When I finished writing Uncharted Territory, a story about a homeless boy who ran away from the foster care system, I turned on one of my favorite television shows, Pretty Little Liars, only to see Caleb, a homeless boy appear. My boyfriend happened to be sitting in the room on his computer this day and he turned to me and said, "Didn't you just write something like that?" *Insert ten minute long rant here*
Just recently I was trying to come up with a title to another WIP when I came up with a title I really liked so I put it on the list of possible contenders. A week later I was hopping around the blogosphere and found a post from a debut author announcing her book cover and low and behold the title I thought I was so brilliant to come up with was staring back at me. *Attacking possible contender list with a red pen*
My current WIP as most of you already know takes place in the 1920's. I decided to read Vixen by Jillian Larkin just to see how she handled the time era. It is completely different from what I am writing but the further I get into the book I'm starting to notice a few similarities. Not many, but one or two that had me going, "Oh". I guess it's normal considering it takes place during the same time period, but it's giving me reservations. I've seen people get rejected from agents solely based on the fact that their work while great is too similar to something else. As if there wasn't enough to worry about.
So what I've learned is that you may think you're brilliant and you have a great idea, but there are a hundred people if not more out there with the same idea. I'm coming to accept it because regardless I have this idea in my head and if I don't get it on paper the characters are never going to shut up.
Has this happened to you? I'd love to hear some examples?
The tough part is I feel like most stories have all ready been written...and rewritten...and rewritten again. Almost all books have the similar themes, love, loss, struggle, finding yourself, etc. It's the writer's voice and the characters originality that make your story, your story.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read yours!
You're right on all points. Vampires and werewolves have been done over and over and granted there are similarities but they have different twists, a new voice and that's what makes them stand out from the last.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for you to read it :) And I can't wait to read yours either.