Vampire Worldbuilding 101: Let Your Characters Create the Rules

Originally published March 30, 2011 • Updated May 2, 2025

As a writer, I find that I ask myself the strangest questions. Do vampires have trouble with ageism amongst their own kind? Do they have trouble learning new technology? Do they get stuck in a favorite decade, fashion-wise, or with their language? What rules are acceptable within a vampire society?

No, I’m not delusional. (At least I don’t think that I am.) I write vampire stories. Like any other type of fantasy fiction, not all the rules are firm; it’s up to me, as my story’s creator, to set the parameters for my fictional world.

For instance, in my world, every character holds down a day job. That felt like a no-brainer until I asked myself:

How do they avoid the sun on a 9–5 schedule?
Which industries can accommodate nocturnal shifts?
Does sunlight even limit their career options?

With every rule I layer in, a dozen new questions bloom, and my world grows richer.

I’ve had so much fun with these characters. I know what music they listen to, what cars they drive, and how they’ve decorated their homes. And yet, after three years of “playing,” I’m still learning new things.

I always thought the writer alone propelled the story, but it’s the characters that truly shape its direction. Their backgrounds and fears steer the plot: nobody is completely good or wholly evil, and living in that gray area is what makes them memorable.

I focus on what I know: relationships. I have no idea what it feels like to be a vampire or to bite someone (blood still makes me shudder). But I know what it’s like to be a spouse, a parent, and a child. I can imagine those bonds stretched across centuries, the same tired jokes on repeat, grudges that never die, and chores that grow tedious. What routines would an immortal soul come to despise? How might they navigate modern society? Those “what-if” questions are the sparks behind my best tales.

Writing about vampires makes me happy. To carry a story for hundreds of thousands of words, you must write what truly fascinates you. I write first for my own joy. And if readers choose to join me on the ride, that’s the greatest thrill of all.