Thread: Discouraged! :(

I was energetically stomping my way through the forest of the internet, hacking away the misleading links with my machete, and gathering usable factoids and tidbits by the handful to be stuffed into my carrying sack. Ingredients for my plot, DNA for my characters, sights and sounds and smells for my world.

The anatomical analysis of a creature I can use. Excellent. Into the sack you go. The ecological breakdown of a relevant climate? Perfect! Off the branches with you!

Things were going great until I stumbled into a clearing and found, sitting there right in the sparkling daylight, the glistening cover of a book. A novel, in fact. A novel about the very thing I had been journeying to write about.

Someone had already written my book.

I turned my head distrustingly and peered sideways at it. Then I cautiously reached down, lifted it to my chest, and I began to read.

The writing was good. Scratch that, the writing was GREAT. So great, in fact, that I felt the blood retreat from my skin, to cower in the deepest crevices of my flesh. I began to feel cold, apathetic, and thoroughly deflated.

What then, could I, an amateur writer, wish to add to the field of a published, successful novelist who has already tackled my plot, wrestled it the ground, and thrust a javelin-tipped flag into it as if to say "I came, I saw, and I conquered the hell out of it"?

I lightly shut the book and looked up. Before me stretched a path of surgical devasation through the forest, one that stretched to the horizon as if a bulldozer had run itself to the edge of the world and, finding nothing left to crush, hurled itself into oblivion.

Now I look at the machete in hand and wonder if I should even bother.

Do it anyway. You never know what can happen. Your work is bound to be different than what's been done.
As an example-I'm working on a webcomic/graphic novel version of a novella I wrote ten years ago. Since then, two "name" writers have collaborated on a version of the same thing, with one word changed in the title and the same basic premise. I'm not changing a thing. I read their novel. It's far too mannered, in my opinion.
Modern science has plowed a couple of my other pieces over. It happens.

I would read alot of books if I was worried what ideas were already "taken". But almost every idea is probably already taken, so it doesn't really matter in the end. As long as it is in your own words and thoughts. It can make it a totally different book

Write the book you didn't read. Tarzan and Lord of the Flies, both books about a character/characters finding themselves unexpectedly in the jungle and having to find a way to live - Couldn't be more different.

Yes, bother! Don't be discouraged! ;0) You'll have so many new and exciting things that will happen in your story. Do what you planned on doing! Believe in your work, and write your ass off and be proud of the book you write!!!

Originally Posted by KyleColorado

I was energetically stomping my way through the forest of the internet, hacking away the misleading links with my machete, and gathering usable factoids and tidbits by the handful to be stuffed into my carrying sack. Ingredients for my plot, DNA for my characters, sights and sounds and smells for my world.

"I was deep in the Ardennes, trying to find Charlemagne. He had been kidnapped by an insane computer..."

The anatomical analysis of a creature I can use. Excellent. Into the sack you go. The ecological breakdown of a relevant climate? Perfect! Off the branches with you!

Things were going great until I stumbled into a clearing and found, sitting there right in the sparkling daylight, the glistening cover of a book. A novel, in fact. A novel about the very thing I had been journeying to write about.

Someone had already written my book.

I turned my head distrustingly and peered sideways at it. Then I cautiously reached down, lifted it to my chest, and I began to read.

The writing was good. Scratch that, the writing was GREAT. So great, in fact, that I felt the blood retreat from my skin, to cower in the deepest crevices of my flesh. I began to feel cold, apathetic, and thoroughly deflated.

What then, could I, an amateur writer, wish to add to the field of a published, successful novelist who has already tackled my plot, wrestled it the ground, and thrust a javelin-tipped flag into it as if to say "I came, I saw, and I conquered the hell out of it"?

I lightly shut the book and looked up. Before me stretched a path of surgical devasation through the forest, one that stretched to the horizon as if a bulldozer had run itself to the edge of the world and, finding nothing left to crush, hurled itself into oblivion.

Now I look at the machete in hand and wonder if I should even bother.

Well, these things happen.

