When Two Authors Have the Same Idea

By Patricia Beal | @bealpat 

I found out on October 7 that Nicholas Sparks was within days of publishing a novel about the Kindred Spirit Mailbox. I was floored! Absolutely floored! I was working on a novel about the exact same remote mailbox.

Now what?!

I was so discouraged and exhausted that I posted the following message on A Seat at the Table, a Facebook group for Christian fiction professionals. If you fit in this category and don’t know about the group, message me to be added. It’s an amazing source of knowledge and support. But anyway—here’s the message:

The response was incredible. Turns out authors have similar ideas all the time.

Here are some highlights for your benefit:

1. This will happen. There’s nothing new under the sun.

2. Stories that may seem similar will end up being unique because we are unique individuals.

3. There’s your comparative title.

4. Not a horrible thing to trend with a famous author.

5. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote about the same things and we enjoy each perspective.

6. Some authors contacted the author who published the idea/theme first (within the Christian writing community) to talk it out and avoid misunderstandings later, and the experience has always been positive. The stories were different enough. No one was mad at anyone.

7. Remember last year’s bestseller Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate? Kim Sawyer came across the same bit of history (adoptions/stolen children) and had her book on that same theme published within months of Lisa’s.

Has that ever happened to you? What did you do?

As for writing, within hours of that October 7 post, God began doing something, and His something caused me to show up at The Art of Writing and The Christy Award Gala in Tennessee thirty days later. Crazy, right? Who shows up there after almost two years of not showing up anywhere? An ACFW event would be the usual suspect, not an ECPA event. This is how God did it...

Part 1 - The Christy Award began following me on Instagram. When I went to follow them back, this was the latest post:

Coincidence? Hmm…

Part 2 - The next morning a friend tagged me on this post:

Coincidence again? Hmm…

Part 3 - I decided I had to walk away from social media and get to my Bible study if I really wanted to get God’s opinion. This is what I read:

And this is how I responded:

As for what’s next, only God knows. It was wonderful to see writing peeps and meet bloggers who helped me launch the debut last year. I feel connected again, felt the love, and learned a ton.

I saw people who’ve since contacted their agents—agents who are now interested in seeing what I’m working on. I’m super thankful and might end up taking them up on that. But that’s not where God is leading me right now.

Right now I’m nurturing a brand-new relationship, formed “accidently/coincidentally” after meeting a stranger during a walk from one building to another at the Lipscomb University campus during the November 7 The Art of Writing/Christy events. Her name means rain and she’s a brand-new agent.

I’m working on a proposal for a brand-new story God gave me as I showered to fly to Tennessee. “Rain” has a meeting with my favorite editor at my favorite house on December 5th.

Please pray. I want to keep this glow and this faith and this joy :)

“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19.

I'm the person on the left with the big face ;) Next to me is fellow Brazilian author, Valeria Hyer, with whom I stayed while in Nashville. Next to her is Sara Ella and her little man (I now know that Sara is the person behind the Christy social media presence and therefore the one who started the whole thing). Photo by Mrs. Book of the Year, Becky Wade!

About Patricia

Patricia Beal is from Brazil and fell in love with the English language while washing dishes at a McDonald's in Indianapolis. She put herself through college working at a BP gas station and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Cincinnati with a B.A. in English Literature. She then worked as a public affairs officer for the U.S. Army for seven years.

She now writes contemporary fiction and her debut novel, A Season to Dance, came out in May of 2017 (Bling! / Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas). A Portuguese translation came out in her native Brazil in August (Editora Pandorga). Patricia is a 2015 Genesis semi-finalist and First Impressions finalist. She and her husband live in North Carolina with their two children.

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When God Makes You Custodian, by David Rawlings

I’ve just learned that I’m a custodian. Not in the usual way, where I’d be stunned to find I’m responsible for another mouth to feed or daunted by having to look after someone else’s property or estate.

I’m actually a custodian of an idea.

God has challenged me over the past few months to rethink the story I’m writing. Not in a structural sense, or by introducing a new character, or even by revealing to me a plot twist of which M. Night Shyamalan would be proud (although that would be nice.)

What He did was remind me of how the story started; that is, where it came from. When people ask me about my recently-completed manuscript (called “The God of Reality TV”, where reality TV clashes with church), I used to find myself telling them that the story “just came to me.” But is that the truth?

When I feel depleted on ideas and turn to God for direction or inspiration, I'm reminded that my story didn’t “just come to me,” it was sent, by Him. He entrusted me with the idea and expects me to carry it to fruition, with His help, of course.

Why did He send me my story? Because one day it might be the one thing that inspires people, comforts people, makes them laugh, or makes them think a little more deeply about life.

I now feel challenged to change my thinking; to resist the urge to charge off in my own direction because this is “my story.” Now that I’ve acknowledged I’m the custodian of an idea from God, it completely changes how I approach my writing.

Suddenly I’m accountable:

– For time. I hear a lot of writers talk about squeezing their writing into very busy schedules.  That was me, but I now view this differently. I’ve had to shuffle around my workload and clients, but I’m trying to invest more in my craft. After all, I’m looking after someone else’s property!

