Hello Trickyverse,
As promised, today I am happy to bring to you a guest post, written by Bram Stoker award-winning author Mark McLaughlin. I was thrilled when Mark graciously accepted my invitation to post, and I hope you enjoy his writing advice as much as I did.
Without further ado, I bring you--
What Will You Write Next…?
by Mark McLaughlin
These days, the
world of horror literature is filled with zombie books. I know this because I’m
one of the authors who have contributed to the current glut of undead
literature. Last year, Wildside Press released my story collection, BEACH BLANKET ZOMBIE. People have asked
me if I wrote that book expressly to capitalize on the current zombie trend.
Honestly, the answer is “No”: the stories in the book were written over a
period of around 17 years. I’ve been writing about zombies long before the
trend ever began.
Mind you, I’m not
complaining about all the other authors who have chosen to write zombie books.
I enjoy creating zombie stories and wouldn’t want to deny any other writers
that pleasure. Based on conversations and emails with other authors, I know
that many writers have written zombie books simply to jump on the undead
bandwagon. But, I’m not complaining about those folks, either. Everyone should
be able to write whatever they want to write. In fact, that’s the point of this
blog entry: everyone should write what they
WANT to write.
Now, let’s say you
don’t really WANT to write a zombie book, and you’re only thinking about doing
it because you want to ride the current trend. If that’s the case … well, you
probably shouldn’t do it. For one thing, the trend is already on the downswing,
and by the time you finish your book, the trend will probably be deader than a
zombie’s brainless victim. Plus, if you’re not really into the topic you’re
tackling, it won’t be your best work.
My most recent
book is BEST LITTLE WITCH-HOUSE IN ARKHAM, a collection of Mythos-inspired horror stories, and I wrote it
because I’ve always enjoyed reading and writing stories of cosmic horror. Do I
think that cosmic horror is, or will become, a huge national trend? No: it’s too
complex of a subgenre and definitely too much of an acquired taste. But hey,
lots of people do like it … there’s
certainly a readership for it … so that makes it a win-win situation for me.
It’s a subgenre I enjoy writing about and that others enjoy reading.
With all that in
mind, you may now be thinking: “I like a lot of different genres and subgenres.
If I don’t jump on the zombie trend, what trend should I jump on?”
My answer is this:
If you must jump on a trend, do some research and find a trend that speaks to
you. A trend that excites you. Or, forget about trends and write whatever the
hell you want! Who knows, you may write something that will initiate the next
big trend, whatever it might be. Every trend has to start somewhere, and maybe
what you create will become popular and inspire other authors, because you
wrote it with passion and sincerity.
I will add this
cautionary note: If you do decide to write within the boundaries of a trend,
make sure you are well-read within that trend and its genre, so you don’t end
up reinventing everyone else’s plotlines. Fans of that trend will be able to
tell if you’re faking it, and they’ll be disappointed if you get any of the
details wrong, so do plenty of research. Also, push yourself to be innovative
and energetic. If you add something new to the trend and do it with enthusiasm,
readers will pick up on that energy and truly enjoy your work.
Good luck -- and
get to work! The next big thing ain’t gonna write itself!
-- End --
About
Mark McLaughlin: Mark's fiction, nonfiction, and poetry
have appeared in more than 1,000 magazines, newspapers, websites, and
anthologies, including GALAXY, FANGORIA,
LIVING DEAD 2, WRITER'S DIGEST, CEMETERY DANCE, MIDNIGHT PREMIERE, DARK ARTS, and
two volumes of THE YEAR'S BEST HORROR
STORIES (DAW Books). His latest releases are the story collection, BEST LITTLE WITCH-HOUSE IN ARKHAM, the
two-author poetry collection, REVENGE OF
THE TWO-HEADED POETRY MONSTER (with Michael McCarty), and the story
collection BEACH BLANKET ZOMBIE.
Feel free to visit Mark on Facebook at www.facebook.com/markmclaughlinmedia.
