How not to be derivative

[Anonymous No.11837078]

So we all know that there is nothing new under the sun and all plots and characters are just stolen from other works, but my question is this: at what point does something begin to seem obviously derivative? For instance, the novel I'm writing features a private religious school and a powerful, history altering object. It's also written in a sort of postmodern style. How likely is it that people will draw comparisons to Infinite Jest? Am I overanalyzing this? What are your thoughts on originality in fiction?

[Anonymous No.11837098]

you're the only person in the world who your authenticity actually matters to.

infinite jest is compared to ulysses, the book jacket compares wallace to pynchon and delillo. parts of infinite jest highly resemble delillo. broom of the system was compared to the crying of lot 49, even accused of being basically a rip off. imagine how uncomfortable that made david foster wallace who was obviously a great admirer of pynchon and tried to deny having read him. now recognize how little this bothers anyone else. reading broom of the system with the crying of lot 49 in mind does not somehow invalidate everything dfw wrote as being phony or derrivitive, it gives us a greater sense of the specific literary tradition he is a participant in.

and realize that if you're going to be a genuinely productive writer of any kind you're probably going to meme yourself into some kind of neurosis or personality disorder anyway.

[Anonymous No.11837665]

>>11837098
Thanks, anon. This makes me feel a little better, I think...

[Anonymous No.11838801]

>>11837098
>American books
Here's your problem.

[Anonymous No.11839449]

>>11838801
It's okay if you don't like American books, friend. What are some examples of recycled plots in European books?

[Anonymous No.11839594]

I found early on that a way to avoid being derivative is being it too much.
Mix all the references in an intriguing meltin pot and you have something new.