Thursday, October 1, 2015

Story Hoarding

by Patricia Cates


Has anyone else out there ever had an idea stolen by a friend or colleague? Or maybe had a coworker take credit for something that you actually did at work? I sure have. More times than I care to count. It’s a jungle out there. Okay so maybe some of it dates back to elementary school, but it still haunts me to this day. Call it baggage or perhaps a small case of paranoia if you will. Like the old adage says, “Once bitten twice shy.”
Sometimes I think I really need to get over it…but it’s hard.
So how does this pertain to writing? Sadly I now fear going to a publisher or having a face to face. I fear that they are going to give my brilliant (or very poor) book pitch to another, more popular and marketable client. I even have a fear of going to a writers conference, or being in a writing group, because someone there…with more time and talent…will take my story and run with it. Am I completely nuts?

Look what happened to the mastermind/creator of the Facebook concept! This worries me.

How many times have you seen two different movie studios come out with almost the same movie within a year? (Insert answer here.)
So I now refuse to share my WIPs, and I believe it is retarding my growth as a writer. I must learn to trust at some point. Honestly I cannot think of a single person whom I can completely confide in. Every single friend I have has another friend of equal value, or a spouse, with whom they share information freely.
Contracts are broken every day…as are confidences. Not always maliciously…but broken nonetheless.
So I stay holed up like a hermit. My flash drives under lock and key. My passwords thankfully encrypted and changed regularly. The funny thing is that I am just a run-of-the-mill, stay at home mom. That being said….if there are indeed any safe places to go, I would love to know. I will need to emerge from my shell at some point.

   

6 comments:

  1. I struggled with this at first, but then I decided it was ridiculous and that I needed to have enough faith in myself as a creative person and a writer to know that even if someone did steal my plot basis, that my skill and unique flair that I can bring to it through my own angle and the beauty in the details would outshine anything anyone else could do with my idea. Or, if all else fails, I have so many more awesome ideas that if one gets taken I have a wealth of others to take its place.

    I know that it's a real issue, but if you focus on it it will paralyze you. I chose to make it a personal issue and take ownership of it and not let it terrorize me! Be confident in yourself. Be brave. You can't let your light shine by hiding it under a bushel!

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    1. Thanks for the words of encouragement. Does this also mean I'm actually NOT paranoid? Hmmmm ;)

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  2. You're not paranoid, Patricia. I think we all have those fears. I agree with Kasey, though. Focusing on ANY fear will paralyze you.

    One suggestion is to find and cultivate a small group of writers who you can trust. Start slowly and only share in the group, so that if something gets stolen, you have corroboration that this person heard that idea in that meeting. ANWA is a great forum for sharing, with its smaller chapters and guidelines for membership. But there are other groups out there as well, or you can even build your own from other writers you trust. Take your time, and prayerfully consider what to share and with whom.

    If you are taking your cues from Heavenly Father as to what/where/when/how much you are sharing, then you can have peace that regardless of what happens (even if it's someone stealing an idea), that it was done to fulfill the Lord's purposes--and isn't that what we're all striving for in the end?

    Realizing that sounds super simplistic and kind of Pollyanna-istic too. But hey, I'm on a General Conference buzz. :)

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for the advice and the tips Leann. I totally appreciate you and will look into that! I really felt it was just me...enjoy your day :)

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  3. My dad has always told me that there are only 60 stories in the world, and we just keep retelling them over and over again in new ways. Maybe there are more than 60, but there are elements of everyone's stories that can be linked to someone else's.

    On the flip side, ten different people can take one single idea and come up with ten different stories. Like Kasey said about her own skill and unique flair bringing out the best in her story, you can do that too. Your story will always be your own. Don't let the fear hold you back.

    Find someone to trust. As a writer, you need a writing buddy. At least one. You may have to take a leap of faith to find that person, but it'll be worth it. I share all my ideas with my writing buddy, and though it was scary at first, I now know she'll never take my ideas. Just as I would never take hers. We help each other, because writing is hard.

    ReplyDelete
  4. My dad has always told me that there are only 60 stories in the world, and we just keep retelling them over and over again in new ways. Maybe there are more than 60, but there are elements of everyone's stories that can be linked to someone else's.

    On the flip side, ten different people can take one single idea and come up with ten different stories. Like Kasey said about her own skill and unique flair bringing out the best in her story, you can do that too. Your story will always be your own. Don't let the fear hold you back.

    Find someone to trust. As a writer, you need a writing buddy. At least one. You may have to take a leap of faith to find that person, but it'll be worth it. I share all my ideas with my writing buddy, and though it was scary at first, I now know she'll never take my ideas. Just as I would never take hers. We help each other, because writing is hard.

    ReplyDelete

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