What do you do if someone already wrote your book?

[sonyablue]

....and worse, it's really good?

I'm about 1/3 of the way through my book, a memoir/narrative nonfiction (not my memoirs), and I've recently discovered that, well, someone has already written it. About 5 years ago, someone else published a memoir on the same topic and it was a pretty big success. I'm reading it now, and frankly, it's really really good. It definitely has its flaws, and it's not *exactly* the same story (in my biased opinion, the content of ours is more interesting), but the writing is incredible and of course, it was published by a Big Six, on the NYT list, awards, etc. etc. The guy was even on The Daily Show! Sigh...

So now I'm feeling pretty discouraged. Can someone give some sage advice on how to stay motivated?

[Sommer Leigh]

First, ask yourself, is it really the same book or is it just on the same topic? Are there only some elements that are the same? Is it exactly the same or only similar? If it helps, write down what is exactly the same, similar, or not at all the same.

I know this sounds like I'm arguing semantics, but it is my experience that writers tend to see more of their story in like-books than is really there. It feels like the same thing, even when it is not.

Get a unbiased opinion if necessary.

And then remember that there are lots of similar books on similar topics. It isn't out of the question to think there might be more than one person writing about a similar non-fiction topic. Lots of people go through similar experiences. If this other author has written a book that has been well received and has a lot if interest, that is a good indication that there is a lot of interest in your subject! That's a good thing.

And if there are similarities, there is also a good chance the two will be compared, but don't think about that. You have no control over what people say or how they compare your book to other books. Write your book the way you envision it, be unique, and find your own voice while writing it. Try not to compare yourself to the other book (even though it will feel impossible not to. Don't do it. It will only make you feel crazy.)

[sonyablue]

You know what? That was exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you!

[rosepetal720]

Let's look at the source: you had an idea out of your own head without knowing about the other book. That's completely different from reading a book and coming up with the same idea afterwards. You should trust your own originality and remember this is your idea, it came from you, and you aren't the same author, so the book will probably be very different.

I have a very similar problem. The book I'm working on right now is a historical fiction, and since ideas from history are well-known and up for grabs, I'm competing with people who have already written on the same topic. I know the way I wrote it is unique, but it still makes me nervous. I have to grit my teeth, trust my own inspiration, and go for it.

[sierramcconnell]

I would probably hunt them down and hit them with a metal bat for going through my room and stealing my notes.

There is no way anyone could, with perfect accuracy, write the exact same book I wrote.

Maybe one or two elements are the same, but nothing so awesome as what I'm working on.

And mine will be better. [smug]

[wordranger]

You know what? The same thing happened to me many years ago.

I finished my first really big project… a three novel epic that started with an uncertain linguist that specialized in ancient Egyptian. The start of the novel involved space ships landing on top of the pyramids. Imagine my surprise when I put the finishing touches on it, and then went to the movies and saw the movie “Stargate”. My husband and I came home silent, and he asked if I could sue them. “Nope,” of course not.

I stashed my novels away, and figured I’d just pull them out in a few years. I was just thrilled when the Stargate series came out, and then the next one, and then next one. ARGGHHH!

Anyway, eventually I will dust them off. My story goes in a COMPLETELY different direction. It was just disheartening, because I thought it was such an original idea at the time, and now everyone will think I got the idea for the beginning of my novel from the original Stargate, when I actually thought of it before that move even came out. ERRGGHHH!

[maybegenius]

Non-fiction is a trickier widget than fiction, since you're (presumably) dealing in facts rather than fantasies. You can't exactly fudge non-fiction to make it drastically different from what's already out there (at least not without being scolded on Oprah!). However, as the others have said, the fact that YOU are writing it inherently makes it different. You can't plagiarize ideas or factual topics.

This is really common, I think. We get an idea, and then we hear about some book series or movie where it's "already been done." But really, it hasn't. Not by you. As long as you aren't genuinely ripping someone off or intentionally hopping on a bandwagon, your execution will be different. Because execution is the key. Sommer and I could come up with the exact same idea, but I can almost guarantee our execution of said idea would be drastically different.

Our minds do fall back on certain archetypes and tropes -- it's just how we're wired. If I'm writing a story about a young woman who discovers she has superpowers and a destiny to protect the world from evil demons, there are certain ideas that will pop into my mind first because that story has been done so many times before. You have to push past the first ideas that rise to the surface and dig deeper.

Cliff notes version: ideas don't matter. Execution matters :)