# Writers:  Has this ever happened to you?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/writers-has-this-ever-happened-to-you/44269>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [December 6, 2000, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/writers-has-this-ever-happened-to-you/44269 "2000-12-06T05:38:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/writers-has-this-ever-happened-to-you/44269/21 "2000-12-11T15:48:58Z")

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I write mostly humorous or ironic short stories and novels. In movies, sitcoms, late-night talk shows, and Terry Pratchett books, I’ve come across the same jokes, puns, and humorous and ironic situations I’ve already written. I’ve never seen one of my _plots_ done by anyone else, but I suppose it’s only a matter of time. It makes me look at plagiarism lawsuits with a jaundiced eye.

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**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/writers-has-this-ever-happened-to-you/44269/22 "2000-12-11T17:15:22Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Enderw23 \*  
> **Take the Steven King/Richard Bachman novels from a few years ago.**

Oh, you mean Stephen King’s early pen name? What of him?

–Tim

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