# do you ever worry about someone walking off with your ideas?



## Wynnara (Aug 4, 2012)

First of all, let me just say I'm not trying to insult the integrity of anyone here on this board... I haven't been here very long, but thus far everyone has been very supportive and welcoming... something which I definitely need right now since I'm having trouble finding it in my "real life" circle.

That said, things I've read online and people I've spoken to... there seems to be a split in opinion on how much a person should reveal about something they are working on. While some seem to be of the opinion that getting out there and talking about your material is good PR--in addition to being a good way to stay motivated--I've also had people flat out say that I shouldn't post anything anywhere because it might jeopardize my chances to take a run at the traditional publishing industry. I've also been told I need to guard against the risk of someone wandering off with my ideas.

Now, I should add that I don't actually believe my ideas are particularly unique and, as I've noted elsewhere, I'm probably the least well-read in fantasy literature of anyone here. I don't really know much about runes or druids or spellcasting or anything like that, so the fantasy elements in my novel are really fairly basic in comparison to some of the stories I've seen on this forum alone.

And when I say I want to take a run at traditional publication... it's something that someone in the industry suggested I try and, then if it doesn't work, go back and self-publish if need be.

Anyways, on one hand, I don't want to be unnecessarily paranoid... it's very easy to see the value of having a support group that understands what you're going through and who have similarly oriented brains. On the other hand, you put in all this time and effort... you don't want to do something that is going to jeopardize your chances of success in the long haul.


I know a number of the people here have already self-published, so I'm curious to know if this is something you thought of when you were writing and getting feedback on your work.


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## gavintonks (Aug 4, 2012)

if you have your own writing voice and individuality it does not matter and creativity is only a small factor in a successful book and mostly ideas are innovation not original. All work has a history to get to that point. At some stage everything is public you just have to believe you do it better. That dreadful successful movie done by the titanic guy is plagiarism city but he had the bucks to bring it to the screen


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## Amanita (Aug 4, 2012)

I'm not really worried about that.
What we're posting here are ideas and small, not-yet final pieces of writing. Even if the ideas are relatively unique which is quite rare, someone else using them with his or her background and beliefs would give them a completely different spin. This probably wouldn't be more of a problem than the many elves, vampires and so on who also exist alongside each other. I wouldn't actually post my entire story or the detailed planning here, but I doubt anyone would want to read something as long as that anyway. 
I think getting inspiration from other people's ideas isn't always wrong, it depends on the execution. At the moment, I don't really have much of a plot to steal anyay. 

Besides that, I wouldn't be really upset if someone else with better writing and marketing skills wrote "my" story and turned it into a best-seller. That might be because I'm more interesting in getting my ideas out there than in personal fame, or making money with it.
Still, I'd be really happy if someone stole some of my ideas and used them in a story of his own different from anything I'd imagine. I'd love to have something like that to read.
This isn't true of everyone of course.


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## Steerpike (Aug 4, 2012)

Ideas are a dime a dozen. Only the implementation matters and that is entirely in your hands.


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## Mindfire (Aug 4, 2012)

I'm gonna be honest, having your work stolen happens, but as far as I know it's extremely rare. On forums like this one it's pretty much unheard of. Here's why.


The people on this forum come here because they have their own projects they're banging out. Stealing means double the work- now you're writing yours _and_ their ideas and you have to rush their idea out before they can.
Furthermore, nobody here is writing primarily for commercial gain I think. We're doing it because we enjoy it. Thus stealing others' ideas is cheating ourselves of the experience of making our own. And who wants that?
Finally, even if someone does steal your idea, you're at an advantage because you've been working on it far longer than they have and you have passion for it that they dont. You're likely to get it done and published first. And even if you don't, since you built the idea from the ground up, you'll probably (if you're as organized as I am) have notes dating back months or even years, not to mention the posts on this forum and witnesses in the form of the members, to _prove _beyond the shadow of a doubt that it was _your_ idea first. I'm no lawyer, but that'd be a pretty open and shut plagiarism/copyright infringement case.


