Re: [rehfans] Did Howard have a grand design?

[Wlmcs]

About plagiarism from stories to stories, again drawing from my own initial
experience as a writer:

      1.  You begin to use some of the same or similar sounding names to
describe different characters.  A race of people becomes the name of a
planet, etc.

      2.  You begin to describe similar actions in similar terms, though in
somewhat different terms (e.g., running through a forest).

      3.  Some story ideas are frankly similar (monsters being "serpent-like
creatures"), and the same creative concept you used once you use again,
particularly if the idea is creative and not derivative from what you have
read from other authors.  For example, it would be difficult to write
"barbarian"adventures (which I have not done so), because I would feel I
would be writing some form of REH pastiche.  There is too much REH in my head
for me not to be influenced (consciously or subconsciously) by what he had
written.

      All of the above has given me a finer appreciation of the skill of
very good writers.  Just for the hell of it, I recommend each of you trying
to write your own story, in order to gain insights into the writing process
which should enhance your enjoyment of reading a good yarn, when you find a
good story to read.

      Boy, I am being very verbose today...Back to lurking.

Nino Lucio
Miami, Florida
305-536-8850