S20E8 - Myth Eight: Worthy Ideas are Unique

Writers spend a lot of time on their projects before they even start putting words down on a page. That leads to a strong attachment to the idea alone and a desire to protect those ideas. At the same time, it also leads writers to being discouraged by ideas they don't think are unique enough.

Both of these ideas - that good ideas are entirely unique and need to be protected from plagiarism - are myths. We discuss why in this episode, discussing the usefulness of cliches, stealing plot structure, and what parts of writing can actually be legally protected.

First aired March 25, 2021.