Today's Road Trip Wednesday leaves me stumped. Here's the topic:
What SNI were you psyched to work on, but discovered it was too close to something already done?
So my question, before I answer this question, what the heck is an SNI?
Thank goodness for people smarter (or more initial savvy) than me. Someone in the comments also wondered what SNI meant but took a stab at it: Super New Idea. (Yeah, I never would have come up with that. It took me ages to figure out what ROFL meant and I had to ask someone about IMHO.)
So, if this commenter is correct, did I start working on any Super New Ideas only to find out they've already been done?
Actually, no. Haha.
Okay, that's not altogether true. When I decided to modernize Jane Austen's Persuasion, it felt like a Super New Idea to me. But I also figured that at least one other person would have beat me to the punch. I know for a fact that at least three have, since I read their versions. The only real big disappointment was discovering that in one of the versions- a fourth version that I couldn't get a copy of- the author had used the name Rick Wentworth, the name I was going to use for my modern day Frederick Wentworth. (Big surprise- there's only so many ways you can spin off the name Frederick). Anyway, I went with Eric, which I like a lot better anyway. Other than that, their versions felt so different from mine that I feel like my version Sway is fresh in its own way.
With my other MS- Daze and Knights, and the one I'm brainstorming right now but haven't started, luckily I haven't found anything like them. Not that they're super original or really really different or even ingenious in any way. But from what I've seen, there's nothing like them out there. Yet.
Of course that doesn't stop me from being afraid that something really similar will come out and then I'm SCREWED. But what can a writer do? Nothing, except make their own MS as good as it can be so that hopefully it will be the first one of its kind out there.
And speaking of, I'm entering a pitch contest over at Forever Rewrighting. The agent, Tricia from Erin Murphy Literary Agency, is taking pitches next week which is exciting because that agency is closed to submissions. Head over there to check it out.
Or actually don't- so I can get my idea out there first! :)
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ReplyDeleteI always hate that worry that something out there is too close to your own idea. But I think most of us write things in unique enough ways that our books will be different, even with similar ideas. Good luck with yours!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I'm not the only person who didn't know what SNI meant!
ReplyDeleteLet's just say I totally feel your Jane Austen inspired retelling pain. I'm totally there with you :-)
ReplyDeleteI have a confession. I didn't know what SNI meant either, but I pretended I did.
ReplyDeleteI'd love a well-done retelling. I know they're out there, but every author has their own spin. I'd say if you love something enough, go for it. Make it yours.
I'm considering doing a Labyrinth-inspired story sometime in the future, because I just love that movie so much!
Ha, I was just commenting on another blog about a PERSUASION adaptation. I totally wanted to do this as well--PERSUASION was my favorite of Austen's by far and the themes are so YA. But you know, I think Austen's works--like fairy tales--bear many, many retellings. I mean, how many PRIDE & PREJUDICE stories do we have out there?
ReplyDeleteThink how many times Shakespeare's plays have been re-done! I'm sure Jane Austen would be thrilled to know writers are still drawing from her work for inspiration.
ReplyDeleteI used to work as a storyteller, and at festivals you'd hear multiple versions and interpretations of fairy and folk tales--but each storyteller brought their own interpretation and voice into it, and it was wonderful to see how each one played out.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Super New Idea works, but I like Shiny New Idea (and my preference for Whedonisms does not influence that, I swear).