[ SECRET POST #3931 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #3931 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 35 secrets from Secret Submission Post #563.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

Re: Writing thread!

[(Anonymous)]

So I need a little advice! I'm writing a space opera that heavily invokes classical mythology. There are name changes and the events are totally reworked, but to anyone familiar with Graeco-Roman mythology, there will probably be quite a bit that pings as familiar imagery. I think this is pretty common in science fiction, so I'm not worried about that.

But one of my main plots goes more into historical stuff, i.e. the story of a very famous individual from the classical period who has already inspired many works of fiction. It's very loose - the story definitely does not follow the historical events and it's mostly original, even beyond the change in setting, but the names are derived from the names of the original people and the basic plot will be familiar to anyone who knows their history.

I'm just about finished with my first draft, and while I don't feel guilty "plagiarizing" mythology, it feels a bit weirder when it comes to actual historical events. And the issue is, I feel, it's sort of a half-baked retelling of the actual story. I'm worried that I might come across as plagiarizing, because it's obviously taken from history without being a retelling so obvious it needs no crediting. I could change the names and rework it to something totally original, or I could make it more obvious and try to follow the history more closely. I just don't want to come across like I'm nabbing stories that don't belong to me without making it transparent that I didn't completely invented them. Otherwise, it feels like I should hint toward it in my summary blurb to acknowledge I'm doing it.

Plus, while no one owns a historical event that happened a few thousand years ago, again, there's already a lot of famous fiction about this person, and there's one particularly famous one I'm worried about looking like I'm copying because our POV characters are similar.

Does this make sense? Any advice? Is ancient history relatively fair game for use and free modification in the same way classical mythology is?

Re: Writing thread!

[(Anonymous)]

It's hard to judge without more detail but offhand I'd say sure, why not? Historical events and myth aren't, IMO, things that can be plagiarized. I'd try to distinguish your interpretation from the famous interpretation if possible, though.

Re: Writing thread!

[(Anonymous)]

Thanks for the advice! I didn't want to go into more detail, but I guess my issue is - is it okay to leave it half-baked for people to guess at, and if they do recognize it, great, if not, great. Or does it come across like I'm being sneaky and stealing plots that I didn't invent, and trying to make it just different enough to try to claim it as original? I think if I did leave the names the same and places the same, no one would be bothered because it'd be an obvious credit, but changing it somewhat makes it a little murkier.

But maybe I'm overthinking this!

Re: Writing thread!

[(Anonymous)]

You should do whatever you think is best for the story. You're not stealing from a modern work or author, and history is fair game.

Re: Writing thread!

[feotakahari]

It was good enough for Isaac Asimov: http://readnovelonline.com/ScienceFiction/Asimov41/27324.html

Re: Writing thread!

[(Anonymous)]

stealing from one place is plagiarism... stealing from many places is RESEARCH.

you've changed the setting. you've changed the names of the mythological people. you've changed the events. You've gone beyond due diligence when there are writers in that genre that don't do that much!

Don't worry about acknowledging the sources. If someone does figure it out they get an internet cookie and you can be "SQUEE!" Make your summary blurb about the story itself. Who is your character, what is their conflict... story hook. (Without saying it's thrilling with plot twists.)

You've almost finished a novel. That's a lot of hard work. Congratulations!

Re: Writing thread!

[(Anonymous)]

Plagiarism is literally taking someone else's words. This is not what you're describing here.

There's plenty of fiction out there based loosely on ancient history; there's entire subgenres based on that, so I don't see a problem. Historical events are not copywritten, trademarked, or otherwise owned by anyone.

Re: Writing thread!

[(Anonymous)]

I guess plagiarism was maybe the wrong choice of words. Of course nothing is trademarked, but it's more my worry that people are going to think I'm taking an existing story and trying to pass it off as my own original idea when it's actually totally intentional, and how to communicate (if even necessary) that it is intentional without going so far as to use the exact same names for my characters and such. It's just a story I'm hoping to self-publish, and I'm trying to look at it critically! Thanks for the comment though.