Hey, that's MY idea! (well . . . sort of) [7/1: situation #2 added]

now that was definitely short, sweet, and to the point.

that's me for ya! take it or leave it!

meg

 

To Vader's lap with the big deal, Lzykbys. If Terry Brooks can homage-cough-plagiarise Tolkien and get away Bond babe free with it, that's a martinee not worth shaking about. I say go for it. Release the doves, and let fly whatever and however. The world's doing it anyway.

Actually . . . there's little orgininality and creativity these days anyay. Actually . . . if one thinks their private idea has been imitated, chances are high it wasn't too new either. For a truly fresh idea cannot easily be conveyor belted.

Ah hell. At least in classroom theory. The American world operates differently. And for the record, the TARDIS is not easily destroyed. Thank Docs he's Brit.

 

I remember one instance, where I had already posted several chapters of my huge/main epic. It was back when I was a steady presence in Fan Fic, and I ended up reading a fic that started out quite similar to mine. It was also by someone, who I knew, and who read my fic. Yeah, at first I was a bit miffed. But then I realized- 1)imitation is a form of flattery and 2) I only had five chapters up. The other author had NO idea where I was going with the fic. So yes, while some of the plot elements at the beginning were the same, the fics would definitely be different. I decided not to worry.

The fact is, stuff like that happens all the time, and not just on this site. There are so many fic sites out there- it's impossible to have an idea and claim that no one has EVER had a similar idea. Our writing styles and the tiny details are what make our fics our own, not the overall idea.

There is a thin line between imitation and plagiarization sometimes. But I'd say generally, if the idea is vaguely the same, then I wouldn't worry. Only if the similarities are eerily the same- that there might even be some of the same dialogue, that the characters act the same way- would I be worried and take it up with the other author and ask.

In any case, if there's just a few similarities- even if the basic plot is the same, I wouldn't worry about it. I might PM the author if things were a bit too close for comfort. But otherwise, I'd just leave it.

 

I remember one instance, where I had already posted several chapters of my huge/main epic. It was back when I was a steady presence in Fan Fic, and I ended up reading a fic that started out quite similar to mine. It was also by someone, who I knew, and who read my fic. Yeah, at first I was a bit miffed. But then I realized- 1)imitation is a form of flattery and 2) I only had five chapters up. The other author had NO idea where I was going with the fic. So yes, while some of the plot elements at the beginning were the same, the fics would definitely be different. I decided not to worry.

This was a great way of thinking of it. I so glad you did.

Far better than other options I have heard of being used.

 

I must admit I've been pleasantly surprised by everyone's comments. Somehow, I suspected people would shy away from using ideas that someone else had used. Gah, I really need to get my cynicism surgically removed some day . . .

The next time someone comes to Resource asking "Has this idea been done?", I'm going to give them a link to this thread.

- lazy

 

Mm. Well, it might be worth noting that your scenario included having gotten quite a way into the story. If I hadn't gotten started or gotten very attached to an idea yet, it would be a lot easier to decide that it wasn't worthwhile to try something that would have trouble standing out from a mass of similar fics, or would inevitably be compared to one very dominant one.

(For instance, if I came in with an idea -- nothing written, just an idea -- for a story about Yoda's past that involved his home planet and a temptation toward the dark side, and then found out about Souderwan's Descent into the Dark, I'd have to be really set on my own idea to think it was worth going on with, even if it was very different.)

This isn't an objection in principle, though. And I imagine it might feel a little different to people who write faster than they get new ideas, whereas I have scattered ones that I haven't gotten around to fleshing out and finishing.

 

Persephone_Kore: If I hadn't gotten started or gotten very attached to an idea yet, it would be a lot easier to decide that it wasn't worthwhile to try something that would have trouble standing out from a mass of similar fics, or would inevitably be compared to one very dominant one.

Very true. And I have to confess, my true intent for starting this thread was to argue, eventually, that it didn't matter if an idea has been done before or not. But since people were saying that already, I figured I should quit while I was ahead (more cynicism and pessimism, I'm afraid).

I imagine it might feel a little different to people who write faster than they get new ideas, whereas I have scattered ones that I haven't gotten around to fleshing out and finishing.

I get ideas faster than I can write, yet I intend to finish them all because . . . well, I have this weird notion that stories deserve to be written. Even if it's the 65536th iteration of Anakin's fall to the dark side.

The thing is, a lot of my ideas seem to be the weird sort no-one else gets. Or, if people get them, they don't write them. I realize my perspective is skewed because of this, and I was wondering what others thought.

