Writers are often inspired by the work of other writers. That’s natural. There’s a certain synergy created by reading. Ideas spark ideas.
But sometimes that inspiration can go too far. What started out seeming like a gift from the muses can turn out to be an outright copy of another author’s story or even worse, lifting the exact same phrasing as another author to describe the exact same thing. In other words, plagiarism. Here’s the weird thing about it, though. Authors can telegraph characters, sentences or even whole plots from other writers without ever realizing that they’re doing it. It sounds weird, right? But it’s one of those “strange but true” things about writing.
Personally, I think it has to do with the way we acquire language. Who hasn’t heard somebody make a particularly pithy remark and then filed it away for future use? Part of being a good writer at all is being able to create different voices for different characters and that requires a certain amount of automatic and mostly unconscious memorization of other people’s words. During my many years working in a restaurant, I’ve acquired a lot of great phrases that did not originate within me. Here are a few examples:
From a snowboarder: “Turns out, gravity doesn’t work like that.”
From a mechanic: “Let’s get this bad boy up and running.”
And my oft-recycled, perennial favorite, lifted from a pre-med student: “When I say that you’re drunk it’s not an accusation, so much as a statement of fact.”
The way we learn to speak is by hearing others speak. The way we learn to tell a story is, in part, by ingesting the stories of others. Some similarity with existing stories is then, inevitable. It only gets to be a problem when we remember some other story a little too well and too accurately without being aware of the source and then make the mistake of thinking that we made it up ourselves. Careers and reputations are quite easily ruined in this way.
So here I offer a few tips for avoiding the dreaded specter of accidental plagiarism.
- 1. Be suspicious of any story that blooms, suddenly full-formed in your mind, with no critical thought at all. This is a sign that you’ve read or seen it before and should regard it as off-limits without substantial alteration. The one kind of story that can still be used in this circumstance is a story that is so old and well-known that it has become common cultural property, such as mythological or biblical tales.
- 2. Careful scrutinize any story idea that can be described as “X but with gay characters.” What I mean here are ideas like, “Starsky & Hutch, but with gay characters.” Broader ideas such as, “70’s buddy cop story, but with gay characters” are still usable so long as you avoid having them ride around in a gran torino or get information from anyone even remotely resembling Huggy Bear. Also take care to avoid ideas that can described as “my version of” such as “my version of Gone With the Wind” or “my version of Moby Dick.” Rather try and personalize your concept so it becomes “my civil war story” or “my seafaring story.”
- 3. Unless you use quotes and attributions, be especially careful that you do not directly reproduce explanations or descriptions that you find during research. In other words, make sure that you do not take anything word-for-word from a non-fiction source. Travel guides, nature guides, science journals, histories and biographies are very often accidentally plagiarized. This is because the writing in them is very transparent, straightforward and expository and so doesn’t exactly seem to have had a writer. Always remember that all books have writers—even nonfiction ones. So any information gained through them needs to be rewritten in your own words.
Got any thoughts? Questions? Want to know if it’s plagiarism for somebody in your writer’s group to steal your premise? Go ahead, ask me!
I know I may have said it before, but even as somebody who is not writer and inspires to be a better critical reader an reviewer, but I find your posts to be very interesting and useful. What you said makes sense – I spend quite a few years online debating Harry Porter with intelligent, well read adults. After a while I found out that I adopted several expressions from their writing . I am not surprise that creative person may accidentally adopt the whole story.
Thank you very much Sirius!
I’d like to say I want to make people laugh and make people think, but I’d come too close to swiping the slogan of This American Life.
What I mean here are ideas like, “Starsky & Hutch, but with gay characters
Wait. You seem to be saying Starsky and Hutch WEREN’T gay?!
Heh.
Seriously, an excellent post — although I believe you stole the idea from me.
Hey thanks!
And you are so totally wrong. I stole the idea from Cleon.
So, can I sue for copyright? :hysterics:
Just kidding. I’m glad you blog about this. 🙂
Thanks for this post, Nicole. Just a little over a week ago, I freaked out because my story is apparently similar to A Game of Thrones, where the land is cursed to unnatural winter, with sorcery thrown into the mix. I’ve never read Game of Thrones before (though I’m intrigued), but I was worried some people might think I “borrow” my plot from the series. Uh oh. 😐
Cleon: “…where the land is cursed to unnatural winter, with sorcery thrown into the mix.”
NK: Lands being cursed with unnatural winter is a common trope in fantasy and myth, so I wouldn’t worry too much about using it.
My sincere advice to you is to UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES read or watch Game of Thrones until you finish writing your story. If you do you’ll lose your plausible deniability.
I won’t. I will avoid Game of Thrones (and apparently, Narnia) like a plague.
