Unconscious Plagiarism

[threecee]

Sometimes I get what seems like a good idea for a story, but as I start fleshing it out, it starts to seem very familiar. I will start to feel pretty sure that I have read a similar story at some point even if I can't find it. (I have a pretty good memory for things I've read, so I could easily have read it a couple years ago.)

I don't want to accidentally take over someone else's story, but there are a limited number of possible plots unless you go to AU. For example: Napoleon and Illya are hiding from THRUSH in a deserted cabin and one of them is hurt.

Does this happen to other people? How much do you worry about using a similar situation as long as you put your own spin on it?

Comments

aka mrua7

[mlaw]

Hi there! I was just talking about this very subject with someone the other day. I made a point many years ago of not reading as much fanfic for that very reason...you think you have this great idea and start to flesh it out, only to realize it wasn't your idea, but someone else's that you read somewhere.

AU is definitely a good route to go to help avoid that from happening, that and not indulging in reading too much fanfic. St. Crispins said to me many years ago while in a discussion ..."how many times can they save the world." There are only so many scenarios out there before you start repeating what others have already written. The secret is as you said, putting your own spin on it.

Your example describes several stories I've written already, and sometimes they're scenarios you just can't avoid. All we can do is the best we're able to avoid that unconscious plagiarism. My solution as I said is to limit my reading in the genre.

Re: aka mrua7

[threecee]

The problem with not reading as much fanfic is that reading other's fanfic and having yours read is most of the fun. : [

Staying close to canon makes using the same scenarios necessary, but sometimes the character exploration and backstories overlap too. There are some writers who do AU really well, but I don't think I am one of them.

I guess that trying to put my own spin on things is the best I can do. (I am NOT going to stop reading your stories.)

Re: aka mrua7

[mlaw]

Oh yeah, reading is definitely fun, but as for myself I had to curb it to prevent if from affecting my writing. That's why I went into more AU, fantasy and some spooky stuff as they're realms that haven't been touched on that much by others.

I find sticking strictly to canon very constricting as it only give you tight parameters within which you can operate. The scenarios can become a bit too repetitive, at least that's how I felt.

As long as a story contains elements of canon, you can still venture into AU...it just depends on what kind of AU you want to develop and explore. I've read a few AU stories that are so way out there that they don't even vaguely resemble MFU. It's as if the writer just inserted the names of Napoleon and Illya into a bizarre story that doesn't even remotely resemble MFU. I find that a real turn off, however that being said, it's that person's view and to each their own.

Venturing into AU means you just come up with a slightly different take on the character interactions and even the setting. The outer space adventure I did based on MFU and a number of Sci-Fi movies/shows worked because I kept the characters true to their usual portrayals, and referenced canon in multiple ways. Enough so that it could still have those elements recognized as MFU. Does that make sense?

Re: aka mrua7

[threecee]

Yes, you make sense.

Like you said, AU is good as long as the characters are still Napoleon and Illya and not random characters with those names stuck on. You do AU well because you have the characters and their interaction staying with canon (or at least fanon).

I'm still trying to "get" the characters, so I feel I need to stay close to the show for now.

Re: aka mrua7

[mlaw]

Some people are more comfortable with sticking with canon, and that's fine.Everyone has their own niche that they enjoy. Nothing wrong with that at all.

Most importantly is to love your character, and have fun writing about them.

And thank you for the compliment on my AU. :D

[glenmered]

That's a very good question, worthy of a larger discussion. Would you consider posting it on the LJ site? I can't import entries from here to LJ, but this would be great to have over there.

[threecee]

I tried to get it to cross post, but couldn't figure out how to do it. I could barely figure out how to get it to post here instead of on my account.

I'll try posting directly to Section7 on LJ.

P.S. You are also Glennagirl on LJ, right? I thought you were Girlintheglen here.

[glenmered]

You can't cross post to LJ anymore, at least I haven't been able to. And as for my aliases, I'm girlintheglen on AO3 and ff.net, glenmered here and glennagirl on LJ. I don't know why I did the name different here... just silliness on my part.

[threecee]

Multiple personalities?

[mirlacca]

I think you'd have to go a lot farther than "similar situations" to make it plagiarism. Are you using someone else's text? Absolutely,plagiarism. Are you tracking every incident of someone else's story but just changing names and coat colors? Again, plagiarism.

But how many variations are there on "boy meets girl" (or boy)? on HEA? on hurt-comfort? The point there, I think, is that those are VARIATIONS. When you're dealing with two main characters working for a secret organization (which is somehow not really that secret), against an opponent called THRUSH, and they get beat up a lot.... you're gonna have similarities in your stories. But that isn't plagiarism.

[threecee]

True there are only so many situations the characters can be in, but I worry about the details overlapping too much. I have a very good memory for what I read and sometimes the line between memory and imagination gets blurred.

I'm going to take this discussion to Section7 on LJ as Mlaw/mrua7 asked, if you are over there too.

[mirlacca]

I'm sorry to hear you're moving the discussion, as I've missed the UNCLE stuff since abandoning LJ. I wasn't prepared to give up ownership of my posts, or provide content to a Russian company. But oh well.

I know what you mean by having a good memory for text, though. It makes re

[mirlacca]

Vising a story a major pain!

[threecee]

I moved to DW for the same reasons, but it seems very few people actually moved over, or don't use their accounts if they did.

I have just subscribed to your journal and granted you access to mine (if I did it correctly.) I hope you don't mind.Your profile looks like we have a lot in common: BA in cultural anthropology, MS in information science, owned by cats...

[mirlacca]

Don't mind at all--howdy! Make yourself t'home.

I'm sorry that more people didn't make the move from LJ--particularly the people who do fannish stuff. I got a Pillowfort account as well, but I don't use it. (Personally, I'd just as soon go back to GEnie, but it's getting to the point now that nobody's even heard of GEnie unless they're a Cranky Old Biddy like me.)