(no subject)

[dolari]

I may not do "The Long Road Home" after all. It seems I've subconsciously ripped off "Clan of the Cave Bear" which I last saw when I was four....

Comments

[jessie-c.livejournal.com]

That's when you file off the serial numbers, give it a fresh coat of paint and you've had it for years! It's true!!

[bmowder.livejournal.com]

(snicker) Yup! There are only 7 stories, and we've been re-telling them for 20,000 years.

[sailorrob.livejournal.com]

actually there are only 3 so I hear. Person comes to town, a person leaves home, something happens on the way to (insert place) and that 3rd one is only a modification of the second. The rest is just details

[bmowder.livejournal.com]

Hm. Pretty sure it's 7, but I'll check my sources- I've been known to be wrong. Happens a LOT.

[laura-seabrook.livejournal.com]

According to one source, the seven types of plot lines are:
the Quest; Voyage and return; Rebirth; Comedy; Tragedy; Overcoming the monster; Rags to riches; Silly.

I'm not exactly sure where detective stories fit into that.

[bmowder.livejournal.com]

Ms. Seabrook-

If you ever decide to throw your brain away, can I have it?

Your list more or less matches mine; I have difficulty shoehorning porn videos into that list though... ;-)

Seriously, though, some Irish myths, like Cuchulain seem not to match any of those tale types. The motivation in them is often incomprehensible. They seem to be more of an excuse to describe situations and places than to convey any meaningful narrative.

[laura-seabrook.livejournal.com]

I did come across tow other lists as well, at
http://changingminds.org/disciplines/storytelling/plots/classic/classic.htm ...and...
http://www.australianstorytelling.org.au/txt/m-types.php
...but they don't seem to really have the same perspective.

[bmowder.livejournal.com]

Ms. Seabrook-

Yes- I see what you mean. The first seems to be a plot writing tool, the second is basically a table of contents.

Thanks, though- My Wife (capital intentional) is heavily into folklore, and she's always looking for new tales.

[sailorrob.livejournal.com]

I think it was Larry Niven who said that the 7 could be condensed into 3 but I could be mistaken.

Either way there isn't much room for a completely original story these days. Pity really :(

[pazi-ashfeather.livejournal.com]

What Jessie said. I dunno how true it is about there only being seven stories (that's like saying there's only two kinds of life: those with backbones and those without...too much is being made of a low-level similarity), but it's certainly true that creativity does not occur in a vacuum, and all who create are responding to, inspired by, or reacting to what has come before in some way.

Is your thing REALLY "ripping off", or is there room to make it distinct?

[jenndolari.livejournal.com]

Its different by a bit, but definately inspired by it. But I guess its no more a "ripoff" than the new Battlestar Galactica ending was a "ripoff" of the penultimate part of "The Long Road Home."

[laura-seabrook.livejournal.com]

Haven't see that yet - waiting on the DVD set from the library.

[jenndolari.livejournal.com]

It's a good (if goofy) movie. And after watching it, definately an inspiration for Han'a's backstory, particularly the Han'a/Manwaz storyline.

[http://users.livejournal.com/strangelv__/]

I'm with the 'adjust it until it's sufficiently distinct' argument myself. That said, if it just gets pushed back because of higher priority stories to tell, that's completely understandable.

[soltice.livejournal.com]

I think I only have one response to this:

http://www.viruscomix.com/page523.html

[jenndolari.livejournal.com]

I get caught in that "compare to others" lap...A LOT.

[soltice.livejournal.com]

You're not the only one. I think this image should serve as a lesson to us both.

[laura-seabrook.livejournal.com]

I think I spin off at high speed on the "Overthinking Curve" myself!

[bmowder.livejournal.com]

Solsttice-

Thanks for the pointer- That's just great!