: Re: What is the best way to use your favorite authors as inspiration without plagiarism? I am a big fan of certain authors' writing styles and stories and I am convinced that when I sit down

Take elements from multiple sources and combine them in a unique way. The reality is that none of us is entirely original; we all borrow (consciously or unconsciously) from others.

French writer Georges Polti claimed in the 19th century that there were only 36 dramatic situations that could occur in a story or performance. More recently Christopher Booker distilled seven basic plots of heroic stories. We could debate whether these counts are accurate or complete, but the point is that themes and ideas are reusable.

You can't help letting your favorite authors influence your work, but if you combine your ideas in your own way, the story will be all yours.

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: Plain translation or cultural adaptation? I've written my first novel in Spanish, my native language. The main character is Spanish and starts in Madrid, then goes to ZÃ¼rich and ends up in

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: I'm afraid of [accidental] plagiarism I've recently written a screenplay about an alien invasion. A friend immediately commented that he found similarities (some general ideas, plot devices) with

: Re: What is the best way to use your favorite authors as inspiration without plagiarism? I am a big fan of certain authors' writing styles and stories and I am convinced that when I sit down

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: Plain translation or cultural adaptation? I've written my first novel in Spanish, my native language. The main character is Spanish and starts in Madrid, then goes to ZÃ¼rich and ends up in

: Do romances need to have a happy ending? Is a book labelled "romance" expected to a have a happy ending? I've heard advice that "romance" novels are meant to satisfy, well, a desire for

: How do I calculate wordcount for a manuscript? When I submit a manuscript, I'm supposed to include a wordcount. I understand that this is not simply the number of words in the document (as

: I'm afraid of [accidental] plagiarism I've recently written a screenplay about an alien invasion. A friend immediately commented that he found similarities (some general ideas, plot devices) with

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