I picked up SILVER SHARK by Ilona Andrews last night because I like how they write (it's a husband/wife duo writing under a pen name) and because I like sharks. Half-way through the book I realized the culture used as a major plot device was the culture I wanted to use as a major plot device for one of my books.
Theirs is published. Mine is a pot-boiler because I failed miserably to capture the idea they so eloquently rendered. The question now becomes to I scrap the project entirely, let it linger as a pot boiler, or make plans to revamp the story?
I don't have the answer for this one. Thoughts?
You said it was the same culture. As indiviuals we all see our culture different from each other. So I would continue working on it. You may be looking at it from a different angle then they did. Follow you gut instincts.
ReplyDeleteIt's a system of dual laws for different castes and the way castes interact. As is, it would sound like bad fanfic. So if I do go back to the project I'm looking at a major overhaul.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your help. My daughter came over and showed me how to set up my blog page. It is completely new, but it will take a lot of work to get it the way I want. It makes it more fun when you know where your going and how to get there instead of blindly groping with no clue how to get what you want. Your site and comments have been an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, one hundred percent, by all means continue. Don't you dare scrap your vision because someone else got there first. :)
ReplyDeleteYou write yours and make it bigger and better.
Ilona~ Ha! And since it's your book I'll take your advice on that with the knowledge that you won't feel slighted.
ReplyDeleteI love SILVER SHARK, by the way. :)
If you set aside an idea because someone else has done it, you might as well close up shop now.
ReplyDeleteEven if someone has done it 'better', the mere act of you engaging with the material will leave a different imprint on it.
I agree that every idea has been done and you can definitely do something new and cool with it.
ReplyDeleteBut how far have you gotten on that idea? You recently said you have way too many ideas anyway. So if you don't have a ton of work done (compared to your other stories), and/or if you don't love the idea more than your other ideas, then if I were you, I'd actually think about going down a different road.
Not that you should give up a good idea because someone did something similar, certainly not. But if you already have too many ideas, you have to decide on which ones to pursue somehow...
JA - True...
ReplyDeleteJulie - This was a completed and semi-edited novel where the problem was the culture that Ilona Andrews so deftly described. It's one I intend to revist, but I'm taking notes from their book now. :o)
Which one is it, L? Given we are talking sharks, FG?? If not, I can't think which one and you're killing me with curiousity >:)
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