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What if your story idea has already been done?
- Thread starter srebak
- Start date
Write your book. Don't worry about writing your idea because no one has ever written idea. We can only write books. Since your book won't be that other author's book, there's not really much to worry about.
Since the bag no longer holds the cat, would you mind saying what was your idea, as well as the professional author's premise? I'm curious to understand what someone views as being too similar. If you don't really want to go into details, that's fine. I'm merely curious.
Since the bag no longer holds the cat, would you mind saying what was your idea, as well as the professional author's premise? I'm curious to understand what someone views as being too similar. If you don't really want to go into details, that's fine. I'm merely curious.
pmmg
Myth Weaver
It would give me pause. Specially if it was a well known story. But then, dont all romances follow the same template?
I do agree with Skip, to a degree. I think i would try to salvage it a little by considering other directions i might take it. Or…move on to another idea.
I do agree with Skip, to a degree. I think i would try to salvage it a little by considering other directions i might take it. Or…move on to another idea.
Diana Silver
Sage
If you like the idea, don't let it stop you. Maybe you can let it encourage you to find an angle or twist that sets it apart from what's already been done. Or you just ignore the other work completely. By the time you finish the project, it'll have turned into something of your own, anyway.
Naruzeldamaster
Maester
Do it any way, like there's a fair amount of literature going back thousands of years, true 'originality' is a mere formality for copyright protection at this point.
One of my sillier ideas probably has a web toon about it, but the way I'm planning on doing it is without the let's just say 'negative' side of it. It's just meant to be a fun / silly story involving something that likely has hundreds of internet comics about it. I'm making it with my own spin by having the (main) characters very self aware of the situation. And bullying my 'villain' by not having the curse work on her, because villains don't get what they want that easily lol (which is also a way of parodying this kind of content) She's not really a villain villain because it isn't that kind of story (bad guys vs good guys etc) but she's the closest thing to a villain the story has, unless you want to argue the curse is a villain because of the chaos that ensues.
And if it's been done before, so what, chances are nobody's done it with your particular take/characters/world. THAT is the originality you need to fuel and harness in your work.
One of my sillier ideas probably has a web toon about it, but the way I'm planning on doing it is without the let's just say 'negative' side of it. It's just meant to be a fun / silly story involving something that likely has hundreds of internet comics about it. I'm making it with my own spin by having the (main) characters very self aware of the situation. And bullying my 'villain' by not having the curse work on her, because villains don't get what they want that easily lol (which is also a way of parodying this kind of content) She's not really a villain villain because it isn't that kind of story (bad guys vs good guys etc) but she's the closest thing to a villain the story has, unless you want to argue the curse is a villain because of the chaos that ensues.
And if it's been done before, so what, chances are nobody's done it with your particular take/characters/world. THAT is the originality you need to fuel and harness in your work.
AlexS
Scribe
Everything has been done, but it hasn't been done by you.
It comes down to this: do you believe you are a unique individual, with a unique voice and a unique approach?
If so, go ahead and write it. Your way. With your own voice. Put your own stamp on it.
This. ^^
Like everyone else, I've never had any success in finding an "original" idea. There are none, and that's actually a function of storytelling in a society - not to be original, but to strike cords and find commonality within the group. It's so we can sing the story of what it is like to be human, to be an animal, and just to be.
The only thing any of us brings to the table is us. We are each originals, and that's what makes our work unique.
Like everyone else, I've never had any success in finding an "original" idea. There are none, and that's actually a function of storytelling in a society - not to be original, but to strike cords and find commonality within the group. It's so we can sing the story of what it is like to be human, to be an animal, and just to be.
The only thing any of us brings to the table is us. We are each originals, and that's what makes our work unique.
Karlin
Sage
It depends what you mean by " original idea". Like an idea for a timec travel story. Well, time travel has been written many times. Has anybody had Abraham Lincoln time travel to Tang China ? I doubt it.
Were the mutant teenage ninja turtles an original Idea at the time? I would think so, and somebody had that idea.
Were the mutant teenage ninja turtles an original Idea at the time? I would think so, and somebody had that idea.
Yes, this is why I asked about what the OP's idea was. I'm interested to hear on what authors (especially new ones) base their judgment of what is original and what is not.
Many-many years ago, my first book had an ending where the heroes were facing an army of the dead.
After watching a documentary on the Great Wall of China, I got the idea for my third book, which involved a great wall that guarded the known lands from mysterious creatures known as the the Others.
I was in the planning stages of the third book when a friend recommended that I should read this series of books that had just been turned into a TV show called Game of Thrones. After reading a good chunk of the first book, I paused to let out a Captain Kirk like scream reminiscent of the Wrath of Khan when I read it too had a great wall that guarded the known lands from mysterious creatures known as the Others. After I regained my senses, I shrugged and wrote the book anyways.
Are any of my books like Game of Thrones? Other than surface level elements, not even close. Though I claim superiority over GRRM because my stories are actually done.
*Knock-Knock*
Oh, who can that be at the door of my humble dwelling?
*Goes to open door*
Oh, hi George.
You don't seem too happy. What can I... umm... what's that in your hand?
After watching a documentary on the Great Wall of China, I got the idea for my third book, which involved a great wall that guarded the known lands from mysterious creatures known as the the Others.
I was in the planning stages of the third book when a friend recommended that I should read this series of books that had just been turned into a TV show called Game of Thrones. After reading a good chunk of the first book, I paused to let out a Captain Kirk like scream reminiscent of the Wrath of Khan when I read it too had a great wall that guarded the known lands from mysterious creatures known as the Others. After I regained my senses, I shrugged and wrote the book anyways.
Are any of my books like Game of Thrones? Other than surface level elements, not even close. Though I claim superiority over GRRM because my stories are actually done.
*Knock-Knock*
Oh, who can that be at the door of my humble dwelling?
*Goes to open door*
Oh, hi George.
You don't seem too happy. What can I... umm... what's that in your hand?
Prince of Spires
Istar
Chances are, your idea has been done before. Almost all of them have. Nothing wrong with that. Just write your idea and call it a day.
One thing to keep in mind is that if I look at my personal writing at least, my stories never end up exactly like I imagine. I think I'll write story X, but along the way, things change, ideas don't work or work differently and I end up with story Y. You can't tell when you start, especially not as a beginning writer.
No one can stop my writing and publishing that story. However, what I can't do is call the boy Harry Potter and make him live under the stairs and all that. I can't copy the specifics of the story and call them my own.
One thing to keep in mind is that if I look at my personal writing at least, my stories never end up exactly like I imagine. I think I'll write story X, but along the way, things change, ideas don't work or work differently and I end up with story Y. You can't tell when you start, especially not as a beginning writer.
Though I'm not a lawyer, I feel the need to point out that you can't copyright an idea. No matter how specific it is. The only thing you copyright is the specific execution of that idea. So I could write a story about a boy who's parents got killed by an evil wizard and who now lives with his mean uncle and aunt. He finds out at his 11th birthday that he's a wizard and goes to magical boarding school, where he learns that the big evil wizard is trying to return and take over the world by using a magical McGuffin that grants eternal life.
No one can stop my writing and publishing that story. However, what I can't do is call the boy Harry Potter and make him live under the stairs and all that. I can't copy the specifics of the story and call them my own.
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