Thread: Duplicating ideas

Hello! A quick question for the published pros out there. I am a beginning science fiction/fantasy writer. I am writing a short story based on an idea that came to me the other day. How do I know no one else has written a similar story based on this idea with a siimilar plot? In an idea-based field like science fiction it matters more so than in standard fiction. Do publishers have a database with keywords to look for similar stories?

None of the writing is plagiarized, and I hope the idea is not either, but I have read a boatload of science fiction in my life- how do I know I'm not unintentionally stealing an idea? Is there a way I can check?

Thanks for your help!

google a description of your idea and see what pops up. Google has a clever algorhythm which looks for a similar wordset.

I wouldn't call myself published, or a pro, but I write sci-fi (Freelancer; posted some in the workshop if you want a look). Even published people have stolen other people's ideas, usually by accident. I read some Phillip K Dick that had the same storyline as something else I'd read (or watched, can't remember really). Dick did it better though. I don'[t know who did it first, but I prefer Dick's use of it.
In conclusion, I think it's less about if someone has done it already, and more about how popular/well done it is. If you write really well, it won't matter if its a duplicated idea, unless it's an idea that is so mainstream that it will ruin your chances of impacting the reader. Like using 'the force' in your book.

Googling is a good idea if you're really concerned. But even if your story has similar features to something that's already been written, your characters and your own unique writing style will ensure that your book is different enough. If a similar idea has been used before, then think about what you can do to enhance it and set your story apart from someone else's.

There's no copyright for ideas, so you can't be accused of stealing them. And if you say that all the writing is your own then you can't be accused of plagiarism either.

Feel free to share it with us, and we can use our collective knowledge to help you, if you'd like. But in general, yeah: what everyone else said. As long as you write it yourself, it'll usually be unique enough. As long as you're not intentionally copying and you're not using the same characters, setting, and plot, with all the same names, you should be fine.

In the end it doesn't matter. Look at the fantasy genre and tell me that people come up with new ideas all the time.

Still, Stephen King who drew on Lord of the Rings for his novel The Stand made something entirely unique. Even if you are keeping it in the same genre, you will never ever be able to write perfectly something that somebody has written before. You are unique, and so is every writer. No one writes the same story as another. It's just plum impossible.

Many people think that The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks was a complete knock off of The Lord of the Rings, yet he is now considered one of the most influential fantasy authors today. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Originally Posted by themooresho

Many people think that The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks was a complete knock off of The Lord of the Rings, yet he is now considered one of the most influential fantasy authors today. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Still have a little soft spot for Menion, Shea, Flick, and Allanon. First book I ever read.

For the love of all that is Holy, just write and don't worry about it.

Thanks for all the replies. As suggested, I'll just write and take it from there. Too much of a worrier I guess!