Be unique
In marketing I was taught that successful products are generally created by going in the opposite direction of the competition.
Given the current vampire and Twilight hype I wonder if an author can write a unique vampire story right now. Personally I think an author could pull it off but it would be hard because of this environment. It pains me to say this because I started my love affair with vampires when I did a report on Vlad the Impaler, otherwise known as the inspiration for Count Dracula, in sixth grade. But right now vampires have been done to death. Let the dead sleep for a while so they can emerge into freshness in a few years.
Getting published is hard. Give yourself a better chance by going after a fresh angle. Instead of the blood sucking spawn of Satan write about a holy life giving priest. If you absolutely have to write about vampires do it metaphorically by writing about attorneys.
You will never get anywhere by copying the pages of someone else. Instead write about what make you unique.
Jacob
Stumble it!