Usually I'm pretty good at separating what I'm reading from what I'm writing. I use the emotional energy rather than steal direct plot points.
Then I read something really good with a similar plot and now I'm all that was so good, I'll never do anything so good, my work will be considered a pale comparison, they'll think I copied.
The logical part of my brain knows that this idea has been kicking around in my head for ages. I did not copy. I would not have even aimed for a similar plot except that it happened in the second book of a trilogy and I had no idea going into the first. My characters are different. My setting while similar is different. My bad guys are different.
I've been messing with my first chapter rather than writing anything new. It is good because I plan to submit it to my writing group soon but I was doing so well with continuing the story. I can't touch my most recent chapters without thinking about this other book.
Then I read something really good with a similar plot and now I'm all that was so good, I'll never do anything so good, my work will be considered a pale comparison, they'll think I copied.
The logical part of my brain knows that this idea has been kicking around in my head for ages. I did not copy. I would not have even aimed for a similar plot except that it happened in the second book of a trilogy and I had no idea going into the first. My characters are different. My setting while similar is different. My bad guys are different.
I've been messing with my first chapter rather than writing anything new. It is good because I plan to submit it to my writing group soon but I was doing so well with continuing the story. I can't touch my most recent chapters without thinking about this other book.