Cleon
If you avoid Game of Thrones you will miss out on a terrific show. 🙂
Awww.. 🙁 Well, for the sake of finishing my story, I think I’m going to stick on non-fantasy series like Glee & Downton Abbey for now. 😀
In some ways a certain amount of “lifting” is inevitable. Writing communities are always relatively small, and there’s always discussion and talk, and ideas generate, inspiration comes from…everything, as you say. In fact, I was reading an interesting article on the topic of Fair Use in PW the other night, citing the role of other people’s work in our own creative efforts — pirating, plagiarism or just more creativity and inspiration?
Another thought — there are only so many possible plots in a romance. There are inevitable limitations — for example, the main characters have either known each other before or they haven’t. There are only two options there, though the variations are endless.
It is the variations which make our work unique and our own.
Certain real life topics and themes will get a lot of airplay and a lot of writers will suddenly pop out with stories about…killing terrorists or scandalous politicians.
Also we learn to write by emulating other writers. Ideally we get past this stage, but when we are trying to figure out how to get published we initially analyze and emulate the writers we admire or who are very successful. We often end up absorbing and eventually making our own certain literary tics.
And then there’s just that weird synchronicity you were talking about. The strangest example I’ve experienced was for the Scared Stiff anthology. Laura Baumbach and I both wrote very similar stories as far as plot and theme — down to each story having a character named Mason. Yet we had never — not once — discussed our stories with each other.
JL: The strangest example I’ve experienced was for the Scared Stiff anthology. Laura Baumbach and I both wrote very similar stories as far as plot and theme — down to each story having a character named Mason. Yet we had never — not once — discussed our stories with each other.
NK: The same thing happened with Amara, Hale and I were writing the Hell Cop anthology. We turned in the first drafts and there were all these weird similarities that we had not discussed.
Come to think of it, there were a lot of strangely synchronous details in Irregulars as well.
JL: Another thought — there are only so many possible plots in a romance. There are inevitable limitations — for example, the main characters have either known each other before or they haven’t. There are only two options there, though the variations are endless.
NK: Yeah, sort of like a chase scene in film. There are only two things that can happen either the pursuer catches their prey or the prey gets away. An entertaining chase scene can actually make us forget that this can only end two ways. A dull one just has us wondering if we can get to the concession stand and back before the chase scene ends. (I find chase scenes supremely boring, can you tell?)
And yes, you’re right, romances are really quite hard to make completely unique since they have even less large-scale variation than chase scenes in that they all have the exact same story: the characters fall in love.
Two other factors that encourage similarity in stories are mass media and reality. Television screenwriting style is so pervasive that it has become THE method to tell a story even to the extent that in many manuscripts it’s easy to spot where the writer has put in “commercial breaks.”
If the writer then uses any sort of trope from an existing television show, they’re sunk. Doomed to be called an uncreative hack. However, if the writer actually manages to come up with something original and write it in this TV influenced way, they will be very successful, I think.
I suggest that reality influences a certain conformity of story because some events only resolve in a couple of ways. What I mean is, if you go to rehab and get clean, you then either stay clean or don’t. And if you don’t, chances are you’ll struggle with addiction more, go to rehab again, etc.
Add this to the fact that more people ingest more stories more often than at any other point in history and it’s easy to see how stories can get very, very similar.
Excellent post, Nicole, and very timely. Aspiring writers need to know this. It’s not getting taught anymore in schools, apparently.
Something else that applies mostly to nonfiction. Some new writers who have never been taught the correct way to cite and research may think that they can incorporate whole paragraphs and concepts from other published authors into their own work so long as they credit the first author.
No. That much “borrowing” is using the first author’s work for one’s own gain, and could impact the first author’s sale. Fair Use means a couple of sentences at most (credited to the original source) as in what might get used in a review or to support a thesis or dissertation.
Hi Val,
Thank you for your points on Fair Use. I would suggest trying to avoid directly quoting anybody inside the body of a fictional story, though, and not just because of concerns about plagiarism. Every author incorporates information into their prose in a different way and if you don’t rewrite the information the finished prose will seem uneven and pieced together–because it is, right?
Song lyrics, lines of poetry, very technical text from things like government forms or legal contracts, might have a place inside the story simply because they are so jarringly different from the author’s style that they create a nice frisson through juxtaposition. But yes, being careful about making sure to attribute them is absolutely key.
I always wonder when Hollywood comes up with two movies with very similar plots in the same year. Yeah okay, ones about terrorists trying to blow up stuff, is no surprise, but two films about magicians?
I bet any author had a “Gah, I could write this better!” moment in their lives when reading a story that doesn’t quite meets their expectation, yet has something exciting about it–a missed opportunity. The question is what you do about it, and how.
Lou: I bet any author had a “Gah, I could write this better!” moment in their lives when reading a story that doesn’t quite meets their expectation, yet has something exciting about it–a missed opportunity. The question is what you do about it, and how.
NK: Hi Lou!
