Huh

[hils]

I think I just got accused of plagiarism. Or at least of stealing someone elses idea.

Comments

[shivedheart.livejournal.com]

What the FUCK?

You know honestly? There is really no such thing as an original idea. I read House fanfiction and it's almost always the same. It's plagiarism if you take it word for word, which you wouldn't do. Stealing someone's idea? What, do they have a patent on it???

I used to write fanfic way back when and someone did steal one of my ideas and just basically rearranged what I had written. I was livid. We tend to become attached to our story lines.

*shakes head* Stealing an idea. Yeah. Prove it. Don't let them get you down. *hugs*

No original idea, remember that. If you (or I) thought it, it's been done. How we SPIN that idea is what matters. They're probably just jealous :)

[hils.livejournal.com]

It has kind of upset me I have to say. I've been writing for years and would never intentionally steal from someone

[shivedheart.livejournal.com]

I've been accused of it too. It fucking hurts like Hell. Of course you're upset! Someone is saying you did something you didn't do. It's why I don't write House fanfic right now, or share it I should say. After reading so much of it, I don't know what's my idea or if it's someone elses.

I know it's easier said then done, but don't let them get you down. Believe me though - I know how hard it is.

I've been writing since I was seven years old. When I was ten and in the sixth grade, we had to write a paper in class out our favorite place. We were only allowed a dictionary. Well I wrote about the Verrazano Bridge. We moved from New York when I was a baby, but we went back every chance we got. The Verrazano Bridge meant we were close to home, back in New York where we belonged. I remember being small, sprawled out on the back seat, looking up at the tiers and just loving everything it represented. So I wrote my paper on that. Now, at 10, I was reading and writing at a college level, but I was still - to an extent - in special education. When my teacher read my paper, she accused me of plagerism. I was horrified. She made me stand up in front of the entire fourth, fifth, and sixth grades at lunch - made me stand with my back to them as she said I was a bad kid, a bad student - that I had plagerized. I remember crying and feeling so ashamed. But there was anger too. I live for writing and would never steal someone elses words or ideas. Later, she made me rewrite my paper, with just her watching me. THEN my mother was called in and it was only then that the teacher believed me. THEN she bragged to all the other teachers about what an advanced writer I was.

But she had shamed me and though I still wrote, I hid it. I dumbed it down. I almost got away with it - to graduation. But in tenth grade (I was fifteen at this point), my teacher threw my paper in my face and said, "What is this piece of shit? Why are you dumbing down your writing?" I just stood there, crying like an idiot. I explained what had happened and she said to let it go. I had to let it go. But that's a hard thing to do. I was humilated in front of hundreds of kids.

So when someone accuses me or my friends of doing just that - it angers me to no end. I have my B.A. in English Lit with a minor in creative writing. I would never steal an idea and you are just as passionate. You would never intentionally steal an idea.

I don't buy what they are saying, but I understand why it hurts. ((((hugs)))

Sorry for the long reply.

[hils.livejournal.com]

Thanks *hugs back*

[shivedheart.livejournal.com]

You're welcome.

I am sorry they're pulling this shit. It's childish. They could have just come to you with the complaint instead of blaring it all through LJ.

[hils.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it makes me especially sad because the author is someone I know. I wish she'd just come to me

[shivedheart.livejournal.com]

*nod* That's kind of like being punched in the stomach. Is she a friend?

[hils.livejournal.com]

Not a close friend but we're on a couple of the same communities

[shivedheart.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I got in an LJ fight with someone who was in a bunch of communities I was in. I ended up leaving them cos it was easier than dealing with the bullshit.

[hils.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've left the one she moderates because I don't feel comfortable there any more

[shivedheart.livejournal.com]

:( Yeah, been there, done that.

[goth-clark.livejournal.com]

That is not possible. I hate when people say that. You can't steel an idea. Was JKR stealing an idea when she did a boy wizard? It's been done a million times before. Does that mean she's stealing? Nope. It does not.

It happened to me once and I was a bit upset, but then I ignored it.

[hils.livejournal.com]

This is really bothering me. One person left a comment in my fiction journal and now I've seen the author has done a really angry post about it and has loads of people agreeing with her about it.

I think I'm going to take my fic down. I would hate to be associated with plagiarism

[goth-clark.livejournal.com]

You shouldn't have to take your fiction down! That's crazy and I'm sorry but eventually the same ideas in a fandom are going to be used over and over. That does not mean you've taken them from somebody else. It is possible to come up with the same idea as another writer.

As I pointed out, Harry Potter has been done. It's called Books of Magic, but that does not mean JKR stole it.

[hils.livejournal.com]

You're right, but I don't want my name to be tainted in fandom

Thanks though

[shivedheart.livejournal.com]

From Wiki:

Plagiarism (from the Latin "plagiarius," meaning "a plunderer" or, an older term, "plagium," meaning "kidnapping," or possibly "plagiare," which is "to wound") is the practice of claiming, or implying, original authorship of (or incorporating material from) someone else's written or creative work, in whole or in part, into one's own without adequate acknowledgement.

