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Stolen Ideas



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Sun Feb 21, 2016 9:08 pm
Angrynoodles says...



I have recently come up with some ideas for novels that I am planning on writing after I finish the one I am working on now. Can I post my ideas on this site without them getting stolen from me? If I haven started writing the novel couldn't someone just take my ideas and use it? This fear is keeping me from giving away any ideas or plot lines.
  





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Sun Feb 21, 2016 9:26 pm
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CodyKnight says...



I'm new here, but everything I've seen indicates a trustworthy community so far.

Still, with that said, I'm like you. That same worry plagues me every time I even think about sharing my work. I don't think I'd post my raw ideas, but honestly anyone could steal your ideas, themes and etc. from a posted chapter just as easily as they could from your outlines, right?

Personally, I'd wait until you pen out the first chapter and post that. Even if its the rough draft, I'd feel safer posting than the document i keep all my stories in, ya know? :)

-One Extremely Paranoid Writer to Another
  





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Sun Feb 21, 2016 9:39 pm
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Holysocks says...



Someone said something once on here that I think is a very good point, and that is: if you write your stories, and post them - anywhere, really - you'll have proof that you had that idea at that time. It will be under your account and it will have a date to go along with it. So someone could technically steal your idea, but you would have proof that you had the idea first, so to speak (unless two people just had very similar ideas :P ).

That being said, I personally don't like the idea of posting plotlines/outlines/ideas too much because I feel like it kills the story for the writer. There's something about an untold story that's more exciting to write than one you've already spilled. Once you share that idea with people, it's like your mind feels you did your part, and the story's out- so end game. Obviously everyone's different though!
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Sun Feb 21, 2016 9:44 pm
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TheSilverFox says...



Okay, in short, nope, nobody can steal your work. Even if you haven't started writing the novel, nobody can take your ideas and use them for their own projects. Yes, you have all the right to post the ideas to your stories on the site without the fear of losing those ideas to somebody else. If you feel like you want feedback, suggestions, or just fuel interest, you can feel perfectly free to do that. The YWS Copyright Policy specifically outlines that all of your original work remains your property, and nobody else can steal it. Too, the YWS moderator crew are actively working to fight back against any instances of plagiarism. We have punished members (even some notable ones) in the past over instances of them stealing others' works and ideas, and if you feel like somebody is copying your work without your permission, you are more than welcome to inform us.

So you shouldn't feel worried about somebody stealing your ideas or thoughts; we have rules set up against plagiarism, and if you do feel like somebody is stealing one of your ideas, don't hesitate to tell us, as we take this very seriously, and we will look into the issue.
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Sun Feb 21, 2016 9:52 pm
Vervain says...



Also, for a note, Writers Corner is a forum made specifically to talk about your ideas. So head on over and talk! You'll get plenty of helpful feedback for whatever you post there.
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Sun Feb 21, 2016 10:00 pm
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Kale says...



The thing is, ideas can't be copyrighted or otherwise legally protected unless there's tangible proof that it was your idea to begin with. Dated posts happen to be excellent proof.

That aside, I haven't heard of any cases of anyone stealing other members' ideas on YWS, and I've been around for quite a while. If it ever does happen though (or if you see it happen to someone else), you can report it to one of the active moderators and we'll take care of it because stealing ideas is so not cool.
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Sun Feb 21, 2016 10:27 pm
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Zolen says...



People have similar ideas and concepts all the time, how they express them however is different. So even if they did 'steal' your idea, that does not mean it will follow the same progression and logic. So it shouldn't matter much if someone uses your idea for their own stories.

Suggest you only work in chapters rather then outlines though.

All you need to worry about is plagiarism, and there are legal protections against people doing that sort of thing.
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Sun Feb 21, 2016 11:19 pm
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Storygirl95 says...



People have been stealing ideas since books were first written haha.
There's a reason that we have tropes and archetypes, because they're all sort of the same character, just tweaked and put into different situations with a different writer's voice.
You can't really have a hold on an idea unless it was really specific like "Sally goes for a run, gets attacked by wolves, becomes an alien, and then finds out she's the sister of her lover." Even then, while certainly less likely, someone can have the same idea and write it differently.
It seems to me that you're more worried about borderline plagiarism. As in, someone taking your ideas and sentences so close to yours and practically recycling them. The difference between stealing and having the same idea (or even liking an idea) is how an author breathes life into it. How many stories do we know where a young teen is forced into a situation by once decision or act, starts to train for something, falls in love, and then saves the world? Probably thousands, if not hundreds of thousands or millions.
Star Wars and the Hunger Games are pretty different, but not always when it comes to basic structure.
The bottom line is that the mods can, and do, stop plagiarism and protect your ideas. They can't stop ideas from being similar, but the YWS community is very understanding and supportive. I haven't seen anyone be dishonest with their work or take others. We all understand what it's like to have our idea babies and we wouldn't want them stolen just like you don't want yours stolen. So I'm sorry to say that I can't guarantee someone won't like part of your story and use the idea, but I can guarantee that your story will be safe and its OWN story on this site. Just post a chapter or two and see how you like it. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. :) :D
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Thu Feb 25, 2016 6:43 am
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Snoink says...



I've sometimes written fanfictions for stories that I read on YWS that I really really really love. But, like... I talk with the authors about it and I make sure to credit them profusely at the beginning of the end of the work and they're all cool with it. Soooo... ^^

Fortunately! Writing styles differ from person to person, so even if the idea may be similar, it can be written in a completely different way that makes it a completely different story.

I don't know. If you think someone is stealing your work, definitely go to a mod and tell them that the person stole your work!
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