I have an "idea file" with dozens of one-line summaries of ideas that I could develop into screenplays (or prose fiction), if I got my butt off Livejournal and Facebook and actually wrote them out. If a situation comes up in conversation that reminds me of something in the idea file, I'll share it freely; if someone wants to realize the idea as a book, screenplay, or whatever, it's theirs. I would hope that I'd get a little acknowledgement, if they think the idea is worth something, but I wouldn't claim they owe me credit.
With rare exceptions, ideas are cheap. The artistry is taking an idea and realizing it as a complete story. Occasionally one comes up with an idea so irresistible that the story writes itself once the idea comes into the author's head. For example, I would imagine that Arthur C Clarke pounded out the first draft of "The Nine Billion Names of God" about as fast as he could type. Likewise, Isaac Asimov no doubt wrote "The Last Question" as fast as he could type (but that's how he wrote everything). But such ideas are rare, and any writer who gets one is likely to feel compelled to write it – and once it's written it's too late for anyone else to steal it.
So what do you do? It sounds like you tried to do what I would have tried to do. First, I'd point out that I had no knowledge of the supposedly stolen idea, and even if I had known about it the real work is realizing the idea, not thinking it up. Then, in support of the point that ideas are cheap, I'd point to the fact that copyright law offers no protections for ideas, only their realization.
But that obviously didn't do the job with this character, so my reaction would have been wrong for the situation. I concur with others who replied that ignoring the guy would have been the best course of action.
One new thought I can add to this discussion is a means of protecting yourself against legal nonsense, in the event that someone wants to bring lawyers into the picture. First, when you're writing, save lots back-up copies of early drafts of your writings (and your idea files, if you have them). Disk space is cheap, and having a collection of drafts proves your work is yours – and they're more reliable than any word processor's "undo" feature. Second, when dealing with beginners in classes, hand out a quick summary of copyright law that emphasizes that ideas are cheap, and the hard work is expressing them, and spend a few minutes advising them to take a look at the hand-out.
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Date: 2012-04-11 08:31 am (UTC)I have an "idea file" with dozens of one-line summaries of ideas that I could develop into screenplays (or prose fiction), if I got my butt off Livejournal and Facebook and actually wrote them out. If a situation comes up in conversation that reminds me of something in the idea file, I'll share it freely; if someone wants to realize the idea as a book, screenplay, or whatever, it's theirs. I would hope that I'd get a little acknowledgement, if they think the idea is worth something, but I wouldn't claim they owe me credit.
With rare exceptions, ideas are cheap. The artistry is taking an idea and realizing it as a complete story. Occasionally one comes up with an idea so irresistible that the story writes itself once the idea comes into the author's head. For example, I would imagine that Arthur C Clarke pounded out the first draft of "The Nine Billion Names of God" about as fast as he could type. Likewise, Isaac Asimov no doubt wrote "The Last Question" as fast as he could type (but that's how he wrote everything). But such ideas are rare, and any writer who gets one is likely to feel compelled to write it – and once it's written it's too late for anyone else to steal it.
So what do you do? It sounds like you tried to do what I would have tried to do. First, I'd point out that I had no knowledge of the supposedly stolen idea, and even if I had known about it the real work is realizing the idea, not thinking it up. Then, in support of the point that ideas are cheap, I'd point to the fact that copyright law offers no protections for ideas, only their realization.
But that obviously didn't do the job with this character, so my reaction would have been wrong for the situation. I concur with others who replied that ignoring the guy would have been the best course of action.
One new thought I can add to this discussion is a means of protecting yourself against legal nonsense, in the event that someone wants to bring lawyers into the picture. First, when you're writing, save lots back-up copies of early drafts of your writings (and your idea files, if you have them). Disk space is cheap, and having a collection of drafts proves your work is yours – and they're more reliable than any word processor's "undo" feature. Second, when dealing with beginners in classes, hand out a quick summary of copyright law that emphasizes that ideas are cheap, and the hard work is expressing them, and spend a few minutes advising them to take a look at the hand-out.