Comments on: The “T” word- Theft of Ideas by Cindy Kirk http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/ An you thought we were just bad in our books... Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:37:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: Cindy Kirk http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/#comment-1702 Cindy Kirk Sat, 29 Sep 2007 04:59:15 +0000 http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/#comment-1702 Thanks for all the great responses!! It's so interesting to read everyone's opinions. This is a great blogsite and I appreciate Shelli giving me the opportunity to post!! Thanks for all the great responses!! It’s so interesting to read everyone’s opinions.

This is a great blogsite and I appreciate Shelli giving me the opportunity to post!!

]]> By: AJ Chase http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/#comment-1699 AJ Chase Fri, 28 Sep 2007 22:34:05 +0000 http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/#comment-1699 :pirate: I think sometimes it's possible to pirate other people's stories but only if the idea is really original. For those of us who write the typical boy meets girl HEA there really isn't all that much that someone could steal unless they start quoting word for word. But if you have a very original idea you might want to keep it under wraps. :pirate: I think sometimes it’s possible to pirate other people’s stories but only if the idea is really original. For those of us who write the typical boy meets girl HEA there really isn’t all that much that someone could steal unless they start quoting word for word.

But if you have a very original idea you might want to keep it under wraps.

]]> By: Karen http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/#comment-1698 Karen Fri, 28 Sep 2007 20:36:05 +0000 http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/#comment-1698 First of all, Hi Cindy! :welcome: Great topic - I have to agree with everyone here. Yes there are only so many ideas in the world and it's devastating when you think you've come up with an "original" (ha!) idea and someone beats you to the punch. Yes, it's definitely all in the execution, but man it hurts when you think your idea is not "original" anymore. And I only put original in quotes cos like Mel said, there are no original ideas anymore. Just original WRITING. rasta First of all, Hi Cindy! :welcome:

Great topic - I have to agree with everyone here. Yes there are only so many ideas in the world and it’s devastating when you think you’ve come up with an “original” (ha!) idea and someone beats you to the punch. Yes, it’s definitely all in the execution, but man it hurts when you think your idea is not “original” anymore.

And I only put original in quotes cos like Mel said, there are no original ideas anymore. Just original WRITING. rasta

]]> By: R.G. Alexander http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/#comment-1696 R.G. Alexander Fri, 28 Sep 2007 19:10:29 +0000 http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/#comment-1696 I have a similiar issue to Amie's. I subbed my first story last September when I wasnt online and didnt know another writer. Not a one personally. A month after I subbed I read a story whose first 3 chapters freaked me out completely. It was set in the same, never used as far as I knew artsy section of the same city-there were several scenes that just totally weirded me out they were so similiar. It got fairly different after that but I freaked out for a few days anyway. Its enough to make you paranoid. :wtf: But I agree that execution is incredibly important. There are stories out there in the ether, waiting to be told-some people may get the same vibe and tell it at the same time-but hopefully not in the same way. I have a similiar issue to Amie’s. I subbed my first story last September when I wasnt online and didnt know another writer. Not a one personally. A month after I subbed I read a story whose first 3 chapters freaked me out completely. It was set in the same, never used as far as I knew artsy section of the same city-there were several scenes that just totally weirded me out they were so similiar. It got fairly different after that but I freaked out for a few days anyway. Its enough to make you paranoid. :wtf:
But I agree that execution is incredibly important. There are stories out there in the ether, waiting to be told-some people may get the same vibe and tell it at the same time-but hopefully not in the same way.

]]> By: Mel-O-Drama http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/#comment-1695 Mel-O-Drama Fri, 28 Sep 2007 18:53:01 +0000 http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/#comment-1695 Oh, I'm about to take a different stance here, ladies... Ideas are a dime a dozen. That's the reason ideas can't be copyrighted. That's why there are generally 8-10 basic plotlines that keep getting rewritten. It's not the idea, it's the writing. And there's a HUGE difference in stealing someone's written word and writing a story in your own words from an idea. Two of us could have the exact same story idea and the story will come out entirely different because our voices are not the same. Our styles are not the same. I don't subscribe to the thought that ideas can be stolen. I think people are plagiarized, but if people discuss ideas and someone takes one of those ideas and writes their own book from it, and it gets pubbed, but mine with the same storyline doesn't, then it's probably one of two things: I was too late with my story or her voice/style/story was just better than mine. It sux, but it's true. :surrender: Oh, I’m about to take a different stance here, ladies…

Ideas are a dime a dozen. That’s the reason ideas can’t be copyrighted. That’s why there are generally 8-10 basic plotlines that keep getting rewritten.

