. Just not a professional fiction writer.) Anyway, I'm gradually trying to change that now, and I have an idea I would like to run by you good folks.

I have honestly never been a big fan of steampunk or vampire/werewolf fiction, but what I want to write incorporates those in a way that I think is fresh and new. I don't want to give too much away, but I would like to tell you a little about it to see what you think:

When explorers discovered the New Land, they found cities, roads, canals, towers, castles, and temples - but no people. For a century now, the dispossessed and ambitious have been crossing the sea to claim their own little piece of the New Land, and with industrial technology now taking a foothold, the new motley society is expanding and developing at an alarming rate.

In the Western Mountains, prospectors have reopened ancient mines, and the riches pouring forth are drawing people from all over the world to settle there. However, there are whispers that something sinister or marvelous lies dormant there between rock and shadow, and various powerful forces are gathering around in the hope of either controlling it, saving it, or destroying it.

(I wrote that just now, by the way. I haven't actually made an outline or anything.)

I intend to have a mix of beings something like what we see from high fantasy, only they will be of my own invention instead of the usual elves, dwarves, gnomes, trolls, etc. - with two groups bearing striking resemblances to werewolves and vampires. I want to write short books, each focusing on a different character and giving a different perspective of related events.

What do you think? Does this sound interesting to you? Would you pay to read something like this? What would I have to do to make it good? What dangers do I need to make sure to be aware of?

I would really like to hear your opinions. Thanks!

[kmtolan]

Hi! Curmudgeon here.

Write something without vampires or werewolves. That would be fresh enough, eh?

You're getting a personal opinion, by the way. We need a new trope in the worst way, if you ask me, but then I'm not a marketing guy. Just another writer.

Kerry (tipping hat)

[ronkimmons]

What? You mean...fiction...doesn't need to have vampires OR werewolves??? INCONCEIVABLE!

LOL...yeah, I totally hear you there. This is also why I am extremely hesitant to write anything about dragons. Trust me, though, when I say that this would have a totally different feel to it from what you may be used to.

[jasoninchina]

As soon as you mentioned vampires, I got this mental image of a very wild, almost feral, kind of creature. I haven't read a lot books about vampires, but if you do want to include them, I would definitely take them into a new direction. As your story idea revolves around this undiscovered country theme, you might want to think about making the vampires into a half human-half feral beast. I'm just finishing up "The Name of the Wind", and I really like what Rothfuss did with the dragons (draccus). Anywho...

[PaulWhite]

What I would find interesting is a story of true vampires. The true vampires are the ones that existed in the Balkan/Eastern Europe folklore and whose sightings and crimes were researched by authorities in the 18 century. The fictional vampires we know now are just inspired by those events and folklore and are the result of 19 century novels and 20 century movies. As far as I know, the true vampires had no fangs, weren't harmed by sunlight etc, there were just a kind of blood-sucking zombies (but unlike zombies pretty healthy and agile), creatures who after death returned to the village from the grave and killed the living for food (mostly feeding on blood). Supposedly they even looked like normal, living people. I did quick search (mostly wikipedia) and there are even original (?) postmortems of true vampires translated into English, if they are really authentic, so there may be enough material for you to research what the true vampire looked like and the whole vampirology about it.


The last time I read or watched vampire story, I was a child, so I have no clue, if this idea of true vampires was already used, and reused, and reused until getting already abused.


DISCLAIMER: When I say "true" vampire, I mean a vampire from (SE) European folklore, which is obviously as fictional as Santa Claus, while when I say "fictional" vampire I mean the vampire from Western pulp fiction, which is the one we know.

[ronkimmons]

I was actually going more in the direction of mental/spiritual vampires - as in beings that thrive on the suffering of others rather than physically sucking blood or biting chunks out of people.

I will take your suggestions into consideration, though. Especially since I will be including various types of "supernatural" beings in the story.

[Wulfen]

Actually, I don't mind werewolves or vampires at all. It's not like they are some new fad; they've been written about since we've been able to write. If my nick is any measure, I'm a big fan of wolf and wolf-like creatures.

What I do mind are werewolves or vampires written poorly.

So, in my opinion, write what you want; if it's good enough, people will buy it and read it. And from the little you've said, it sounds intriguing enough to me to want to know more.

[secluded]

Actually, I don't mind werewolves or vampires at all. It's not like they are some new fad; they've been written about since we've been able to write. If my nick is any measure, I'm a big fan of wolf and wolf-like creatures.

What I do mind are werewolves or vampires written poorly.

So, in my opinion, write what you want; if it's good enough, people will buy it and read it. And from the little you've said, it sounds intriguing enough to me to want to know more.

Agreed. As long as I can get caught up in the story, ill enjoy it.

[tennesseemcvay]

I think this is a marvelously fresh idea. Writers had been rehashing the same grim fairy tale and Tolkien creatures for far too long. Create something new and do it well, then we can all steal your creations and use them ourselves!

[SilentDan]

"Own creation" is all you need. That right there, that's originality. Fantasy desperately needs it. People have been mimicking Tolkien for yonks. Fresh is new is awesome.