Frankly, if this book was so similar to your concept that it's basically exactly what you intended to write, only better, then you might as well accept that someone else did all the work for you and be content with that. Anyway, if two people managed to think of the exact same story, it probably wasn't very creative to begin with. Try again and don't give up. Sometimes you have to aknowledge that you've been defeated, but there is no shame in defeat - only surrender.

Or the other hand, if it's just a case of a few mildly similar ideas and themes, but with a different execution, I respectfully suggest you stop being a baby and write your damn book.

Either way you will be fine as long as you write something.

28 Days Later, I Am Legend, Night of the Living Dead, World War Z

Exactly the same story, really!


I think you should just go for it! In fact, go one better, plagiarise your own original, then you can think of it as your guilty secret

Moderan - Did they find your work and decide to elaborate on it? Or was it circumstance? In either case, your unflinching response is encouraging. Thanks for the advice.

Helium - Great insight. You're totally right.

bloggsworth - Excellent example. I hadn't really considered those two books side by side, but now that you mention it.. it's a spotlight on how two different writers would approach the same subject from totally different angles.

Sunny - Thanks for the passionate motivation. I'll do my best : P

Anders - What a great opening. What book is that insane computer line from? To be fair, my idea is only in the same general theme, but I was dismayed at the many similarities. I've since made myself aware that many of my plot twists are completely different, so I'm feeling like I've found a new, fresh road again. I'll stop being a baby and write something. : P

zootalaws - Another great point! Zombie stories are often of the same subject, but I do enjoy seeing how many fresh and new perspectives they can take them. What do you mean by "plagiarise your own original"? If you mean take the same story and twist it a bit to make my own, I think it would damper my own creative energies.. I'd feel a bit cheap and there wouldn't be much enthusiasm. Part of my enjoyment is discovering the story as I write it. So, I probably won't be doing that.. but if you meant something else, let me know! Thanks for the advice all the same.


So, thanks for the encouragement everyone. I had a knee-jerk reaction there and felt defeated at that moment, but now that I've had some time to think about it, and read through each of your insightful responses, I've decided to continue on as if I had never found that book.

It makes perfect sense that, while two stories may be similar, the execution will undoubtedly be completely different. I'll just stick to my guns and write, write write.

Onwards, machete!

Originally Posted by KyleColorado

...
So, thanks for the encouragement everyone. I had a knee-jerk reaction there and felt defeated at that moment, but now that I've had some time to think about it, and read through each of your insightful responses, I've decided to continue on as if I had never found that book.

It makes perfect sense that, while two stories may be similar, the execution will undoubtedly be completely different. I'll just stick to my guns and write, write write.

Onwards, machete!

It all boils down to only seven major plots. All else is how you put your personality into it.

Care to elaborate on what the Seven Major Plots are?

Don't worry about any of thiat. Write your book.

Worrying about this stuff can really dampen the whole writing process. I completely concur, carry on with the project. As long as it has your own unique stamp on it, that's what's going to shine through.

Good luck .

Originally Posted by KyleColorado

Care to elaborate on what the Seven Major Plots are?

man v. nature/environment
man v. self (e.g., overcoming alcoholism)
man v. man (factionalism, war)
man v. society (e.g., changing mores)
man v. technology
man v. God/religion
man v. supernatural

other variants are possible

Originally Posted by Notquitexena

man v. nature/environment
man v. self (e.g., overcoming alcoholism)
man v. man (factionalism, war)
man v. society (e.g., changing mores)
man v. technology
man v. God/religion
man v. supernatural

other variants are possible

I heard that all stories fall into one or several of the following seven categories:

Quest
Overcoming a Monster
Rags to Riches
Voyage and return
Comedy
Tragedy
Struggle for Justice

Originally Posted by Robdemanc

I heard that all stories fall into one or several of the following seven categories:

Quest
Overcoming a Monster
Rags to Riches
Voyage and return
Comedy
Tragedy
Struggle for Justice

Other people parse the different plot options differently. You can find books that discuss the "20 ways to.." or "36 different plots"
I think the point is that there are certain universal conflicts that are explored and all fiction is a variant of these.