Where do you draw the line between "inspiration" and plagiarism?

[erotica_n_s]

Okay folks...

So where do you draw the line between "inspiration" and plagiarism?

I mean, when I'm writing an erotic story, if I take ideas for sex acts and sex positions from porn films, am I guilty of plagiarism?

Am I "cheating" if I use a thesaurus or a dictionary?

If I borrow similes/metaphors/idioms/hyperbole etc. from other people's work, is that plagiarism? I mean, e.g. I read a story that had a line that I really liked - "...and now there appeared on her face the beginnings of a torrid blush..." I thought it was a lovely line, and I borrowed it and put it into my story - because I couldn't think anything better - but I wonder - am I cheating? Is it plagiarism? (to be fair, it's likely that the story that I read was itself plagiarised from another source, but that's another story)...

Your opinions, folks?

 

[Traveler78]

Okay folks...

So where do you draw the line between "inspiration" and plagiarism?

I mean, when I'm writing an erotic story, if I take ideas for sex acts and sex positions from porn films, am I guilty of plagiarism?

Am I "cheating" if I use a thesaurus or a dictionary?

If I borrow similes/metaphors/idioms/hyperbole etc. from other people's work, is that plagiarism? I mean, e.g. I read a story that had a line that I really liked - "...and now there appeared on her face the beginnings of a torrid blush..." I thought it was a lovely line, and I borrowed it and put it into my story - because I couldn't think anything better - but I wonder - am I cheating? Is it plagiarism? (to be fair, it's likely that the story that I read was itself plagiarised from another source, but that's another story)...

Your opinions, folks?

If you take a line word for word then it is plagiarism.

Using the theasaurus or dictionary is not cheating, they are meant to be used as reference aids.

Being inspired by something you see or read isn't plagiarism as long as you take that inspiration and create something that is made of your own interpretations, ideas, and words.

 

[Cathleen]

Okay folks...

So where do you draw the line between "inspiration" and plagiarism?

I mean, when I'm writing an erotic story, if I take ideas for sex acts and sex positions from porn films, am I guilty of plagiarism?

Am I "cheating" if I use a thesaurus or a dictionary?

If I borrow similes/metaphors/idioms/hyperbole etc. from other people's work, is that plagiarism? I mean, e.g. I read a story that had a line that I really liked - "...and now there appeared on her face the beginnings of a torrid blush..." I thought it was a lovely line, and I borrowed it and put it into my story - because I couldn't think anything better - but I wonder - am I cheating? Is it plagiarism? (to be fair, it's likely that the story that I read was itself plagiarised from another source, but that's another story)...

Your opinions, folks?

There's no question that using the line you found elsewhere is plagiarism, no question at all. Why do you believe the story you read was plagiarized? Where did that idea come from? What's fair about it, for that matter? If you can't think of 'anything better' then keep thinking.

In the case of similes/metaphors/idioms/hyperbole etc., it's hard to erase them from your personal imagination but I'd keep trying on that too. It's not fair to use another's brain power in creative endeavors.

Using a thesaurus or dictionary isn't an issue, they're resources should be used as you need or see fit.

 

[fiery_tongue]

A little mild piracy is okay in my book, but then I'm a rogue.

Though it may have been striking to you at the time, 'torrid blush' is so unoriginal that there is actually a cosmetic product by the same name.

Sometimes I've used the fantasies of others as the fodder for my stories, it's a great resource. You could offer to write for fantasy here and I'm pretty sure you'll get some takers. Get their basic kink then let your mind voyage.. your imagination is probably limitless!

Describing a porno as plagiarism? Not in my opinion, it's not like it's a respected art form, it's depravity man! A journalist or ethics major would probably disagree, but to each their own, it's not a crime.

Do you intend to profit financially from your writing? That may be another can of poop altogether.

Using a thesauras to change every third word is still plagiarism if you don't credit the author.. but this is smut man! Have at it!

 

[Cathleen]

A little mild piracy is okay in my book, but then I'm a rogue.

Though it may have been striking to you at the time, 'torrid blush' is so unoriginal that there is actually a cosmetic product by the same name.

Sometimes I've used the fantasies of others as the fodder for my stories, it's a great resource. You could offer to write for fantasy here and I'm pretty sure you'll get some takers. Get their basic kink then let your mind voyage.. your imagination is probably limitless!

