On Ideas

I recently joined the twenty-first century and got Netflix streamed to my Wii. I love that they offer complete seasons of TV shows so I don't have to bother with pesky commercials or weeklong waits between episodes. I've also discovered some new gems.

Case in point, last night I decided to watch a show I'd never seen or heard of before. I won't give you the name (you'll understand why in a moment) but it's from more than five years ago and falls vaguely into the urban fantasy genre. It also has a similar premise to a new series I'm hoping to pitch sometime next year. Not the exact idea but close enough that I was curious how they handled the subject matter.

Then it happened. About fifteen minutes into the pilot episode, a character said a bit of dialogue. A bit of dialogue that appears, I kid you not, word-for-word in the proposal I've been working on. Let me reiterate, I've never seen this show. And the dialogue wasn't something one would say in run-of-the-mill conversation. In fact, it was a linch pinch element in the world building of the series I've been developing.

And here I thought I was very clever to be the one to think of it. (Cue the fail buzzer)

Needless to say, I was not happy. There might have been a shouted curse. It's possible I punched a couch cushion.

Now that I've had a few hours to simmer down I realize I might have over reacted. First, this happens all the time. Writers are notorious for thinking our ideas are special snowflakes. But ideas are the combination of experience, culture, and influences. Chances are good that if I have an idea another writer who likes the same kind of things I like and who lives in the same culture I live in might have a similar or same idea.

Plus,  I can't tell you how many times I've seen reviewers comment on story elements in my books and outright accuse me of stealing them from other writers. The truth? 95% of the time I haven't even read the authors they're saying I'm copying.

Second, ideas aren't worth a lot without development. Another writer and me might have the same idea but chances are really good we won't take those ideas in the same direction. For example, other authors have had snarky sidekicks. Some have been demons masquerading as animals. Many of those animals have been cats. But I'd put good money down that no author has ever created a character exactly like Giguhl.

Now, all that said, I do need to give some thought to the direction I was taking this idea. Not because I'm worried someone will accuse me of stealing from that old show. But because that one element has been done and my goal is to bring a fresh approach to the subject matter.

Also, I wont be watching any more episodes beyond the two I saw. The show was pretty good but I don't want it influencing my decisions going forward. It's enough that I'm aware it exists and am familiar with the world and tone of the show. Now it's my job to make my similar idea different enough that it's fresh.

But I'll probably never stop being bitter about that one bit of dialogue and the brilliant writer who got to put it out there first.