What to Do When You Discover Another Writer Is Working on the Same Idea As You

by H.R. D’Costa, @scribesworld

This story begins with last Christmas.

That’s when I got hooked on Hallmark Christmas movies (and movies in that vein).

Now, if these movies aren’t your cup of tea, there’s a takeaway at the end that’ll apply no matter what genre you watch, read, or write. So stay with me!

Back to the story…

Because I enjoyed these movies so much—their coziness was just what I needed at the time—I wanted to try my hand at writing one of my own.

Having attended a panel at the Austin Film Festival featuring Karen Schaler, screenwriter of Hallmark’s Christmas Camp and Netflix’s A Christmas Prince, I knew it was achievable, too.

But what I really wanted was a roadmap that would show me what to do, step by step.

When I went looking for one, I mostly found articles whose headlines promised to explain how to write a Hallmark Christmas movie…

…but whose content just made fun of the genre.

Talk about bait and switch!

Since the roadmap I wanted didn’t exist, I decided I’d have to create it myself.

Flashforward months later…

I had put together a starter kit with a 12-step roadmap for how to write a Christmas movie along with resources to make it easier to take action on each step. Think:

• worksheets
• checklists
• progress trackers
• an (unofficial) mini–Hallmark yearbook

But I still had to produce videos that would explain screenplay format to a complete beginner, who didn’t have any screenwriting experience.

That’s when I made the discovery.

Two screenwriters had just published a book on Amazon on the very same topic.

Hallmark Christmas movies play by a specific set of rules, and since we’d both be talking about the same rules, I knew we’d be covering a lot of the same ground. (I haven’t read the book, but a quick skim of the “Look Inside” preview confirmed that assumption.)

At that moment, it felt pointless to continue with my own project.

My momentum came to a screeching halt.

All my energy and enthusiasm to complete the starter kit vanished.

This was especially troublesome because producing video requires the most effort. In other words, I had to embark on the hardest part of the starter kit when I was feeling the least motivated.

Thankfully, I eventually got out of my funk.

What got me out of it?

Another discovery.

Due to a guest post on Kay DiBianca’s website, I learned this had happened to another author, Gordon Castelnero.

And it had happened to him not once—but twice!—while working on topics in niches even more specific than mine:

• a book chronicling the local TV scene in Detroit
• a biography on banjo icon Earl Scruggs

With respect to the TV project, when Gordon learned another writer was developing a book on the same subject matter as him, he (like me) was tempted to give up.

But he didn’t.

In the end, his book (entitled TV Land Detroit) turned out great—and even outsold his competitor!

That certainly was heartening news to hear. But more than that outcome, it was this quote that I held on to:

Just stay focused on your material as if you are the only one in the world doing it, and it will be great.

That helped me to get back on track again.

My resolve to finish was further strengthened by a comment made by an author when I posted about this situation in a writer’s forum. To paraphrase two of this author’s key points:

• Being second to publish something doesn’t put you at an automatic disadvantage.
• Because what you create is filtered through your unique experience, no one can create the same exact product as you.

That second point really struck a chord with me. In fact—irony alert!—I had given advice along the same lines within the starter kit itself.

Trouble was, I didn’t have enough objectivity to realize that this principle applied to educational material too, not just to screenplays and novels.

But when this author articulated this advice back to me, it hit home.

I’m happy to report that after a minor delay, I finished the screenplay-formatting videos, and the Christmas Movie Writer Starter Kit is up.

If you’ve ever entertained the notion of writing a Christmas movie of your own, check it out. Actually, if you scroll down, you’ll find a special deal just for fans of Elizabeth’s blog!

Anyway, if this happens to you…

Please don’t make the same mistake I did.

Don’t get so disheartened that you contemplate giving up on your project.

Remember my story. Remember Gordon’s story.

Remember that no one can write whatever you’re writing quite like you.

What you write has to be different than what someone else working on the same exact topic writes because your experience is different from his or hers.

While we’re on the subject, no AI-generated story can replicate what you write because no machine has led a life like yours.

Lean into these differences in experience—as minute as they might seem—and keep going!

In closing, I’d like end with well-wishes, a query, and an invitation…

My well-wishes: I hope you enjoy a festive holiday season…and if you celebrate Christmas, a very Merry Christmas!

My query: Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? What did you do? How did you cope?

My invitation: If you’ve ever wanted to write a Christmas movie like the ones you see on Hallmark, enroll in the Christmas Movie Writer Starter Kit. It’ll show you what to do, step by step, even if you have zero screenwriting experience.

Plus, it’s the perfect Christmas activity (in between watching Christmas movies, of course *smile*). Use this link (or click on the image below) to get the kit with a special $15 discount just for fans of our host, Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Note: This discount expires on December 21.

About H. R. D’Costa

A graduate of Brown University, H. R. D’Costa (a.k.a. HRD) is an author and writing coach who specializes in story structure and story stakes.

Known for her “deep dive” instruction style, she is the author of 10 writing guides including Sizzling Story Outlines, Story Stakes, and the 4-volume Story Structure Essentials series.

For practical writing tips on how to keep readers glued to your pages, visit her website scribemeetsworld.com, which is also home to the Ultimate Story Structure Worksheet (downloaded over 37,000 times by writers from around the world).

Candle flame by D A V I D S O N L U N A; Christmas tree by Chad Madden