Describing a porno as plagiarism? Not in my opinion, it's not like it's a respected art form, it's depravity man! A journalist or ethics major would probably disagree, but to each their own, it's not a crime.

Do you intend to profit financially from your writing? That may be another can of poop altogether.

Using a thesauras to change every third word is still plagiarism if you don't credit the author.. but this is smut man! Have at it!

Sarah is that you?

Fun response, thanks for the smile.

Other people's fantasies are all I've got to work from! Porn puts me to sleep so it'd never work for me.

 

[Mac98]

No creation on Earth (except natural one's) are 100% completely invented by 1 person. Influences and inspirations are ALWAYS a factor in creation. Stealing a story is one thing, but being inspired by one is another... same goes for paintings, music, etc.

 

[fire_breeze]

I mean, when I'm writing an erotic story, if I take ideas for sex acts and sex positions from porn films, am I guilty of plagiarism?

Inspiration.

Am I "cheating" if I use a thesaurus or a dictionary?

Nope. They are reference tools

If I borrow similes/metaphors/idioms/hyperbole etc. from other people's work, is that plagiarism? I mean, e.g. I read a story that had a line that I really liked - "...and now there appeared on her face the beginnings of a torrid blush..." I thought it was a lovely line, and I borrowed it and put it into my story - because I couldn't think anything better - but I wonder - am I cheating? Is it plagiarism? (to be fair, it's likely that the story that I read was itself plagiarised from another source, but that's another story)...

Your opinions, folks?

That would be plagiarism. Anything that is word for word is not yours is plagiarism.... and if you want to get academic writing, even paraphrasing it would be considered to be plagiarism, but luckily this isn't academic

 

[TheRealFATANG]

Context and point of view are everything. Word for word and "re-imagining" (read: copying) are bad.

 

[erotica_n_s]

Because I want to avoid copying/plagiarising, I've lately been avoiding reading other people's work. I mean, of course, I've read other people's work before, but it was a long time ago - I think the last time I read anything by anyone else was well over a couple of years ago...

Still, I pick up new words - particularly adjectives and adverbs - quite regularly from a variety of sources - not just from sex stories, but from advertisements, poetry, etc., and then I'm not sure if I'm cheating when I then use the same (or similar) words when I'm writing my own stories...

Incidentally, that line I mentioned earlier... "...and now there appeared on her face the beginnings of a torrid blush..." - I didn't copy it word for word... I think I "changed" it to something like, "... and now she blushed torridly..." or something like that... now I don't know if you'd still consider that to be plagiarism... and in any case, that was just one line... the rest of the story was my own... (and yes, I'm now aware that there is a cosmetic product called "torrid blush"... it may sound cliched and unimpressive to you, but at the time that I was reading the story, I thought it was a lovely line, particularly in the context of that story... and also, I read that story on an Indian website, and - I'm ashamed to say this, I really am - but a fair amount of the material on Indian websites is shamelessly plagiarised from other sources... that is the reason why I suspect that the story I read before was itself not an original piece of work...)

I continue to watch porn though... now that still gives me ideas, but the words I have to use when I write, are still mine... and to be honest, lately I've not been watching so much - but that's not because of any deliberate effort to avoid watching porn - it's more lack of time and opportunity... And of course, most people tell me that porn is far from realistic anyway. But then again, so are my stories, although I would like to add at least a little bit of realism.

Also, I would say - I tend to watch porn really to get myself in the mood, and also for ideas on sex positions - porn doesn't give me ideas for plots or characters... so I think that's my justification for continuing to watch it... hope it makes sense to you guys...

In fact, I've been resisting even looking at scientific/research literature... because I want to keep my writing as original as I can... I do intend to look at the literature after I've written at least one story... but then again, it's so tempting to read through the research literature straight away...

 

[fire_breeze]

Because I want to avoid copying/plagiarising, I've lately been avoiding reading other people's work. I mean, of course, I've read other people's work before, but it was a long time ago - I think the last time I read anything by anyone else was well over a couple of years ago...

Still, I pick up new words - particularly adjectives and adverbs - quite regularly from a variety of sources - not just from sex stories, but from advertisements, poetry, etc., and then I'm not sure if I'm cheating when I then use the same (or similar) words when I'm writing my own stories...

