rurounihime | (no subject)

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(no subject)

*sigh*

Do you know what I hate?

When I spend weeks writing a fic, getting it just right, all the way down to the near-final draft, hand it off to my beta for the proper critique (note, at this point, I am getting very excited about posting)...

...only to read another fic very soon after that is incredibly similar to the one I've just written?

It's a bad side-effect of fandoms: if everyone knows the characters so well, very similar stories with near-identical themes are BOUND to come out just by happenstance. I HATE that. I mean, I don't think anyone has a monopoly over any fic ideas or whatever; that's not what I hate.

I just hate the timing sometimes, you know? I mean, what about that second story? It should be read on its own merits too.

I KNOW other people have had this problem... *looks around*

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Ah...but given the choice between your talent and another writer's, there really is no comparison. Your writing genius is as rare as it is beautiful.

Now, cough up that story, wench.

What s/he said!

*snuggles*

♥

*SNORT*

Okay, there's that smile I've been missing today. Thank you!

I am sorry to say the story in question is not H/D... but if you like all forms of slash, it should be alright. ^_^

I second that :P

Ooh, I get a secksay Buffy icon with this comment! *loves*

I do feel the need to say that the fic in question is not an H/D fic... *hides, maybe?*

*POKE*

That is evil.

But.

I will read it, because you wrote it. :)

*rubs arm* Don't worry: I promise it's hot. ^_^

Yes. Yes I have. And then I begin thinking about being possibly charged with plagiarism.

It happened in another fandom--two multi-chap stories posted at the same time. Same premise, different writing. There were some angry words tossed back and forth from the FRIENDS of each writer, until one of the writers decided to drop her story. Just like that. Wanted the war the cease so she stopped that story.
The writers themselves were fine with it, just didn't read the other's story so as not to influence their own writing.

It was sad. I was enjoying both of them, was interested in seeing how each writer approached it.

Sucks ASS. The problem is, there is no real way to prove that plagiarism isn't going on. I mean, it's only your word that you didn't read the one story before writing your own, you know? I just hope everyone can look at it rationally.

I really do look at fandom writing partially as practice writing in some circumstances. It IS a good way to see different takes on the same idea. I mean, that's why we have challenges and prompts and things, right? Similar stories are guaranteed to pop up.

It was horrible and made not want to read either of the stories. What would sometimes happen is an entire story, word-for-word, would be posted by another "author". Or, a story would be stolen, the names changed, and posted elsewhere, in another fandom, or in another pairing of the same fandom.

But when you find two stories with the same PREMISE, well, you're right, it's bound to arise in ANY fandom. Sometimes like karmic inspiration--it hits many authors at once and then there are five stories posted at roughly the same time with the same premise! Can't help it sometimes.

The thing is, people who KNOW you, would know you did not plagiarize, or copy the idea from another. And if you did, you'd say so in that you probably wanted to try your own hand at it.

Your friends WILL back you up if the shit starts flying. :)

See, now that stealing of the story and posting in another fandom or what have you is definitely plagiarism. There is a fine line that I know when I see it, you know? But it's hard to define.

You are very sweet to comfort me... I think there is no way writers cannot take ideas from each other. It's just almost impossible not to borrow SOMEthing, you know? But taking a whole story... that's wrong. I think all of us have crossed the line a little bit. But I don't know of anyone who has stolen something so blatantly.

It boggles my mind how some people can do that kind of outright plagiarism/theft. They're GOING to get caught!

There are only so many stories in the world, really. Lately I feel like everything from movies to books is just being recycled. Nothing's new these days. Sad.

It really is a struggle to find new meat in the world of writing and storytelling of all sorts. Isn't there some sort of ancient greek epithet that says there are only four kinds of story in the world? I heard that once a long time ago...

Well, something about three, actually, from what I remember.

man vs. man
man vs. nature
man vs. himself

I like the man vs. himself these days.

But somebody had found a site that listed something like SEVEN different ones. If I remember correctly it was basically an elaboration on the main three.

I will definitely need to dig up the one I was told... I think my list was more about genre and style: tragedy, comedy, farce, etc...

Well, I'm sure they are never so similar that you wouldn't read them both. Also, since the fandom is so big, your stories will probably reach a lot of people first.