In short, stealing is dumb.


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## Benjamin Clayborne (Aug 4, 2012)

Ideas are a dime a dozen. What has value is the hard work involved in turning ideas into an actual finished, polished product.

EDIT: BAH, that'll teach me to reload the page and make sure nobody else posted exactly what I was going to say in the intervening 90 minutes since I initially clicked on the thread.


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## Lorna (Aug 4, 2012)

Not really. Inspiration's free to all. In fact I'd be quite honoured if something I wrote actually inspired someone.


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## T.Allen.Smith (Aug 4, 2012)

I'll add a similar voice to the argument.

When you're describing ideas, you're doing so with in-depth knowledge of your world & characters (as Mindfire said earlier). These ideas won't come across to us in the same detailed way that you picture those concepts until they're in story form (hopefully).

In fact, most times I avoid discussing ideas with friends & family for precisely that reason... They seemed disjointed when I present them verbally. Writing them down in forums like these yields greater clarity but nowhere near the level that you will attain in a novel length work.


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## Penpilot (Aug 4, 2012)

No, I don't worry about the basic ideas being stolen too much. What I come up with will be different from what others come up with. 

Interesting thing happened to me this week. I ran into another writer who had the exact same title for the novel they were writing as my current work in progress, Spellslingers, which in itself isn't an original title. It's a title for series of books by Allen Dean Foster. But the thing is each of us had a drastically different take when spring boarding off that title idea. It wasn't even close.


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## Svrtnsse (Aug 4, 2012)

Well, yes. I worry about it now and then, especially as I put up everything I write on the web so it's free for whoever wants to to read it. Still, I do it anyway. I figure the risk for someone stealing my ideas is minimal, I have a hard enough time even getting people to go to the site. 

Also, discussing my work with others is more than well worth the risk. I do entertain illusions about being a masterful writer, but logically I know I have a lot to learn and experience before there's any truth to it. As has been mentioned before ideas are a dime a dozen and it's what you do with them that matters. I figure I'll have an easier time learning if I'm working on an idea I'm passionate about rather than a second rate idea. If I didn't believe in my idea I'd lose interest in it.

So while I do worry sometimes I think the worry is largely unfounded and that sharing my ideas is well worth the risk.


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## JCFarnham (Aug 4, 2012)

I don't want to repeat this phrase but I need to in order to get the context across. Ideas are very, very cheap.

(Now the important bit) You can even have all the ideas in the world, but that just means you've got a ton of half baked notions floating around. Doesn't mean you have a plot.

Anyway, I've never worried. I don't see the point in being insecure. To be honest, it I do run into trouble with traditional publishing because I've mentioedn large sections of my books on here then... It's the internet, I can always delete stuff and hope with finger scrossed that google hasn't had enough time to database it.


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## Saigonnus (Aug 4, 2012)

I don't have a big issue with the concept of someone stealing my ideas. They are just that ideas, and like many people have said, they'd put their own spin on the idea; perhaps even transforming it into something far different from the end result of yours. I would be giddy if someone took an idea I had and turned it into a bestseller since I am not here for financial gain, but to improve my writing skills and share those ideas.


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## Wynnara (Aug 4, 2012)

Hehe, you guys are all apparently way more benevolent than me... 

While I love the idea of someone say writing fan fiction based in my world... primarily because then I would get to read other stories in my world that I didn't have to write... I don't think I'd feel all that charitable if I saw something that felt like a rip-off of my work. I mean, I do actually make my living using my creative skills... not as a writer, but as an artist and web designer... and while I absolutely cruise the web looking at other websites for inspiration, you never, NEVER rip off another design. There are websites out there that just do side-by-side comparisons showing how this designer ripped of this other designer... plus rip-offs are rampant on deviantart as well... people uploading other people's work and calling it their own.