– For quality. I’m a copywriter by trade, writing for clients every day of every week. When my words are portraying people’s business or their livelihood, I am responsible for how I describe their work, their passion in life. So, now I'm more aware of the quality of my own writing, portraying God’s love, patience, and humor. It's no longer about fulfilling a word count so I can get the certificate from NaNoWriMo.

– For what I recognize as success. I’ve moved through that early writing phase of 'just knowing' I’ve got a best-seller on my hands and not understanding why people wouldn’t love it. But here’s where I’ve been challenged; if only five people buy my book and three of them turn their lives around or are inspired to repair a relationship, would I consider my book a success? I’ll put up my hand and admit that some days no, I wouldn’t. That thinking is slowly changing, as well.

I’m now writing as a custodian of God’s plan; nurturing His idea and writing for Him. When you’re writing for God, what do you feel accountable for? What is your greatest challenge?

Based in Adelaide, South Australia, David Rawlings is a father-of-three with his own copywriting business who reads everything within an arm’s reach.

He is published in the non-fiction arena and is now focused on writing contemporary Christian fiction. These stories explore God, people, 21st century church and our modern society with humor and a satirical eye. And, in order to have more time to write, he is currently trying to find an extra day in the week . . . without much success. You can follow David on his blog: http://davidrawlings.com.au/.

More Than Words by David Rawlings

I’ve now been on this writing journey for one-and-a-half manuscripts.

What I’ve learned is more than the process and principles. I’ve discovered that writing is more than words. I need to play different roles to ensure those words earn their place. Yes, I’m responsible for putting them on the page – and I do that – but I am challenged to do more than simply put fingers on keys or pen strokes on page.

I’ve realized I need to be more than a writer. I need to be . . .

1. A fire starter

I love this part of the writing process, where the spark of an idea flares in the corner of the mind. This spark holds so much promise and opportunity and for one moment in time it could be anything; perhaps the best idea that’s ever been had.

That spark needs to be fanned into flame so it flares into life. Sometimes that idea is a story. Sometimes it’s a character trait. Sometimes it’s exploring a character’s backstory and finding an idea that then gives them true depth. For me, it was asking a simple question of a main character – “as a Pastor, why are you so down on yourself?” – and finding a fiancée who had left him at the altar.

2. A production line worker

In my younger days, I held several production line jobs as a way to earn enough money to pay for that all-important first car. I’ve stood in the same spot for eight hours at a time in the dirt and the grime and cranked out widget after widget in a repetitive, mind-numbing dance.

I’ve had those days as a writer, where I know it’s not flowing from the creative force I thought would be on tap. But I’ve pushed on in that repetitive dance, focusing on getting a character from Point A to Point B so I’ve got something to work with when I edit. Which leads me to . . .

3. A rose bush pruner

My grandfather taught me a valuable gardening lesson that has stayed with me to this day. I would cautiously approach a spreading, sprawling rose bush with a tiny pair of secateurs and give it what my grandfather would call “a short-back-and-sides.” I didn’t want to cut too hard. The rose bush looked too good and had put so much energy into producing a spray of leaves and color. It seemed a shame.

But my grandfather knew that growth had to go because it was the best thing for it. He would wade in with enormous skill and knowledge – and a fairly handy-sized chainsaw – and decimate the plant, cutting it back far enough to allow room for the rosebush to grow into the space he had created. Next season, the rose was bigger than before, better looking and somehow stronger, even though it had lost 90% of what it was.

I now edit my manuscript with my grandfather’s eye and a metaphorical chainsaw. Words that, at the time of writing, felt like brilliant prose has been cut away to give the real story room to grow. I’ve cut about 20,000 words and the story is a trimmer, leaner piece of work that tells a richer story. Those words are then mulched and they feed the story as it grows.

4. A protective parent

I joined a critique group, where I’ve had the chance to float my writing past people, seeking their feedback. This isn’t really new to me - I’ve been a copywriter for 25 years, where almost every day of my career has involved criticism of something I’ve written.

The experience is different this time, however; it’s my fiction under the spotlight. Now I’m a protective parent where I can see my child’s potential like no one else. I know how good it will be if it’s given the chance to flourish. While I do need to protect my child and filter the criticism (to incorporate every single comment or change would not help its development), there are times in which it’s obvious I can’t see what needs to be seen because I’m too close; too protective.

5. A loyal friend (albeit imaginary)

Developing characters has been more enjoyable than I ever imagined. Sure, these characters live in my head, but to me they’re real. (I’m only telling you this, because I know you’ll understand. Anyone else would hear it and bring in a therapist.)

My characters aren’t real, of course, but they have real hopes, dreams, and disappointments (they have to if they’re going to be compelling.) I have felt genuine relief when they have survived a trial. I’ve felt their pain when they’ve plunged further into a hole of their own making. And I celebrate with them when they reach their goal or find their destiny.

I’m learning at each step of the journey that writing is more than words and writers are more than typists. I am becoming more than a writer. Are you?

Based in Adelaide, South Australia, David Rawlings is a father-of-three with his own copywriting business who reads everything within an arm’s reach.

He is published in the non-fiction arena and is now focused on writing contemporary Christian fiction. These stories explore God, people, 21st century church and our modern society with humor and a satirical eye. And, in order to have more time to write, he is currently trying to find an extra day in the week . . . without much success.