Incidentally, that line I mentioned earlier... "...and now there appeared on her face the beginnings of a torrid blush..." - I didn't copy it word for word... I think I "changed" it to something like, "... and now she blushed torridly..." or something like that... now I don't know if you'd still consider that to be plagiarism... and in any case, that was just one line... the rest of the story was my own... (and yes, I'm now aware that there is a cosmetic product called "torrid blush"... it may sound cliched and unimpressive to you, but at the time that I was reading the story, I thought it was a lovely line, particularly in the context of that story... and also, I read that story on an Indian website, and - I'm ashamed to say this, I really am - but a fair amount of the material on Indian websites is shamelessly plagiarised from other sources... that is the reason why I suspect that the story I read before was itself not an original piece of work...)

I continue to watch porn though... now that still gives me ideas, but the words I have to use when I write, are still mine... and to be honest, lately I've not been watching so much - but that's not because of any deliberate effort to avoid watching porn - it's more lack of time and opportunity... And of course, most people tell me that porn is far from realistic anyway. But then again, so are my stories, although I would like to add at least a little bit of realism.

Also, I would say - I tend to watch porn really to get myself in the mood, and also for ideas on sex positions - porn doesn't give me ideas for plots or characters... so I think that's my justification for continuing to watch it... hope it makes sense to you guys...

In fact, I've been resisting even looking at scientific/research literature... because I want to keep my writing as original as I can... I do intend to look at the literature after I've written at least one story... but then again, it's so tempting to read through the research literature straight away...

If I may, I think you are too concerned about inadvertently plagiarising and/or picking up new words, adjectives.

You will be inspired by your everyday existence. That is a fact. It takes time to carve out your own unique style; there is nothing wrong with reading and taking cues from others - it's considered to be the greatest form of flattery. Many of the greatest authors' earlier work are inspired by others. In fact, read some of their earliest works and compare them to their latest works and you will not only see a vast difference in styles of writing but also you can tell where they were inspired and sought to resemble those that they themselves admire.

Some terminology and expressions have been in use for decades and even centuries. Your example of 'torrid blush' is actually centuries old. It's nothing new: it's how you use it. It's one thing to use a very distinct phrase that is associated with an author and pass it off as your own (e.g if I say 'love for is a red red rose') or to use it as inspiration (e.g. "as Burns said, my love for him is a red red rose" or even "I can feel my love growing for him like a rose"). See the difference?

The only way to improve as a writer is to write and read. See what you enjoy and write for you. There's nothing wrong with trying to emulate a particular style from those you admire. By consistently writing and figuring out what works for you will you grow as a writer. Most authors, if not all, are voracious readers; and they will find inspiration through a line or even a word.

The bottom line is that don't be afraid to read or to research. Most writers do. If you are writing about the Mediaeval era, would you not do research in order to make sure that your details are accurate? The same thing would be in erotica. Don't be afraid to find what you like and be inspired by it. Unless you are lifting lines and phrases (using another's original material and passing it off as your own), there is nothing to worry about.

 

[culloden]

No creation on Earth (except natural one's) are 100% completely invented by 1 person. Influences and inspirations are ALWAYS a factor in creation. Stealing a story is one thing, but being inspired by one is another... same goes for paintings, music, etc.

Yep. West Side Story = Romeo and Juliet. O Brother Where Art Thou = The Odyssey. Throne of Blood = MacBeth.

 

[erotica_n_s]

What if I watched an "instructional"/"educational" sex video - as opposed to a pure and simple pornographic entertainment film - I mean, a video that is literally like a "how-to" guide for total virgins like myself, and get ideas for a sex scene from such a video? I mean if I actually incorporate the sex techniques (e.g. manual clitoral/vulval stimulation) from the video into my scene (with a little modification) - would you call that "inspiration" or plagiarism? Would that be acceptable?

I mean - I was just watching a video a little while ago... In fact, before I started to watch it, I was hesitant, precisely because I knew I might find myself in this slightly awkward situation, i.e. I've got an idea now that I can't quite get out of my head, but I know that, if I'm absolutely honest, the idea didn't really originate entirely from my own imagination... And I'd like to avoid plagiarism!! Perhaps I should stress, however, that I have added a bit of my own input into the scene... I can only hope that will mitigate against accusations of plagiarism...

I'd like to hear your opinions, folks...

(PS, sorry to be digging up my own old thread, folks, and also, my apologies if I did not adequately express my thanks to y'all for your previous replies...)