Plagiarism

[MaxRoper]

I apparently was guilty of copying a plot point. I wrote about an M/m encounter in "Meeting Strand" where one character promised no penetration, no oral, no hand jobs. Then he performed a "foot job". Later I read this exact thing in a story on the Plaza. I don't know if I read it before or if it was a case of "great minds thinking alike" but although it was completely inadvertent it certainly made me feel like a thief.

Not plagiarism per se but not a good feeling.

Max

[Daffy Duck]

Steve, I am delighted to hear that you have had a degree of success dealing with these nasty plagiarist(s).

Thanks again to those readers who keep vigil and have the decency to report it.

I agree with Steve that there are two types of plagiarism: 1) wholesale copying except for changing a few names etc. and 2) stealing ideas around a narrative or plot (i.e. "inspired by" - I use the term loosely !) 

I also agree with Steve that the second type is not so clearly defined. When in doubt, I would recommend that those 'inspired by' works of someone else, should contact the original writer to seek permission in writing 'sequels'. The original author may be flattered and say yes; or may feel it is too close to the original and say no.

I think a lot of genuine misunderstandings can be resolved this way.

Of course, deliberating stealing someone else's work or ideas, especially for profit, is clearly the actions of a nasty person.

It also raises the question of profit - this site the authors submit stories for free. Am I missing out on money ........ !!!   LOL.

Daffy

[Daffy Duck]

Hi Max,

Thanks for your honesty.

I think you have answered your own point. It was not your intent to use stuff from / similar to another author.

I don't think that is as harmful as deliberate action.

As for a 'foot job', I think that is fairly common.......

Daffy

[ElectroPainLover]

That's my point Max,

There are going to be times that someone has the same thought of another, hence, making promises of what they will not use but not promise not to use something else. It is simple for two people to have that same idea and not have knowledge of the other. Otherwise, you couldn't text someone without citing where you had heard it before.

There is no doubt that Steve Spandex was blatantly wronged, but, again, in order for it to be actual plagiarism, there must be some level of intent to claim someone elses idea or thought as your own.

I would only feel bad if I did it with intent, but, then again, I would have no moral value's to allow myself to feel bad to begin with.

Dana -- EPL

[64Fordman]

Hi EPL,

If I understood your comment correctly, you were tagged for plagiarism because you used your own family name in a story about the Irish potato famine when your ancestors were actual victims of the potato famine?

[ElectroPainLover]

Yes Fordman,

I wrote a paper about the Potato Famine of Ireland which made my 3rd gen Grandfather move from Ireland to NYC during the Potato Famine where potatoes were decimated by a blight. When I wrote about my family, I was caught by a plagiarism checker for linking my family name to the Great Potato Famine of Ireland. I had no idea, nor had I found, any texts during my research which had specifically listed my surname, however, upon using it; it was obvious someone else had.

Dana -- EPL