by Ruth Belena

Created on: October 24, 2009

Creative writers who are inspired by the novels of other authors can enjoy writing success by making sure not to use the same ideas and characters in their own writing. Ideas and characters can be only be repeated when writing fan fiction, and when a writer is authorized to produce a sequel to a book or a screenplay by another author.

Writing a series of stories featuring the same characters, or a series of novels that share a common theme, is not the same as reusing ideas and types of character. The Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling, and the "Twilight" series by Stephenie Meyer, show how characters and themes can be developed in a series, and how each new title can add more to an original idea.

- A science fiction novel about a race of aliens trying to invade earth is certainly not an original idea, and no new story should feature a similar type of alien creature that has already threatened our world in another book. If you want to write about alien invasion be sure to create a unique protagonist and make your alien species quite distinctive from any other. You could write several stories featuring the same protagonist, who saves the earth each time, and the same race of aliens could appear in several stories, but each plot should be individual. Any series of books or stories will benefit when original new characters are introduced.

- Magical stories about wizards should not feature the same stereotypical old wizard, nor indeed a schoolboy wizard. It is better to create an entirely new type of wizard, rather than always to write about a wizard who is tall and thin with flowing white hair.

- Mystery story writers should avoid repeating plot ideas involving a protagonist who is socially inadequate psychopath, or a pale young women who is emotionally damaged. Readers of mysteries want to be surprised and do not wish to anticipate the outcome, so each new book requires innovative ideas, with unexpected developments in character and plot.

Crime fiction can be written about murders solved by the same detective or investigator throughout a long series of novels, but in each case the killer must be plausible as an individual. The truth should finally be revealed, in each story, in a completely unexpected way.

The best way to avoid repeating your own plot devices and character traits is to keep plot notes and character profiles from each story you write and refer to these before you write a new one. If you set all your stories within the same community, be sure to feature a range of diverse characters, and be sure to avoid inconsistencies in follow up novels.

If you do repeat ideas and characters in your writing, you will disappoint your readers, and your books might be rejected by your publisher. Creative writing success comes from using your imagination to devise original ideas and unique characters, even if the theme has been used before.

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