I feel stupid

[johann12]

I decided to try to write a novel 3 weeks ago. I've spent a lot of time and effort on it. But I realised yesterday it's been done before in a really successful movie and I don't know how I never noticed before. It's so obvious. I don't want to let my story, and my main character go. Although I can see in hindsight that some aspects of the idea were tiresome to me. I don't know what to do now.

Top gun maverick was a retelling of Star Wars, right down to some
shots. I couldn’t believe they didn’t realize what they had done. Yet everyone raved about the movie. I quite enjoyed it too.

the core stories are often told and retold. What matters is your world building, character development, and the spin you put on it.

It depends on what you want, surely. If you are just enjoying the writing process, or are planning to self-publish, just keep going. If you hope to get an agent and pursue traditional publication, you need a new project. Maybe think about what elements you could keep and alter— presumably all aspects of plot, characterisation, setting etc can’t be a direct grab from the film? You may well find yourself discarding far more than three weeks’ work at some point, too! I once got rid of an entire plot strand that was about 45,000 words…

@Autel I'm just thinking along these lines now. My story kind of evolved into other themes I want to transfer into a different storyline if I can think of something good. I'm wondering whether rather than the main plot "my idea" could constitute a setting instead. That must have been painful, dropping all that work

I quite like my MC too, I want to keep her if possible, whatever I do

Have you read about the idea there are only seven stories in the world?

www.autocrit.com/7-stories-world/#:~:text=Many%20academics%2C%20most%20notably%20author,settings%2C%20characters%2C%20and%20conflicts.

'Kill your darlings.'

@HelpNeededBeforeIHaveABreakdown I get that too

Harry potter is imo very similar to lotr.

Unless it's extremely similar, it should be fine. Otherwise can you change some scenes?

I think all the plots have been used thousands of times - it's how you write them that makes people read them or not.

I won't say my actual idea but it would be like making a re-do of the Matrix. Can we do that ?

Have you read ´brave new world’?

@Demelzatheredhaired No

The Matrix owes a lot to Brave New World - the whole growing humans in factories bit for a start.

But, we can't do another movie about the world being a computer simulation. I want to read that book now

Well, what I’m writing at the moment is just about an affair. It’s not like that hasn’t been done.

The Matrix is at its core an exploration of Harman’s Brain in a Vat philosophical experiment. The writers used it as a way to tell a story about self-perception and self-determination. That is what made it so good. The special effects and style helped, but it had a strong core idea and message.

I understand your writing dilemma. I have one really good paragraph I have been sitting on for years. Every time I try to turn it into a full story, it becomes an exercise in tropes. The problem is that I don’t have the full idea, I just have a moment. Until I find that core idea to carry through, I don’t really have anything.

Thanks for the comments everyone. I'm starting to get nearer to writing an alternative. I'm reluctant to let the story go, and I'm thinking something that has the same type of premise.

@Ponderingwindow that's interesting. I hope it falls into place for you one day

Got my copy of Brave New World today. Looking forward to reading it

This is true OP, there are only a few broad story themes really. And there's plenty of scope for more novels about the world being a computer simulation; we can reinvent the scenario every time there's a jump in technology.

And if it makes you feel any better, I once "invented" the Harry Potter theme tune in my GCSE music class.