: What really is considered as plagiarism? I am currently writing a novel which I noticed is based on ideas from many books that I have read. I noticed that what did I do is get an idea from

Vote Up Vote Down

In short: Everything you just listed is completely fine.
There's nothing wrong with taking a specific plot point in a book and then having your own unique spin on it. Nobody can plagiarize you for having a similar plot in the story. If this were the case, most fantasy-based or sci-fi genre boarding schools could be copyrighted by J.K Rowling, places on surreal adventures can be taken down by Lewis Carrol's family, and any books dealing with unfair racism in the 20th century can be struck down by Harper Lee (or Scott Rudin).
The thing you don't want to do, however, is take the whole thing and just make your own story out of it.
By this, I mean literally taking the world the author already had and making a slightly different story. I'm actually going to use Harry Potter for this example because it's a classic.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Let's pretend that you're inspired by Harry Potter and want to make your own boarding school for magical people. The idea itself is completely fine because no author owns the idea of schools for students with superhuman capabilities. What they do own, however, is the world themselves.
So if your story is:
A girl named Rebecca is destined to be a part of the magical school Noah's Academy, founded by the world's greatest wizard. After thirteen years of anticipation, she is finally accepted. However, she finds that the magical place also has a deal with keeping only the best of students: the ones with wit, creativity, and ways to get past life and death situations
Then you won't be subject to plagiarism. The reason being is because, despite Harry Potter and your book having similar schools (heck, even semi-similar origins) it's your own unique spin on a less unique concept.
WHAT YOU CAN'T DO
BUT if your story is:
A girl named Rebecca is thrilled when she gets an announcement to be in Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry! She meets Harry Potter and Ron Weasley on the way (Hermione had lost her spot to the much wittier girl) and they both travel across the world to unlock the magical secrets of Africa.
Here, you're using the plot from an established story and just adding characters and making up your own story. This story would definitely be subject to plagiarism.
BUT
If you do it in the form of fan fiction, then this work would be tolerated. As long as you do not attempt to publish the book and put it on a website without intending to make money off of it, you can probably do it.
(Sometimes authors may not permit fanfictions of the world, but this varies from author to author.)
The takeaway: Authors don't own things such as "character takes the sword from a stone" or "a child goes to a magical boarding school", but they DO own "Dillain takes a sword from the mouth of the Chilianed Dragon in the depths of the waters" and "Harry Potter is accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry". Basically, they own the world, not the skin-and-bones concept that the world is based on.

(0)

Vote Up Vote Down

If you break it down enough, every story is built up of other stories. Chances are, most parts from your story can be found on TV Tropes under a different name. Before you go beating yoruself up about how you have four books in one, compare Harry Potter with Star Wars. They're pretty much the same in different settings. Both have magic powers, the chosen one, the need to save the world(s), a whiny MC, a mentor who dies in the end, etc, etc, etc.
So you should be fine unless you're copy + pasting chapters from the other books and just changing pronouns and names.

(0)