“Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!” ~ Through the Looking-Glass
It’s been so busy and chaotic lately for many of us…feels like everything takes more effort than before for a variety of reasons. And trying to keep up isn’t easy! So when something you are barely managing to do despite all of that hits a snag, it can be devastating.
There’s a project I’ve been working on since 2021. I had a sort of vision about it, seeing the complete book from beginning to end. It felt special to me, and I wanted to do it properly. I ran the idea past a few trusted people who were very encouraging. So over the past five years, I have outlined the whole thing and have written part of a first draft. Very slowly, to be sure, but steadily.
There’s no rush, I thought. I’ll get to it when I finish the current series. And in the back of my mind, I dared to imagine this was the kind of story that could even work for a film or show; like many writers, it has always been a dream to have something adapted for the screen.
Yesterday, I saw a trailer for a tv show coming out that appears to be pretty much the exact same thing. Many of the particulars of the story are the same. Even the name is eerily close to what I named mine.
What a gut punch! But once the feeling of nausea passes, what do I do? I can’t write mine as is, right? I can’t use the name that is the anchor of it all. I know I could change everything in the story, but it won’t be the same. Yet I don’t want to give it up entirely. It’s all just so crushing.
This very dynamic, the You’ve Been Scooped plot, happens in practically every other episode of Silicon Valley, and they always make it work to their advantage, but I don’t have Richard, Jared, Dinesh, and Gilfoyle to help me get through it with humor and heart. And I know this is a niche comment for Silicon Valley viewers. But their company Pied Piper is the epitome of running twice as fast to get anywhere, to circle back to the epigraph.
Dear readers: Has anything like this happened to you? What did you do? Or do you have any ideas for handling a situation like this?
Since it is a different media platform (TV vs Book), I would continue with your project. Is there one word you can change that won’t change your concept.
Something similar happened to me and I didn’t stop, just changed directions a bit and it worked well at the end.
Thanks for this encouragement, Dru!
That is inspiring–thank you, Dru!
That’s such a bummer, Cynthia! Like Dru said, keep going. I remember when my first record store mystery was coming out, I thought I had something totally unique to the genre. Then I found out that Olivia Blacke had a record store series that began about the same time as mine did. What were the odds of that happening?
That’s right, and both your series take a different spin (sorry I couldn’t resist)!
I see, or hear, what you did there, Jen!
Ha ha! Nice, Jen!
Oh wow, and yours was already coming out, JC! That must have been quite the day when you found out.
Well, great minds think alike, as they say, right? It’s such a wonderful concept.
And thank you. 🙂
Cynthia, definitely keep going! I am confident that yours will be so, so much better. My boss (and I think perhaps a few of my professors) always said there’s no such thing as an entirely new idea–it’s the treatment that counts. My boss may have added something along the lines of great ideas often being very similar because that’s what people enjoy/relate to/want/buy). It happened to me this summer, and my writers group fortunately talked me out of giving up. The show I was worried about ended up being social media fodder for 2 seconds and disappeared. I still think there’s hope for the book!
Keep at it, Lisa!
Thank you, Lisa. It happened to you this summer? Oh gosh. Maybe this happens more than we even know? Good advice from the boss and profs and writer group.
I’m glad you didn’t give up and I can’t wait to read it!
I echo what everyone has said. In a case like this, time is your friend. You’re not taking your project out now. By the time you do, either no one will remember the show you’re talking about or they’ll want more of them, if it’s a success.
That is so heartening, El. Thank you. Never thought about it as something they might want more of…that’s a very helpful perspective.
I have a weird sounding theory. Maybe it’s totally nuts. But I believe that sometimes ideas are floating around in the ether and people are grabbing onto them. Sometimes the idea is so good that several of us grab the idea at the same time. The first one to bring it out wins. But, by the time you get yours to publication, this show will be long gone! People will subconsciously remember enough of it to grab your book. Right? Carry on!
I think there’s something to that, Kaye! This isn’t the first time it’s happened. Maybe we’re all just tapping into The Great Idea Network in The Sky. 🙂 Thank you!
Yes, what others have already said: By the time your book is actually published, that show will likely forgotten, or if not–as El says–folks will want more of the subject!
And I can’t wait to read it, so if for no other reason, write it for me! 🙂
Aw, thank you. Just hearing someone would want to read it makes me want to keep going. Appreciate you!!
Cynthia, I’m echoing what everyone else has said; continue your project. Don’t stop. By virtue of this project being yours, it will be inherently different from the show you’re referring to. Don’t give up on your dream project no matter how long it takes. And definitely don’t silence yourself just because someone else spoke up first.
Oh, that last sentence made me a wee bit teary, Patricia. Thank you!
Ugh, it’s so tough when the idea you have seems to already be taken. I’ve had a few initial concepts that went that way. But I also encourage you to keep going, Cyn! Honestly, people/publishers want the it’s-the-same-but-different vibe. Can’t wait to read your book!
Thank you, Jen, and what did you do in that situation? Did you shift paths, make enough changes that it became yours again? Your books always seem so beautifully unique so I can’t imagine anyone getting in your way first.
Aww, thanks. One idea I did pause, but a few others went different paths or became short stories.
I do think there are different audiences for TV and books. So yeah, what everyone else has said. Continue the project. It’ll be unique because it’ll be from you.
That is a great point, Liz. I say that to students all the time, about their voice being unique. Forgot about that in my panic, and I thank you for the reminder.
If you can tweak it a bit to make it stand out a little bit, that would be great. But I wouldn’t panic yet. The TV show might bomb and no one knows about it/remembers it. Or you might find that it only appears the same on the surface but goes in a truly different direction.
That is very true (and wise), Mark! Should slow down until I see what the show actually does. Thank you.
I’m just going to do a note to everyone here: thank you so very much for taking the time to respond today. I never imagined anyone would say keep going nonetheless in this situation, and you all did! Maybe there’s light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. Hugs all around.
Ohhhh, I feel this one!! I had an idea and had plotted the whole thing out, and had that feeling of, “Whoa, this could be something.” Aaaaandddd…. I had the exact same experience as you. It’s such a good idea the movie (by someone else) is coming out next year. However, I’m with everyone else! You should keep going. You might have to change a few details, but you’ll put your own spin on it.
On a related note: I just read a book description that is the exact plot of “And Then There Were None” and also of the novel “Ten,” which was based on “And Then There Were None” and I was just thinking how it didn’t matter because each person really makes it their own.
Hestia here.
Sorry for the delay. Busy, busy yesterday.
I had a very similar experience back when I first started writing. Back when I knew nothing about the publishing process and writing concepts. I’d been tossing around several different ideas. I researched and came up with an amateur sleuth occupation I couldn’t find anywhere, something I’d done when I was young. I created the setting, the murder, alibis, characters, everything. And I started the first draft.
And then it hit. A first in a series came out as I was getting into the writing rhythm. By none other than Elaine Viets! Oh crud! Now what? I didn’t want anyone to think I stole her idea, so I scrapped it, and started over. And Ashley as born.
But, the following year, I saw Elaine at Malice, and told her. Here is what said.
“You should have kept going. Every story has been told, but you put YOU in the story, which makes it different. That makes it fresh and new.”
So keep at it Cynthia! I wanna read it!
A test to see if I can comment.
There’s nothing new under the sun. Good ideas get recycled all the time. How many schools for young wizards/witches/mutants/psychics have you seen? I write Sherlock Holmes stories because I love the character and many others do too. Just go ahead with your project. I’m sure you’ll put a stamp on it to make it uniquely yours.
Wise advice, Tom!