I did not want to post here, but as I really like some feedback on this, I am posting this everyhwere ...

So far I clung to fanfic - because I enjoy writing it and also because it is good practise. However, I think it is time to spend some time on thinking about trying to put some of my original ideas down and see if I can get them published. If start now I might have something worth presenting in a few years.

I am not so sure with what I should start, so just outline a few concepts (not the plot itself) and see what you guys think.

My oldest idea has to do with Vampires, it deals with couple who work for an organisation that hunts all kinds of supernatural beings. The couple faces major marital problems, because he is the last of his line and wants an heir but it does not work out. So he feels the enormous pressure being the last one, to find a specific vampire who is a relative and the shame of the family. She feels frustrated because he is so obsessed about this.
The other two main characters are the vampire in question and the wife's best friend, who is also a hunter and specialises in hunting werewolves. The best friend has her own set of problems, namely that the organisation is very patriarchal and also sees things to black and white. Which brings us to the vampire.
First of, the vampires in my universe, are magic. Though the organisation tries to explain some things with science they can not, they believe the vampires are dead bodies possessed by demons. In fact, vampires are physically changed but mentally they are not that different. Sometimes the change in body affects the mind greatly but they are persons and this particular vampire is actually trying his best to protect the children of his sister. Which makes it frustrating for him that they constantly try to kill him.
Major points will be that our mortal hero will learn a few things about his undead relative that will lead to him question his believes.

I know that there are plenty of universes with vampire hunters or organisations like this exist but it is something I have been working and improving for 17 years now.

Another more recent vampire idea - mostly born out of the desire to have some evil, but yet charming vampire characters - deals with love-triangle that has little to do with love. One party is a very powerful vampire, he is not a nice a guy, he takes what he wants, his only worries when killing someone is how to not get the carpet stained. The female part is a journalist who desperately tries to find a good story to give her some recognition, as she rather suffered since she had a fling with the son of her publisher. She goes undercover to write something about a sect only to discover that it is not exactly a sect, but people who serve as blood donors for vampires. That is how she ends up with the bad vampire who finds a new interesting toy in her. Now the last part is the ex, the son of her boss, who is not able to accept that it is over between them and also gets introduced to the vampire world. However, he is approached by a group of magic user who like to diminish the vampire's political and financial influence. Considering that he is very rich and has dreams of destroying the vampire, believing that this will win his beloved one's heart.

What speaks against this idea is my eyes certainly the fact that I do not think that the characters will be very likeable. The rich son, certainly at first - except for those who know all to many guys who never listen or seem to understand when a relationship is over. I do not plan on having a romantic love connection in there. Which brings me to the vampire - he is certainly the villain but I do not plan on give him the cliché villain treatment. Lastly, the girl, I think at first people might feel for her, she made a mistake, she tries to prove her worth, risks something and gets into an awful dilemma. However, even though she in distress, she is not the typical damsel who needs to be saved. The things she does are probably do not go well with the reader. So I guess my fear is that the whole concept is too far from the expected mainstream for someone to be interested in it.

Okay still got more, I also love Fantasy but the same problem usually applies as I do not like certain conventions, for example one idea deals with two extremely cliché heroes, the dumb, arrogant heroine and the mysterious, courageous hero. Even though I have every intention to show how those two and their typical behaviour is not about to help them succeed in their mission or gain much favour with their companions, I have no doubt lots of readers will still like them and do not get it that they are morons only in love with themselves. So the end would probably be too frustrating. There are the two other characters in the group who I consider the real heroes but I am not sure if that is enough to appeal to the readers.

Another idea that I think might work, is told from a young girl's point of view. In fantasy realm I created with a friend, she is part of a political arranged marriage after a time of war and struggle for power. The family whose son she is supposed to marry has a scary reputation, as her father-in-law is a powerful magician who secured a great of land and power. The idea is to show the conflict between the remaining parties of the conflict and their intrigues through her eyes to make it more accessible to the reader. However, there is no strictly good side or a strictly bad side. All parties have their own interests at heart and in the progress of the story it is up to her, to realise what she wants out of life and how to protect her own. So nothing about, sacrifices to create an area of peace and prosperity for all.I love fantasy like this but I think it is not that popular and I wonder if I manage to write well enough to give someone a reason to try and publish it.

Wow that was long. If you read it so far, I love honest opinions and I do not mind negative comments as long as they offer a bit of critique to understand why you think something is bad.