Copycat Accusations

[E.G. Gammon]

Has anyone gotten accusations from people, saying that your writing is ripping off someone else?

My novel series (been writing it for over seven years - intended to be a soap opera - now a novel series - you know the story) has seven novels and has a supernatural plot in it. Without even hearing anything about my story, one of my relatives accused me of trying to be like J.K. Rowling - copying Harry Potter. She didn't even want to hear what my series was about. She heard "novel series" and "supernatural" and she just immediately assumed I was some copycat (some relative huh?). My novel series follows the lives of the inhabitants of a small town (almost 80 characters), infamous for its supernatural occurrences, after the sudden emergence of a serial killer. My story is nothing like Harry Potter. But, it made me think, how many people will automatically judge my books without even reading them? The story has a female heroine with magical powers. Does that mean people will accuse me of ripping off Buffy, even though my story is COMPLETELY different? It just surprises me how many people judge things they know nothing about, well, except what they've heard.

Any thoughts? Comments? Your own experiences?

[three seven]

I read a lot of detective novels. They're all the bloody same. Nobody cares.

If narrow-minded family members want to judge you out of jealousy that they can't come up with any original ideas, and couldn't write them down even if they did, that's their problem. The book-buying public as a whole, I'm fairly convinced, is generally more circumspect and will choose to read your stories based on their theme, and not whether they feature a character that might sound a bit like Buffy if you listen really hard with your eyes shut.

Personally, when you said 'female with magical powers', Buffy didn't even trouble my train of thought until you mentioned her - so perhaps you should keep any potential parallels under your hat!

[Liam Jackson]

I wouldn't worry much about it, EG. There are only so many literary styles and themes in existence. If people look hard enough, they can find similarities, however remote. It also seems some people put a great deal of effort into finding those similarties.

I've not had to endure this...yet. However, I'm sure my time is coming. I read a post on the Stephen King website in which the moderator stated King no longer read/critiqued unpublished manuscripts, because of past plagarism suits. A damn shame, that.

Screw 'em.

[arrowqueen]

If she hasn't even read it, why worry about her opinion? Some folk just open their mouths and let their guts rummle (Old Scottish saying!) so don't let it get to you. You know it isn't true and that's all that matters.

Chin up.

:Hug2:
aq

[BradyH1861]

There's nothing like relatives! Though when I hear female with special powers, I always think of Buffy. But that's just because I have a "thing" for her, as they say.

Brady H.

[James D. Macdonald]

Don't sweat it. You hear that stuff all the time.

[KTC]

It's so typical of a relative to say something like that. Don't worry about it. Brush it off and move on. I've heard the same type of thing over and over. They hear that you write and they automatically say some dumb thing that will inevitably p*ss you off. Not all relatives...but we all have one like the one your describing. You say you're writing a horror and all of a sudden it's "Oh like that one Stephen King wrote." Who knows, your relative might have even been well meaning. Brush it and move...

[E.G. Gammon]

The book-buying public as a whole, I'm fairly convinced, is generally more circumspect and will choose to read your stories based on their theme, and not whether they feature a character that might sound a bit like Buffy if you listen really hard with your eyes shut.

I just used Buffy as an example. In reality, my character, besides the fact that she has magical powers, is NOTHING like Buffy. But, when people hear "girl" and "with magic powers" they'll immediately assume I stole the idea from somewhere. She's actually half of a heroic team, the other half is a guy.

There are only so many literary styles and themes in existence. If people look hard enough, they can find similarities, however remote. It also seems some people put a great deal of effort into finding those similarties.

Isn't that the truth... I've always believed there are what I call "general ideas." Some examples are "battle between good and evil" or "a serial killer." But, we as writers take these general ideas and create our stories around them. So, no matter what we write, there's going to be someone out there accusing us of ripping off someone else.

If she hasn't even read it, why worry about her opinion? Some folk just open their mouths and let their guts rummle (Old Scottish saying!) so don't let it get to you. You know it isn't true and that's all that matters. Chin up.

Well said. Thanks.

