I've recently encountered a writer's dilemma, so to speak, and I hope that you folks can offer some good advice. Lately I've been outlining a lot of plots and getting some ideas down, but I just discovered that the plot I've been spending most of my time developing has already been explored by another writer. Sort of. The only similarity is the basic premise, (and one small episode I had planned) but I'm hesitant to carry on with writing the story because: I'd hate to violate some rule of fic-etiquette I'm unaware of; I wouldn't want to bore readers with something that, on some level, has been done already; and I'm afraid that the similarity would prompt someone to cry "plagiarism!", which, of course, I could never do. On the other hand, I don't want to ditch it, because I've been spending so much time on it, and I feel that it could explore other themes in ways that differ from the other story. I guess I'm just nervous about doing it. I don't want to step on anyone's toes. :( Has anyone else run into this kind of problem before?

For those following "Aftershocks," the writers have announced that the last chapters will be posted through this weekend, with the final chapter appearing this Sunday, November 11. More here: News from the black_cigarette collective

I agree with Namaste. It's peoples' personal spin on things that I really enjoy and thats what makes it interesting - and there are only so many plots in the world. I say go for it.

Shutterbug, I know why you're concerned but truly, there is nothing new under the sun. The originality is in what you do with the idea, what insights you can bring to it. Go for it, I say.

Thanks, Namaste, Sheep, Blackmare. I feel better about going ahead with it. :) Now if my job and the GREs would just stop getting in my way, I might get something substantial done.

The only similarity is the basic premise, (and one small episode I had planned) but I'm hesitant to carry on with writing the story because: I'd hate to violate some rule of fic-etiquette I'm unaware of; I wouldn't want to bore readers with something that, on some level, has been done already; and I'm afraid that the similarity would prompt someone to cry "plagiarism!", which, of course, I could never do. On the other hand, I don't want to ditch it, because I've been spending so much time on it, and I feel that it could explore other themes in ways that differ from the other story. I guess I'm just nervous about doing it. I don't want to step on anyone's toes. Plaigarism is always an interesting thing in fandom. Not only are you borrowing someone else's characters, but by nature the community is tight-knit and a bit of a hive. If you were considering, say, copying entire passages, or repeating a plot step by step, I guess the person you were copying off would be a little bit cheesed. But that's not writing, that's stealing. But, you're not. Go ahead and post it. I doubt that you will step on any toes. If you're worried about it, you could always mention it in an author's note, or contact the author. If you make the story yours, go for it. It's not really what happens in the plot that matters in fanfic, IMO.

I was going to recommend the same thing. If you're worried, maybe you can contact the author and explain the situation. But I have to say, other peoples' fanfic does a good job of making the plot bunnies flow, as much as watching the show does. Sometimes I read a fic and think, "That's really cool. But what if this happened instead?"

I had someone contact me and ask permission to write a sequel to one of my stories ("The Great Escape," for what that's worth). I basically told her that I didn't think it needed a sequel and why, but if she wanted to write her own take on the subject, go ahead. And I see the same writer has written something based on someone else's fic series, with permission, so it's not atypical to ask for and either receive or be denied.

Miss Violet's mention of external muses (back a page or two) interested me. Does anyone here have what they'd consider a muse? Not necessarily a deity you'd sacrifice goats to - just an anthropomorphized version of your own creativity? I do, though his main function is as a target to bitch at when I'm having trouble with a story or play.

Starling, I don't have a specific figure or character that represents the "muse" part of my brain -- but I don't think it at all strange that you do. That's because for me, when I'm writing it's the characters in the story who take on that quality. I do talk to them (not usually aloud, mind you) and they "talk" back to me. Or not.

Ah yes. That happens for me as well. Like I said, my "muse" figure is really just my scapegoat. (And I'm glad that I'm not a complete nutjob.)

Does anyone here have what they'd consider a muse? Very occasionally I might say something like "My muse is playing up" or "I had a muse", but I wouldn't really call the creative part of my consciousness a muse. When I write or do anything else creative, I feel like it's all of me that's doing it. (Sounds cheesy, but it's true). I'd only use it colloquially, like saying you've found your mojo.

Miss Violet's mention of external muses (back a page or two) interested me. Does anyone here have what they'd consider a muse? Not necessarily a deity you'd sacrifice goats to - just an anthropomorphized version of your own creativity? I do, though his main function is as a target to bitch at when I'm having trouble with a story or play. Nah, as I made so appallingly clear upthread, I don't believe in Muses. I guess I aim to demystify the whole creative process and remove all the agnsty connotations of being a writer. It's no different than if I was a carpenter or an engineer or pastry chef. It's a craft and one can have skill and/or talent and for the luckiest, both. I don't see it as any different from any other craft - there's the potential for technical excellence as well as brilliant art. When I read a good article in the Times, I don't think, "What an amazing work of art!" I just think that the article was well-written, well-crafted, and technically excellent. That's writing just as much as a short story is writing, but I wouldn't call it art. It's a craft and anyone can learn it from a technical standpoint, even if anyone can't become a brilliant creative writer. But there's no reason that college students shouldn't be able to write a well-composed critical essay; it's not rocket science (I happen to work for a university and the vast majority of incoming students failed the writing proficiency test this year; they should be placed in remedial English but being a liberal school, the adminstration has decided to force all incoming freshman, no matter how well they write, to take remedial English.)