| Re: How far can you go before you are branded a copycat?
Tell your own story, in whatever way seems to fit it best. The type of authorial voice used is not plagiarism, nor are a few incidental similarities here and there. But, as has been said, when you are obviously copying character traits, or several characters' names (for similar characters, or just en bloc), or you have a plot or series of incidents that are similar to identical... then you're in trouble.
Most writers are influenced by other writers, especially when they start out. Lovecraft was highly influenced by Poe, then Dunsany (and, I would argue, also by Thomas Moore, in some ways). Nonetheless, his work is quite distinctive, and only a fool would call him a plagiarist. Poe was influenced by Bulwer and Dickens by both. Robert E. Howard was heavily influenced by Talbot Mundy and Robert W. Chambers, among others. Harlan Ellison has noted that he was influenced to a considerable degree by Clark Ashton Smith. Michael Moorcock has a strong streak of Mervyn Peake in him at times. And so it goes.
Just don't copy deliberately, tell your story in your own words, with your own characters, and go from there. Worrying about this sort of thing will do nothing but tie you in knots and stifle your ability to write -- so DON'T! (Worry about it, that is.) |