Types of Writers, Part 6- The Vampiric Writer

In this last post of the "Types of Writers" series, we will examine the Vampiric Writer.  (And, no, I don't mean Anne Rice.)


The Vampiric Writer, like the vampires they are named for, shun the light. However, rather than literal light, they recoil from light-heartedness like a vampire recoils from a cross.  Vampiric Writers believe that the only good storylines are dark storylines.  Expect lots of brooding characters, dark themes and downer endings.

It is common for a reader to feel depressed after reading through the work of a Vampiric Writer, who have an unnatural knack for sucking all the fun out of the cherished characters of their childhood.  Vampiric Writers don't just shun the light, they see it as negative.  The light is what reduces the comic character in their mind: making them impossible to take seriously.  They mistake a positive outlook, sense of humor or optimism for hopeless idealism, which has no place in the world of their stories.

Any light-hearted character who appears in a Vampiric Writer's work is normally destined to one of four bleak fates: 1) death, 2) some form of trauma to allow the character to "escape" the lightheartedness that is holding them back as a character, 3) character derailment that wipes away the lightheartedness, or 4) their humor becoming inexplicably dark for the duration of their appearance.  While the last two are usually easily redeemed by a less depressing writer, the last two can leave lasting scars upon once fun characters.  (See Ralph and Sue Dibny.)

While some Vampiric Writers are also Bloody Writers, it is important to note that a Vampiric Writer does not require blood and gore for their storylines to be dark (although they may be present).  Emotional suffering is all a Vampiric Writer needs to tell their story, while Bloody Writers require physical suffering.