I don't know... maybe it's different with writing. As someone else said, if it's a direct copy there are legal actions that a person can take... but I guess I'm still entertaining that well-worn fantasy that someday I won't need to build boring corporate website templates and can just focus on the kind of creative work I love... writing or illustration or whatever... I don't need to make zillions, just enough to get by would be just fine... 

I suppose part of me is still reflexively trying to protect that dream... or at least, is cautious about taking any action that might jeopardize... still, even after only really posting here for a week, it seems like the benefits outweigh the risk.


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## Steerpike (Aug 4, 2012)

Wynnara:

While I do occasionally post short pieces in the Showcase, I don't post excerpts from either of the novels I have in progress. The reason is pretty simple: I'm going to try the traditional publishing route with those. Publishers some to be all over the place in terms of what they consider 'published.' I've seen publishers who consider anything published on the internet to be 'published,' even if it is in a critique forum accessible only by website members. If the publisher you approach takes that viewpoint (which seems to me to be rather harsh, but it is what it is), then you've blown your chance with them by publishing in a critique forum.

Other publishers are OK if you post small excerpts in a password-protected forum. Some of them recommend removing the excerpts once you've received feedback (which I some times do, and why I would not post an excerpt at a place like writingforums.org, which forbids removal by its user terms). 

My advice, if you're working on short stories, materials you plan to self publish, and so on, go ahead and put them here. Once you receive feedback, consider taking the text down (*also, note that you have to consider the possibility that people will quote large portions of your post when reviewing it; in my view it is inconsiderate to do so because the author can no longer control the content, but it is common*). If you are working on a novel for traditional publication, don't post it online. Instead, if you have a particular issue you are struggling with or want help with, write a short piece of fiction that involves those problem areas (an action piece, for example). Post THAT here instead of an excerpt of the actual work. Then, both you and those commenting get the benefits offered by the reviewing process, but you haven't put your commercially-important work online.

Just a few thoughts.


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## Wynnara (Aug 4, 2012)

Steerpike said:


> My advice, if you're working on short stories, materials you plan to self publish, and so on, go ahead and put them here. Once you receive feedback, consider taking the text down (*also, note that you have to consider the possibility that people will quote large portions of your post when reviewing it; in my view it is inconsiderate to do so because the author can no longer control the content, but it is common*). If you are working on a novel for traditional publication, don't post it online. Instead, if you have a particular issue you are struggling with or want help with, write a short piece of fiction that involves those problem areas (an action piece, for example). Post THAT here instead of an excerpt of the actual work. Then, both you and those commenting get the benefits offered by the reviewing process, but you haven't put your commercially-important work online.
> 
> Just a few thoughts.



Whooops... and THAT answers my question... excuse me, I have to go pull the first 1600 words of my novel out of Showcase.


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## Ireth (Aug 4, 2012)

*sighs* Guess I need to do the same, both here and in another forum I've put chapters of my work up for crit. Though the crit section of the other forum is protected so as to be unfindable by Google or other search engines, so that might be safe... I hope?


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## Caged Maiden (Aug 4, 2012)

I'd like to add that I have a crit partner who has now read two of my unpublished novels in their entirety.  Do I worry?  No.  In fact, I am helping her to strengthen her own writing and actively brainstorm ideas with her.  This question came up two nights ago, with her saying, "I like that.  I think I'm going to do that.  Do you mind if I use it?"
To which I replied, "Of course you should use it!  It's perfect.  That's what I'm here for, to help you get ideas.  If I wanted to use it, I would, and probably execute it entirely differently than you will."

Put simply, if eleven of the people on this site and I were all writing stories about a young elf woman who showed magical promise and went on a journey to increase her powers and learn about the world, we would have twelve recognizably different stories, so that alone lets me freely send my work to people I want to.  

I don't wnt to tell you how to feel, but I hope you feel comfortable sharing, it's an important step to improving your work.  Getting opinions from writers and readers only makes you stronger if you find the right people who will offer honest feedback.


