Reality Check

Happy Wednesday All,

First of all, note (based off of Tuesday's post) I have started reading Darklight by Lesley Livingston, so I'll let you know how that is once I'm done.

Alright...

It's been said numerous times and I'm gonna reiterate it:

THERE ARE NO NEW IDEAS JUST NEW SPINS ON THE SAME IDEAS!

Yes, it's true...your idea is not as one-of-a-kind-nobody-has-ever-done-or-thought-of-this-before-in-their-lives-I'm-completely-unique. You just have a new idea/concept/thought/plot/character on an "old" idea.

On a personal note, this reality check happened to me on Tuesday night. I was in a bookstore and I got curious about his one author and so I picked up a couple of her books. Sure enough, part of an idea I had for a paranormal species (on a book I've already written but am editing and hope to query soon) was sitting on the shelf. I went through the synopsis of every book for that series.

Sure, I have a different take on the concept, but it's the same concept.

That's when you have to stop and think...

Same concept, same idea...different take, different storyline, different way of telling/showing the story.

So, now that you know your idea for a vampire fairy princess werewolf-leprechaun is not so new, you must ask yourself the following question:

What makes my story unique? What makes my spin on that concept different? How does my story stand out?

The stories on the bookshelves are same concepts, new way of telling. Different names for things, but basically the same ideas.

It's about how the author makes them stand out. How they make them different. Unique.

It doesn't mean your story won't sell. It doesn't mean your story isn't good. It just means you have to make it stand out and shine despite every other one that looks like it.

And, you especially have to work hard at that if you're up against a popular series and/or popular author.

I know the pressure level probably went up, but that's part of the mark of a good author/good storyteller...the ability to make his or her story totally stand out from the pack.

Have A Winsome Wednesday!