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What if my story is too similar to another story?
So short answer: no, it doesn’t matter. Plagiarism is when you literally copy/paste pieces of someone else’s work into your own, not when your story belongs in the same section of the bookstore as someone else’s work. If you make your story unique and different, it doesn’t matter.
What is a parallel story?
Parallel storylines – also called parallel narratives or parallel plots – are story structures where the writer incorporates two or more separate stories. They’re usually linked by a common character, event, or theme.
Can you plagiarize a story?
Plagiarism is essentially taking the words of another and passing it off as one’s own. Ideas, plots, scenes, and characters can be plagiarized too. If there is wholesale copying of another’s creative expressions and presentations without crediting the original author, then there is plagiarism.
Are plots copyrightable?
Under U.S. Copyright law, in its broader outline, a plot is never copyrightable. There can be no copyright in a movie’s general themes, motives, ideas, or “scenes a faire”. However, though you may copy the theme, plot, or ideas from an original work, you may not copy the “expression” of those ideas.
Is it bad if my story is similar to someone else’s?
That being said, if someone or even a bunch of someones are doing something quite similar, it’s not a reason to despair or to abandon your work. If you’re already having a low day as a writer, you may exaggerate how similar your story is to someone else’s.
Should I give up on my Story?
I should just give up. That may just be a reflection of your mood and your self-esteem at the moment, rather than a legitimate concern. If you encounter a story that really is similar to yours, though, that’s okay, too.
Do shared stories persist in culture?
Certainly, shared stories pervade people’s cultural consciousness. For instance, the Norse sagas, Greek mythology, Arthurian legend, and the Bible have all had a huge impact on Western storytelling.