What do I do if my story is too similar to another? | Writer Questions #9

So I'm working on a book about grim reapers and I just discovered its almost exactly like the plot of "dead like me"....I'm so mad. Ive never even seen this show before. How can I fix it without redoing all my work?

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Dear Writer,

Audre Lorde said, "There are no new ideas, there are only new ways of making them felt." She is getting at the heart of your question.

This concerns tropes and how to use them. Fact is, at this point in history, no one is going to write something that has never been seen before in at least some respects. Every writer must at contend with this truth, get over it, and keep writing.

My advice is that you not concern yourself with how much your original work may overlap with existing work in your medium or another medium. This happens to all of us from time to time in varying degrees.

Focus on the unique things you bring to the table. Research and be inspired. Your perspectives, passions, and expertise will forge a work that cannot be identically reproduced regardless of overlap.

Best,

DR-M