Lecture Notes: Questions for Vampire Literature and Fantasy Writers

Introduction

• Presenter: Riley from Otherworldly Fiction
• Context: Offering writing advice for authors, especially for vampire literature during Halloween.
• Main Idea: Presenting essential questions to develop unique vampire characters and stories.

Importance of World Building in Vampire Stories

• Vampire literature is vast, requiring unique world-building to stand out.
• World-building involves creating rules and characteristics for your vampires.
• Each author contributes differently to vampire mythology (e.g., sunlight resistance, sparkling skin).

Key Questions for Developing Vampire Stories

1. Vampire Strengths and Weaknesses

• Classic Weaknesses: Sunlight, fire, decapitation.
• Considerations:
  • Impact of sunlight (kills, injures, or has no effect?)
  • Other weaknesses (crosses, silver, specific plants?)
  • Vampire strengths (super strength, regeneration capabilities?)

2. Appearance of Vampires

• Modern Representation: Often youthful and attractive.
• Alternative Depictions: Hideous, aged, or animalistic features?
• Transformation: Ability to switch forms, change with age, retractable fangs?

3. Special Abilities

• Potential Powers: Telepathy, mind control, flight, shapeshifting.
• Development of Abilities: Universal or unique, growth over time?
• Limitations and Interactions:
  • Easier to use on familiar individuals?
  • Immune creatures or characters?

4. Reproduction and Children

• Pregnancy Possibility: Can male/female vampires reproduce? Hybrid children?
• Transformation of Children: Consequences of changing children into vampires?
• Children’s Development: Physical and mental maturity, societal function?

5. Vampire Society and Laws

• Organization: Existence of vampire governments or gangs?
• Laws: Rules on interaction and relationships with humans, consequences of breaking laws?

6. Coexistence with Other Creatures

• Other Entities: Werewolves, wizards, elves.
• Interactions and Relationships: Political conflicts, hybrid children possibilities?
• Human Awareness: Secret existence or known?

7. Creation and Cure of Vampires

• Transformation Process: Bite, blood drinking, or other means?
• Original Vampire Creation: Mythology or origin story?
• Curing Vampires: Possible through death of sire or other methods?

8. Vampires’ Identity

• Loss of Soul: Do vampires retain their personalities?
• Moral Implications:
  • Abstaining from human blood or ethical feeding practices?

9. Vampire Diet

• Blood Consumption: Sole nutrition source, human vs. animal blood?
• Food Enjoyment: Ability to eat human food, consequences?
• Taste Preferences: Blood types, human health impacting flavor?

Conclusion

• World Building: Essential for creating compelling vampire and fantasy stories.
• Character Development: Beyond world building, focus on character depth and plot originality.
• Application: These questions can be adapted to other mythical creatures (e.g., werewolves, elves).

Engagement

• Call to Action: Audience encouraged to share their vampire story ideas and questions in the comments.
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