Thread: Eragon, why

I agree that it is almost a complete knock off of other books, but seriously, how many times have you started writing a fantasy and find yourself using similar plots and ideas as LOTR or The Chronicles of Narnia. I'm Having trouble with my book because I want it to be 100% original but I'm having problems not using materials from other books. Honestly my list of things I can't use is enormous I can't even mention ring, a passage to another world is out, I can't write about dragons, magical swords, elves, dwarves, or even harps. Not to mention beans, giants, lamps, magic carpets, axes, Leprichauns, or wands.

I believe the reason why we find it hard to be original sometimes is because of where are inspiration comes from. If you are inspired by a Football story you aren't going to write about rabbits, If you are inspired by Lord of the Rings then you aren't going to write about sports, you're going to write about elves, dragons, and powerful knights and kings.

That is why it is hard, and that is why you need to search for your inspiration in other places than books. Look for the stars in the sky, the leaves blowing in the wind, and the shadow in the corner, to bring you your ideas. to be original it has to come purely from you, not your reading, go on hunches, work your bad ideas, they can become great with the right adjustments.

You try too hard. Complete originality is impossible.

One thing is that certain things are stereotyped, or overused. You can redefine them in your story, and use it as an original part. The originality would be relative, not absolute, but it would work, I think.

Artemis Fowl is a nice example of a redefinition of "fairy" and similar things.

mention ring, a passage to another world is out, I can't write about dragons, magical swords, elves, dwarves, or even harps. Not to mention beans, giants, lamps, magic carpets, axes, Leprichauns, or wands.

Dragons are most definately overused, so are wands, but it ain't hard to come up with stuff on your own. Not sure how to explain how to invent things...

Without reading other works you cannot be inspired. Without inspiration, invention and creativity can dry up fast.

I'm not saying don't look to books for inspiration i'm saying don't go on only one thing but then again don't take your inspiration from so much, its okay to use other peoples ideas as long as it isn't completely their idea, If you really want to write a story on an isea you get from lord of the rings then that is fine as long as it isn't completely LOTR, you can have dwarves, elves, and dragons but not Hobbits, Nazghul, or Valar. Those things are Tolkien's alone.

You can use wands, wizards, and flying brooms, but you can't use hippogriffs, quidditch, or dementors. those are Rowlings

I beg to differ. Dwarves, Elves and Dragons existed before Tolkien used them, albeit differently than he described them. Halflings existed as well, which is what the Hobbits are. I don't really see how it is ok for Tolkien to use certain mythological creatures but not us.

As for Hippogriffs, Warcraft had them before Harry Potter, so I don't see how Rowling has a claim on them. Use what you want, just make it your own.

Use what you want, just make it your own.

That's pretty much what I ment, thanks Kane for saying it in a way that's understandable.

I do what I can.

Originally Posted by JBarnz

I agree that it is almost a complete knock off of other books, but seriously, how many times have you started writing a fantasy and find yourself using similar plots and ideas as LOTR or The Chronicles of Narnia. I'm Having trouble with my book because I want it to be 100% original but I'm having problems not using materials from other books. Honestly my list of things I can't use is enormous I can't even mention ring, a passage to another world is out, I can't write about dragons, magical swords, elves, dwarves, or even harps. Not to mention beans, giants, lamps, magic carpets, axes, Leprichauns, or wands.

Well. I've never even read "The Chronicles of Narnia" and struggled my way through the first LOTR (I hated it). So, I've never really had that problem. Personally, I don't get Fantasy inspiration from fantasy books themselves, I get them from everything else. It just depends. I heard a line from a movie once, the girl said "He's my friend!" and she looked weird while she did it. So, I was off writing about a girl with powers, and had mental problems. Many of us are getting inspiration from elsewhere, really.

It is not impossible to be 100% original, it's very difficult. But, no matter, you can fake it. Sure, if you sat around for hours, you could come up with something, but, dude, your a WRITER. You are -supposed- to be creative. This is where your creativity (sp?) comes in.

Ya know I just read Eragon, and yes there are somethings that have connections to LOTR but not really, I thought it was an awesome book and i can't wait to get my hands on Eldest.

Not to mention he took some of my ideas so now i have to start over again.

Eragon isn't just a knockoff of LOTR...There's a whole list of books from which Paolini has taken ideas. Not borrowed, modified, or recreated; taken.