I plainly admit to having conceived of, and even written stories based on this very feeling of disappointment. But I suggest that one must tread very carefully in this instance. The finished product can’t just be the original product with a single variation or it will be obviously identifiable as derivative to any informed reader.
I had one of those “fully bloomed story ideas” a couple days ago. Then I realized it was aged Han/Luke fanfic, with lesbians. It even borrowed Brian Daily’s concept of The Old Spacers’ Home.
“The only thing worse than a dumb, burned-out space-head, like me, is an old, dumb, burned-out space-head. Like me.”
I will only do so much self-plagarism.
Hi Angelia,
Yeah, it is disappointing to have this great idea then realize that you’re just remembering something, rather than having a brilliant flash of invention. The important part, though, is recognizing it, so good work!
In regards to point #2. In film/TV, writers often frame their pitches in relationship to popular media. It’s a form of shorthand to get a point across in as few words as possible. The new TV show Grimm at NBC was pitched as “The X-Files with fairytales” and it’s a hit (at least by NBC standards).
What I am trying to say is developing material inspired by classic media isn’t necessarily bad just as long as the final work doesn’t come off as a fuzzy carbon copy of the original.
Diane NYC: In film/TV, writers often frame their pitches in relationship to popular media. It’s a form of shorthand to get a point across in as few words as possible. The new TV show Grimm at NBC was pitched as “The X-Files with fairytales” and it’s a hit (at least by NBC standards).
NK: Glad to see you, Diane!
Sure, I totally get where you’re coming from on this. I haven’t watched Grimm, though so I don’t know if the pitch is actually accurate or just a kind of tantalizing idea that got the creators the money to make their show. I’d be curious to find out if it actually uses the exact same set up as the X-files. For example, are the main characters FBI agents? Is one of them a skeptic and the other a believer? Is there a character who is equivalent to the Smoking Man? If so, does that character actually smoke?
Diane NYC: What I am trying to say is developing material inspired by classic media isn’t necessarily bad just as long as the final work doesn’t come off as a fuzzy carbon copy of the original.
NK: Well, certainly. We are all influenced by stories we’ve experienced before. And if one develops an idea enough it should rightfully break away from its source material on its own.
I feel compelled to say, though, that as an editor having somebody pitch me a story Player-style (“this story is X meets X”) is an automatic turn-off. It happens a lot and I always think, “Nothing new to see here.”
But I’m probably in the minority feeling that way, cause it pretty much seems to work for everyone else. 🙂
I’d like to ask: “if it’s plagiarism for somebody in your writer’s group to steal your premise?” Please! 😀
Yes! But that’s one of the hardest charges to prove because chances are everybody involved is unpublished and without a track record.
And, speaking as someone who has run a number of writer’s groups, so often the person claiming plagiarism is yelling about an idea that has, in fact, already been done elsewhere by someone relatively well-known.
There truly are NO new ideas at this point. Originality is all in execution.
Thanks Josh! I suspect that part of the issue is how detailed and specific the “idea” is, and whether in fact it is the execution part which is beng copied rather than the pure “idea”.
Hi there, HJ!
I’m so happy somebody finally asked!
Like Josh said, yes it is, but in the context of a writer’s group the question often becomes, “Does that matter?”
Because it might not. In fact I would argue that it doesn’t.
First of all, the chances of Idea Girl and the swiper executing the same idea in the exact same way are slim. So even if Idea Girl and ‘lil Swipey write the same premise the stories will most likely end up being completely different.
Second, an idea is an idea is an idea.
It’s not a story until somebody writes it and there is no guarantee that Idea Girl will do that during the “batting ideas around” stage. There’s also no guarantee that she is the best author to execute that particular idea–especially not if ‘lil Swipey is purely inflamed by an idea that Idea Girl thought was just “okay.”
But say that Idea Girl DOES feel passionately about her idea. Say she feels terribly aggrieved. She’s got some options:
1. She can write the story anyway, find a third, game author willing to attack the premise just for fun and sell the story as a themed anthology featuring Idea Girl, ‘lil Swipey, and I’m Game For Anything.
2. Idea Girl can make ‘lil Swipey pay her back somehow. She can say, “Okay you can have that, but you’ve got to help me with my Facebook promotion this month, okays?”
3. She can be flattered and generous. She can say, “Wow, I’m so happy that you like the idea so much. Run with it, baby! Make sure to show me how it turns out!”
But the one crucial thing Idea Girl must remember is this: if ‘lil Swipey asks her if he can steal her idea and she says yes, she then relinquishes all right to be mad about it. There can be no resentment, grudge-holding, accusation or aggressive pouting. Idea Girl must keep calm and carry on.
Idea Girl must remember that the point of being in a writer’s group is to exchange ideas. Giving some ideas to other writers is, in a way, the cost of participation.
