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Young Writers Society


Is it against the Copyright laws?



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Wed Feb 25, 2015 11:43 pm
rachellecarter says...



I had a great idea for a book. I had it all planned out and I even started writing it. Then it hit me. This is the exact same plot as one of my favorite books :shock: Except for it has different characters and setting. Would it infringe on the copyright laws to still write this? It would be the second book in the series and I am hoping to publish it... Help?
  





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Thu Feb 26, 2015 1:15 am
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Tenyo says...



Even if you deliberately based your story on someone else's work, that you're using different characters and setting will make it a different story. Romance and crime novels quite often follow similar plots, but that's what's enjoyable about them.

It's highly unlikely, especially in fiction, that you'll breach copyright laws just for having a similar plot, so don't worry about it too much.
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Thu Feb 26, 2015 1:47 am
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Mea says...



Another thing to realize is that as you make your way though the story, your characters will grow and develop. This will often lead them down paths you may not have expected, so in the end your plot may not be much like your favorite novel after all, but instead be much more of your own creation.

In fact, if you truly have different characters from that other novel, it shouldn't take too long for the plot to start deviating from the original, because characters' actions are basically what drives plots, and if the characters are substantially different, they will have different motivations than the characters in the novel. They will have different ways of looking at life and different priorities, and that will more than likely lead your novel in a different direction from the original.

So while it's not at all bad to base a plot off of a book you've read, leave it open to change and make sure you develop your characters well and know what they would do in these situations. And if it's something different than what the plot calls for, change it.
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Thu Feb 26, 2015 2:30 am
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r4p17 says...



you also need to consider whether you are going to publish it. If you aren't you shouldn't have to worry too much. On the other hand, I don't write something that looks very similar to someone else' sword. So while it may not be a copyright violation, I myself wouldn't write a book like that. It's up to you.
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Sat Feb 28, 2015 7:31 pm
UntamedHeart173 says...



One of my previous novels started out the same way. Well, it started out as identical to the plot of one of my favorite tv shows. It had completely different characters and a way different setting but the plot was the same. And yet, when I started writing it, my characters took me in a completely different direction than what I'd had planned. It's likely that, no matter how you have it planned, your characters will take a different direction so I wouldn't worry too much about the plot being the same. Besides, like someone above me already said, a lot of romance novels have the same general plot so it's not too unusual. Good luck!

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Sat Mar 21, 2015 9:56 pm
OliverWilliams says...



It's sometimes hard to not emulate existing stories that you love! But as has already been said, different characters and different setting will take you down a different path. And remember, there are only so many different stories that can be told.
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