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## Steerpike (Aug 5, 2012)

I tend to err on the side of caution. It doesn't mean everyone has to do the same. If you have a particular publisher in mind, try to find out how they treat password-protected forum posts. I suspect most of them will be fine with excerpts posted for critique, particularly if removed afterward. But I do know, at least as of a couple of years ago, there were still some traditional publishers who frowned on any internet publication, even in password-protected forums.


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## T.Allen.Smith (Aug 5, 2012)

Steerpike said:
			
		

> I tend to err on the side of caution. It doesn't mean everyone has to do the same. If you have a particular publisher in mind, try to find out how they treat password-protected forum posts. I suspect most of them will be fine with excerpts posted for critique, particularly if removed afterward. But I do know, at least as of a couple of years ago, there were still some traditional publishers who frowned on any internet publication, even in password-protected forums.



I agree with this, where with ideas I'm fairly open, I'm more cautious with writing excerpts. I tend to prefer live writing groups or people I feel an affinity with online. I don't usually post WIP material publicly, but for experimental writing or practice pieces I think it's the perfect venue.


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## The Blue Lotus (Aug 7, 2012)

_IF_ someone were to see something I posted and steal it would it bother me, maybe a little. 
But then again I'd have to stop and think, _wow, was my idea really that cool that someone would take the time to rip it off after reading a few bits?_ 

Every word known to man has been written already, we are all borrowing ideas, fragments of ideas etc and using them in new and interesting ways. 

Besides, if you stop and look at the trash that gets published these days; I think it is safe to say that publishers standards have gone down in this regard. Twilight is horrid and many of the theams were (cough cough) Borrowed from other better works, then you have the 50 shades books, which are basicly twilight with new names and settings. 

Imitation they say is the sincerest form of flattery.  Just be happy you are good enough for people to want to be like.


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## Steerpike (Aug 7, 2012)

The Blue Lotus said:


> Twilight is horrid...



No, it isn't.

And why do those who hate Twilight find a way to inject it into nearly every thread going on a decade after publication? Most of the fans I know have moved on to other things.


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## Lorna (Aug 7, 2012)

@Steerpike



> While I do occasionally post short pieces in the Showcase, I don't post excerpts from either of the novels I have in progress. The reason is pretty simple: I'm going to try the traditional publishing route with those. Publishers some to be all over the place in terms of what they consider 'published.' I've seen publishers who consider anything published on the internet to be 'published,' even if it is in a critique forum accessible only by website members. If the publisher you approach takes that viewpoint (which seems to me to be rather harsh, but it is what it is), then you've blown your chance with them by publishing in a critique forum.



EEEEK! I've put loads of my stuff up on the Showcase. I guess I've been seeing it as a place for critiques rather than 'showcasing.' As if that isn't bad enough, I had no idea that posting on a critique forum was also seen as publishing. 

Even though the work posted isn't the final draft, could this put publishers off? 

I guess it's better if you want work critiquing to share privately...


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## Mindfire (Aug 7, 2012)

Steerpike said:


> No, it isn't.
> 
> And why do those who hate Twilight find a way to inject it into nearly every thread going on a decade after publication? Most of the fans I know have moved on to other things.



Actually, I'm with Lotus on this one...

It's something of a dilemma for me really. On the one hand, I enjoy berating Twilight. It's something of a guilty pleasure. On the other hand, I'd also just like it to just _go away_. I'd like nothing better than for it to fade into obscurity now that the books and movies are over with, and that won't happen if we keep discussing it. So yeah. Kind of a catch 22.


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## Steerpike (Aug 7, 2012)

Lorna said:


> @Steerpike
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Lorna:

It depends on the publisher. Things are shifting so that I think more of them are OK with work being published for review in a password-protected forum like this one. But as of a little over a year ago, I saw something from an editor at a traditional publisher saying she didn't want work to have been posted on the internet at all if she was buying first rights. In the end, you have to make up your own mind on the risks versus rewards. I don't recommend posting anything you want to sell; others may disagree. I do recommend using the Showcase for crits, however


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## Steerpike (Aug 7, 2012)

Mindfire said:


> Actually, I'm with Lotus on this one...