That’s what I think, anyway.
Thanks, Nicole. Yes, there are a number of anthologies in which a number of writers have written stories about a short premise (which could be said to be “an idea”) that end up very differently.
Fascinating post, Nicole. One of those weird coincidences happened to a writer friend recently. She’d just finished the first draft of a novella when she read the blurb of a recently published novel, which turned out to have some striking similarities in the plot and the main characters. She’d never spoken to the other author or read the other book, but it was enough to spook her that she might be accused of plagiarism.
Eventually she removed one detail from the MC’s past that was relatively unimportant in her book but critical in the other one. I reckon she must have had the right strategy as I don’t think anyone has ever noticed a similarity the two books in a review 🙂
Hi Josephine!
I’m just curious–did anybody but your author friend notice the similarity between the stories? Cause another weird thing that can happen is that an author sees similarities that are not actually there.
This usually happens with authors who are accusing others of plagiarism, rather than with authors who fear being accused. But since author’s perspectives about their own work are so subjective it can go both ways.
A bad but funny example of having no perspective about oneself or things directly related to oneself is this: one time my wife entered a Humphrey Bogart lookalike contest, thinking that she would certainly win the cash prize. (Note: My wife looks like a middle-aged pixie, like everybody else whose ancestors once slept a couple of nights in Ireland.)
The contest was a bust. She came in second to last of 100 or so contestants. The only person she beat was a 10 year old girl.
Like I said, it’s a bad example, writing-wise but relevant in that it demonstrates that people really can’t turn around and see themselves or their works objectively sometimes.
I don’t think anyone else noticed, Nicole. It was purely her paranoia. I’ve never read the other book but I’ll concede the blurbs had some similar elements, but from what I’ve read in reviews it was a very different book in terms of tone and theme.
That said, the point she changed was actually a bit of a cliche – the kind of thing you’d assume a guy like that might have done in his past. I actually think the story became more original as a result, so it’s no bad thing 🙂
JM: That said, the point she changed was actually a bit of a cliche – the kind of thing you’d assume a guy like that might have done in his past. I actually think the story became more original as a result, so it’s no bad thing
NK: Yeah, that definitely does sound like it worked out for the better. Sometimes authors need an obstruction or two to kick the little gray cells up a notch.
(As a side note, I’m having a great time in this post trying to slide in as many catch phrases from other authors as I can. I think that last one was the best though, Hercule Poirot meets Emeril. Ha!)
An etiquette question for authors.
I was reading an article on steampunk and there was a conversation (I totally forget the details of who was talking to whom) where one well-known author is razzing another and he says, “You’d probably write a story about…X.”
The other author says (paraphrasing here), “Brilliant! Can I have that idea?”
The first author waves him away grandly.
BUT here’s the deal. If you “give away” the idea, can you then do your own take on it?
JL: BUT here’s the deal. If you “give away” the idea, can you then do your own take on it?
NK: Sure, why not?
(It would be funny to race the person you gave the idea away to. You know, first one to the publisher WINS!)
But probably each person’s take on said idea would be so different that both would be viable products.
And if both stories came out at the same time it might be a cool way to market them both simultaneously. You know, set up a goodreads discussion about how these two stories came into existence and why they share a crucial element.
Both writers would have to be very secure for that promo to work, but if it DID work it would certainly be interesting for readers.
So many different aspects discussed, I just wanted to share my experience with this type of thing, but not in the writing world. My mother does stained glass. I’ve always asked if she could sell her work but she said she can’t sell for profit anything she does from a pattern she buys. However, if she takes a pattern and changes it by 10%, the patten becomes hers. She showed me how much a 10% change would be and it was so little I was shocked. I though how could they allow copy written material be used in this manner.
My mother, being the fountain of wisdom that she is, stated that there are only so many ways you can make a rose out of glass and still have it look like a rose. You can change the shape a little bit, the materials, the color, the leaves, and the shapes around it but that’s it. If they made the changes more than 10% one could theoretically have a copyright on roses which makes no sense.
I have to think writing is very similar. There are only so many ways boy can meet boy in a contemporary setting. So it might be easy to pick up “plagiarism” in some instances when the reality is that it’s just a common idea anyone can and has used. And readers are always looking and asking for books and stories that are like their favorite author so some similarity in writing among authors seems to be wanted.
But I can see how hard it would be for an author to spend hours coming up with a fabulous idea, flesh it out, outline it, and find out someone else also had that great idea.
Issa: My mother, being the fountain of wisdom that she is, stated that there are only so many ways you can make a rose out of glass and still have it look like a rose.
NK: Hi Issa! Thank you for stopping by.
Your mom really is a fountain of wisdom, for sure. What a great example!
Issa: And readers are always looking and asking for books and stories that are like their favorite author so some similarity in writing among authors seems to be wanted.
NK: Also very insightful and very true.