Getting ideas from someone else?

[Dragonfree]

What do you think about getting ideas from other people when writing a fic? I just recently asked my friends for any ideas on how I could get an excuse for Mark (from The Quest for the Legends) to leave his pokémon to do whatever they want for some time in chapter 31. One gave me a good idea which I was going to tweak around and put it in, but I'm starting to wonder. Is it really good to ask someone else for ideas and then using them? Especially when that someone is your most dedicated reader who would hate to have the fic spoiled for them?

Her idea gave me the idea of combining a chapter that was in planning with chapter 31, sort of, but it's still her idea that was just similar to my idea for a future chapter. And it's a pretty darn good idea, actually. But still...

What do you think?

[dratinihaunter13]

ideas can be real tough to come by. if ya feel like your friend's ideas give ya stuff you can write very well about, then go for it. sooner or later your own ideas should start forming, stemming from somebody else's maybe, and i don't think that's wrong. just trying to grow as a writer with a little bit of help. good luck doing it alone, cuz that doesn't work too well ;).

plus, the way a writer puts an idea is always a whole other matter. someone might give ya something to write about, but you ultimately write it and make it what it is, good or bad, funny, sad, scary, mad, or merry and glad!(wow.. o.O;;;) ya i'm definitely done

[Chris 2.1]

Well, remember the age-old technique of Intertextuality; that is when a film producer or writer decides to use an idea from an excisting film (NOTE: film, tv advert, cartoon ... ANYTHING), but they do it so its NOTICED, like.....oh god, cant think of any examples....


Ok, heres one for a ficcy....

"Ash decided to walk for his journey; he had purchased an electric golf buggy, but was visited in the night by some vandals. One had a Mr Mime, he had noticed, watching from his bedroom, but when he raced to ward them off, the three had gone"

That's obviously an EBTV-intertextual kinda thing....


Anyway, thats all I really need/can say. Cya!

[mr_pikachu]

I agree with dh13. It'll be tough coming along with EVERYTHING on your own, and you can change the idea to suit your needs and preferences anyway. It's sort of the same thing as basing a character off of someone familiar to the author. Almost every great writer does it, and nobody complains. Is that so wrong?

And dh13, we really don't want you spouting off Dr. Seuss stuff. I'm already scared to see the new "movie" that's coming out. (Note the use of quote marks. What do you think it means? :rolleyes: )

[Lady Vulpix]

Well, Karin once helped me decide where to put the cut between two chapters. I think it's good when someone willingly gives you a hand. I'm against plagiarizing, though. That's a completely different thing.

Hmm... I may need some help with some action scenes eventually. They're my weak spot, and my fic demands a lot of them.

[Iveechan]

my older sister helped give me a few ideas for GBD. I had the hardest time trying to begin chapter 2, then she suggested I start in the middle of a training sequence (I told her my ideas for the story on one of our walks... it's nice to have an older sister who's a geek too ;)). She also suggested a few more little ideas I may use in future chapters.

Lady Vulpix, I could help you with some action scenes... action's one of my specialties (just read chapter 3 of guilty, there's 3 consecutive fights yet it turned out great).