Warning From a Best-Selling Author

[jadijohnson]

Back in 2008, I discovered another writer had gotten hold of one of my manuscripts. She used the heck out of it, got published, and became rich and famous as a result. (I'll give you a hint. I write young adult novels, but this series isn't about wizards.)

In the year 2000, I submitted my manuscript to a well-known publisher in hopes of getting it published. They sent back a rejection letter. Then in 2008, my niece handed me a young adult novel she had just finished, saying it was really good. While I was reading, similarities to my own story kept popping out at me. By the time I finished the book, I was convinced this writer had gotten hold of my manuscript.

Half a dozen attorneys agree with me.

Unfortunately, they wouldn't take my case on a contingency basis since we'd be going up against such big names in the publishing industry. Now all I can do is get my story out so other writers don't have to suffer the pain and anger I have. You need to be extremely careful with your creations. Otherwise, you might find your book on the best-sellers list ... with another writer's name on the cover!

[Shann]

One way to prevent that from happening is of course, to limit who you show your work with. However another way is to take the manuscript put in a sealed SASE and send it to someone out of state and ask them to mail back your manuscript in the sealed envelope. The postmark will show the date so you can prove when you were working on it.

I will say though that there are a lot of copycat books out there. There are only so many storylines that a lot of books are similar. Once the Harry Potter books took off the market was flooded with similar stories, the same way with Twilight all of a sudden tons of vampire TV show and what not (actually some of the shows were way before the Twilight book. The next thing was Hunger Games and I'm sure that story was sparked by many of the fears people have about the way the US is changing over the years. I have read tons of challenge stories with those kinds of plots.

I'm so sorry that this happened to you and wish I could offer you more help. I know many of the big name companies like to settle out of court to avoid the publicity. If you have found several lawyers who agree with you, you may want to keep looking and see if you can find one who would be willing to at least write a letter. Of course you would have to have some kind of proof that you were working on yours way before the other author was working on hers. It takes years to get a good book together so you would need proof from at least 3 years if not more from when the book was released.

Thanks for sharing your story though. It is a good reminder to be careful. I found thias article and thought you might find it helpful http://lorelle.wordpress.com/2006/04/10 ... r-content/
Good luck

[jadijohnson]

Thanks for replying to my post, Shann.
I have the dated letters on the publisher's letterhead as proof that my manuscript went out years before this other writer published her first book. All of the attorneys I saw were satisfied with this. Also convincing were the over one thousand similarities between my manuscript and her series.
I appreciate your kind words. This has been a horrible experience. I just don't want it to happen to another writer. If my warning can spare just one person, it will be worth it.

jadijohnson

[RedBaron]

Sorry this happened and that you couldn't find a lawyer willing to take your case

[jadijohnson]

Thanks, RedBaron. I'm not trying to stop people from sending their manuscripts to publishers, although there are so many that will only accept through an agent. I just want everyone to be aware that this goes on. It shouldn't, but it does. You need to be careful who reads your work.