[zeprosnepsid]

Try to put a good spin on this. Harry Potter is like the biggest selling book in the universe. Buffy has a huge cult following. These people may buy your book because it sounds like Harry Potter or Buffy. It could be a lot worse. At least you know supernatural novel series and heroines are marketable. I don't know if you're signed somewhere, but Agents and Editors might have these same prejudices to your advantage.

But the fact that you have relatives that don't want to hear about your 7 book novel series! That's a bummer. If I was your relative I would sit wide-eyed and jaw dropped at what you've accomplished.

[Anaparenna]

She heard "novel series" and "supernatural" and she just immediately assumed I was some copycat



That's it. She is so totally out of the will. :D

[HConn]

Just tell her to shut her shriek hole.

[reph]

Without even hearing anything about my story, one of my relatives accused me of trying to be like J.K. Rowling - copying Harry Potter.
That kind of criticism is so common that she can't claim it's original with her. What's she doing, trying to copy the relatives of other writers?

[azbikergirl]

Some relatives are just asking for a smart-aleck response. Here are some ideas:

"What makes you such an expert?"
"Harry who?" or "J.K. Rowling? What did he write?"
"I didn't realize you had already read my novel. Who was your favorite character?"
"Thanks for the vote of confidence. I'm glad I have relatives like you who truly believe in my creative genius."
or the less sarcastic version:
"It's too bad you have no confidence in my creativity. I wish I could have counted on your support."

[DiscoDan]

I read a few reviews for some of the Harry Potter books on Amazon.com a while back, and it seems like I remember a number of them claiming the books were obvious rip-offs from other stories..

Don't worry, I'm sure all authors are accused of being rip-offs, you'll probably even get a few people screaming plagerism in the future.

[katiemac]

I've noticed some treads within my WIP that could be similar to already-published novels. Heck, even Harry Potter. But what I did realize was that these elements that are the same exist in most every novel, and the specifics are contained more to mythology and other "classic" literature.

Since I'm still working on it, if inspiration strikes and I think of something truly brilliant, I'll change it. It works fine as it is, I bet some people won't like the "rip off" if it gets published, but that's them. It's not something I'm particularly worried about, because I know I'm not a hack.

No matter what you write, there will always be somebody there telling you it isn't yours. :Shrug:

[Galoot]

My answer would be "Yep. And I hear Rowling didn't share her new wealth with the family, either."

[Note On]

People say stupid things. Once you're published, they matter less. (And sometimes those same people become your biggest fans.)

[MadScientistMatt]

Remember, it's not whether you've taken ideas that have been used before, it's how well you pull them off. Taking ideas that have been done before is nothing new. Even classic writers did that. How many times has Shakespeare been accused of stealing someone else's plot?

Don't let it get to you. Just focus on original writing even if you've got elements of your story that have been done before.

[three seven]

She's actually half of a heroic team, the other half is a guy.Buffy Potter? License to print money! http://www.geocities.com/thingumybobwotsit/wink3.gif

[E.G. Gammon]

Buffy Potter? License to print money! http://www.geocities.com/thingumybobwotsit/wink3.gif

Ha ha! The two 18 year olds, one a girl and the other a guy are more like "spiritual siblings." Ooh, I'm giving away too much...

[James D. Macdonald]

Harry Potter and the Bridges of Pokemon County

[katiemac]

Brilliant, Jim. Brilliant.

[JohnLynch]

when people hear "girl" and "with magic powers" they'll immediately assume I stole the idea from somewhere.Some people might, but not everyone.

I use to be discouraged by my ideas sounding anything remotely like something already made. I'd actively look to see if anyone else had come up with my idea, and lo and behold, they had. There was no way I could have stolen the idea (sometimes the movie/book hadn't been made when I came up with it ;)), but I discarded the idea anyway.

Now I don't care at all. In fact, I'll actively think of ideas while reading other books and jot them down. Will people accuse me of stealing the idea? It's doubtful. Because while I got the inspiration from something, I went off on a completely different tangent ;)

Don't sweat the similarities between other stuff. And don't worry about close-minded relatives (easy for me to say. I keep my writing habits secret). If someone accuses you of stealing their idea or someone elses idea, see it as a sign of success. After all, they must have seen your work to be able to accuse you (close-minded relatives not withstanding).

