Plagiarism

[sbrooks103x]

Just what are the exact rules here on plagiarism?

I had a story pulled because I used a situation from another story (admittedly without attribution), changing names and other details. I then took the story in an entirely different direction from the original.

The original was RAAC, mine wasn't BTB, but WAS extreme consequences with no reconciliation.

Recently a story was posted that had a situation that was nearly identical to another story, again with some details changed, which had an almost identical plot, but it hasn't been pulled.

Is that simply because nobody complained, or because it was a "name" author, or what?

 

[sr71plt]

Doesn't sound like plagiarism from your description. (Can't copyright situations and if you could, nearly all of us would be guilty of infringement.) That some are pulled and some remain is the result of uneven selection and, yes, that some are reported and some not.

There's only one selection editor here, Laurel, and no one else can give you exact site rules. You could PM (private message, upper right column of this page) her directly (account name Laurel) to try to seek "exact site rules" or how they were applied to your story specifically.

 

[CarlusMagnus]

Just what are the exact rules here on plagiarism?

I had a story pulled because I used a situation from another story (admittedly without attribution), changing names and other details. I then took the story in an entirely different direction from the original.

The original was RAAC, mine wasn't BTB, but WAS extreme consequences with no reconciliation.

Recently a story was posted that had a situation that was nearly identical to another story, again with some details changed, which had an almost identical plot, but it hasn't been pulled.

Is that simply because nobody complained, or because it was a "name" author, or what?

Plagiarism isn't using the same (or similar) story line. If it were, Shakespeare would be remembered as one of the world's greatest plagiarists.

Plagiarism consists of representing another's work as your own.

 

[sbrooks103x]

Plagiarism isn't using the same (or similar) story line. If it were, Shakespeare would be remembered as one of the world's greatest plagiarists.

Plagiarism consists of representing another's work as your own.

I personally agree with you, but while I was never given a reason for the story being pulled, I think there were several comments accusing me of plagiarism, and I was sternly taken to task here!

 

[sr71plt]

I personally agree with you, but while I was never given a reason for the story being pulled, I think there were several comments accusing me of plagiarism, and I was sternly taken to task here!

You could PM Laurel directly for an explanation why the story was pulled. No, she doesn't seem to contact the author when deciding to pull a story. No, this isn't a good thing. But it's reportedly what she does. No reason why you can't ask her for an accounting and for an opportunity to question the action.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I think there were several comments accusing me of plagiarism, and I was sternly taken to task here!

If there were several comments and the story was reported (the only way it would come to Laurel's attention), it might be assumed there were some pretty strong hints that the story was very similar to someone else's work.

Best solution, don't borrow someone else's storyline and rework it for yourself. Be original, first time. This is a bit of a variation on the often asked question, "is it ok to continue someone else's story?"

I guess you know the answer to that one, now.

 

[Hypoxia]

"Plagiarize
Let no-one else's work evade your eyes
Remember why the good lord made your eyes
And plagiarize, plagiarize, plagiarize
(But be certain always to call it, Research)"
--T. Lehrer

 

[sr71plt]

If there were several comments and the story was reported (the only way it would come to Laurel's attention), it might be assumed there were some pretty strong hints that the story was very similar to someone else's work.

Best solution, don't borrow someone else's storyline and rework it for yourself. Be original, first time. This is a bit of a variation on the often asked question, "is it ok to continue someone else's story?"

I guess you know the answer to that one, now.

You're assuming too much at this point. The OP claims not to have been notified or given a reason the story was pulled. Let's not hang him until there's some actual evidence of what the problem is. It's not like the Web site did anything but pull the story without telling the author they had. We don't even know that it was on the basis of someone complaining about the story.

 

[RejectReality]

If you didn't ask for permission to continue or alter a story by a Lit author and someone reports it, it will be pulled. It's a policy Laurel implemented some time ago.

Actually, the same holds true for continuing/altering/spinning off stories from other erotic fiction sites and posting them here without permission, as a couple of recent examples have demonstrated. At the very least, they're fanfiction, and thus must be posted in that category if they're allowed to be posted at all.

 

[Crkcppr]

The same thing happened to Jeezaz a few months back . Who knows what goes on behind the curtains here in Oz .
The only recourse it seems is to post it on SOL.

 

[sbrooks103x]

The same thing happened to Jeezaz a few months back . Who knows what goes on behind the curtains here in Oz .
The only recourse it seems is to post it on SOL.

I did check with Laurel. She doesn't have time to do more than skim, relies on others reporting the story. My story obviously got reported, the other didn't.

 

[SimonDoom]

I did check with Laurel. She doesn't have time to do more than skim, relies on others reporting the story. My story obviously got reported, the other didn't.

It's curious to me that you would be taken to task for borrowing story ideas, especially on this site, where the same ideas get worked and reworked endlessly and, seemingly, with impunity. There must be dozens of stories written on the "mom rides on son's lap in the back of the car" theme alone. I'm not sure who started it, but there's nothing proprietary about it at this point.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

It's curious to me that you would be taken to task for borrowing story ideas, especially on this site, where the same ideas get worked and reworked endlessly and, seemingly, with impunity. There must be dozens of stories written on the "mom rides on son's lap in the back of the car" theme alone. I'm not sure who started it, but there's nothing proprietary about it at this point.

Maybe his version was better than the other guys and some fans objected to him using the authors ideas. Or maybe it was a troll.

 

[sbrooks103x]

LOL, I agree with you, as someone else said on this thread, plagiarism is "passing someone else's work of as your own," and I honestly believe that I didn't do that, but Laurel's definition is broader.

By her definition, my 1st follow-up to BigGuy33's "A Beautiful View" would have been considered plagiarism if I hadn't secured his permission first, and that simply proposed what might have happened after his story ended.

Apparently it's driven by complaints. Some people complained about my story and it was pulled.