Now, I have nothing against erotica, witches, or vampires. I happen to like them all.
HOWEVER, trying to make lightning strike twice using a copycat approach just doesn't work, in my humble opinion, and here's why:
The reason I loved the Harry Potter series wasn't because it was about a boy wizard at a magical boarding school. I loved Harry Potter because of the characters, and the way the books made me feel. I loved the fun and the mystery. The magic and supernatural elements, and the fantastic world building were all wonderful, granted - but they were still only a part of it. The real appeal for me was in the characters I fell in love with - characters I wanted to spend time with, and get to know.
Recently, before I had even read the article about Hollywood copies, I had started looking at my own WIPs and deciding what was worth keeping and what wasn't. Thought about the books I like to read, and why. Thought about the type of book that would make me super excited to get to the keyboard every day and keep at it until I typed "the end." I realized that I wanted characters I would love as much the characters in my favorite books, settings that were so real I could feel right at home, and a nice dash of mystery and fun.
And guess what? They don't have to be boy wizards or sparkly vampires or kinky guys tying people to their beds for that to happen. :)
How about you? What keeps you excited to get to the keyboard/pad of paper?