You didn't do that. You didn't steal an idea. You shouldn't have to take the fic down. Screw them for being assholes.

[hils.livejournal.com]

She didn't ask me to take it down, in fairness to her. I offered. I don't want my name linked with any sort of theft or plagiarism

[shivedheart.livejournal.com]

Understandable. But it could be viewed as an admission of guilt.

Although truth be told? I'd do the same thing.

[hils.livejournal.com]

I think according to her I'm already guilty so admitting it changes nothing

[shivedheart.livejournal.com]

Very good point.

But way to be childish (her, not you). A rational person would try to sort this out in a friendly matter - after getting over the anger and what not.

Again - I'm sorry this happened. Ick. Drama sucks.

[hils.livejournal.com]

It does :(

[shivedheart.livejournal.com]

:( (((((more hugs)))) ((((hands you hot chocolate and candies)))))

[hils.livejournal.com]

Aww! Thanks hun! Your comments really mean a lot to me *big hugs*

[shivedheart.livejournal.com]

You are very welcome. Sorry for being so rambly!

[hils.livejournal.com]

It's ok. Nice to have someone to listen to. I'd just be sitting here brooding otherwise. LOL!

[shivedheart.livejournal.com]

No, no, no! We cannot have brooding.

*gives you candy canes and more chocolate*

But boy do I ever hear you about the brooding. This has helped me stop thinking of my pathetic problems.

[hils.livejournal.com]

Hehe!

So...nice weather...ok, maybe not. LOL!

[bittermint.livejournal.com]

You can't steal an idea. How many TV shows have done Christmas episodes based on the plots of "It's a Wonderful Life" or "A Christmas Carol"? How many mpreg fics are out there? How many time-travel fics? Those are all based on the same idea!

It's plagiarism if you lift another author's actual words, which I can't believe you would ever do. So tell whoever's accused you to piss off.

[hils.livejournal.com]

I don't want to cause a fuss and I've already had one person leave a negative comment on the fic. I don't want more

[shivedheart.livejournal.com]

Lookit Stephen King. Some of his later stories are essentially the same thing he's written about for years.

And you're spot on about TV shows. There's now this trend of main characters popping pills yet no one says word one about it.

I said it to her too. There are no original ideas left and you cannot patent one and claim it as your own.

[cordykitten]

Well you definitely go all the way, taking the fic down. (I've read the comments). I don't know the fic in question but some things are bound to be repeated. I've read about it in the BtVS fandom ones and the author in question contacted the other about it. They both wrote / started to write their own fics without knowing that the other did too.
*hugs*

[hils.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I wish she'd just e mailed me of something instead of angrily ranting about it

[phoebesmum.livejournal.com]

I've been playing a stoopid game (actually, it's quite a good game, but far too short and with not much replay value, but whatever) and just found your posts about this. How awful for you! Of course you know you didn't plagiarise anything, but I know the jolt you get in your stomach when somebody says something like that. Thank goodness you have friends who'll rally round and support you. Don't let it put you off writing, whatever you do. Locking the story that caused the upset is the way to go.

Hope you're feeling a bit better now.

[hils.livejournal.com]

Yeah, stepping away from the PC for a bit and having some nice dinner whilst watching The Gadget Show has done me the world of good

[spikewriter]

Sweetie, you're playing in a shared universe; similarities are bound to happen because there really are only six plots in the world. Heck, look at how ljs and I had to put disclaimers on our fics that we weren't stealing each other's ideas with Spike as a Watcher in London storylines -- and we were scarily close to one another sometimes without meaning to be.

Having said that, I think it was tacky for the other author to rant in public. You know I'm very much opposed to plagiarism, but if you're going to accuse someone of it, you need to do more than say "They had the same idea as I did!"

Sadly, if they're ranting, you've probably saved yourself trouble by taking the fic down. ::hugs::

[hils.livejournal.com]

*hugs back*

Yeah, I'm hoping this will be the end of it really

[danaid-luv.livejournal.com]

*boggles* Of all the things one could say of you, a stealer of words or ideas, you are not. Really.

[hils.livejournal.com]

I would certainly never do it on purpose

[redeem147.livejournal.com]

I remember when elsaf and I went through a period where we'd both post a story with a similar idea on the same day, completely independently. More than once.

It's one thing for someone to outline a story to a friend and then find out they'd taken it for their own story (I've heard of that happening). Not that they were friends after it happened.

But some things are in the ether, and they pop out at the same time.

I'm sorry you went through this, though it seems the brunt of it happened while I was at work, and you've come to terms with it.

*hugs*

[hils.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm better now. Writing Christmas smut is surprisingly theraputic ;)

[ceci2176.livejournal.com]

I'm just reposting what I said in another entry: Yay! It's over. (http://community.livejournal.com/stop_plagiarism/44700.html) :-)