I’m a writer blog

Guidelines for writing Poems, Stories and Tales

I have two story ideas and I want to know if they’re similar enough to other books/movies to be copyright infringing ?

Asked by: Michael Jimenez

What if your book is similar to another book?

What you cannot ever do is copy the words of another author. The words are copyrighted. You must tell the story in your own words and in your own voice and style. The general rule is that ideas are not copyrighted, but the expression of those ideas is.

What if my story is similar to another story?

Plagiarism is when you literally copy/paste pieces of someone else’s work into your own, not when your story belongs in the same section of the bookstore as someone else’s work. Show activity on this post. If you make your story unique and different, it doesn’t matter.

Can you copy story ideas?

It’s pretty generic. You may borrow it. However, though you may copy the theme, plot, or ideas from an original work, you may not copy the “expression” of those ideas. The U.S. Copyright Act protects the mode of expression employed by an author within her original work.

Can you write a book inspired by another book?

Normally, writers can’t legally put their spin on a book until it has become part of the public domain, which means that the original author’s intellectual property rights have expired.

Can any person write a book?

Anyone can write a book. It might be bad or be incomprehensible, but so what: it’s still a book and many published authors haven’t done any better.

Can I write a sequel to someone else’s book?

—Becky B. Q: For all books that fall under copyright protection, yes, you need to be granted permission by the copyright holder. The holder is typically the author, the author’s family or the publisher of the book. Without attaining the rights, you can’t sell/publish a sequel.

Should different authors be allowed to write sequels?

Such sequel writing is contracted and is perfectly allowable. The other main context for this is where an author writes a great story, and then co-authors take over writing parts of the story either as co-authors, or as contracted authors writing the next part of the longer story. Also perfectly allowable.

What is a spinoff book called?

The spin-off is a book, film, or television series that usually comes after a successful book, film, or television series. This can also mean that a certain character from the original series gets another series for their own. The prequel is a film or book that is made about the earlier stage of the story.

What is a spin-off story?

In media, a spin-off (or spinoff) is a radio program, television program, film, video game or any narrative work, derived from already existing works that focus on more details and different aspects from the original work (e.g. particular topics, characters or events).

What is a side story?

In fiction writing, the definition of a subplot is a side story that runs parallel to the main plot. It has a secondary strand of characters and events that can infuse important information into the main storyline.

What is difference between sequel & Non sequel?

The main difference between Sequel and Spin-off is that sequel carries forward the original story, in the same universe and with the same characters, whereas a spin-off can be a program telecasted on television or radio or is any kind of narrative, which is inspired and has a direct relation with the already existing …



What is the most successful TV spin-off?

10 Best TV Spin-Offs, Ranked According To IMDB

  • Frasier (1993-2004) – 8.1. …
  • Stargate Atlantis (2004-09) – 8.1. …
  • Batman Beyond (1999-2001) – 8.1. …
  • The Good Fight (2017-) – 8.3. …
  • Boston Legal (2004-08) – 8.4. …
  • The Punisher (2017-19) – 8.5. …
  • Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-94) – 8.6. …
  • The Simpsons (1989-) – 8.6.

Has there ever been a successful spin-off?

Frasier. Frasier was an enormously successful spin-off of the hit sitcom Cheers. Following his divorce (seen on Cheers), Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) returned to his hometown of Seattle, where he ends up taking in his ailing father (John Mahoney).

What was AfterMASH?

AfterMASH is an American sitcom, produced as a spin-off of M*A*S*H, that aired on CBS from September 26, 1983, to May 31, 1985. The series takes place immediately following the end of the Korean War and chronicles the postwar adventures of three characters from the original series: Colonel Sherman T.

Why was after mash Cancelled?

Consequently, AfterMASH had plummeted to the bottom of the ratings in its second season (90th overall) and was canceled by May 1985, while The A-Team remained a solid top 10 hit for an additional season, though its formulaic episodes eventually wore thin on viewers resulting in its own cancellation less than two years …

Why did Father Mulcahy leave mash?

Around the start of the fifth season, Christopher came down with a serious case of hepatitis that nearly proved fatal. “He became very sick and many people thought that he wouldn’t make it,” a source close to the late actor told National Enquirer. Mulcahy was suddenly absent from a string of episodes.



What is BJ Hunnicutt’s full name?

Michael Joseph Farrell Jr. (born February 6, 1939) is an American actor, best known for his role as Captain B.J. Hunnicutt on the television series M*A*S*H (1975–83).

Mike Farrell
Occupation Actor director producer screenwriter activist public speaker
Years active 1963–present