by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner
I have long had a really good scifi concept in my mind that I have pretty well thought out. And it was all systems go to try to write it out…until I realized there was already a series of novels with the same premise. I discovered this when I saw previews for the Apple+ TV show “Silo.”
My concept is sufficiently similar that I could see someone dismissing it with the phrase, “It’s already been done.”
AND YET, my story is completely different other than the basic idea of people living underground. That’s the only thing my idea shares with Silo. Everything about my story is different. I have begun to toy with the idea of reworking my idea so it’s same same, but different.
I only think about this again because while I love the mystery-thriller I’m working on, I am also growing nervous that it’s word count will be large enough that that, unto itself, might cause problems when I try to pitch it.
At least with the scifi concept, I could directly “comp” it to Silo in a query letter. But…I don’t know. I just don’t know.
