A Writer's Tale

If your apparent re-hash does get past your agent and editors and sees the light of print, then you might end up in legal trouble with the author of the original material. And if you’re lucky enough to escape that fate (for instance, if the author is dead), you might end up with a lousy reputation among readers who recognize the similarities and figure you’re a rip-off artist. This can happen even if you’ve never heard of or read the earlier piece.

Third, knowing the other stories not only allows you to avoid them, but to play off them.

Just because there have been a gadzillion vampire books doesn’t mean you can’t write one, too.

But if you want to write about vampires, you’d better do some research first by reading Dracula, Salem’s Lot, Interview with the Vampire, etc. The more vampire stories you read before embarking on your own, the better. It’s as if you are making yourself a map of a minefield. You find out where not to step, but you also find out where you can step in safety. You want to reach the point of being able to say, “Hey, I don’t think anyone’s used this angle yet.” So you use it.

I’ve so far written two adult vampire novels, The Stake and Bite. All I hear about these novels is how different they are, how fresh, how they broke new ground and went against the reader’s expectations. In my opinion, there are always fresh ways of dealing with any subject even something as overdone as vampires. But you can only find the new angles if you’ve read what else is out there.

Fourth, it is very limiting to read only in the genre in which you write or aspire to write.

Don’t make the mistake, for instance, of reading only horror. (And don’t make the enormous error of not reading horror in the mistaken notion that, if you haven’t read it, you can’t be accused of copying it.)

If you want to be a horror writer, read plenty of the current stuff being written in the field, read the classics of horror, but also read in every other area possible. You need to be familiar with the whole scope of literature. For a list of reading material that has been important to me, see my reading lists in this book.

By reading broadly, you gain a great store of knowledge about literature and about the human experience. You see how the writing was done by others throughout history. Such literature enriches your imagination, shows you the range of possibilities, and can’t help but give your own writing more breadth, depth, richness and weight.

 

Rule 7

“Keep Your Stuff to Yourself.”

Generally speaking, you’re better off letting nobody know exactly what you’re writing.

That way, you avoid several dangers.

When you tell someone about your story, you diminish it in your own eyes. You’re not likely to do it justice. So hearing yourself describe your brainchild, you might conclude that it sounds rather lame.

Fairly often, writers actually lose interest in writing a certain story or novel after telling someone about it. They decide not to write it at all. Or, if they are well into writing it, they sometimes quit.

Another danger of sharing a story is that your friend or lover might not seem very enthusiastic about it. That can be a bummer, and might lead to Quitties.

Or your listener might offer advice on how to make it better. Do you really want that?

On some occasions, if you tell your story to a writer, you might experience the delight of finding your idea in his or her next novel.

The same might happen if you tell your story to an editor.

So it is always best to keep your mouth shut and write the book. Let the curious discover your story only after it is safely housed between the covers of a book and on sale in a store.

If someone asks what you’re working on (as friends often do), your best defense is vagueness. Don’t give out a blow by blow description. Give your friend a sentence or two.

Example, The Cellar. “Oh, it’s just about some old house where a bunch of people got killed.” You have politely answered the question, but you haven’t given away the farm or ruined anything.

Just as you should keep your mouth shut, you should keep your manuscript away from anyone who might be inclined to peruse it.

Don’t allow friends or loved ones to read what you’ve written. You may be eager for their gushy approval, but suppose they don’t like what you’ve written? Even a lukewarm response from such a person can mean disaster for your relationship. It can also be unhealthy for your writing.

Let’s not pull punches, here.

You’re the writer. In most cases, your friend or lover is not a writer. In some cases, he or she may not even be well read. So ask yourself this: “What the hell do they know?”

Do they know more than you?

No, they don’t. So why should you ask for their opinion?

In fact, you should run away from their opinions. Never seek the opinion of anyone.