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  Looking for a more experienced ear??

  I recently started writing a vampire romance (historical). I was wondering would it be wrong to change a few myths concerning these dark creatures?? To make it my own rendition of a vampire romance??? Looking for any and all opinions.

  melodi f started this discussion 10 months ago. ( reply )

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  jacquie-rogers 

  The thinking on this is divided into two camps: the traditionalists and the revisionists. The latter are ruling the world right now, so IMHO, you're home free to build your world however you want to build it. Just don't change the rules halfway through the book.

  posted 10 months ago. ( reply )

  show 1 reply

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    etl_echo 

    Unless you can have a GOOD reason for breaking the rules :-)
    
    One has to know the rules to be able to break them tho'!
    

    posted 10 months ago. ( reply )

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  The Gilded Pen 

  I've read a number of vampire romances. Some have taken the tired-and-true and written some down right horrible stories, while others have mixed-it-up a bit and written some of the best work I've read in quite a while. I believe it all depends on your writing style and how comfortable you feel about your changes.
  
  I would have to point out, though, that there are just some things you can not change! This would include the teeth and the blood drinking (aka raw-meat-crave). Those would have to be the two most recognized and accepted 'truths' about vampires. Everything else is free game to keep or toss as you, or your story, sees fit.

  posted 10 months ago. ( reply )

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  jacquie-rogers 

  Yep, I've gotta agree with both etl_echo and TheGildedPen. The rules of your world can only be changed with proper motivation stemming from the story's evolution. Actually, this doesn't happen very often. You can NOT change the rules just to suit your plot--that's cheating. Remember, your reader is playing along with you in this world, and she'll know when you're dealing from the bottom of the deck. And she won't like it.
  
  And I doubt vampire lovers would be one bit satisfied if you wrote a vampire who didn't drink blood and have fangs. After all, those two things are the primary identifiers of the myth.

  posted 10 months ago. ( reply )

  show 4 replies

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    etl_echo 

    Not really true, if you look at the whole energy/emotion vampire category that surfaced. Like the White Court Vampires in the Dresden files. There are some other examples, but can't really remember any other ritgth now without checking my books :-)

    posted 10 months ago. ( reply )

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    jacquie-rogers 

    I must admit, I'm a lot better versed in worldbuilding than in vampires. :)

    posted 10 months ago. ( reply )

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    melodi f 

    thank you all for your advice....i was wondering if changing this "rule", well really it is either a no-no, or not enough backing...but i was curious about vampire offspring...??? could i be allowed to make that work....vampire mated with human (of course)????

    posted 10 months ago. ( reply )

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    etl_echo 

    Of course you can. Sizemore and Lara Adrian have that for example, and so does some others. Remember that rules/or laws of nature should be consistent. Not that you need o explain it to the reader, but you need the rules to write consistently about it.
    
    For me worlbuilding has always been the most fun part, and writing the hard and excrutiating part ;-) Not that I have any novel published, just some short stories.

    posted 10 months ago. ( reply )

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  aprillee 

  Don't change just for change's sake. If your vamps actually work better for you with different characteristics, then go for it. They are your vamps and you should make them as you please, but make sure your changes MATTER. If they don't matter, then you might as well keep them more traditional... Or if they are so different than traditional vampires, perhaps you should make up your own creature and not worry about it?
  
  It really depends on what you want to do and what would work for your story and for the characters... As long as it's good, people will like it.

  posted 10 months ago. ( reply )

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  thesportsmom 

  I have read several lately and in almost all of them the main male character has had some nasty stuff to say about Bram Stroker, and his tendancy to listen to druken vampires. Do what you want.

  posted 5 months ago. ( reply )

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