Ugh. I am so scared of someone stealing from me that sometimes I have a hard time pressing the "publish" button. That fear can be paralyzing. I recently wrote a bit about it and concluded that sometimes ideas are carried like dandelions on the wind, and many people can have them simultaneously, and so nobody's stealing, or maybe everyone's stealing because there is no original thought. But my conclusion was only to make myself feel better. Because if I stop and think about the stealing part again, I'd probably never show anything.
(I just wrote this long response that doesn't seem to match your post. What happened to your post about people stealing ideas? I'm a nincompoop.)
Ginny's a pro at going (creatively) off topic, so I don't think she'll mind at all if you do. ;) And your conclusion is spot-on. I do think that the more personal your work is, the less likely it is that someone can steal it.
Glad you went off topic, because while I love the list, I also like this topic of stealing! In fact, I've been worrying about "my" idea so much lately that my worry has helped light that querying fire under my butt. Get that idea out there.
also, recently had an unfortunately experience with a new friend who's also a writer. We had a great conversation, but afterwards, she sent me an email saying she had "dibs" on something we'd talked about. So that was kind of a bummer. An insult, and also an injection of weird self-consciousness.
Oh it was right under your comment and very appropriate in either case. I am being euphemistic when I use the word "inspiration" but it makes me want to scream. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I call bullshit.
You aren't creative?
ReplyDeleteUgh. I am so scared of someone stealing from me that sometimes I have a hard time pressing the "publish" button. That fear can be paralyzing. I recently wrote a bit about it and concluded that sometimes ideas are carried like dandelions on the wind, and many people can have them simultaneously, and so nobody's stealing, or maybe everyone's stealing because there is no original thought. But my conclusion was only to make myself feel better. Because if I stop and think about the stealing part again, I'd probably never show anything.
ReplyDelete(I just wrote this long response that doesn't seem to match your post. What happened to your post about people stealing ideas? I'm a nincompoop.)
Ginny's a pro at going (creatively) off topic, so I don't think she'll mind at all if you do. ;) And your conclusion is spot-on. I do think that the more personal your work is, the less likely it is that someone can steal it.
DeleteGlad you went off topic, because while I love the list, I also like this topic of stealing! In fact, I've been worrying about "my" idea so much lately that my worry has helped light that querying fire under my butt. Get that idea out there.
Deletealso, recently had an unfortunately experience with a new friend who's also a writer. We had a great conversation, but afterwards, she sent me an email saying she had "dibs" on something we'd talked about. So that was kind of a bummer. An insult, and also an injection of weird self-consciousness.
Oh it was right under your comment and very appropriate in either case. I am being euphemistic when I use the word "inspiration" but it makes me want to scream. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I call bullshit.
ReplyDeleteI think this list can only help no matter what.
ReplyDelete