The Dreaded V-Word
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The Dreaded V-Word
Yup. *Vampires.*
So, I'm tackling something a little different (for me, I mean) this year, and writing a futuristic vampire western with an insanely badass FMC. It sounds good in theory, but I have been struggling in a huge way, and I'm not sure why. My word count is really low, and despite having a comprehensive outline (which I've been following closely) I can't seem to make anything come together.
I don't want to go into details, mostly because I have absolutely no clue if this part of the forums is really a good place to voice my problems. So, I'm asking you to categorize my novel, fellow Wrimos. Urban fantasy? Fantasy? Horror/Paranormal? Or should I just call Mainstream Fiction my new home? My novel is more action-packed and lighthearted than a lot of other vampire novels I've been reading lately: no moody soliloquies or tragic romance, and absolutely no sparkling.
Help?
Re: The Dreaded V-Word
Write the best story you can and let the editor hang a label on it later...after all, it's just a label. I have a defined set of interests in what I read, and have found my beloved authors in just about every section of the bookstore.
If you hang a label on your work now, it might keep the real story from being told.
Re: The Dreaded V-Word
I appreciate the advice, but like I said before, the "label" was just to help me figure out if I should be posting in Mainstream Fiction, or elsewhere. It has absolutely nothing to do with the approach I'm taking in my writing; since we have genre-specific sections here, I just wanted an idea of what part of the forums would most likely be populated by participants with similar topics/literary interests. So often in forums I find that I'll ask a question only for someone to say "This isn't relevant" or "This doesn't belong here," and I was hoping to circumvent that by asking ahead of time for help in determining my genre.
At this point, I've given up altogether, not just on the forums, but on my novel. So I guess this thread has become even more irrelevant than it appeared to be before.
Re: The Dreaded V-Word
I'd call it "western fantasy," but that's irrelevant. Pinning down the genre won't help you write the book.
Thinking about what motivates your characters, what their goals are, and how you can arrange for character A's goals to be mutually incompatible with character B's goals (and thus, how you can generate conflict), will be much more likely to spark some ideas that get the words flowing.
Re: The Dreaded V-Word
"Western fantasy" definitely works, in terms of genre. It wasn't so much that I assumed having a label would help and/or hinder the progress of my book, as it was an attempt to figure out the best place to direct future inquiries within the forums. I definitely appreciate the help.