Comments on: How to Steal a Plot for Your Book (and get away with it) http://writeitsideways.com/how-to-steal-a-plot-for-your-book-and-get-away-with-it/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-steal-a-plot-for-your-book-and-get-away-with-it Writing advice from a fresh perspective Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:20:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Marcus Hades http://writeitsideways.com/how-to-steal-a-plot-for-your-book-and-get-away-with-it/comment-page-1/#comment-119780 Marcus Hades Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:20:00 +0000 http://writeitsideways.com/?p=2326#comment-119780 Thanks for your response Suzanna. I appreciate your points about being published. Thanks for your response Suzanna. I appreciate your points about being published.

]]> By: Anonymous http://writeitsideways.com/how-to-steal-a-plot-for-your-book-and-get-away-with-it/comment-page-1/#comment-119677 Anonymous Sat, 29 May 2010 18:28:00 +0000 http://writeitsideways.com/?p=2326#comment-119677 As I glance to my left I see "20 Master Plots (and how to build them)" on a book spine; so the actual number remains in some dispute. Whether one, seven, twenty or a thousand, the goal is to take one and, within its framework, write well. With so few launching points, we are bound to write something that can reasonably be compared to what someone else has written. It is reassuring to know that each of these plot formats have repeatedly found markets. Avoid intentional plagiarism and enjoy being compared to an earlier, highly respected, work. Then write some more. As I glance to my left I see “20 Master Plots (and how to build them)” on a book spine; so the actual number remains in some dispute. Whether one, seven, twenty or a thousand, the goal is to take one and, within its framework, write well. With so few launching points, we are bound to write something that can reasonably be compared to what someone else has written. It is reassuring to know that each of these plot formats have repeatedly found markets.

Avoid intentional plagiarism and enjoy being compared to an earlier, highly respected, work.

Then write some more.

]]> By: Suzannah http://writeitsideways.com/how-to-steal-a-plot-for-your-book-and-get-away-with-it/comment-page-1/#comment-119633 Suzannah Tue, 18 May 2010 07:57:00 +0000 http://writeitsideways.com/?p=2326#comment-119633 Great examples, thanks Kyle! I've heard of Wicked, but not Airman. Great examples, thanks Kyle! I’ve heard of Wicked, but not Airman.

]]> By: Kyle http://writeitsideways.com/how-to-steal-a-plot-for-your-book-and-get-away-with-it/comment-page-1/#comment-119630 Kyle Tue, 18 May 2010 03:35:00 +0000 http://writeitsideways.com/?p=2326#comment-119630 The book that instantly jumped to my mind is Wicked by Gregory Maguire. This book is an extension of The Wizard of Oz, telling the story of the Wicked Witch before and during the original story. Another one I would like to point out is Airman by Eoin Colfer. I have not yet read this, it's sitting on my shelf, but the gist from the back flap is someone being trapped in a prison on an island who creates a flying machine to escape. Sound a little bit like Daedalus and Icarus? The book that instantly jumped to my mind is Wicked by Gregory Maguire. This book is an extension of The Wizard of Oz, telling the story of the Wicked Witch before and during the original story. Another one I would like to point out is Airman by Eoin Colfer. I have not yet read this, it’s sitting on my shelf, but the gist from the back flap is someone being trapped in a prison on an island who creates a flying machine to escape. Sound a little bit like Daedalus and Icarus?

]]> By: Suzannah http://writeitsideways.com/how-to-steal-a-plot-for-your-book-and-get-away-with-it/comment-page-1/#comment-119575 Suzannah Sat, 24 Apr 2010 09:29:00 +0000 http://writeitsideways.com/?p=2326#comment-119575 Marcus, I understand what you're saying, but I disagree with the statement "a writer doesn't need to think what to write, but should merely write what what he/she thinks." I believe in the benefits of story planning. If you want to write for the pure pleasure of it, then go ahead and simply write what you feel. But, if you're looking to get published, I recommend planning your story before jumping in. I also am not saying in this article that it's okay to scam someone else's ideas without making them your own. Intertextuality is a very common technique that's been used through the ages. It's not for everyone, so do what works best for you! Thanks. Marcus, I understand what you’re saying, but I disagree with the statement “a writer doesn’t need to think what to write, but should merely write what what he/she thinks.” I believe in the benefits of story planning. If you want to write for the pure pleasure of it, then go ahead and simply write what you feel. But, if you’re looking to get published, I recommend planning your story before jumping in.

I also am not saying in this article that it’s okay to scam someone else’s ideas without making them your own. Intertextuality is a very common technique that’s been used through the ages.

It’s not for everyone, so do what works best for you! Thanks.

]]> By: Marcus Hades http://writeitsideways.com/how-to-steal-a-plot-for-your-book-and-get-away-with-it/comment-page-1/#comment-119574 Marcus Hades Sat, 24 Apr 2010 09:01:00 +0000 http://writeitsideways.com/?p=2326#comment-119574 In my view, a writer doesnt need to think what to write, but should merely write what he/she thinks. In my view, if a writer needs to find out "ways" to look at other stories as a inspiration for his own writing, it destroys the whole concept of creativity. I am not saying that it is "unethical" or anything cliche like that, but for me the process of creating a story should be yours and yours alone. Yes, you may get a trigger for a story / novel from anywhere and you can then create the storyline as you would like. After you write a novel, it may be compared with something which was written before; but thats ok. Two people who got published may have a same story to tell, but it will still be greatly different. And the story is yours!!! Wouldn't that be a great internal satisfactory achievement? After all, its what the writer wants to write that is supposed to make an effective novel, isn't it? So, I maybe wrong on being so against this, but the idea just doesn't seem alright to me. Apologies if this is being too harsh. :) In my view, a writer doesnt need to think what to write, but should merely write what he/she thinks.
In my view, if a writer needs to find out “ways” to look at other stories as a inspiration for his own writing, it destroys the whole concept of creativity. I am not saying that it is “unethical” or anything cliche like that, but for me the process of creating a story should be yours and yours alone. Yes, you may get a trigger for a story / novel from anywhere and you can then create the storyline as you would like. After you write a novel, it may be compared with something which was written before; but thats ok. Two people who got published may have a same story to tell, but it will still be greatly different. And the story is yours!!! Wouldn’t that be a great internal satisfactory achievement? After all, its what the writer wants to write that is supposed to make an effective novel, isn’t it?

So, I maybe wrong on being so against this, but the idea just doesn’t seem alright to me.

Apologies if this is being too harsh. :)

]]> By: Cynthia Reese http://writeitsideways.com/how-to-steal-a-plot-for-your-book-and-get-away-with-it/comment-page-1/#comment-119463 Cynthia Reese Mon, 05 Apr 2010 22:59:00 +0000 http://writeitsideways.com/?p=2326#comment-119463 A prime example of this is the movie Clueless. Amazing, the absolute point-by-point similarity it has to the book that it is shamelessly copied from -- but it works. A prime example of this is the movie Clueless. Amazing, the absolute point-by-point similarity it has to the book that it is shamelessly copied from — but it works.

]]> By: suzannah http://writeitsideways.com/how-to-steal-a-plot-for-your-book-and-get-away-with-it/comment-page-1/#comment-1277 suzannah Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:46:20 +0000 http://writeitsideways.com/?p=2326#comment-1277 Thanks for the book recommendation, Veronica! I've been looking for a similar resource, but haven't come across one yet. I'll have to look for it :) Thanks for the book recommendation, Veronica! I’ve been looking for a similar resource, but haven’t come across one yet. I’ll have to look for it :)

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