Why does nothing feel original anymore?
Hey guys... why does everything I write feel like a cheap knockoff?
Like everything I come up with, even when I think it's the coolest idea ever, it just comes down to endless accusations of plagiarism in the end. I mean, I have sold quite a few books in the years that I'm pursuing writing - around 100.000 copies thusfar - and, to be honest, I get the formula. What is that formula, you might ask? Well, I won't tell you, as it's quite simple once you get the hang of it. The tip of the iceberg comes down to this: I 'inspire' myself by looking at works of very established authors and taking the most poignant elements of their stories, think of writers like Stephen King and Roald Dahl, and mishmashing them up into a new story. This is, in fact, a strategy that many newer writers employ. Think of Sarah J. Maas as the quintessential example of this new stream of writers. As the leading figure behind this devious tactic, even though many don't know it, she has managed to sell millions of books while I - with a humbler, but still respectable amount and something through which I've been able to pay my bills with the last 2 years or so - have sold around 100.000 copies of my book.
I know this can be seen by some as a heinous practice, but it pays the bills... So what do you guys think? Do you think this practice of stealing from greats, mishmashing it all up and releasing it as your own 'original' is acceptable?
Greets,
amonnimous27