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Hi AC/FICTALKers. If you see this (11/12/2024) please see new post in General Discussions about Open Doors OTW Organization for Transformative Works) offering to help preserve the AC archive and let me know your thoughts:

https://absolutechaos.net/fictalk/index.php/topic,3415.msg125627.html#new

Author Topic: When Characters Collide  (Read 2791 times)

julilly

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When Characters Collide
« on: April 15, 2011, 07:27:21 PM »
Do you ever have that moment when you're writing a new story and you think 'this seems familiar...' and realize that you are essentially writing the same character from an earlier story?

That kind of happened to me today. While writing a Brian scene I realized that I was essentially using Brian in the exact same way in my new story as I did in a previous one. I'm pretty much ripping myself off, I think.

Or is it perhaps more along the lines of it just being my style? What do you think?
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mare

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Re: When Characters Collide
« Reply #1 on: April 15, 2011, 09:14:37 PM »
I am constantly stealing my own stuff and not realizing it until way after the fact. LOL
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Purpura Lipstick

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Re: When Characters Collide
« Reply #2 on: April 15, 2011, 09:47:23 PM »
it's your own stuff... what's the harm in "stealing" it. LOL.
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Carter-Orange

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Re: When Characters Collide
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2011, 11:11:44 AM »
I think I do the same kind of thing and think it has to do with writing style.
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RokofAges75

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Re: When Characters Collide
« Reply #4 on: April 16, 2011, 11:21:18 AM »
Yeah, it's probably because you're writing about the same characters... who are based on real people... so really, they SHOULD seem similar from story to story, unless there's a plot reason for them to be majorly different.  We all have our own takes on the guys that carry across our stories.  If would be different if all your original characters were basically the same, like Mary Sues LOL.
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julilly

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Re: When Characters Collide
« Reply #5 on: April 16, 2011, 11:22:55 AM »
You're right Julie they should be the same people but I mean the character is doing the same thing. Plotwise. Like I've stereotyped him or like I'm following some kind of plot grid from one story to the next lol
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RokofAges75

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Re: When Characters Collide
« Reply #6 on: April 16, 2011, 12:11:53 PM »
Ahh, I see.  It could still come down to style and genre, or maybe you are unknowingly recycling your own storylines LOL.  It's not a big deal either way; like Lore said, at least it's your own stuff you're "stealing," if that's the case. :)
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Mariah

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Re: When Characters Collide
« Reply #7 on: April 17, 2011, 07:53:25 PM »
Maybe with certain romance stories. A lot of the stuff I write tends to have a lot of angst in it so certain traits with main characters stay with you.
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julilly

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Re: When Characters Collide
« Reply #8 on: April 18, 2011, 06:04:01 AM »
It's most definitely not a romance. I guess I have created the stereotyped murder mystery Brian!
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FrickingKaos

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Re: When Characters Collide
« Reply #9 on: April 18, 2011, 06:20:07 AM »
I guess if you use the same type of character in all of your stories its not really plagiarism.... but I can see where it would bother you. I kind of like when writers are consistent but its refreshing when an author puts a new spin on one of the boys personality. However, using the same character over and over is kind of boring unless you're doing a series I suppose. If the story is not in a series and the plot seems similar once again, I would reccomend taking some time to look at where you are going with the plot and see if there is a way around it.
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julilly

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Re: When Characters Collide
« Reply #10 on: July 22, 2011, 07:47:12 PM »
I have to bump this up because... this happened to me AGAIN.

Because of the duel challenge I ended up going back to take a look at some of my older stories and I have seriously strange typecasts going on. Maybe that's why I always write AU because they're so OOC lol

I realized that I have a tendency to make Nick a pot head! I don't know why, maybe he just comes off like he could be a bit of a stoner to me! I imagine him being kind of a surfer dude, hanging out at the beach by day and getting roasted by night! Although... this was probably accurate of the years 2000 - 2007 so maybe I'm not typecasting anyone! haha
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mare

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Re: When Characters Collide
« Reply #11 on: July 22, 2011, 07:59:46 PM »
I don't think your assessment is that far off lol

Nowadays maybe not
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cabybakes

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Re: When Characters Collide
« Reply #12 on: July 22, 2011, 08:17:46 PM »
Lol! 
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RokofAges75

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Re: When Characters Collide
« Reply #13 on: July 22, 2011, 08:18:55 PM »
LOL I don't think that's far off from Nick either, at least when you wrote it.  You were just ahead of your time, because I don't think many people wrote him that way back in the day when he actually was using drugs.  I've read Nick stories about drug addiction, but that definitely wasn't the usual portrayal of him.
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julilly

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Re: When Characters Collide
« Reply #14 on: July 22, 2011, 08:27:00 PM »
He's typically more of a happy user in my portrayals! lol

I never realized all this time I was an innovator :P
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~Maple Jellybean~

What's the difference between ignorance and apathy? ... I don't know, and I don't care.