Writer's Quandary on Coincidence

[DesDownunder]

Hi,

Would someone like to give some feedback or thoughts on what to do when you read a story which has a scene in it that is very similar to one that you have just written or are writing.

Three times now, I have written in my new story, different scenes which I had not read before and thought I was being original. Ha ha!

The parallels in the stories of the main characters/situations are as if the other authors and I had held a discussion and gone away to write totally different stories but with a scene or situation that was required to be included in each of our individual stories.

As I say the plots are very different. It is just that the scenes are so similar. I am not talking here about the everyday simple occurrences:

"Boy gets on a train and has hassle with hooligans"

but more like each scene (mine and the other author's) summed up as:

"Boy gets on train and is hassled by a hooligans causing him to exit the train whilst moving and finding himself, covered in blood and laying in a ditch alongside a river surrounded by weeds, where he hears voices of murdered relatives."

Neither of these examples are the actual writings in question here.

They are just made-up examples to try to convey what is causing me grief.

No, in case anyone asks, I have not shown anyone my work and my computer is not available to anyone else.

I am not talking about previous works that I have read surfacing from my subconscious. Though I guess something may have stimulated the other authors and me to write a similar scene, both of us thinking it original.

Obviously our writing styles are somewhat different even though our characters are thinking the same thoughts.

I understand that coincidence happens in creative activities, I just don't know whether or not to ignore them and press on or throw it all out and start again.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

DesD.

[Tanuki Racoon]

I understand that coincidence happens in creative activities' date=' I just don't know whether or not to ignore them and press on

Take the advice you offered yourself above :0

[DesDownunder]

Thankx writebymyself,

I guess I am just being paranoid or something. :)

[Graeme]

Scenes can be similar without there being a problem. You have made it clear that it's coincidence, not plagarism. If the story became a best-seller, you might have to put up with some saying you've stolen their ideas, but if the plots are different they almost certainly wouldn't succeed.

On the creativeness/originality front, I wouldn't be too concerned. There are many, many similar scenes in many, many stories. The scene itself may not be original (after all, the scenario you described above has occurred in real-life -- a similar situation was reported in the papers in Melbourne a couple of years ago because the boy ended up dying -- so people will write about it), but the words used to describe it and the focus that is taken can be.

Just keep writing -- it is the overall story that is unique.

[DesDownunder]

... the scenario you described above has occurred in real-life -- a similar situation was reported in the papers in Melbourne a couple of years ago because the boy ended up dying ...

Just keep writing -- it is the overall story that is unique.

Thank you Graeme. I don't remember reading about the Melbourne boy and tossed the scenario off in a few seconds for this example.

I am astounded a similar real life situation actually happened!

On the other hand I have always believed that if someone thinks of something, somebody else has already done it.

I was feeling a little fragile about my story having no less than three sequences I read after writing them, in other stories, but I have decided to keep going and see where I end up with it.

Thanks again

DesD.

[The Pecman]

Three times now, I have written in my new story, different scenes which I had not read before and thought I was being original. Ha ha!

Accidental similarities to published stories are a problem that anybody can experience, particularly if you read a lot. I think there are a couple of things you can do to stop them before they happen:

1) get a good editor. Often, a second pair of eyes can alert you to a problem you can't see yourself, because you're "too close to it." Of course, if they didn't read the other story, they won't know about it either, but if you spot it and realize it later on, change it and make it as different as you possibly can.

2) plot the story out in advance. Outline each chapter as a very short paragraph so you have a thumbnail sketch of what happens in each one. Don't just make things up completely as you go along, because you're bound to forget what you did in Chapter 2 by the time you hit Chapter 10. Keep the details in your notes vague, so you can invent those during the writing process. Another thing you might try is what they do in animation and sometimes in features: jot the paragraph for each scene on a 3x5 index card and thumbtack it to a bulletin board. Later on, when you have 50 (or 100 or 150) cards on the wall, you can see the entire story in front of you, at one time. You can rearrange the cards, pull one out and throw it away, or even write a new card and stick it inbetween existing ones.

The latter won't necessarily stop you from imitating another story, but it will at least help you keep the story straight. Do the notes before you sit down and write. One hopes that you'll realize the coincidences before you get too deep into the chapter, but if it happens, just let it go and then go back and fix it on a second draft. I think morally (and legally), you're honor-bound to make it as different as you possibly can, even if the bare bones of the situation are vaguely similar.

[DesDownunder]

I think there are a couple of things you can do to stop them before they happen

Thanks Pecman.

I am already doing some of these things.

I wonder what would have happened had I published my story first before those stories with similar sequences.

It probably means that I need to raise the level of my "original thought" a notch or two. I may have to just allow gestation of the idea a little more growth or even flexibility.

In any case your suggestions are most welcome and appreciated.

Thanks

Des