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See, now this I really don't get...
Part of some feedback for Nebenlaufig:
"Yeah! My idea is still safe! See, I've had an idea for a WK fic in my head for a while now, and I thought you'd done before I had the chance. Maybe I should stop being lazy and get it up before someone really does use it... "
- Name deleted to protect theasinine innocent
My gods, I might have had the same idea as you? And written it down before you did?
Fate Worse Than Death.
[/sarcasm]
Quite aside from the fact Nebenlaufig is actually a piece of plotless fluff written for a fanfic challenge, this isn't the first time I've come across this attitude. Please! Fan Fiction is all about copying. If it wasn't, it would be original fiction, now wouldn't it? We use the same characters, history, societies, etc. There's got to be some common ground springs up in the ideas area also. I don't understand why it's such a terrible thing to have the same thought or plot device. Witness the 1001 Draco Veela stories in Harry Potterdom (OK, a lot of them are atrocious, but that's usually the author to blame).
Plagiarism is not the same as using the same plot device or idea. It's been claimed there are only six basic stories in the world - I'm not sure I quite agree with that, but certainly stories all seem to share the same drives - love, revenge, greed, etc. It's the human condition. We love to wallow in it and we love to watch it. The emotions are the same whoever and wherever we are. The same reactions and considerations, in terms of both life and story-telling, are understandably not far behind.
Just this week,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
viridian5 in her epic Weiβ Kreuz story, Glass Houses, uses the same idea I'm currently exploring in my own WIP story 'Nachwirkungen' i.e., that Yohji actually has a minor telepathic Talent, as is attestsed by his law-of-physics-defying wire. Am I upset that she 'stole my idea'? Hell no! For a start, who knows (or cares) who thought about it first? It's not exactly as though anyone has copyright on an idea. Secondly, I'm flattered such a talented writer and I have convergent logic and imagination. Thirdly, we're totally different writers stylistically - the event might be the same, but the outcome is always going to be completely different. And lastly, how can more fan fiction, similar in plot or not, be a bad thing? More bad fan fiction, yes. More similar fan fiction, no.
To my mind, this situation is rather like an abstract slider puzzle (you know, those square puzzles that have one piece missing and you shuffle the little pieces around inside it until you get the picture sorted?). You choose the picture, but in the end, in fandom you're all using the same patterned pieces. It's hardly surprising that part of your chosen configuration occasionally matches up with someone else's.
This is not a bad thing, I think. If your work's good, it will stand on its own merit, no matter how common the plot device or ideas behind it (if it doesn't, well, if you enjoyed writing it, who cares what anyone else thinks? with hobbies, your own self-gratification is really what should matter). And everyone comes with their own perspective on a matter. To explore other people's differing views is one of the pleasures of fan fiction. Bring on the Draco Veela fic, I say.
Part of some feedback for Nebenlaufig:
"Yeah! My idea is still safe! See, I've had an idea for a WK fic in my head for a while now, and I thought you'd done before I had the chance. Maybe I should stop being lazy and get it up before someone really does use it... "
- Name deleted to protect the
My gods, I might have had the same idea as you? And written it down before you did?
Fate Worse Than Death.
[/sarcasm]
Quite aside from the fact Nebenlaufig is actually a piece of plotless fluff written for a fanfic challenge, this isn't the first time I've come across this attitude. Please! Fan Fiction is all about copying. If it wasn't, it would be original fiction, now wouldn't it? We use the same characters, history, societies, etc. There's got to be some common ground springs up in the ideas area also. I don't understand why it's such a terrible thing to have the same thought or plot device. Witness the 1001 Draco Veela stories in Harry Potterdom (OK, a lot of them are atrocious, but that's usually the author to blame).
Plagiarism is not the same as using the same plot device or idea. It's been claimed there are only six basic stories in the world - I'm not sure I quite agree with that, but certainly stories all seem to share the same drives - love, revenge, greed, etc. It's the human condition. We love to wallow in it and we love to watch it. The emotions are the same whoever and wherever we are. The same reactions and considerations, in terms of both life and story-telling, are understandably not far behind.
Just this week,
viridian5 in her epic Weiβ Kreuz story, Glass Houses, uses the same idea I'm currently exploring in my own WIP story 'Nachwirkungen' i.e., that Yohji actually has a minor telepathic Talent, as is attestsed by his law-of-physics-defying wire. Am I upset that she 'stole my idea'? Hell no! For a start, who knows (or cares) who thought about it first? It's not exactly as though anyone has copyright on an idea. Secondly, I'm flattered such a talented writer and I have convergent logic and imagination. Thirdly, we're totally different writers stylistically - the event might be the same, but the outcome is always going to be completely different. And lastly, how can more fan fiction, similar in plot or not, be a bad thing? More bad fan fiction, yes. More similar fan fiction, no.To my mind, this situation is rather like an abstract slider puzzle (you know, those square puzzles that have one piece missing and you shuffle the little pieces around inside it until you get the picture sorted?). You choose the picture, but in the end, in fandom you're all using the same patterned pieces. It's hardly surprising that part of your chosen configuration occasionally matches up with someone else's.
This is not a bad thing, I think. If your work's good, it will stand on its own merit, no matter how common the plot device or ideas behind it (if it doesn't, well, if you enjoyed writing it, who cares what anyone else thinks? with hobbies, your own self-gratification is really what should matter). And everyone comes with their own perspective on a matter. To explore other people's differing views is one of the pleasures of fan fiction. Bring on the Draco Veela fic, I say.