Yes, but it has been demonstrated in at least one other thread why you're wrong


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## The Blue Lotus (Aug 7, 2012)

Steerpike said:


> Yes, but it has been demonstrated in at least one other thread why you're wrong



I am not "wrong" we just have a differing point of view.


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## Steerpike (Aug 7, 2012)

The Blue Lotus said:


> I am not "wrong" we just have a differing point of view.



I don't know...I just went and looked back at my arguments and I found myself pretty convincing :Tongue: :devil:


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## Philip Overby (Aug 7, 2012)

I'll weigh in with thoughts on this.  

I agree that ideas are just that:   ideas.  I've never seen a novel published that is just a string of ideas.  Here's a bigger problem for me:

"Oh, that sounds like (insert book title here)..."

I hate those words.  When someone says something I've written sounds like something else that's already published.  I don't mean, "You're writing is similar to..." I don't mind that.  In fact, when someone compares me to a published author, it's quite nice.  What annoys me is when someone says my story sounds like something else.  Then in some warped way, I'm stealing from this other writer.  This hasn't happened to me very often, but when it does it really irks me.  So what if my story sort of sounds like something else?  How many possible plots are there to write?  

One way or another, you're technically "stealing" an idea from someone else.  No matter how small or insignificant, something is being reproduced in some fashion.  Unless you're just writing drivel that makes no sense.  Then maybe your writing can be "experimental."  

I think the idea of lifting someone's idea, after they've shared it in good faith, is pretty crap.  Come up with your own ideas.  And if you can't, at least just be a hack that writes derivative fiction that won't bother anyone either way.  

We all can't be super-original, best-selling authors.  Settle for your own ideas (or at least ideas that are inspired and not stolen), work on your voice, and shape your own unique vision.   You'll be happier knowing you came up with your own idea and wrote your own novel.  If then it _so happens_ to be like someone else's novel, then whatever.  You can't help that.  

I remember when I was about seven years old, I entered some kind of "Young Inventors" contest at school.  My invention?  The Rolling Backpack.  Think of that!  A backpack with wheels!  I'd never in my life seen one and I came up with the idea all by myself.  I didn't win the contest.  Years later I see this backpacks with wheels all over the place.  Did some jerk steal a seven year old's idea?  Or did I invent something that already existed?  I like to think it was the latter.  

I'm pretty sure most of us here don't want to be hacks.  So if you see a good idea, just say "Oh, I wish I thought of that..." and then come up with something better.

EDIT:  I think this is an interesting discussion.  Please don't let this become another derailed "Twilight" thread.


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## T.Allen.Smith (Aug 7, 2012)

I read all 4, as an adult man mind you, because I think it's important to read successful books.

You can't argue the success.... Are there better written books? Most certainly. Are there things about the story & writing that I don't like? Absolutely. However, the overall all story was geared towards a different demographic than the 40 year old male.

If I tried to look at it through the eyes of the demographic the series was targeted towards I'd probably say "Great story & easy to read".


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## Benjamin Clayborne (Aug 7, 2012)

Steerpike said:


> No, it isn't.
> 
> And why do those who hate Twilight find a way to inject it into nearly every thread going on a decade after publication? Most of the fans I know have moved on to other things.



_Twilight_ was published in October 2005, less than 7 years ago. Not quite a decade. 

Anyway, let's not argue that each others' opinions are wrong. Some people hate Twilight, some people don't. Saying "Why are you still talking about this? The fans have moved on" every single time it comes up isn't helpful either. If you don't want to talk about Twilight, stop talking about Twilight!


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## Steerpike (Aug 7, 2012)

Benjamin Clayborne said:


> _Twilight_ was published in October 2005, less than 7 years ago. Not quite a decade.



"Going on" a decade. 

I'm not a fan of people bashing other writers generally, or works that are way over-bashed specifically. So I'm happy to chime in when it happens.