So . . .


Situation #2

You've been bitten by a mild plot bunny. It's been done before, and done well. Or perhaps it's been done lots of times, maybe even to the point of becoming a cliché. What would you do?

My answer is the same as before: write it and post it.

- lazy

 

Heh. I'm writing a story that is a pretty good example of this situation: the KOTOR Original Interpretation has been done to the nth degree. Seriously. And most of them are almost exactly the same rehashing of the game. Ew. So... I come up with a fresh way of doing it, write it, and start posting. So far, it's worked out nicely.

 

Yep, it happened to me. I wrote and posted anyway, and delayed reading the other stories until I was finished.

 

oooh this is a bit harder for me...

if i've read an idea that i wanted to do and i liked the other author's version of it, then i probably wouldn't do mine...i'd probably go back and change some detail in mine to make it somewhat different and then post it!

i have had the problem of locations of stories being the same though...i started a fic in Feb that i knew i wanted to take place on Naboo and Zonoma Sekot...a few days after staring it i read about 7 other stories that took place there and with the same characters...i posted it and i don't regret it!

 

*rueful* I don't think I'm ever going to finish all of mine. It's sort of a fantasy I have in mind sometimes -- that I'll eventually finish all the story ideas I've come up with and be finished, at least with a given topic -- but in reality I'll probably never get around to it, and if I did I'd probably have come up with a few more in the meantime. Stories lead to more story ideas, sometimes totally unrelated ones. (And on the other side of things, if it doesn't hold my interest, why should I expect anybody else to read it? *g*)

So what actually gets written is based on some combination of how much effort an idea requires, how much it sticks on my mind, and how I think it will be received. And what mood I'm in and the phase of the moon. An idea that only raises mild interest for me and is something that's "been done" is likely to get... perhaps not so much rejected as put off in favor of more exciting options (and effectively dropped), whereas if I'm really hyped up about my version I may mope or fret for a bit about the prospective reactions but will probably go on anyway.

...I know what you mean about getting oddball ideas, though. I'm not sure it's all that pronounced in Star Wars so far, but my Harry Potter fic ideas usually sound really odd when I try to explain them. They're fun.

 

I would still write it and post it - but not without a spin or twist that is relatively fresh. A little something different to set it apart from the others - a tired romantic plot but a 'ship that's rarely seen, an alternate explanation for some event, or whatever. Maybe bring in a minor character and make him/her a major player in the story. That's just me, though - maybe some people can write certain genres, especially romance, well enough that it really shines, but that's my weak area (working on it!) and I do better if I can offer something unique.

 

I seriously doubt anything is going to be exactly the same.

I really still like that you posted this thread, knowing in at least one case of posters this has happened.

I hope the reality for most is that they really mean what they are saying here. I am not convinced how well the reality is working, but I have said before you really can't steal ideas... .if somehow your story were miraculously like the other one, you might have a problem, but there isn't one of us that see things the same way exactly.

 

Situation 2: Well, from a reader's perspective, I think anyone who loves Obi H/C fics (yes, that would be me) would answer that question with...Write it! Many people like to read only one particular genre or 'ship, and if you're worried that the idea isn't original, it doesn't matter. There will always be someone clamoring for what you've got.

I admit, I sometimes complain that there are too many of such-and-such fics, or I'm getting bored with who-and-what relationship. But I think it's like hearing a popular song being played to death on the radio. You love it, get sick of it, listen to another station, and then a few months later, you hear the first song again and remember why you liked it.

From a writer's perspective, I'd be nervous about posting the same thing as everyone else, but to me, the more you write, the more distinct your style becomes. That's how a "same old plot" can be written.

 

First, on a totally unrelated note, whenever I see "H/C" on a SW message board I immediately think of a slashy 'ship between two OT characters.

. . . sorry, I just had to say that.


Back when my ego wasn't the towering monstrosity it is today, I used to stay away from fics that seemed similar to the ones I was writing because I didn't want to be influenced by them. These days, I plunge in knowing that a) whatever I write will be mine and b) my story will benefit from it, because reading others' fics push my brain into thinking unfamiliar thoughts, which will add a little something extra.

- lazy

 

LAzy on a totally unrelated note..My, you have a dry sense of humor!. I say that with nothing but the greatest love and respect.

Great thread discussion here and considering some conversations you and I have had-I now have gotten a closer look into your views and thinking on writing and have a much better insight.

Again just wanted to tell you this is a great topic and have enjoyed reading what fellow authors think!