Enough theory! What are you writing about?

So what the heck am I writing about?

It’s a horror/sci-fi modern fantasy. Sounds so grand, doesn’t it?

The main plot deal with a group of vampires in a particular city. They are loner vampires, not part of any coven, or any other type of group of vampires, but they come together after an artifact is discovered.

These vampires have to fight off others to protect themselves and the artifact. They discover something much larger than the normal vampire turf wars is in the works. Something that will affect all vampires and possibly humans as well.

This is a large story so I have planned it over at least eight books. But to be nice to myself and the readers, I am breaking it down into a couple of series. That way I won’t be overwhelmed and the reader won’t have to read all of them to get the idea what is going on.

The first series is done, at least rough draft form. The prequel will be started on November 1st.

The prequel will bring the sci-fi element to the story. It takes place 30 to 50 years before the first series. It is about two of the main characters being captured and kept in a government lab. But they are not the subjects of the experiments. They are wanted for an exploration of something found deep with in the Earth. I was influenced by the conspiracy theories of alien control, hollow earth, and new world order.

The first series deals with the four vampires that are brought together when one discovers an artifact. What the artifact is and why it suddenly becomes important for vampires survival is the over all plot of the first series.

The next series is just in idea form, but basically the vampires find out that they have to change, to protect not just themselves.

The side series is about the werewolf side of the story. In the over all large plot of the series, there is a reason why the werewolves and vampires have to come together and join sides.

So there is the rough sketch of what I am working on right now.

The ones that are in the works are:
First book of the first series: First edit stage.
Prequel: Planned out and ready to roll.
First book of the side series: Halfway through rough draft.

How do I keep all this straight?

Computer post it notes! My little linux machine had the program already installed and it has saved me from opening up another text file just to make notes. Those of you that use windows could try this program Simple Sticky Notes 1.1

That’s it for now.
Thanks for stopping by.

Why I don’t outline…

I don’t outline.

I can already hear some other writers cringing. What do you mean you do not outline your stories? I don’t. I have found, that I write better without an outline. I have tried outlining in the past, but then it felt like I was writing a term paper. It wasn’t fun. Writing is hard work, but it should be fun too.

Does this mean you don’t work out a plot?
No, but when I come up with the idea. I come up with the one to sentence idea first, then expand on it. This is how.

The idea I get one morning drinking tea is; Fluffy Bunny saves the Day, by taking out the Bad Hamsters. (Silly idea, but bare with me)

Immediately, I think, who is Fluffy Bunny? I let my imagination work overtime and come up with it’s a woman who is the mascot for her college team. The mascot happens to be a large rabbit. I jot that down.

Who are the Bad Hamsters? For some reason a gang of bored teenagers comes to mind. They brag on the internet about their ‘pranks’ by using the name Bad Hamsters. That note goes down too.

Now I come up with 2 to 6 major plot points. Things i would like to make sure get into the story. In this case;

1. Fluffy Bunny just happened to be at the right place at the right time, due to a daily annoyance.
2. Her younger brother is a member of the Bad Hamsters.
3. Fluffy Bunny’s boyfriend is the target of a new prank.
4. The leader of the Bad Hamsters is pushing the kids to become more criminal.

That’s good enough for now.

Taking those notes I come up with the younger brother, her boyfriend, and the ring leader. Then the setting, which would have to be a college town. I try not to come up with too much information, unless I need it for the story.

That is the extent of my planning of the novel. I might have an ending, or I might not, but as long as I take the characters from point A to point B, and may a few side trips along the way. It works for me.

The only time I put more work into my stories, is if I am writing something I am unfamiliar with. Such as if Fluffy Bunny’s boyfriend worked at an investment firm. I would have to read up on what he would be doing there, and get a good enough grasp on the workings to make it look like I know what I am writing about.

For me, a good story has to be organic. That is why the plot is so vague when I start to write. Some stories have come out of a scene that would pop in my head. I would write it down to use later, and suddenly it’s expanded to a full story. If I would have stopped and tried to outline; I would have lost that spark that hit me in the first place.

BTW if you like this story idea, run with it, but send me a copy and credit me somewhere.

Thanks for stopping by.