[Julian Black]

My WIPs (most historical, one contemporary) all involve people who happen to be wizards and witches, and some of them live within a culture that is very separate from that of normal people. Sound familiar?

I've had these books in mind for years. After finally reading the Harry Potter books, I was initially discouraged by the similarities, and for a while lost confidence in them. The stories never went away, however, and now that I'm back working on them, I'm also focusing on the differences--what makes them my stories, not JKR's.

Occasionally, I've had people ask what I'm writing. Sometimes I laugh and say "Harry Potter for grown-ups," before explaining a few of the particulars. So far, the response seems to be positive.

Ultimately, all stories are very much like some other story. Rather than worry about it, trust that your way of telling the story, and the ideas you have, are important and will make it worth reading.

[Christine N.]

Ugh. Been there, heard that. All I had to say was that my book was being published, and that it was middle grade fantasy. They all said the same thing, but they're teasing me about all the stuff I'll give them when I'm rich.

I said maybe I'd be able to take them out to dinner. Maybe. It's the name they know, so it pops into their head first.

Just smile and say "Thank you."

[katiemac]

I just don't tell people what I'm writing. The few people who know I do write have asked what it's about, and I just say "it's in the working stage," and tell them I can't describe it just yet. Blatant lie, but that's all right. Saves me some grief.

[Nateskate]

Absolutely. I asked my son if he'd like to look at my story. He didn't get more than ten pages and was indignant, saying I ripped off Tolkien because there were small people. Yikes, the wizard of oz, Gulliver's travels...etc. Countless books have small people. You can say Tolkien was the biggest rip-off artist in the world. And mine weren't very small to begin with until an event took place that made them that way. But it also made super races. (Who knows, that probably rips off some book I've never read)

Then he claimed I ripped off the Bible, because some of the creatures were "Ethereal" and he thought they reminded him of angels. However, they look much more like characters from Greek Mythology, and have characteristics completely different.

Here's my thought on the whole thing, and I learned this writing music. Every note has been played by someone. Anything that hasn't is beyond the register of notes a human can perceive. I've seen song-writers obsess about being entirely novel, to the point where they make up these songs which sound horrible. If it's a great melody line, chances are, it's been done before by someone. Well, not entirely. Actually, it's often a variety of melodies strung together into something entirely new, but blended.

The Beatles were not Elvis. But they took bits of Elvis, bits of Chuck Berry, bits of the Everly Brothers. But Elvis took his stuff from black blues players, as did the Stones. Yet, they were all origionals, not because everything was entirely unique, but they simply put their own stamp on a collection of influences. Writing isn't much different. I don't care if my kid thinks I'm a rip off. What I've written is unique, with elements of all the influences in my life.

Sometimes being "Like" someone great, isn't such a bad thing. Heck, I not only wouldn't care if people made Tolkien comparrison's, I'd be thrilled and honored. And let them make three- billion dollar selling movies of my stories, and call me the worst rip off artist in history.

[Galoot]

I just don't tell people what I'm writing. The few people who know I do write have asked what it's about, and I just say "it's in the working stage," and tell them I can't describe it just yet. Blatant lie, but that's all right. Saves me some grief.Ayup. I do the same thing, whether it's writing or visual art or, heck, even woodwork. "You'll know what it looks like when it's done."

I don't like sharing raw and unpolished work. I'm too much of a perfectionist to willingly expose something I'm not at least somewhat happy with. I also hate reading someone else's first drafts.

[katiemac]

I also hate reading someone else's first drafts.

I tend to want to fix everything in other people's first drafts. But, at the same time, it's nice to do a critique every now and then to get your editing skills up to parr for your own work.

But I could never share something of mine in such an early stage. Keep it hidden until there have been some substantial drafts, then it's time to run the beta process if need be.

[Mark Anderson]

I wrote a story about a boy who literally turns into Jell-O, and the first place I submitted to asked if 'I had sent it in before, as it looked remarkably similar to a past piece'.