Alas, if the story in question were for the HP fandom, maybe. But it's for a new fandom I am working within, so we'll see what happens. Thank you for the good wishes!

i'd have to agree... i read sci-fi fantasy all the time. with rare exceptions, it's all already been done... but there's nuances with every writer -- just like there's nuances with every songwriter/singer -- that makes it worthwhile reading something even tho' it may be similar to someone else's fic.

i mean, a theme is a theme. a plot is a plot. is the plot similar, or just the themes presented? is how the characters handle the situation they're in similar as well...? or just the basic overall concept?

i say drop it like its hot and let us enjoy it, regardless. because i KNOW we will!

It can be a terribly fine line. Hard to define until you are actually face to face with it, you know? It's just hard when you are nowhere near that line and it still rears up.

Heh, I have already decided it will be posted. Alas, it's not an HP fandom story... But we will see what happens. It's still slash!

oooh, what fandom?!?!

(please tell me it's not SPN!!!)

Not SPN. It's.... *drumroll*

Highlander slash.

oh, that sucks :(. i think i know which fic you are talking about, too. you should still post it!! man, i'm looking forward to chatting with you again :D.

this comment is coming to you live from the las vegas airport!

I let you read a part of it... Had a certain long-lived individual in it bemoaning the fate of making mistakes... ^_^

OMG are you coming home??? *is way excited*

AHHA! KNEW IT! *is going about the room crashing every mini-convo that I possibly can*

I demand you post it anyway!!! DO IT! Or I shall beat thee.

Oh, I definitely will, no worries. I'll try to get it up before I leave for vacation.

Vacation? *gives dirty resentful look*

Yeah. Family reunion in the Mid West. For a WEEK. *plans to take writing along*

That happens to me an awful lot in

hd_365. One of the downsides of 14 people writing the same prompt, and me being one of the later ones...

I hear ya. I have often readied a ficlet for that one, only to find that the people right before me have gone with the same idea. ^_^

Word.

That's why I maintain a "as far outside the box" mentality about it as possible. I personally think that my stories are borderline crack every week trying to keep this up. ;-D

But if we survive the year won't we be GENIUSES!!!?

I have no idea what you're talking about. No one can hold a candle to your writing, dear. You have no worries...

*blush* You are very sweet.

gah. That sucks, big time.
I have an idea for a really big project, and I'm afraid the same thing is going to happen.

I guess we can't live in fear, and you're right, these things do happen. On the other hand, with every writer being different, there's a hope that even with the same topic or setting, the fics will stand alone based on the style of the author.

*loves*

You know, I say go for it. We can't just sit around watching ficdom and hoping our plots don't come up elsewhere. I say, write it, and then you will be the first!

*hugs*
right on.

it is beuond annoying! -=understands=- makes for wondering if there's ghosties in yer house wat steal and spread! -=hugs=-

It certainly does make for some nice conspiracy theories, doesn't it? ♥

Hmmm, would this be the Highlander one then. :-(

Sorry they called me into work then. Well, sorry I didn't read it even earlier than that, like last weekend, if it's the case.

Of course, if it's not that one then just sorry in general. If it's the hd_365 then.... *&%$ING HELL! ;-)

Of course, in the end, you could just post it anyway. After all, even if the themes are the same and all I'm sure it's not a direct copy. No one writes like you.

Psh, it wasn't about the timing. It's just MY timing. I have been reading Highlander fic and just after I sent mine to you, I came across one that resembled it greatly. I mean, like, THAT NIGHT. Right after I mailed it. It was so bizarre.

Um, shit happens?

I still say it ain't no thang. Your timing doesn't suck. Nothing exists outside this journal. There are no other fics. Those that you read are all in your mind.

That's WHY THE PLOTS ARE SO SIMILAR. And finally:

Never go up against a Sicilian when death is on the line!

That's all I've got to say.

BwaHAHAHA bwaHAHAHA bwaHA--

*dies*

^__~

*thinks about a movie called Being RurouniHime wherein people crawl through a little door and into Ru's MIIIIIIIND*

I'd watch it. In fact, I demand to have a role: I want to be one of the producers and John Cusack's part.

*rushes out to rent Being John Malkovich again just to make sure that's really the part I want*

I think I'd go for John Malkovich's role myself. "Malkovich! Malkovich Malkovich!"

And suddenly realizes that once I am finished with the From Hell/HP cross over, I have to do Being Harry Potter.

Oh god, I just opened Pandora's box...

Hell yes, I know what you mean.

Somehow we just want to shout "Hey, the idea was mine first!" but it'd be a bit odd of us to do it, wouldn't it? :I

Yes, it would be. But maybe we should do it anyway. ^_~

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