TV show has the basis of my story... poopy

[lynestjules]

It's very common to have a story be similar to a movie, book or tv show. People will say what they want about the subject, but as long as it's not word for word and it's still an original piece of content that came out of your head, it's all good.
I've had a couple of people tell me that I ripped off Frozen.
I started writing my series 20 years ago or so. I saw Frozen and it's a good movie, but it's not at all the same. Clearly these people never actually read my series. The only common thing is I have a character that's a princess who wears a blue dress and powers that control the Winter elements. But, she is no Elsa.

[therosesword]

Obviously it's the blue dress, what else could it be? Blue dresses, the bane of many women's existence.

[milejdyvan]

Honestly, talking about such similarities, my story has been called a My Hero Academia rip off 🤣 well let me examine the similarities...

1. There is an academy for supernatural kids
   2.....
   3....
   4....

Yeah, I haven't really figured out how that works out just yet 🤦🏼‍♀️ as if MHA created the idea that stories can be written in an academy with supernatural kids. My story barely even focuses on school life anyway, while MHA is pretty much all about that.

[therosesword]

There are the Septimus Heap books too

[milejdyvan]

I have not heard of those, but yes, there are many stories with this idea 🤣 my plan is to deconstruct it to the best of my ability tho.

[therosesword]

Not into deconstructing, only into moving forward

[Lunar-Turtle]

If I remember correctly there is only a certain set of story types, it was around 10, maybe, I don't know. No story is original and is based on things that came before. My own story was heavily based on things that I grew up with and affected me as a person. No one will accuse you of stealing ideas, just because you have a certain story archetype. It's not about the story idea, but how you use it and execution. So no stress.

[ble]

If you're talking about the main character adopting someone, not only the examples already mentioned, but even Batman adopted Robin, so yeah is a very know trope, I don't see the problem.

Most stories are good guys beat the bad guy, the two main characters fall in love after a while, etc, etc. What makes the stories stand up, It's their own take, like character design/development, dialogue, world, etc, that make stories different.

[therosesword]

totally forgot about batman! lol. I guess I should have put this as a rant rather than a concern. I knew I didn't have anything new (there is nothing new and most things remind people of something else) . thanks for the boost.

[Llyrel]

Oh my, I feel you.

If I had a penny for every time I came up with a story idea only to find out years later that it had already been done by someone else, I'd probably be rich by now :'D heck, I still can't get over the fact that one of the bad guys in my story (which I've been writing since 2015) is pretty much the lost twin of Lord Viren from The Dragon Prince (2018): same face, same haircut, same beard, same colors, both have a name that ends in -en, heck, the two have a lot in common even as far as their attitude goes. Okay, they're not exactly the same, buuuuut... I'm still kinda shocked, lol.

So yep, as other people said... this kind of stuff happens a lot. Sadly, coming up with 100% original ideas is pretty much impossible, at this point. The good news, however, is that you're hardly going to meet someone who will accuse you of "stealing" a well-established trope. Well, unless we're talking about haters, but as others have pointed out, haters will find just about any excuse to hate on stuff, so it's not like not using a certain trope is going to do much to prevent hate. Also, as previous posters said, it's your take on the story that differentiates it from other works, so even if there are a few traits in common with other works, the way you're developing your own plot is what counts the most

[DasIstWunderblyat]

I am fine. Thank you.
I am not angry or anything, this is how I talk.

[therosesword]

That's good to hear. Then you won't mind if I suggest you think before you throw around untrue speculations about someone's thread.

[TAMAnnoying]

Ye i don't see the problem. Tropes are good because people look for them.

you could go my route which is to do things no one dose like "kindly young soul adopts withered grump war veteran" which is basically the opposite of this trope and also something that people prob don't do often nor look for.

Trust me. being tropey is good, originality only buries you.

[therosesword]

"withered grump war veteran" LOL good one. There's actually no way to avoid this kind of thing, I know and like I said, I've not watched either show (being firmly intrenched in my C-drama stuff) but I do try to stay away from current popular things thus my late night disgruntled rant. Alas the guy in this story is only 29.

Thanks for the laugh.

[domisotto]

Good point, I was also going to say that lots of readers love stuff that closely resembles big stories. I mean, that’s why I didn’t abandoned my story just put it on the back burner. Because it has as much or more chances to thrive as the story constructed to specifically be as non-standard as possible.

[DiegoPalacios]

you could go my route which is to do things no one dose like "kindly young soul adopts withered grump war veteran" which is basically the opposite of this trope and also something that people prob don't do often nor look for.

that could have comedic potential......

[lynestjules]

Yes, of course. Total rip off.

[rajillustration]

I like to see it more as if my story ends up a little like another more popular story, maybe that just means it's marketable?

[borzoiteeth]

If anyone knows the original artist to this take please tell me because I stare at this every time I have one of these moments.

[domisotto]

I LOVE it!!!!!! totally /thread