I hadn't really thought there would be a glut of Jell-O transformation stories out there either, so if your story is even slightly less bizarre expect more of those accusations. :cry:

[zornhau]

Absolutely. I asked my son if he'd like to look at my story. He didn't get more than ten pages and was indignant, saying I ripped off Tolkien because there were small people.

It's a genre, or a sub genre. It's like a bar fight: not the pub furniture which matters, it's how the combatents use it which makes the thing original.

[Mike Martyn]

I shared some of my stuff with my sister. She had some good comments. However she did make one strange remark. She told me I shouldn't be calling it a novel "because it would put too much pressure on me' ! Also that it was presumtuous for me to call it a novel! I didn't say it was a good novel, but 70,000 word into the thing, it's not a short story!

As for stealing other peoples stuff, I have these evil supernatural creatures known as the "Great Old Ones" I thought that was just a wonderful name and so evocative.

Now I realise I was ripping off something from H. P. Lovecraft which I read maybe 40 years ago when I was 13.

So much for the Great Old ones. I'll have to change the name but I haven't decided yet.. Probably not the "Crappy Old Ones " or "the Not Terribly Nice Old Ones"

[Darkhaven80]

I'm a firm believer that certain things stick in our heads anyway. If you saw a movie as a kid a few times, and years later are writing a story, who's to really know if something from that movie won't come out from your mind database? Hard to know if 'you' thought of it being creative, or... :Smack:

Either way, dont worry about it.

I just finished a short story for a friends website the other day. No planning of the story, we have a theme to work with. I was stuck, but then thought of the excellent idea (or so I thought) of having this object she's holding transfer her back in time, and to where she could changes things. A few hours later it struck me like an explosion that it was sort of like 'The Butterfly Effect' Not once did I think of that movie/story when writing MINE, so I know it wasn't getting my ideas off of it.

I've never been told I was ripping someone/something off - even it's a common thing writers hear, I'd find it offensive, especially if it were coming from someone close to me.

[LightShadow]

As long as it isn't exactly the same, who cares? As long as it came from your head and your heart, that's all that matters.

[oswann]

I hope my story is the same as a long tradition of murder mystery stories and will compare favorably to what has been written before. It's why I read and study writers who have come before. Research and learn, then write.

Os.

[LightShadow]

I hope my story is the same as a long tradition of murder mystery stories and will compare favorably to what has been written before. It's why I read and study writers who have come before. Research and learn, then write.

Os.

Study the styles, then create your own.

[stace001]

I haven't had time to read all the posts here (i only got thru maybe half of them) but they all said the same thing ...don't worry about it. Does this mean that none of the people who responded had original ideas? I think not.

To echo what most others here said, considering she hadn't even read the story, and that there are very few, if any, original ideas left out there...nod, smile politely and walk away. If you've spent the last 7 years on this series, (i love supernatural stuff by the way, and the fact that the protagonist is a woman makes it even better) good for you. Keep up the good work.

[triceretops]

Hah! I've just about finished my sci-fi novel and my roomate read it and said, "Hey, cool, you just revamped Farenhiet 451!"

Now I gotta' go read that damn book.

Tri

My agent said that my Dinothon was too close to Jurassic Park. That's funny--Dinothon was written in 1988.

[Joni Holderman]

Has anyone gotten accusations from people, saying that your writing is ripping off someone else?

Any thoughts? Comments? Your own experiences?

E.G.-

We may be tied for least supportive family. My sibs haven't seen my work, but their comments follow a predictable course, in very quick succession:

1) You'll never be published
2) Your ideas are dumb and unoriginal
3) You can't write
finally, and inevitably followed by 4 ) You better dedicate the book to me.

I can only marvel at their generosity of spirit, being willing to have a crappy derivative unpublishable novel dedicated to them!

I'm actually thinking of dedicating my first novel "To all the people who did NOT believe in me. . . I could never have done it without you."

[oswann]

Study the styles, then create your own.


The style of the writing is about the only thing I don't create. In fact I'm always amused at the way I write. I'm much funnier in text than in real life.

The genres I study like mad, if that's what you mean.

Os.

[aadams73]

I'm actually thinking of dedicating my first novel "To all the people who did NOT believe in me. . . I could never have done it without you."

Perfect! :Clap: