Inspiration Vs. Plagiarism Vs. Blatantly Ripping Off

[leviathan13]

When coming up with the idea for a story - how do you reconcile the issue around being inspired without it going in to just being a rip-off of other stories?

 

I've been playing Halo on the Xbox recently and I love the storyline but, mostly, I love the names they've created for the ships and the code names for missions and emergency protocols etc. It inspires me, initially, as I'd love to write a sci-fi story taking some of the inspiration from the game, but I can't get away from all my ideas appearing to just be directly nicked.

 

I know many famous books and films (even music) has been plagiarised in one way or another, so should I not worry and just write it?

[Guest]

You've got two main issues: using their intellectual property (you can write your own Harry Potter stories, for example, but you won't be able to publish them  ETA: profit from them; JKR allows online fanfic), and having stories too similar to theirs (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Pebble isn't going to get a pass, while Harry Potter on Mars might). 

 

One idea prompts a thousand tangents:  I was reminded of the 'joining up holy sites on ancient ley lines as a protective device' idea twice this week, and every other author is currently using various legends as inspiration (though of course there's no issue with copyright there, as with Holmes, Lovecraft etc).

 

Every story is essentially rearranging tropes anyway; you just have to be careful how you disguise them, and make sure it's ideas not storylines that you pinch.

Edited July 11, 2023 by Guest

[leviathan13]

3 minutes ago, Hecate said:

You've got two main issues: using their intellectual property (you can write your own Harry Potter stories, for example, but you won't be able to publish them), and having stories too similar to theirs (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Pebble isn't going to get a pass, while Harry Potter on Mars might). 

 

One idea prompts a thousand tangents:  I was reminded of the 'joining up holy sites on ancient ley lines as a protective device' idea twice this week, and every other author is currently using various legends as inspiration (though of course there's no issue with copyright there, as with Holmes, Lovecraft etc).

 

Every story is essentially rearranging tropes anyway; you just have to be careful how you disguise them, and make sure it's ideas not storylines that you pinch.

What's that all about? Just tried to search for an explanation but couldn't find one.

 

Thanks for the reply. I get what you're saying and yes, I have no desire to completely copy a another story, it's the names of things that I struggle with. I want someone to notice the inspiration rather than see it's a direct rip-off. As you say, disguise is the key word...

[Guest]

29 minutes ago, leviathan13 said:

What's that all about? Just tried to search for an explanation but couldn't find one.

It was used on an early episode of Supernatural where the story was that Samuel Colt, maker of the demon-killing gun, joined up churches with iron railway tracks (demons can't cross iron) in the shape of a protective pentagram around the gates of hell (the pentagram was there already as ley lines).  It was to prevent demons from getting loose should the gate open .

 

The other story based on that idea was in a Phil Rickman novel, A Crown of Lights, where five linked churches dedicated to St Michael protect the Radnorshire Valley against a sleeping dragon.  Or do they?...  Highly recommended, that series, though a bit woo in places.

 

Quote

Thanks for the reply. I get what you're saying and yes, I have no desire to completely copy a another story, it's the names of things that I struggle with. I want someone to notice the inspiration rather than see it's a direct rip-off. As you say, disguise is the key word...

I think you are potentially on dodgy ground with wanting to have people spot the inspiration from someone's still active intellectual property, especially if there's explicit or implicit use of a name or a character and not just an idea that sparks something entirely unique.  Some, like Disney, are very easily triggered into taking action against anyone impinging on that, while others will allow it if not for profit/only for personal use.

Edited July 11, 2023 by Guest

[Palomar]

31 minutes ago, Hecate said:

The other story based on that idea was in a Phil Rickman novel, A Crown of Lights, where five linked churches dedicated to St Michael protect the Radnorshire Valley against a sleeping dragon.  Or do they?...  Highly recommended, that series, though a bit woo in places.

There was an article in The Star in the 1980's about a ley-line from Norton St James church to Beauchief Abbey, interestingly the line passes through the only extant Bell Barrow in the Sheffield boundary.

 

Out of interest I extended the line east, and would you credit it, it goes through Aston St James church as well!