My writing

[Threddy]

When writing my story or something I normally think of a great idea, and then come back to it later and remember that I got the idea from a different book. This is happening to me at the moment as I am re-reading the darkweaver legacy and I realise where I get my ideas from. It's sometimes frustrating!

[Áréwn'tháwr]

This is true, if you read many books similar to your own you start to subconsiously inherit ideas from them when you probably mean to gain insipiration. (Oh CRUD ive forgotten how to spell subconsiously, where's a dictionary when you need it?)

PS, read my thread titled Continuing from the Prologue. Cheers Threddy!

[Cosmo]

yea threddy i had something even more frustrating... i wrote out a plan for my book before buying trudy cannavans black magician trilogy... in my plan, magicians can only cast a spell when they have a passion to do so , i then read the Trudi cannavan series which have the same idea grrrrrrrrrrrrrr
i feel your frustration man

[weaveworld]

I know that feeling Threddy, you get this ace idea, you are all excited, then you realise its a book you have read already.

Oh Man...

You'll get there

[Green Knight]

If you hold out for an original idea you'll be waiting a long time.

Guess how many original stories Shakespeare did? One (The Tempest) and there's even some dispute about that (my theory is that he ripped it off from 'Forbidden Planet', have you noticed how similar they are??)

It's not about originality of concept, but about your treatment of the ideas that you do have. Philip Pullman is praised as one of the most original writers around, but he is very outspoken about ("never shuts up about") the fact that he borrows freely from Blake, Milton, mythology and Metatron-knows what else. Daemons may be a genuinely original idea, but even they are close blood relatives to standard fayre such as familiars. None of this is a criticism of Pullman – it is merely saying that if he can recycle ideas, then so can anyone.

At the end of the day, you are unique, so anything you write that is truly from the heart will also be unique.

[SJAB]

You must remember that everything you have read, seen and experienced will affect your writing. You can't block everything, nor should you attempt to do so. The idea is to present a "good story".

The best advice I was given is "write a story you, yourself, would like to read." Be true to that vision and idea let the story grow onto the page. Once you start thinking "oh I can't do such and such", you are hamstringing yourself.

Many people start a novel, very few finish one. Write it for you, worry about selling it later.

[kyektulu]

I think every writer has the same feeling to some degree, it is very frustrating!

I have also had the same problem as you Cosmo, getting a fantastic idea then reading a new book found out some other writer has already done it...

I think using the same ideas is ok as long as you dont blatently rip off somebody else's novel.

[Trimac20]

I think (for better or worse) greatness in fantasy writing comes down to how good you re-tell a story rather than creating new stories. We're all hungry for myth, and it doesn't matter if it's been recycled. That's why people will buy re-tellings of the Trojan War, or the Arthurian legend, or the Arabian Nights...it's how the storyteller grips the reader, and communicates the soul of the story.

I'll admit the plot of my (hopefully) upcoming triology and the world is mainly a collation of many other fantasies. I find it nigh on impossible to create something truly original. Indeed, philosophically it's impossible to creating something one has not experienced. For example, can you imagine a world not composed of matter, or energy? Even the metaphysical concept of 'spirit' or a 'non-corporeal' or ethereal reality is derivative. Anyway, I'm rambling a bit...

[Aes]

Originally Posted by kyektulu

I think every writer has the same feeling to some degree, it is very frustrating!

I have also had the same problem as you Cosmo, getting a fantastic idea then reading a new book found out some other writer has already done it...

I think using the same ideas is ok as long as you dont blatently rip off somebody else's novel.

God, isn't that the truth? While this may only sort of count as writing, I was creating a central plot for a nwn game mod involving a terrible evil under the guise of a benevolent god. This evil grew stronger by feeding on the faith energy of its worshippers, so the more they showed devotion, the stronger it became. Those who knew the truth (the players and some NPCs) were seen as "evil" people, who threatened a righteous and good way of life.

Then one day, I watched an episode of Stargate SG-1 where the Ori were introduced, and the first thing that ran through my mind was "owned." Fortunately, the game mod was still new enough to where I could veer the central plot in another direction, which I did.

[edott]

original ideas, waaay over rated. but really somethings are done over and over again quite well how many times a story can be reinterpreted simply show how true the ideas of a story are. write write and then write some more.

[cornelius]

I have the oposite: I've only started reading recently, and then I find that most things I've written about already exist ( even names too)

it's frustrating

[I, Brian]

Originally Posted by Threddy

When writing my story or something I normally think of a great idea, and then come back to it later and remember that I got the idea from a different book. This is happening to me at the moment as I am re-reading the darkweaver legacy and I realise where I get my ideas from. It's sometimes frustrating!

There's nothing wrong with putting different ideas from different works together, in a unique and original way.

There's nothing wrong with realising that you are influenced by the styles and ideas of other writers - the challenge of the artist to make them your own.

2c.

[mosaix]

Threddy

I am a firm believer that the best way to improve as a writer is to read more. That is because you not only see the way others write (and so pick up technique) but that you also pick up ideas. It is natural and there is nothing wrong with it.

By the way reading also helps you to see other's mistakes and avoid them

[Wolfeborn]

Dont wory about finding out that a similar book/story has already been written, I think with the number of stories writeen it is extremely hard to write womething truely original, though theres nothing wrong with striving for it. However if you read interviews etc from most writers they will say that other stories/writers have strongly influenced their work some even going as far to say that they have almost rewritten something they once read albeit often accidently.

Dont worry about not having something that is totaly original, just enjoy writing if you have an idea write it and enjoy it. Dont worry that people will compare it to others work as that is bound to happen, look at all the fantasy fiction which is invariably compared to tolkien.