Write a scene where your character encounters water. Describe how the water interacts with the environment and how it affects your character. Does it worry them? Terrify them? Soothe them?
Happy Writing!
~MJ
Write a scene where your character encounters water. Describe how the water interacts with the environment and how it affects your character. Does it worry them? Terrify them? Soothe them?
Happy Writing!
~MJ
Every writer is inspired by another’s creativity, it’s just inevitable, yet everyone wants to have an original thought or idea, and no one wants to plagiarize, unless they are specifically writing fanfiction, but even that, as E.L. James has proven with her Fifty Shades series, originally a Twilight fanfiction, can be considered original enough with the proper tweaks.
For the record, the formal definition of plagiarism according to google dictionary is as follows:
That’s pretty vague and the line separating inspiration and plagiarism is fuzzy at best. Obviously everyone has their own ideas and concerns about the line, and I can’t tell you how many times I have read a book and thought that it reminded me of another book, or that certain descriptions or names sounded really familiar to others in similar genres, as I’m sure you have too. Is that plagiarism?
Well, I’m going to go through a few tips I use when I draw inspiration from other authors, and how I ensure that I don’t cross that line into plagiarism or some other muddled sibling. And I’ll do it with an example.
One of the main sources of frustration I’ve personally encountered with my novel Isle of Elandia is writing battle scenes. So, I decided to listen to an audiobook of the Iliad since it is one entire battle and one of the greatest books ever.
The Iliad is written so that the characters have unique personalities, the battle is expertly choreographed and visual, and it’s very heavy on the gore and details, I can fully immerse myself in the battle for Troy and that’s what I want in my own book! So how can I do that without plagiarizing?
Firstly, it’s important to recognize the differences between my novel and the Iliad, and every author needs to understand the same when they are drawing inspiration from another author. For my own part, I don’t really want to drag out the battle scene, especially after several authors in my critique group say they skip battles that drag on and on, even when reading their favorite authors or series. Obviously this point alone will make it a challenge to plagiarize, since a book length battle such as the Iliad is already far different than a mere chapter.
That’s honestly the biggest tip, recognize the differences between your novel and your favorite author’s.
Rather than copy battle verbiage or incorporate similar specifics, which would be very out of place in my novel in addition to plagiarism, zeroing in on methods the author used to draw in the reader and further the plot is an effective way to draw inspiration. For example, at one point in the Iliad, the Trojans focus their attack on one part of the wall guarding the Greeks’ ships, which not only added strategy into the battle but also furthered the plot, since once the wall came down it introduced a whole new plethora of emotions, battles, and hero clashes, and it focused the heroes on an attainable goal for a short period.
The inspiration that can be drawn here in my own battle scene is to focus my heroes on a goal within the overall battle, such as sinking a particular warship, destroying a battering ram before it breaks down the gate, or some other strategic sabotage that will introduce areas where I can expand character development, further along my unique plot, and keep my readers’ interest. My one battle scene is a scene, not a book, and because of this fact, adding extra details, gore, and lengthy descriptions of individual fights –while that drew me into the Iliad and made me feel like I was on the battlefield– it just will not work for my story because the purpose of my book is not to glorify war, and neither is my battle scene. My battle scene’s goal is just to destroy this warship.
Sidebar: I think too often authors try to describe too much in scenes, and some of it is more fluff than plot thickening and is due in part to trying to replicate another author’s ideas to accomplish the same affect and achieve the same success. However, due to the fundamental differences between the two novels, it doesn’t have the same affect on your novel, and it’s borderline plagiarism and will lose your reader. So again, recognize the differences, capitalize on them, and expand them in your novel.
So to summarize, plagiarism and inspiration can sometimes seem like a fine line. But the first step to defining that line is to recognize the differences between your novel and the one you are drawing inspiration from. Once you do, capitalize on those differences throughout your book. Analyze the methods your favorite author used to keep your interest rather than replicating exactly how they did it. Avoid sharing specifics in common, and avoid adding in extra details that don’t further along your plot. Just because it worked for them, doesn’t mean it will work for you, and most likely it won’t.
If you find that there aren’t that many differences to capitalize on or that they are so minor (like only names or colors) that they can be overlooked, then it may be time to re-evaluate your novel.
Best of luck writing!
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A couple of years ago I reviewed Vixen by Sarah Catherine Muth. This author has recently published a new novel under the name Catherine Labadie, and I was stoked to receive her request to review it! I purchased the 427 page hard back edition of Long Grows the Dark and finished it in 3 days. Suffice to say I was hooked from the start.
The back cover reads:
Glenna marveled at the increasing chills creeping up and down her arms. She tried to close the book, first casually, then attempting to force the covers together with both hands. Neither of them budged or gave the remotest indication that they would close, and the words seemed to be etched onto her mind’s long after she’d stopped focusing on them. To her horror, the book flipped to the opening page of its own free will and began repeating the message, over and over and over again in increasingly bright ink.
Red is the color of Fate, and Scarlet the color of the Blood, Glenna thought, the words not entirely her own. Crimson be the tide that will sweep over the land should hope fade to dark.
The room grew warm, then hot, as if bonfires were burning in the vicinity. Yet her chills remained, wracking her body with shivers she could not explain. When the book flipped to the last page with t-t-t-t noise as the parchment fluttered against itself, she felt the cold settle into her bones.
Prepare Yourself.
****
An interesting preview that gives the reader an idea that there is magic and mystery between the covers. The words “Glenna thought” while she’s actually reading the text though bothered me a bit, but alas, it didn’t keep me from delving in.
This book has something for everyone, medieval fantasy, urban fantasy, supernatural beings, magic, romance, intrigue, creativity, good dialogue, battle, and more!
Long Grows the Dark follows Glenna, an enchantress from many centuries ago who is in love with her best friend’s fiance; and Gwendoline, a college student living present day who is actually (slight spoiler) Glenna reincarnated. Both time threads center around Glenna/Gwendoline’s relationship with her best friends, and we soon learn that Glenna and crew failed to vanquish an evil in the past, and now it’s back in the present, and Glenna must figure out how to not fail this time and save her friends. Each chapter switches between Glenna and Gwendoline’s POV and lays out the dilemma of yesteryear and today with a nice flow and at a great pace. About 1/4 of the way through the book, the magic of a fated spell book unites the two timelines in the present, giving us just enough to connect with the past and to understand the peril without taking anything away from the present conflict.
I will try not to give away any spoilers, but I will say a few things that I really really liked about the book.
Now on to a few things that I felt detracted a bit from the story:
The things I mentioned are certainly not deal breakers. This book was a fun and thrilling read, and I’ve already recommended it to a few friends. Despite raising a 1 year old, working full-time, and going to school, I found time to read this book cover to cover in 3 days. Long Grows the Dark was creative, interesting, easy to follow and smooth to imagine without forcing an image into my head. The dialogue was funny, descriptive, relevant, and natural. I really enjoyed having my imagination fully engaged and I could very clearly see how much original thought and talent went into this book. It was hard to put it down, and I scarcely did.
I will continue to watch this author to see what she writes next. She is two for two, as her first novel Vixen was also a great read. If you wish to purchase this book and read it for yourself, you can click this link – Long Grows the Dark – Catherine Labadie. You will not be sorry!