How do you make sure your plot hasn't already been done?

onetiredmama · Mar 21, 2007

Hi,

Is there some resource that lists plot lines of all novels published in the last few years? I'm just wondering how you make sure your plot hasn't been done or isn't too close to something already out there. Someone in the industry once suggested a plot line to me saying, "No one's written about this." And I thought, how do you know? Thanks! Lisa

ChaosTitan · Mar 21, 2007

I'm going to recycle some old wisdom and say that there are only a finite number of plots in the world. Plot isn't necessarily what distinguishes one novel from another. The characters are what makes your novel unique. I could name ten different books with the same "plot" but none of them treat it in the same manner, because no writer will write a plot/idea the same way.

My only advice is to be widely read in your genre. Know what's out there. Know your audience.

johnzakour · Mar 21, 2007

Don't worry if somebody has written something similar chances are they have.

You just need to present your own take on whatever story you are writing.

Rich · Mar 21, 2007

Is there even such a thing as an undiscovered plot?

johnzakour · Mar 21, 2007

Rich said:
Is there even such a thing as an undiscovered plot?

If there was and somebody discovered it, chances are nobody would publish it as it would be "too different."

onetiredmama · Mar 21, 2007

I guess I'm talking about specifics. Say I was going to write a romance about a woman who had been widowed after her husband was killed in a plane crash and develops a relationship with another victim's husband. (Somewhat like The Pilot's Wife.) Would a publisher say, hey that's too close to The Pilot's Wife?

Or how would you ever be able to safely make a claim about a unique aspect of your novel, such as: "This is the first romance novel involving autistic adults."

Thanks, Lisa

JanDarby · Mar 21, 2007

If you really wanted to research it, you could check out Romantic Times's website. I think they archive the reviews there (which are predominantly a plot overview, followed by a one-paragraph commentary) a while after the magazine comes out. Or see if someone has a few months' back issues.

But, really, what everyone else said about no new plots is the real answer. The plot and the newness of it is not what you're selling. You're selling your voice, your characters, your writing.

Even your example -- the widow who develops a relationship with the widower from a common accident -- there's a huge range of what could be done with that. Could be suspense, comedy, angst/melodrama, murder mystery, traditional romance, time-travel, anything. And there's no real virtue to saying "this is the first romance about ..." b/c that's not what they care about. They care about the characters and the writing.

JD

maestrowork · Mar 21, 2007

If you name one plot (even from a famous author), I am sure ten people can tell you a similar plot somewhere. The difference is the delivery -- characters, details, variations, settings, dialogue, plot treatments. Once you take care of these and make them your own, it would be very rare that your story will be the same as someone else's.

AllieB · Mar 21, 2007

It's true - you have to market your angle, your take on the plotline, your voice, because it's all been done before.

My first (and only, so far) romance novel I've sold is about a H/H who meet up after 10 years and realize they're still in love. How many romances have been written with that plot? Tons. But I decided to write my story to take place over a single day and night, 24 hours in 24 chapters (sort of like the TV show), and I think that's what made my story stand out. I got a huge response when I sent out queries to agents and publishers, I think because the structure of the plot, not the plot itself, was something that hadn't been done/overdone.

Write the story you want to write, and then find a way to make it unique (I know, I know...easier said than done...)

TsukiRyoko · Mar 21, 2007

Rich said:
Is there even such a thing as an undiscovered plot?

No one's written about George Bush's journey into the land of elves yet.

Hmmm... *scribbles in notepad*

maestrowork · Mar 21, 2007

TsukiRyoko said:
No one's written about George Bush's journey into the land of elves yet.

Hmmm... *scribbles in notepad*

Lord of the Rings -- you know, about that little hobbit.

onetiredmama · Mar 21, 2007

Allie B, that's what I'm talking about -- how did you know that 24 hour device in a romance novel was unique to you? Or did you not know until you saw it was generating so much interest? Let's say I didn't know you wrote that book, and I pitched a romance that unfolded over 24 hours (obviously different characters voice etc,) wouldn't agents/publishers say, hey that 24 hour thing has already been done? Thanks, Lisa

TsukiRyoko · Mar 21, 2007

maestrowork said:
Lord of the Rings -- you know, about that little hobbit.

Come to think of it, that makes a lot of sense. They even make up words the same way....

Claudia Gray · Mar 21, 2007

I've done searches on Amazon and Google for similar themes. Yes, almost everything has been done, but if you had a great idea for a big book about, oh, a young Australian woman's lifelong passion for the priest who helped to raise her, you'd probably at least want to know about The Thorn Birds so you could be sure that you were focusing on the parts of your story that were unique, not familiar from the previous hit book, etc. I think checks like that are a sound idea.

scribbler1382 · Mar 21, 2007

Short answer: read everything you can get your hands on

Cheat: Amazon

Toothpaste · Mar 21, 2007

Except that Allie admitted that her idea was similiar to 24. And in fact I have read a book that does the exact same thing with each chapter being an hour in a very exhausting day.

