How to Write A Vampire Story

     If you've read Anne Rice or L.J. Smith you've gotten the gist of how to write a vampire story. Stephanie Meyer is also an example but I think she didn't get the true soul of the vampire tale. Here are some elements when writing a vampire tale whether it be horror or a romance.

The elements of a vampire story are:

1. It deals with the Supernatural (obviously)
2. Death/ Tragedy
3. Horror
4. Sex
5. Blood (alot of it)
6. Violence

     Some of you may ask: "What about Romance?" Well you can add that surely but essentially these are key elements in laying out the background of your story. The Vampire stories of old were not at all like the vampires we see on TV or in Movies. They weren't the emo hotties with fangs that professed eternal love; they were the monsters like "Nosferatu": UGLY! Most of the stories we know about vampires come from Eastern European Lore and these vamps are more sad than scary. One story tells of a woman who died in childbirth. Her husband buried her and began raising their infant child alone. Yet every night the mother would return and nurse her baby. One night the husband caught her and with a look of despair, the mother departed never to return. 

      This vampire tale is more humorous. There was once a wealthy young man who met a beautiful, attractive woman one evening. He invited her home for dinner to enjoy her company further. The mystery woman never gave the man a name (you'd think he'd find that strange). They spent the night together, but the next morning the man waited for his lover to come and join him for breakfast and she did not show. He went upstairs to see her, only to find her corpse! She looked as if she had been dead for weeks!

     The first tale was sad, the second contained sex and death and some humor but neither contained the crucial element: Blood. This third tale is a home invasion. In a country village a family buried their patriarch. A few nights later, a strange man came calling at the door. He asked to be invited in to rest for the night. The family invited him in and fed him some stew. Just a few minutes later, the stranger attacked his hosts and drained most of them of blood. The man then disappeared. The village led a mob to find the murderer until they found the grave of the patriarch, the dirt freshly overturned. They uncovered the corpse of the patriarch, his mouth bloody, his belly full as if he had just eaten. The villagers staked him then cut off his head.

    So that last story had violence and death. Put all the other elements together and you have yourself a vampire story to entertain your readers. You will be tempted to change some elements. Don't fight that impulse. There are alot of vamp fiction stories out there and they all tell the same story. 

Here's a traditional list of vampire traits or weaknesses or what makes them a vampire:

1. They have no reflection (the mirror reveals the soul & vampires have no souls to speak of)
2. Garlic weakens them
3. They must be invited into one's home if there is someone living there (they need a pulse)
4. Being that vampires are undead, they have no heart beat
5. Crosses repel them
6. Silver weakens and or burns them
7. They burst into flames when in sunlight
8. They are immortal (that is a definite)
9. They need blood to survive
10. They have psychic powers
11. They can shape shift into other animals (a bat mostly, but Bram Stoker has Dracula turn into a bat or a wolf).
12. They can be killed with a wooden stake through the ribs.
13. Vampires sleep in coffins.

    Most of these traits such as: garlic, silver, Christian crosses, no reflection have been taken out. Taking out these weaknesses adds tangibility to your vampire character. A vampire's personality traits vary but most are:

1. Brooding
2. Charismatic
3. Devil-May-Care attitude
4. Empathic
5. Seducers
6. Charming
7. A predator

     The vampires we know from TV (such as The Vampire Diaries) come off as sociopaths such as Damon Salvatore, Katherine Pierce, and Klaus. Again this gives your vampire character substance and whether you make him/her a villain or an anti-hero will still entertain your readers.

      Now for Vampire names. What sounds like a great name for a vampire? It depends on how old you plan to make them. A vampire that's 1,000 years old would have a name of the times like Marcus or even Gabriel. If your vamp was turned in the 1800s you can be somewhat unconventional. Names such as Kevin or Yvaine are acceptable. They may sound more modern but if you want to be different from the pack then look at public records from 1700s to 1800s and see which one stands out to you. If your vamp was made in like the 60s or even in 2011, you can get more creative. Vampire names such as Talia Sand or Damien Reese sound silly and some how cliché but that all depends on the kind of story you want to write. The names I just mentioned seem more fitted for romance novels. But here are some you may know from other fiction tales.

Examples:

1. Aidan (Being Human)
2. Henry Fitzroy (Blood Ties)
3. Bill (True Blood)
4. Edward Cullen (Twilight)
5. Stefan Salvatore & Damon Salvatore (The Vampire Diaries)
6. Vlad Dracula (Dracula)
7. Angel (Buffy the Vampire Slayer & Angel)

    Then there's the romance portion or sex (again depending on what you want to write). Vampire stories involving "forbidden love" are always successful; especially the human/vampire romances. My advice: try something new. I personally think the witch/vampire romance hasn't been visited much (the witch is still human so it's not too far off). Or if you're feeling adventurous go for the werewolf/vampire romance. That's always interesting to see as werewolves and vampires are always portrayed as on opposing sides and it gives it more of a "Romeo & Juliet" feel for the story. Also no love story is ever complete or more dramatic without an opposing love interest.

Examples:

1. Klaus & Caroline & Tyler (The Vampire Diaries)
2. Edward & Bella & Jake (Twilight)
3. Damon & Elena & Stefan (The Vampire Diaries)
4. Jonathan Harker & Mina & Dracula (Dracula)
5. Chloe & Louis & LeStadt (Interview with A Vampire)
6. Angel & Buffy (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

    Death/Tragedy come with Horror stories; actually any kind of story really. In vampire stories, Death is about Rebirth; a human dies but then a vampire is born. The vampire is the new you; a chance to start over or become something you've always wanted to be. You can make your vampire be happier being a vampire, change his or her personality; make them brooding or make them sociopathic. 

    Finally, there is no vampire story without blood. Don't be afraid to get bloody when writing your story. If you want a completely villainous character or a character trying to be redeemed give them a bloody history; stack those bodies up, make a list a names, etc. This will tie into Death/Tragedy. Death gives your story and characters stakes (not the wooden kind) and a touch of drama. 

    If you want to add things to make your story stand out then I highly recommend that you do. Make your universe your own: make vampires a secret or a known race at odds with the humans or create your own laws the vampires follow such as killing one's maker is a heinous crime or that vamp will die if they kill their maker. You can have your vampires walk in the sun and not get burned. Stephanie Meyer gets ripped on because her vampires sparkle like fairies and I agree with the out cries. She gets points for trying but essentially it's best sometimes to avoid changing basic vampire traits.

Go and Write!