Don't Worry. Nobody's Going to Steal Your Idea

I often hear from other writers that they don't want anybody to steal their idea for their soon to be bestselling novel or movie. But all I have to say to that is this: Don't worry. Nobody's going to steal your idea, and here's why:

1. Nobody thinks your idea is as creative as you, the creator

Just when you think you've created Inception or The Hunger Games, you find out that Paprika or Battle Royale have already been created. The fact is, no matter how original you think your story is, somebody has already written a story that's pretty similar to what you've just written. So in truth, you may be creative, but so are a lot of other people out there and no man or woman is an island. I can guarantee that if you search hard enough, your story has already been told and told well. What matters is what YOU have to offer to that story. Your voice is all that truly matters, so focus on that.

2. Nobody has time to steal your idea and then write your story

Just think about how long it took you to write that story of yours that you've been dreaming about all your life. Hopefully, you took your time and went back to edit and revise where your story needed it, so it definitely took you a great deal of time to put everything together. Well, just think about how others work and then you'll see where I'm coming from. Crafting a story worth reading takes TIME, and most people aren't going to take the time to write a story that you came up with, even if your idea is dynamite. And this leads me to my next and final reason why nobody is going to steal your idea.

3. Other people already have projects they're working on that they feel just as passionately about as you feel for your project

If somebody writes stories, then they undoubtedly have a tale in their heart that they want to tell and don't have the passion to steal your story. Sure, they might take elements here or there if they hear something cool in your plot, but that's just the nature of the beast. We all pluck and steal from things that sound cool or have impacted us over the years. So don't flatter yourself. Others have their own stories to tell, too.

So the next time you worry about somebody stealing your idea, relax. Any idea you have has already been expressed and told. It's your voice that matters. So focus on that.

Pictures From My Recent Book Signing in Watchung Booksellers

Hey, everybody! I recently did a book signing in Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, and it was a big success. If you would like to purchase either The Darkness of the Womb or A Boy and His Corpse, you can do so here.

Goodreads Review: Sula

Sula by Toni Morrison
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Now this is interesting. After reading a book, I always go on Wikipedia to read the plot summary just in case I missed anything. One thing that caught my attention is that this particular Wikipedia entry said that Sula can be considered the main antagonist of the book. Shoot. If this were an Ayn Rand novel, Sula would most certainly be the protagonist. And that's because she lives life how she wants to and doesn't regret her actions. In Ayn Rand's Objectivist philosophy, Sula's "selfishness" could be seen as a virtue. But in any other novel, the acts she does are seen as evil. And since this is my first Toni Morrison novel, I can see that "evil" can actually be a good thing in a Morrison story. But it's still evil. There's no denying that. The author makes that quite clear.

What I like about this book is its poetic nature. It's almost like stream of consciousness writing as events seamlessly drift into others, and you're not quite sure how you got there, but it certainly fits. I love that about this book. But what I don't like is that the narrative thread feels a bit too loose. Never did I feel like I was reading an actual story with direction. Not until, that is, the last few pages when everything wraps itself up and connects to the beginning, which feels like a forced conclusion. Telling the story through the years didn't feel entirely necessary. Still, it kept my attention and it's rather short. I plan to read more from Ms. Morrison. I can see why she's won so many awards (Including the Nobel Prize). Her writing is solid.

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