Honestly I really would not worry about it. First of all worrying that someone else has your idea will just make you insecure. And trying to create a new idea is actually impossible and will quite possibly drive you mad. Just write your story. It is your voice, the characters, the unique qualities that come out because you are you that will make the story compelling.

Stew21 · Mar 21, 2007

maestrowork said:
If you name one plot (even from a famous author), I am sure ten people can tell you a similar plot somewhere. The difference is the delivery -- characters, details, variations, settings, dialogue, plot treatments. Once you take care of these and make them your own, it would be very rare that your story will be the same as someone else's.

When I explained the plot of my current WIP to Ray, he said, "did you read my book?" I hadn't. He said, "the plot line is so similar." And it is. Thing is, it is handled quite differently. Our characters are different. The "journeys" they go on are very different. same plot, completely different story.
Don't worry about your plot being unique. Just write your story the best you can.

maestrowork · Mar 21, 2007

onetiredmama said:
Allie B, that's what I'm talking about -- how did you know that 24 hour device in a romance novel was unique to you? Or did you not know until you saw it was generating so much interest? Let's say I didn't know you wrote that book, and I pitched a romance that unfolded over 24 hours (obviously different characters voice etc,) wouldn't agents/publishers say, hey that 24 hour thing has already been done? Thanks, Lisa

There's always a chance that the agent will say "I've seen this pitch before." But you know what, there are many other agents and publishers. They can't read all the books on the market either.

Besides, something like 24 is now being done to death... once something catches on, it becomes a cliche. So your job is:

- read as much as you can
- research the market, especially within your genre
- come up with something that is really unique for YOU, that you've never seen before
- and just hope that the agents/publishers haven't seen it before either

And write.

There's no GUARANTEES in life. You either do it, or you succumb to your insecurity and fear and doubt and you don't do it.

My first novel is hardly unique -- it's an adult coming-of-age story with a bit of romance thrown into. You can probably say you've seen that plot a thousand times. But I made it unique. I made it mine, with unique characters and settings. I got it published.

ETA: cross posted with Trish. I agree. Our plot might sound very similar (personal journeys, coming of age, etc.) but I am SURE, absolutely SURE, that her story is different than mine.

maestrowork · Mar 21, 2007

I mean, take the Cinderella plot and you can name a thousand stories that follow that plot, but each story is still unique and "fresh." And you'll be sure that there will be more of these "rags to riches" Cinderella stories coming your way.

Azure Skye · Mar 21, 2007

My former co-worker, a librarian, told me about something you can search on your library's website. It's called NoveList.

Or you can go: HERE

Click on the "Search our Database" tab and choose "Describe a plot." If yours has been done before, it should come up with something.

maddythemad · Mar 21, 2007

Practically every plot has been done in some form or another. The important thing is not to steal specifics (boy wizards have been done, for example), and to bring something fresh and new* to the writing. Like everyone else has said, read really widely in your genre. While writing my YA chick-littish novel, I was reading three or more chick-lit books a week. I did occaisonally run into a part in a book that seemed similar to mine, and I would usually panic, but then realize that "bitchy girl with a sidekick" has not been trademarked, and has been used in other novels as well as mine. Good luck!

* the most cliched and overused phrase to ever describe "unique"

TsukiRyoko · Mar 21, 2007

I thought of one that hasn't been thought of yet!

A tribe of cannibals living under the ocean who inject a mixture fish oil and pure caffeine into their veins like heroin addicts take on the voice actors of Celebrity Death Match in an attempt to rule the world.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, thank you.

Azure Skye · Mar 21, 2007

TsukiRyoko said:
I thought of one that hasn't been thought of yet!

A tribe of cannibals living under the ocean who inject a mixture fish oil and pure caffeine into their veins like heroin addicts take on the voice actors of Celebrity Death Match in an attempt to rule the world.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, thank you.

"Simpsons did it."

That won't make any sense unless you've seen the South Park episode.

engmajor2005 · Mar 21, 2007

TsukiRyoko said:
I thought of one that hasn't been thought of yet!

A tribe of cannibals living under the ocean who inject a mixture fish oil and pure caffeine into their veins like heroin addicts take on the voice actors of Celebrity Death Match in an attempt to rule the world.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, thank you.

Um, I wrote that one last week. It's on submission now.

Actually, no. But I would have loved to.

TsukiRyoko · Mar 21, 2007

Azura Skye said:
"Simpsons did it."

That won't make any sense unless you've seen the South Park episode.

Hehehe yup I saw it. Mayonnaise filled chocolate cherries.

How do you make sure your plot hasn't already been done?

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