Plagiarism

[plix (imported)]

I have learned that a story published very recently on the EA was plagiarized from another site. Someone not only submitted this story without the author's permission, but he also listed someone else as the author. This is beyond unacceptable.

In the guidelines, I state that if you wish to rewrite another author's story, you must receive permission either from the author or from me if you cannot reach the author. My decision would be based primarily on how much you are changing the story to make it your own.

However, if you want to submit another author's story as is without making it your own, then you MUST have permission from the author or copyright holder in ALL cases. NO EXCEPTIONS. You MUST also give the true author credit unless the author says otherwise. You will need to document this permission to me either before submission or immediately after.

Authors work hard on their stories, and no one has the right to steal their work from them. Write your own stories. No matter how bad you are as a writer, that is always better than stealing someone else's work.

Anyone caught stealing someone else's work or submitting it without their permission (even if you give them credit) will be banned from ever submitting another story to this site, and I will let the admins decide if further action will be taken. You may also face civil and criminal penalties should the author wish to pursue a claim against you.

[Paolo]

It's happened before, it's sure to happen again. The only way you'll ever find out about it, though, is if someone points it out, or you frequent other sites and recognize it.

[C van D (imported)]

I have learned that a story published very recently on the EA was plagiarized from another site. Someone not only submitted this story without the author's permission, but he also listed someone else as the author. This is beyond unacceptable.

In the guidelines, I state that if you wish to rewrite another author's story, you must receive permission either from the author or from me if you cannot reach the author. My decision would be based primarily on how much you are changing the story to make it your own.

However, if you want to submit another author's story as is without making it your own, then you MUST have permission from the author or copyright holder in ALL cases. NO EXCEPTIONS. You MUST also give the true author credit unless the author says otherwise. You will need to document this permission to me either before submission or immediately after.

Authors work hard on their stories, and no one has the right to steal their work from them. Write your own stories. No matter how bad you are as a writer, that is always better than stealing someone else's work.

Anyone caught stealing someone else's work or submitting it without their permission (even if you give them credit) will be banned from ever submitting another story to this site, and I will let the admins decide if further action will be taken. You may also face civil and criminal penalties should the author wish to pursue a claim against you.

It works in reverse too. As recently as yesterday I was trawling through "Google" to see if the phrase "his balls pricked" cropped up anywhere, except in my own stories, and in Coran Hyde's excellent "Five Boys". I always live in hopes!

However, I was surprised to find that my recent story, or rather screenplay "Mistaken Paternity" had been pirated, from first to last, by another website with a complicated name like "Pornfactory". This must be of concern to EA, I'd have thought.

[kristoff]

It works in reverse too. As recently as yesterday I was trawling through "Google" to see if the phrase "his balls pricked" cropped up anywhere, except in my own stories, and in Coran Hyde's excellent "Five Boys". I always live in hopes!

However, I was surprised to find that my recent story, or rather screenplay "Mistaken Paternity" had been pirated, from first to last, by another website with a complicated name like "Pornfactory". This must be of concern to EA, I'd have thought.

Unfortunately, there is not a lot we can do except to send a complaint to the offending web-site, as should you. This happens quite often, actually. When we catch it here, the story is deleted and the "author" is banned; we would hope for the same at offending sites.

[Misha999 (imported)]

A few years back one of my so-called fans emailed me and asked if she could "re-work" my first novel as "fan-fic or one of the many knockoff excuses people use to write stories without coming up with a story of their own. This woman had the nerve to say that she could write the story better than I had. Maybe so. I declined the honor but at least she asked.

Some thing many authors ignore or are unaware of is there are many copyrighted parts of a story. The MC's name is one of them, especially if the stories are serialized. Just try to (self) publish a James Bond novel and see how long you stay out of court. I say self-publish because no publishing house would take on copyrighted material. The only way to get part way there would be to do a self-pub.

Plagiarism is a serious crime, especially if $$$ are involved.

M

[transward (imported)]

Some thing many authors ignore or are unaware of is there are many copyrighted parts of a story. The MC's name is one of them, especially if the stories are serialized. Just try to (self) publish a James Bond novel and see how long you stay out of court. I say self-publish because no publishing house would take on copyrighted material. The only way to get part way there would be to do a self-pub.

Plagiarism is a serious crime, especially if $$$ are involved.

M

How does that work with fan fiction then? I know on this site we have Harry Potter, James Bond and Star war stories, which I doubt were authorized by the appropriate authorities. There is a whole cottage industry cranking out these stories in a variety of fictional worlds all apparently without getting permission from the original author.

Transward

[Misha999 (imported)]

Trans, In the strictest sense fan-fic is a continuation of a story or story line after the original series has ended. It's really more copyright infringement than plagiarism. Of course plagiarism is also copyright infringemen. The plagiarism comes into play if the fan-fic author lifts whole words, phrases, situations or locations in the fan-fic story. I can't imagine writing a fan-fic story and not straying into one or more of those areas.

The legalese used in pursuing plagiarism and copyright issues are so complex I won't try to go into them here.

The bottom line in fan-fic is literally the bottom line. The moment a fan-fic story / story line or website begins to make real money the publishers will land like a ton of bricks.

Here at EA I don't see anyone bragging about selling their works but then I don't read fan-fic. That said, most authors ignore fan-fic and as far as I know no author would agree to having his/her work turned into a fan-fic work. Publishers NEVER permit it.

There are lots of people who write fan-fic and they have huge followings.

Personally I feel that if it's all for fun, then all well and fine. I confess I don't know why people who clearly have writing talent would chose to co-opt another work.

I should also add that while JK Rowling said she was flattered that so many people emulated her stories, JK's publisher had a more adverse reaction especially if the fan-fic works could be deemed x-rated. The publishers were quick to point out that JK's books are aimed at children.

M

M

[Paolo]

And for the idiot who just tried to post a plagiarism of "Caught Flat" - hello?

You have to do more than just change the names of the characters to get it to slip by!

It would be so nice if there was a way to IP ban submission IP's...

[kristoff]

And for the idiot who just tried to post a plagiarism of "Caught Flat" - hello?

You have to do more than just change the names of the characters to get it to slip by!

It would be so nice if there was a way to IP ban submission IP's...

I can IP ban them from the forums, just not the submission page.... Just need the numbers...

[sensenbender (imported)]

I have learned that a story published very recently on the EA was plagiarized from another site. Someone not only submitted this story without the author's permission, but he also listed someone else as the author. This is beyond unacceptable.

In the guidelines, I state that if you wish to rewrite another author's story, you must receive permission either from the author or from me if you cannot reach the author. My decision would be based primarily on how much you are changing the story to make it your own.

However, if you want to submit another author's story as is without making it your own, then you MUST have permission from the author or copyright holder in ALL cases. NO EXCEPTIONS. You MUST also give the true author credit unless the author says otherwise. You will need to document this permission to me either before submission or immediately after.

Authors work hard on their stories, and no one has the right to steal their work from them. Write your own stories. No matter how bad you are as a writer, that is always better than stealing someone else's work.

Anyone caught stealing someone else's work or submitting it without their permission (even if you give them credit) will be banned from ever submitting another story to this site, and I will let the admins decide if further action will be taken. You may also face civil and criminal penalties should the author wish to pursue a claim against you.

I consider it possible that you are referring to my submission to EA of a story by Sacilowskir@aol.com. I base that supposition on the fact that his story didn't get published. He and I worked together on developing his story, but he didn't know how to post it, so I posted it for him with his permission. My mistake was not knowing how to 'prove' I had his permission. Sorry about that. I hope I'm not banned from the site as a result of mine and his clumsiness.