Has anyone posted up details of their plots, i.e. a fantastic little twist that they're so proud of they couldn't keep it inside, and had it stolen by some rogue ill-mannered forum cad? Sorry about this, but I always find myself checking myself and obsessing about giving my ideas away (it's like a curse!!). I've had a short story stolen and reproduced, almost word for word, in a writing circle once and I guess that's kind of tainted my trusting personality...

Hope no one has been spiked like that. It sucks. And blows. Simultaneously. :(

xXx

I've never knowingly had one of my brilliant gems stolen from the NaNo or ScriptFrenzy site, but it is certainly possible that it could happen. You have to choose your acceptable level of risk and decide whether to post an excerpt or put any ideas into a forum or not. It's completely up to you.

I have had ideas and concepts taken via other conduits (conversations, for example) and yeah, it stinks to have that happen. So, I'm just more careful now if I think there's something really cool that I'm working on.

At this point, though, this isn't something I spend a good deal of time worrying about. If I ever come up with something I consider to be a truly unique, never-been-done-before concept, I may think twice before posting it in a public forum, though.

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NaNo 2006(win): "Children of the Stars"
NaNo 2007(win): "Darkness Falls"

I've never heard of it happening, but it's not something I would be so naive as to think couldn't happen.

However, what I've always felt about it is only share what you're comfortable sharing, and let's be frank; someone untalented enough to steal ideas isn't going to have the creativity and drive to be successful enough to be any kind of competitor.

Heather
Forums Moderator

I did my first NaNoWriMo last year, and since I worked in scrupulous secret, no one has stolen my generic fantasy novel. Just to be safe, though, I followed the instructions for scrambling it (basically you just change every letter to "A") before submitting it to the automatic word counter. Near as I can tell, unless you actually discuss your story in detail with people (I myself don't do this until I have a finished product) you should be set. Any resemblance is probably just coincidence.

Sorry you got hit, though. I took several writing courses in college, and I was always amazed at the ineptitude of people who tried to mimic others. Take heart; your story is not unique, although it does rankle.

I've always been a little irritated when I have a good idea or theme and someone else writes a bestseller with the same idea. They couldn't have stolen it from me; I don't know them. Still, there's always the nagging sensation that "That should have been me!"

I've always been a little irritated when I have a good idea or theme and someone else writes a bestseller with the same idea. They couldn't have stolen it from me; I don't know them. Still, there's always the nagging sensation that "That should have been me!"

Grrr! There was about a year or so when pretty much every book I picked up had some clever turn of phrase or quirky saying THAT I HAD COME UP WITH FIRST... It was my own original, clever, insanely witty remark, and some famous writer had to go and steal it.

Psychicly, of course.

Which explains why some of the books were published way before I conceived my wonderful idea. But that's mostly irrelevant; they stole it, trust me.

Criss, la Reina
www.crisswrites.com
www.xanga.com/reinacristina

Oh, don't get me started on psychic mind-theft! That Tim Burton would be nothing without my ideas! >:(

{ Felicity Libertine & the Dead - currently pondering what to call the hippy down the road... }

You have no idea about the amount of psychic mind theft that goes on between me and sketch show writers. It's like they're living in my brain!

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Stress levels: Low
Currently: Writing enthusiastically.
>> http://suziebee.blogspot.com <<

A dutch series stole a lot of ideas of me and a friend.we are writing together on a private part of an already private forum...
yet a lot of ideas we had were used in that series!
how dare they getting into our minds.

It's really sad when somebody steals your novel.
But they will have to keep stealing in order to stay " good" and that's not a way of life.

Like the guy who wrote lonely planet books also comitted he stole the stuff and made things up.
let's see how much more he's gonna sell...

I've been plagiarized by my roommate, then a professional writer. Now I am one and I am much more careful.

Bear in mind: ideas are NOT copyrightable. Only the EXECUTION of an idea is copyrightable. Idea stealing is not actionable, but plagiarism is. It's a fine line, but it's there.

So: if you do choose to post an excerpt, be sure to put a copyright notice at the top with your name and the year and the words "all rights reserved." Legally that's all you need to protect your written work. But if you choose to post, post a scene with some talking or some basic action and nothing that gives away your gimmick.

Been there, had that done to. Good luck!

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Nano 2007: If Wishes Were Horses (aka IWWH) winnah!
Screnzy 2008: C4 (formerly IWWH, the GN) winnah!