Urban Fantasy Ideas- Has this been done?

All right. I read somewhere that one of the best ways to be published is to already be published, even by self-publishing. Either way, I think I should get a book out before I try to have my fantasy trilogy published. So, anyway, I thought of some ideas for an Urban Fantasy book, and was wondering if they had been used before, since the most exposure I have to this particular subgenre are Percy Jackson And The Olympians and The Kane Chronicles. I just don't want to be seen as ripping a popular series off.

Setting-wise, I know there is a Masquerade up, with the magic-society hiding themselves from the normal one. Here are the ideas I had:

Shapeshifted dragons are typically heads of crime families.

Technology and magic influence each other: For example, the internet was inspired by someone's dream being touched by a magical dimension similar to Cyberspace. However, lately mages have taken to using magical smart phones and tablets (literally magical wood/stone tablets) to store spells and do magic stuff, in addition to things normal smartphones and tablets can do.

Different types of magic-users: Wizards go to school, Sorcerers gain powers from a limited form of reincarnation/possession, druids gain powers from nature, etc. There are also different ways to cast specific to each person. One wizard specializing in spells affecting people has to sculpt them first, while others require foci or wands, while others just can use their hands and voice.

Dragons being crime bosses, while I can't exactly remember but I seen at least two examples from two diffrent author in both cases crime organizations were based on tongs, and triads.

the second idea is pretty popular , that said I personaly really don't like it as it often ends up with technological impact on magic is almost non existent but mystical side has such impact on technology, that basicly every single mundane event and thing was result of magic.

Also pretty popular mostly with Dn D based stuff,if you want to you can use it but I feel that this type often ruins mysterious and mystical part of magic.

I think your take on Post-Modern Magik is awesome and I like the idea of draconic mobsters, but I also know they've been done before. Originality is virtually impossible in this day and age; there aren't enough stories and there are too many writers; I think the best you can do is tell a story YOUR way. There's no way I'll handle mafioso dragons the way you will, for example, and that's a cool thing.

EDIT:

Also, I like your Personality Powers take on spell-casting. I once had a character whose spells manifested as glowing butterflies; his fire spell was the best thing I ever imagined up

edited 21st May '13 9:12:13 PM by nekomoon14