Happened to see a link to this competition, and thought, what the heck, there's no fee and the first 2,000 words of my novel could just about sound like paranormal suspense.



Then I saw this in the ts and cs (on the entry form itself):

I understand and accept that ideas and titles cannot be copyrighted, and that any similarities between my work and any future works of the judges of this contest are purely coincidental.

Yes, of course I understand the first part, but don't you think the second part of the above reads less like a standard disclaimer and more like 'if you do send in some titles/ideas that grab me or my pals, be aware that we'll probably cherry-pick them'? Or am I just getting paranoid in my old age?

Edited by Astrea at 21:02:00 on 24 June 2013

I think it's because there are plenty of writers out there who are convinced that their ideas were "stolen" - vide all the people who are sure they thought of a boy wizard at school first... It may be that this particular comp has suffered from crazed writers before. I agree that it sounds a bit paranoid, but it may be that they want to be crystal clear about it.

The short story I wrote for Stories for Homes, I realised after I submitted it and it got accepted, actually draws on something excruciatingly personal a friend told me a week or two before I wrote it. I had no idea I was "using" what she told me, and was faintly horrified when I realised. It felt as if the idea just came to me. I just hope that, when it comes out and she sees it, she won't realise and hate me.

I suppose what I'm saying is that the ideas in our melting pots can come from anywhere, and often we don't know where, or don't immediately realise where!

Deb

the ideas in our melting pots can come from anywhere, and often we don't know where, or don't immediately realise where!

Yes, exactly.

Ages ago I read a very interesting blog, a propos the latest attempt to sue some mega-author, about how anyone who's done plenty of reading and writing knows that no ideas are new, so all ideas are new, if you like: everything is a combination and re-mixture of what's come before.

The people who are convinced that some big name (or competition judge) has "stolen" their idea of combining a railway with a wizard are the ones who don't read enough to realise this basic fact.

Probably true...

I get and understand all of the above - but the bit I really didn't like the inclusion of titles as well as ideas. Ideas, fine - clearly there are only so many twists you can put on, what is it, seven basic plots?

But titles. Hmm. I like my title - it's intriguing and a little mysterious, and some might say it's the best thing about my novel! - and I wouldn't be too chuffed about someone 'borrowing' it. I'd put it quite a way up the list of unlikely co-incidences, myself.

It wasn't even a great competition, tbh, just something a friend pointed out, so all in all I think I'll pass!

Titles are tricky, aren't they, because there's no

The first writing course I ever did, the tutor gave us a title for a prompt and said that it was one she wanted to use, so would we please not use it for a Real Thing. It is a great title, and I don't blame her.

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Titles are tricky, aren't they, because there's no copyright in a title, and yet it is creative writing - it's not just an idea...