Everyone is agreed that you must read in order to write. But a side-effect of reading while writing, particularly reading within your own genre while writing, is that eventually—and apparently inevitably—you will find a book that sounds so much like your own you start to wonder who plagiarized whom. And since that book is already published, well, you already know the answer.
But you didn’t rip them off! You hadn’t even read the book! You had your own story, your own characters, and you spent hours in front of the keyboard, months of your life constructing your own novel. Every word came from your brain and your heart. You didn’t even know that other book existed until it was all over, and then?
And then the synopses are so close you want to throw up.
I don’t know if there’s some cosmic force conspiring to reveal all similar stories as soon as you’ve finished your own. I suspect it’s more about the time and energy we spend involved in our stories, taking elements of the world and putting them in, so we see elements of that story in everything else. Sort of like when you learn a new word and suddenly everyone’s using it.
And I also think it’s the fault of the synopsis-writers, who can boil anything down into "And then their world is turned upside-down..." and miss everything that makes a book unique.
But it doesn’t matter. Don’t throw up. The bookstore employees won’t like it. Instead, do what I did. Buy the book and read it. See that it’s absolutely nothing like your own book. Even if they’re both about a Football superstar falling down the stairs and discovering a hidden passageway to Portugal (mine isn’t, by the way, but feel free to snag that winner) you will flavour your books so differently that it won’t matter. It’s your story and if it’s a good book then the basic plot structure isn’t everything. It’s a skeleton. All our skeletons look very much alike. Through our flesh we’re unique.
(Unless you're J.K. Rowling, but that's another story.)
Embracing Skeletons by billolen on flickr
Interesting post! I've often come across things that sound like they might be similar to my work, but when I stop and look at them properly, they aren't (huge sigh of relief). So yes, I agree that the synopsis writers need to work harder at not making the work sound so generic...although it's clear why they do. They're trying to sell you a new novel that sounds a little like a novel you read and already enjoyed, so of course you'll enjoy this one, won't you?
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
Thanks, Icy. Yes, the synopsis writers are probably doing pretty well for what they need to do.
ReplyDeleteAnd there is a bonus to this type of find, too: either the "similar" book is very good, in which case you can refer to it when selling your own, or it's bad and can be forgotten. No problem!
Okay, that's really weird. I posted a reply to this entry when you first posted it--a lengthy one at that. :(
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm back to say: GAH, a great sounding book and an interesting interview with its author, but drat, if I don't have a book idea planned years ago that sounds so much like it. :( http://www.murderati.com/blog/2010/4/9/welcoming-neil-cross.html
I'm ordering it right away, because I suspect (HOPE) it will read much differently than mine-one difference right off the bat, my protag is female . . .
I'm sorry your comment got eaten, Ev! I have no idea why.
ReplyDeleteFunny, Neil Cross' 'Burial' has been on my "must read" list for a while! He writes/wrote for Spooks (that show I love so much.) So I'll be glad to hear what you think of it, and also the comparison to your own idea. I have NO doubt they'll be very different.
I'm ordering it from Misty River today, so I'll keep you posted. ;-)
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