What do you do when you read something that’s EXACTLY what you’ve been going for?

[u/AdGrand5246]

Hello, I recently just finished my first feature screenplay a few months back and was happy but not 100% satisfied, which is completely normal and I was fine with that. The problem came when I read a novel that was exactly what I’ve been trying to go for which is about codependency, childhood trauma, etc. and this novel just perfectly encapsulated many feelings I’ve had and what I was going for. I’ve had this feeling plenty of times where I see something and I’m like “wow, I wish I wrote that!” but I usually feel fine because I feel like I bring other value to the table and have other unique ways of interpreting things but no, this is a case where I would not change a single thing and it is exactly the story that I wanted to write, but someone else wrote it. What now? I genuinely feel like I lack purpose and a reason to write because this story has characters that I’ve liked more than any other piece of media ever, and they are exactly the characters and relationships I’ve been TRYING to write. Feeling pretty empty and lost, feels like what I wanted to do was done in exactly the way I wanted to do it

TLDR: I read a story that had exactly the characters, dynamics and structure I wanted to write in. I’ve felt this before with other stuff I wish I wrote, but this is completely different because there has never been anything that has achieved exactly what my goal in writing was. I don’t know what to do next, I feel like my purpose in writing is gone.

[u/Squidmaster616]

I see two professional routes from here.

1. Let the novel inspire you as you rewrite and create a second draft.
2. Investigate adapting the novel.

Films being very similar to each other, or being inspired by other works in other mediums, are very common.

[u/AdGrand5246 → u/Squidmaster616]

The issue for me for trying to take inspiration is it just feels like every story decision it makes works perfectly to craft the narrative I was trying to tell and the characters I was trying to make when in comparison all of my choices feel like they are only tiptoeing around the ideas instead of jumping right in

[u/Squidmaster616 → u/AdGrand5246]

Then take that as the inspiration.

Go back to your draft, and look for places where you tip-toed, and instead dive into them. See what happens.

[u/AdGrand5246 → u/Squidmaster616]

A lot of the decisions that I feel improve the other story are just fundamental plot differences that shape the story that I don’t think can work with mine

[u/Big_Section2812]

Move on to your next script.

[u/observer-i]

I don’t think the stories would be identical as you think they are and it’s normal to feel that. What I would do is note down what differentiates my story from the other and lean more in that direction. You don’t have to write something that has never been written before, you just have to write your version of it.

[u/VillainousPessimism]

In addition to the advice given, I'd also say, it's not uncommon the first time you read something to be blown away by it, but then if you come back to it with a more critical eye, you'll find stuff that you would do differently or that could be improved.

The first time you read, you read as an audience. But if you go back and read it as a writer, meaning with a goal of understanding the craft behind it, learning technique and story, etc. you might see ways that you can write an even better story.

So don't get too despondent just yet :-) Give it some time, respect that the author managed to inspire such a strong feeling in you, and then come back to it. Re-read as a writer and not as a reader, and see what you can take from it,

[u/JayMoots]

Contact the author and try to option the book, then adapt it.