It’s not the idea, it’s the writing.

And there’s a HUGE difference in stealing someone’s written word and writing a story in your own words from an idea.

Two of us could have the exact same story idea and the story will come out entirely different because our voices are not the same. Our styles are not the same.

I don’t subscribe to the thought that ideas can be stolen. I think people are plagiarized, but if people discuss ideas and someone takes one of those ideas and writes their own book from it, and it gets pubbed, but mine with the same storyline doesn’t, then it’s probably one of two things: I was too late with my story or her voice/style/story was just better than mine. It sux, but it’s true.
:surrender:

]]> By: Shelli http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/#comment-1694 Shelli Fri, 28 Sep 2007 17:51:47 +0000 http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/#comment-1694 *By the way, everyone, Cindy's at work and won't be able to check in and reply until later tonight!* *By the way, everyone, Cindy’s at work and won’t be able to check in and reply until later tonight!*

]]> By: Shelli http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/#comment-1693 Shelli Fri, 28 Sep 2007 17:40:31 +0000 http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/#comment-1693 Oh Delle that's scary! How did she even do that? See that's a little too eerie. I'd cry if someone snagged my two 'original' stories. Sigh. Oh Delle that’s scary! How did she even do that? See that’s a little too eerie. I’d cry if someone snagged my two ‘original’ stories. Sigh.

]]> By: Amie Stuart ~ On the Back Porch » …and over at NAS http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/#comment-1692 Amie Stuart ~ On the Back Porch » …and over at NAS Fri, 28 Sep 2007 17:21:39 +0000 http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/#comment-1692 [...] Harlequin and Avon author Cindy Kirk has a great post up on stealing ideas. Ya’ll stop by and check it [...] […] Harlequin and Avon author Cindy Kirk has a great post up on stealing ideas. Ya’ll stop by and check it […]

]]> By: Delle Jacobs http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/#comment-1691 Delle Jacobs Fri, 28 Sep 2007 17:15:03 +0000 http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/#comment-1691 Oh yes you can steal someone's story ideas. It happened to me on at least two occasions. One was a published book with a first chapter so much like mine, four people told me about it. I ended up pulling my story from submission, even though I knew my story had been written first because I knew if I published it, people would believe I was the one who stole the idea. On another occasion I was judging a contest entry which so closely paralleled my own unpublished manuscript, I thought it was eerie. The characters were different, the scene was different, but it felt like my story wearing a disguise. Then I reached the "hero takes over the castle" speech. Holy cow. I got out my own manuscript and compared. The whole thing was a word-for-word synonym substitution, with all the of's, and's and the's left in place. I contacted the coordinator and the author was disqualified, but that was all I could do. She hadn't actually done anything illegal. Oh yes you can steal someone’s story ideas. It happened to me on at least two occasions. One was a published book with a first chapter so much like mine, four people told me about it. I ended up pulling my story from submission, even though I knew my story had been written first because I knew if I published it, people would believe I was the one who stole the idea.

On another occasion I was judging a contest entry which so closely paralleled my own unpublished manuscript, I thought it was eerie. The characters were different, the scene was different, but it felt like my story wearing a disguise.

Then I reached the “hero takes over the castle” speech. Holy cow. I got out my own manuscript and compared. The whole thing was a word-for-word synonym substitution, with all the of’s, and’s and the’s left in place. I contacted the coordinator and the author was disqualified, but that was all I could do. She hadn’t actually done anything illegal.

]]> By: Shonna Brannon http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/#comment-1690 Shonna Brannon Fri, 28 Sep 2007 17:11:23 +0000 http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/09/28/the-%e2%80%9ct%e2%80%9d-word-theft-of-ideas-by-cindy-kirk/#comment-1690 :welcome: This is why I only share my ideas with my cp's. I have 3 that brainstorm with me and I trust them totally. :welcome: This is why I only share my ideas with my cp’s. I have 3 that brainstorm with me and I trust them totally.

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