Words of Wisdom, please...

moneyonthepage · Jan 23, 2007

A few years ago I started a book I thought would be awesome. It was a Mystery or sorts. Then a movie came out that had the same theme...what do I do??? Do I finish it and through it away????

Thanks for your input. I have been struggling with this. A friend keeps urging me to work on it, but it lost its luster once someone killed it for me.

greglondon · Jan 23, 2007

There are maybe two dozen story plots that will cover most of the fiction you read or watch. It's the characters that make the story yours.

Stew21 · Jan 23, 2007

*ahem* "friend" speaking up...Write it! If nothing else it is damn good practice.

moneyonthepage · Jan 23, 2007

Stew21 said:
*ahem* "friend" speaking up...Write it! If nothing else it is damn good practice.

OK "friend"...geesss Track me down.... LMAO :roll:

moneyonthepage · Jan 23, 2007

greglondon said:
There are maybe two dozen story plots that will cover most of the fiction you read or watch. It's the characters that make the story yours.

That is what concerns me most I guess, making sure my characters can make the difference.... I know, I know, I won't know until I write it....

Stew21 · Jan 23, 2007

nifty little "new posts" feature....sorry, I'll go back to OP.

Shadow_Ferret · Jan 23, 2007

Finish it. If a movie came out with the same theme it means it's at least marketable.

I think I'd be more worried if I was writing a theme that no one had ever done before. Might mean it isn't marketable at all.

Anyway, I know how you feel. I thought the premise for my WIP was very original and now, everyday, I'm finding more and new authors who already do the same thing.

moneyonthepage · Jan 23, 2007

That has been my show stopper for not writing, anything really, it has been done. There are tons of things on the shelves now that I thought about but didn't take it very far. When I was 12 I wanted to write a mystery book with horses. Sure I started it, but never finished it because I thought it was a corny idea. Now there is a series called the Saddle Club. ...I could have been a contender....

uina · Jan 23, 2007

i don't know enough about the writing world yet, but if i were you, i'd finish it.

moneyonthepage · Jan 23, 2007

OK, I am going pull it out again. I really liked it so I guess there is no sense in stuffing it in some old filing cabinet in my brain. At least I can say I did something...

Del · Jan 23, 2007

You can always do a better job then they did.

moneyonthepage · Jan 23, 2007

Thank you, Delarege, I think I will accept that challenge!!

Maryn · Jan 23, 2007

Remember, too, that there could be years between today and the time your novel sits waiting to be bought at Barnes & Noble. The fact that it's similar to some movie may not affect it at all. In fact, it may well lure readers who enjoyed the movie if they can tell you explore a similar theme or plot or whatever it is that makes them resemble each other.

Maryn, who shelved a half-finished ghost novel for the same reason, except it was a TV show

JDCrayne · Jan 23, 2007

Oh yes, definitely finish it! As you are working on it, ideas will come to you that will make it specifically yours. Don't work about duplicate themes. Themes are even cheaper than plots.

moneyonthepage · Jan 24, 2007

Thank you

Thank you all very much for the support. I look forward to working on it now. Thanks Maryn for sharing your story.

It helps to know I am not alone. :snoopy:

Good Word · Jan 24, 2007

Is it young adult? How far have you gotten on it so far?

Del · Jan 24, 2007

Another point is publishers look for similar works. If something was popular they want something else like it. Am I right?

Original is risky.

moneyonthepage · Jan 24, 2007

Good Word said:
Is it young adult? How far have you gotten on it so far?

I have a horse mystery that is young adult. The one that I found is going to be more adult than young adult. Although I could switch it up and change it so the kids play the main roll instead of the mom. Or play it from the two perspectives...hmm going to have work on that. I had two chapters written. That was before I learned that books are counted by words, not pages or chapters....I haven't counted the words yet.

moneyonthepage · Jan 24, 2007

Delarege said:
Another point is publishers look for similar works. If something was popular they want something else like it. Am I right?

Original is risky.

A certain boy with glasses come to mind...

Good Word · Jan 24, 2007

I just bought a bunch of slim YA novels (in a series) related to horses for my niece. She devours them.

Go to the book store and you'll see that there's a market.

If you work in Microsoft Word, it gives you the word count.

Good luck!

moneyonthepage · Jan 24, 2007

Thank you for the affirmation. I started writing the YA book because I started reading the Linda Craig series. Sad thing is there was only one book, or that was the only one I ever got. It started me writing what I had and now I want to finish it.

Kate Thornton · Jan 24, 2007

If I can be of any help in urging you to finish your book, please let me give you some advice: finish it! It will be different from everyone else's idea and you can - with only a few chapters written - make major changes if you need to. Go for it!

moneyonthepage · Jan 24, 2007

Kate Thornton said:
If I can be of any help in urging you to finish your book, please let me give you some advice: finish it! It will be different from everyone else's idea and you can - with only a few chapters written - make major changes if you need to. Go for it!

Wow!! I read your website and came across the reference to woman's world, Key Witness. I remember reading that one!!!!! OMG!! ::sorry a little star struck right now..... ::embarassed smiley here::

Words of Wisdom, please...

moneyonthepage

greglondon

Planet Wookie techno geek

Stew21

moneyonthepage

moneyonthepage

Stew21

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester

moneyonthepage

uina

moneyonthepage

Del

Sky isn't falling, ground is rising

moneyonthepage

Maryn

Baaa!

JDCrayne

Indonesian Yak Keeper

moneyonthepage

Good Word

still crazy after all these years

Del

Sky isn't falling, ground is rising

moneyonthepage

moneyonthepage

Good Word

still crazy after all these years

moneyonthepage

Kate Thornton

Still Happy to be Here. Or Anywhere

moneyonthepage