Are You Creative or a Writer?

[Trinity]

Someone is developing a story. They ask for help, someone gives them some help in the form of an overall plot/character(s)/whatever. The person who came seeking help uses these ideas and sells their story to great success. You fail to see any problems here? Only if the person who gave the help isn't selfish (an altogether common trait today).

I can't see any problems there. Once a person gives their ideas freely, they transfer all rights and whatnot to the other person. There was a very similar case recently (it was based on software, but it was still about giving things for free) but I can't find it at the moment.
It doesn't matter if the ideas are used to make billions, the person who gave the ideas has absolutely nothing to do with them anymore, no matter how selfish they are.

[Misawa]

No, giving ideas publically leads to all kinds of legal problems should that person decide they want to file a lawsuit against a work of literature that has become successful based on their ideas. And anyone who needs such help obviously isn't a good writer and would never make it in that field.

[HotelUser]

No, giving ideas publically leads to all kinds of legal problems should that person decide they want to file a lawsuit against a work of literature that has become successful based on their ideas. And anyone who needs such help obviously isn't a good writer and would never make it in that field.

If they don't want others to benefit from their work they shouldn't be disclosing it publicly.

There's no problems with this website, it's a good idea and I wish you luck

[TheEclipse]

The potential for theft is always there, but the plot asking section is locked up (not the current theme, that's about more general plot things). It can only be accessed by active members who've been there a while, not by random guests.

Even if they steal a plot idea, it'd still end up totally different to yours because you're hardly giving everything away. A plot idea is not copyrighted. Plus, the threads are dated, so there's evidence. You don't lose your first rights re: copyright because the critiquing section is also completely locked up, and publishers accept that writers talk with other writers.

The forum also gives help on research, dialogue, and all sorts of other things, which are useful, so if you don't like talking about your plot, you do not have to. There's no rules saying you have to.


I also disagree that by needing help, you're not a good writer. Plus, yes, we do have some amateur writers, who are just learning. What's wrong with that?