Firlefanz
Lady of the Land
Registered: 05-2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 6984
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Idea Already Taken
How often to you get cool ideas just to realize that it's been done before in a movie, a book or a short story?
What do you do if that happens to you?
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8/15/2007, 3:40 pm
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Reythia
Knight of Honor
Registered: 11-2005
Posts: 1883
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Re: Idea Already Taken
Actually, I've never really had this happen. Well, maybe that's not accurate, but if it's happened, I wouldn't have cared.
I guess, to me, The Idea isn't all that important. For example, lets say I write a book about FTL spaceships. That's been done before -- so what? The point of the stories I write is never just about one idea -- it's about how all the characters respond. So I guess I really don't understand how it feels to have one's idea "used" by another. If someone stole my characters or wrote a book about similar charcters responding to a similar idea in a similar way, I might feel miffed. But that's unlikely to occur, so I'm not worried.
If I WAS one of those writers who emphasizes The Idea over everything else in a book, maybe I would feel differently. Then again, maybe I'd just keep writing, regardlesss, and see how things turn out.
--- -- YAR!
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8/15/2007, 7:27 pm
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Loud G
Grand Master
Registered: 01-2005
Location: Maryland, USA
Posts: 492
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Re: Idea Already Taken
A friend of mine was planning a piece of historical fiction about a certain battle in a certain war in England. He had it all planned out, down to which regiment, which leader he wanted to shadow. Then he went to the book store and saw a brand new book specifically about that same battle, centering around a different leader.
He was crushed. He abandoned the effort because he didn't want to write it and then have people claim he copied it.
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8/16/2007, 11:55 am
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Firlefanz
Lady of the Land
Registered: 05-2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 6984
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Re: Idea Already Taken
I can understand that friend. How awful! Has he abandoned writing completely?
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8/16/2007, 1:03 pm
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QS2
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Registered: 03-2006
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Re: Idea Already Taken
Yeah, that is a bit of a disaster, if it is of any help, in about ten years time everyone will have forgotten about that book and you'd have a chance to do your own without seeming like you'd copied.
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8/25/2007, 4:54 am
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Loud G
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Registered: 01-2005
Location: Maryland, USA
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Re: Idea Already Taken
hehe, I don't think he wants to wait that long.
Firle: He hasn't abandoned it completely (writing that is) but it did dscourage him a lot. I think he has one other poject he's working on, but he was really excited about that one.
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8/25/2007, 11:00 pm
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QS2
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Registered: 03-2006
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Re: Idea Already Taken
Write it anyway now then I suppose, if need be sit on it for a little while, maybe rewrite it once and then send it in for submission over some years. That might be long enough already. And at least you get to work on a project you like.
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8/29/2007, 1:25 pm
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thepinksuicidallemming
Master
Registered: 12-2005
Location: Australia
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Re: Idea Already Taken
One of my current projects had an item resembling a headband, albeit with a metal plate over the forehead.
Then I saw the show Naruto:
Even though my headbands have a specific, scientific purpose, and the ones in Naruto are simply forehead protectors, I've decided to rethink my idea.
---
Sentio aliquos togatos contra me conspirare.
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8/31/2007, 1:29 am
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Firlefanz
Lady of the Land
Registered: 05-2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 6984
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Re: Idea Already Taken
Yeah, they'd think you just copied the idea.
It happened to me long, long ago. I made a little animated movie, and when it was done, everyone said that well, duh, that was on Twilight Show two months ago.
Back then, I didn't even know the Twilight Show existed ...
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8/31/2007, 5:47 am
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