just curious

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

Um . . . I think that would a little too close to the original for comfort . . .

I think you could defend it as parody, actually.

[meg_evonne]

Ensorcelled Burrito

  Does that come with a side order of diarrhea? 

At MileHi at a writer's session Carrie Vaughn (Kitty books?  sorry I still haven't read them) and Tim Powers both said that you should never use your 1st or 2nd idea but your 17th idea.  To be honest, having an idea does not a copyright nor a book make.  If a writer is so terrified someone will kype their ideas, then they don't have the spigot of creativity flow power they need.  Or as C Willis said, "Your writer's butterfly net open and active."

Now would I hold to my chest that I just pulled the 5th heart for a flush?  Hell yes, but by then I should already have the blasted thing outlined and decided it had a snowball chance in hell of being published.  Besides if I throw out an idea and someone makes something beautiful of it, great.  It never would have been like I would have created anyway by the time you get through the umpteenth draft. 

To be perfectly honest, now that I know how blasted hard it is to get to the final, final draft (if that creature exists) I would be completely and thoroughly thrilled if someone took an idea I made and did something wonderful with it.  As long as I knew.  :-)  Now that would be having your cake and eating it too! 

[Tribblechomper]

  Does that come with a side order of diarrhea? 

Only if you didn't take the Prestidigitation Pepto-Bismol...

Besides if I throw out an idea and someone makes something beautiful of it, great.  It never would have been like I would have created anyway by the time you get through the umpteenth draft. 

To be perfectly honest, now that I know how blasted hard it is to get to the final, final draft (if that creature exists) I would be completely and thoroughly thrilled if someone took an idea I made and did something wonderful with it.  As long as I knew.  :-)  Now that would be having your cake and eating it too! 

Were I to craft something from an idea you came up with, I'd definitely credit you...

If it was your idea (but you did not help write it beyond initial concept/idea):
"Written by Dan Lister, from an original idea by meg_evonne"

If it was your idea (but you did help write it beyond initial concept/idea), either:
"Written by Dan Lister and meg_evonne"
or
"Written by meg_evonne and Dan Lister", dependent on who did the lion's share of the writing/conceptualizing; if we both contributed equally, we'd settle this by toss of a coin, best 3 out of 5, administered by a neutral 3rd party (Say, the jimbutcheronline site admin?)...Since we're in different parts of the scattered landmasses, it would have to be someone we both trusted, yes?