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## Wynnara (Aug 7, 2012)

Mindfire said:


> Actually, I'm with Lotus on this one...
> 
> It's something of a dilemma for me really. On the one hand, I enjoy berating Twilight. It's something of a guilty pleasure. On the other hand, I'd also just like it to just _go away_. I'd like nothing better than for it to fade into obscurity now that the books and movies are over with, and that won't happen if we keep discussing it. So yeah. Kind of a catch 22.



Ditto... although I haven't seen aforementioned threads here or engaged in Twilight-bashing. Then again, I tend to keep my opinions on such matters to myself since I wasn't that impressed with the last Harry Potter book either.

*ducks*



As a wise man once said... "This too shall pass"...


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## Philip Overby (Aug 7, 2012)

There should be a term for when threads get derailed by Twilight discussion.  

I'm coining it now:  Meyerizing.  

Let's continue the discussion.  Unless someone wants to discuss stealing from Twilight?


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## Wynnara (Aug 7, 2012)

Phil the Drill said:


> Let's continue the discussion.  Unless someone wants to discuss stealing from Twilight?



Hehe, I'll pass, thanks.

Since I started my novel, there's been a couple times when similar sounding ideas cropped up that made me think... "Grr, if I ever send this to publishers they're going to think I lifted such-and-such from that book or that movies or that TV series"... when in reality, we both happened upon the same notion separately... which I know happens as well. 

Actually, you guys might be interested in short documentary web series... Everything is a Remix


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## Kit (Aug 7, 2012)

Wynnara said:


> Since I started my novel, there's been a couple times when similar sounding ideas cropped up that made me think... "Grr, if I ever send this to publishers they're going to think I lifted such-and-such from that book or that movies or that TV series"... when in reality, we both happened upon the same notion separately... which I know happens as well.



That's happened to me too. I loved werewolves, and I was working on some werewolf stuff since *before* Twilight- and after that juggernaut, I thought "Nuts, it'll be past my natural lifespan before it's safe to write about werewolves again."  I threw the werewolves out, but there have been other elements that I decided to just keep and take my chances with.


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## Steerpike (Aug 7, 2012)

Kit said:


> That's happened to me too. I loved werewolves, and I was working on some werewolf stuff since *before* Twilight- and after that juggernaut, I thought "Nuts, it'll be past my natural lifespan before it's safe to write about werewolves again."  I threw the werewolves out, but there have been other elements that I decided to just keep and take my chances with.



I think that was a mistake, Kit. You can and should still write about werewolves. Werewolf stories continue to be released, and there's no reason you can't write a good one about them, whether Twilight was a success or not.


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## Philip Overby (Aug 7, 2012)

People will always write cyclically about these three things:

1.  Vampires
2.  Werewolves
3.  Zombies

One way or another, someone is writing about one of these three topics as we speak.  Their vision will be divergent from anyone else's for the most part.


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## The Blue Lotus (Aug 7, 2012)

Wynnara said:


> Ditto... although I haven't seen aforementioned threads here or engaged in Twilight-bashing. Then again, I tend to keep my opinions on such matters to myself since I wasn't that impressed with the last Harry Potter book either.
> 
> *ducks*
> 
> ...



Ya know, I too was not all that pleased with the last book. You could just tell she was over the whole thing and just wanted to be done with it.


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## Penpilot (Aug 7, 2012)

I have this screen writing book that says you can fit any story into one of ten story types. All stories that fit into each story type usually contains certain broad elements, but what those elements can specifically be is virtually limitless. For example movies like Aliens, Jaws, and Friday the 13th are basically the same type of story described as Monster In The House. 

Three of the basic elements to this type of story are as follows. Following excerpt taken from this site. Save the Cat! Monster in the House

[excerpt]
There must be a 'monster', which can be anything from a horrible man-eating alien to a demon possessing a young woman. This monster must be created by the sin of man, something a character or group of characters committed that causes whatever beast there is to strike out and kill those who do not learn the lesson. This is important. If the characters did not cause their own suffering, or blame cannot be placed on a human character, the audience won't be able to identify with what will essentially become a monster bully movie.  

