Originally posted by Slow Diver
I think that it is best to try to make a song out of that riff while it is still fresh so to say. because what frequently happens to me is that I come up with a great, kick -ass riff and if I don't develope it further from that riff stage it loses its power on me with time.
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I've found it can be useful to try and and connect riffs together with new riffs built for the purpose. There's one piece of music it's taken me two years to write (I've not tried very hard I admit), I just realised how bits of it slotted together and made myself a solo guitar piece out of it.
I'm afraid the only way not to get ripped off is not to play with other guitarists! Nothing else sounds like a guitar after all. Alternatively learn to play like (for instance) John Petrucci and the number of musicians who CAN rip you off will be negligible.