Fears about writing

I have a fear when it comes to my writing...and i assume alot of people have this fear.
I am writing a vampire fiction book...and i have been writing this book for years...now it is slowly coming together. my biggest fear right now is that i will be compared to Stephanie Meyers and her books...which personally i hate. Though they arent the same concept, i talk about it with people and instantly her name comes up. how can i seperate myself from her works when all you need to say is 'vampire' and people are instantly saying 'twilight'.

Tags: fear, twilight, vampire, writing

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Permalink Reply by ButterflyTattooWoman aka Amy :) on May 6, 2009 at 10:32pm: A lot of books are similar in concept, but if your story is different then you should be fine. Imagine how many people are lumped in with Stephen King when they write horror novels! Of course now there is a wide diversity but still, must've drove them nuts. You will get your own recognition in your own right. There's all types of novels for all types of people. Personally I like the twilight books and many other types of vampire books. But it would drive me nuts if that's all you heard. Good luck on your endeavor and I hope you get the recognition!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Liz on May 11, 2009 at 7:42pm: There are a tone of vampire books out there. Before Stephanie Myers there was Ann Rice. There is always someone writers can be compared to, no matter what they write about. You just have to be confident that your story is original. And that your story is something that people want to read. After a while the twilight buzz will die down, and it won't be such a fad. The books people will remember will be the good ones with a strong storyline.

good luck-
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Permalink Reply by Christin Keck on May 31, 2009 at 9:05pm: Hi there...(I'm new here, this will be my first post, so forgive me if I reiterate)

Consider the source when it comes to comparisons. Most people have little imagination for seeing unique storylines or plots, and will offer up their opinion based on the latest fad or the most popular associations. This is nothing to fear--if someone likes Twilight, they'll probably buy your book too--if they don't, they won't--but then they wouldn't have anyway! So you have nothing to lose by the comparison. Your work will find its own voice and audience eventually. Heck--a few years ago, if you said the word "vampire" you would get the reply "Oh, you mean like Sookie Stackhouse?" and a few years before that, you'd get the reply "Oh, you mean like Dracula?" so you can't get away from any comparisons; not from those ignorant of your writing, anyway.

You just have to persevere and let the work speak for itself to the audience you want it to speak to. That will quell any comparisons when it counts: after the book is published.

In other words, don't bother separating--yet.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Rebekah on June 14, 2009 at 5:22pm: I am writing a vampire series myself and I have one book completed; however, I am still in the rewriting process. I have the same fear that people have thought my characters or plot is taken from other authors. I refuse to watch or read Twilight as I feel the less I know about the other serieses out there the better I am.

My weakness is the Vampire Chronicles series. However Anne Rice has stopped writing them.

My stories do have a twist or two so I am not too worried, and they are about vampires find love and war.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by AlmightyBoz on June 14, 2009 at 5:35pm: try writing anything about the undead...idk how many times i've beens asked if my novella was going to be like world war Z; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Moondancer on August 1, 2009 at 4:04pm: I say to go for it!!! We need new vampire stories Twilight was ok... we need something better. Go for it!!!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by WolfishAura on September 20, 2009 at 8:14am: You can't stop people comparing your work to anyone elses. In general the mind does make an automatic comparison to help us catagorize work we see.

Don't worry, no doubt your book will stand upon it's own merits, you don't have to worry about it being compared. Certainly it will, but in the end, that may help you. Ones that enjoyed Twilight may pick it up, see the difference and enjoy it on it's own merits alone. (Comparisons are not always bad... although if I got compared to JK Rowling I'd probably have a little scream before calming down).; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by J.W.C. Lucian on November 9, 2009 at 5:05pm: There's nothing you can do that has not already been done. People or "critics' will always compare one with the other, which in my eyes kills the imagination of it. Seriously I mean If you write a book about a dark tower instantly people will think Stephen King. I have never read The Dark Tower, no idea what it's about. I've been working on my album for four years and I have a song titled "The Tower" as in the Tarot card and a friend of mine asked me about King's book lol. People just assume, don't let them ride you.
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