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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do you ever worry about someone walking off with your ideas?
- Thread starter Wynnara
- Start date
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.
Lorna
Inkling
@Steerpike
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...
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...
Mindfire
Istar
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.
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
The Blue Lotus
Auror
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.
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:
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.
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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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".
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".
Benjamin Clayborne
Auror
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!
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.
- Thread starter
- #32
Wynnara
Minstrel
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"...
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'm coining it now: Meyerizing.
Let's continue the discussion. Unless someone wants to discuss stealing from Twilight?
- Thread starter
- #34
Wynnara
Minstrel
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
Kit
Maester
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.
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.
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.
The Blue Lotus
Auror
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"...
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.
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.
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.
FireBird
Troubadour
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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