The second factor that must be present is a 'house'. This doesn't need to be an actual house. It can be anything from a beach resort to a small town, and yes, it can in fact just be a house. What matters is whether the characters can escape from this place. If they can, then there's something wrong. This setting must be inescapeable, or the film will take on a two-dimensional quality. Why don't the characters just leave? If they can't go anywhere, this problem is solved. 

The third factor? The humans. Running and hiding is their job. They caused this mess (or at least one of them did), and now they must struggle to survive for two hours while the audience bites their fingernails. They have a choice, of course. They can either learn the lesson that the monster is teaching them, intentionally or not, or they can die.

[/excerpt]

So if you think along the lines of only ten basic story types, inevitably peoples stories will always be like someone else's and easily comparable. But knowing this fact allows you to decide on what things you can do the same or similar and what you want to change drastically.


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## FireBird (Aug 7, 2012)

I think that almost no matter what you do, your story will never be completely original. I've been told to just write your story, everything else be damned.


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## Steerpike (Aug 7, 2012)

I think that's exactly right,  Firebird.


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## Wynnara (Aug 7, 2012)

The Blue Lotus said:


> Ya know, I too was not all that pleased with the last book. You could just tell she was over the whole thing and just wanted to be done with it.



For me it was just the whole "elder wand" business that felt incredibly tacked on. It became such a key element to the climax of the whole series that it seemed crazy that it wasn't established _way_ earlier. It also seemed so out of character for her writing since, one of the things I always liked about it was the fact that she laid things in early and paid them off later.

I wonder if she had a different ending when she was planning the series that she ultimately couldn't go with for whatever reason. It would explain that kind of written-into-a-corner feel that the last book had.


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## The Blue Lotus (Aug 7, 2012)

Wynnara said:


> For me it was just the whole "elder wand" business that felt incredibly tacked on. It became such a key element to the climax of the whole series that it seemed crazy that it wasn't established _way_ earlier. It also seemed so out of character for her writing since, one of the things I always liked about it was the fact that she laid things in early and paid them off later.
> 
> I wonder if she had a different ending when she was planning the series that she ultimately couldn't go with for whatever reason. It would explain that kind of written-into-a-corner feel that the last book had.


I had not thought about that, it is posiable. 
But then again you figure she had been working on the series for the better part of 15+ years, I have been working on mine for about two years and I'm already sicck of it... I can not imagine having to go that long with it.
It would be fun to find out from her would it not? Perhaps one day she will answer that very question.


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## Mindfire (Aug 8, 2012)

Steerpike said:


> I don't know...I just went and looked back at my arguments and I found myself pretty convincing :Tongue: :devil:



Well aren't you facetious? :tongue:


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## Mindfire (Aug 8, 2012)

Phil the Drill said:


> There should be a term for when threads get derailed by Twilight discussion.
> 
> I'm coining it now:  Meyerizing.
> 
> Let's continue the discussion.  Unless someone wants to discuss stealing from Twilight?



I don't think "Meyerizing" works Phil, because it sounds vaguely pro-Meyer. I think "Meyeranting" is what you're looking for.


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## Steerpike (Aug 8, 2012)

What's wrong with just calling them hipsters?


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## Mindfire (Aug 8, 2012)

Steerpike said:


> What's wrong with just calling them hipsters?



Because hipsters dislike _everything_ that is either new or popular. People like me don't fall into that category because I like the Star Wars Prequels (relatively new, compared to the originals) and The Dark Knight (popular). Also, I don't go around claiming that "I used Macs before they became popular."

I don't care for Macs really.


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## Wynnara (Aug 8, 2012)

Mindfire said:


> Also, I don't go around claiming that "I used Macs before they became popular."



I used an Amiga before it became popular!

Oh wait...


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