Wall of silence from Literotica

[sapphicphile]

I submitted my first story last month and a few days later on 24/2/2006 it was posted. In less than 24 hours it got 12180 views, 55 votes with average of 4.22 and some very favourable public and private comments. Somebody (a registered member) then posted a public comment stating that it was a copy:

"I have a very good memory of the stories that I've read here over the years. This story is a near-exact rip-off of one of the first stories I ever read on Literotica. I'm not saying that it has a similiar theme, I'm talking about EXACTLY story, plot, actions and names! I'm very upset that somebody would choose to rip off another author here without even giving so much as credit that this was inspired by the original."

I did not copy the story from anyone. It is entirely my own botched work.

Literotica withdrew the story the same day and emailed me to diplomatically (and sympathetically) ask me to state my case. I did so on 25/2 refuting the accusation and backed up my defence with an offer to supply a full audit of the drafts and correspondence with a very kind Literotica volunteer editor (thx . I also noted that my story did not have any names in common with the supposed source and very little else in common except for the fact that it was a 'lesbian dressing room' story. Indeed mine is potentially only the first chapter of more if and when I received postive feedback.

I have received no response from literotica (addressed to the info username) and susbsequently emailed again 3 times from different email accounts just in case I was spammed. Its now nearly a month later and I am still waiting.

Any advice on how to penetrate the wall of silence? Are others facing the same problem/delays? This is very frustrating as I was very excited to have my first story posted.

Thanks,

Sapphicphile

 

[MissBri]

 

[pcsocake]

i can only offer sympathy to what you've been through. you should've asked lit or the accuser to show you the proof that your story was indeed the work of plagiarism. accusation should always be based on hard facts not memories. if lit couldn't support its accusation, you deserve a public apoligy. good luck and keep pressing.

 

[sophia jane]

I'd PM Laurel.

They have a spam filter set up, and if you haven't received an autoresponse to be added to the whitelist, it's probably a funky problem with your email provider(s). If you PM Laurel, she can manually add your addy to the whitelist. I recently had a similar problem using gmail, submitting artwork/audio for multimedia pieces.

Best of luck!

I second that- pming works best to contact Laurel.

 

[kbate]

*subscribes thread for personal reasons*

 

[Guest]

I second that- pming works best to contact Laurel.

Sometimes. It depends (sorry, this is just an opinion and has nothing, nothing to do with any dislike of the mods, as I love them) on whether Laurel has the time, energy or inclination to view your request, respond to it, and address the issue.

Sapphicphile, I would keep trying, both from email and PM. I would also ask that the Lit member who made the accusation be required to provide a link to this story you supoposedly copied, and then show exactly, on a copy of each story, where you plagiarized.

*growls* I HATE people like that... "Oh, I remember a story like this, so you must have copied!" SIMILAR is not IDENTICAL, you twits!! Sapphicphile, my sympathy, and I will mentally flog the evil accuser in the dungeon of my mind for you. I hope everything works out right.

 

[Alpheratz]

Considering that there are only so many physical acts that two or more human bodies can accomplish at the same time, the descriptions of them would tend to get redundant. To accuse someone of stealing another's work because they described a sexual scenario is a bit silly. What else is there to describe about it but that someone's tongue did this and someone's "member" did that and someone made noises while it was going on?

I'm sure that if anyone were to read my descriptions of the sexual adventure, they would be able to point out that "Y'all wrote that same dang thing two years ago." or "Ain't that the same thing you said in your last story?"

And if they compare my work to someone else's, they're going to say something like "Y'all are copyin' off each other."

In any case, I do not believe you stole anyone else's work. And you really should pursue the accusation with all available means. Being accused of something you didn't do is the most miserable of conditions. Make your accuser prove his assertion or apologize.

 

[sophia jane]

Sometimes. It depends (sorry, this is just an opinion and has nothing, nothing to do with any dislike of the mods, as I love them) on whether Laurel has the time, energy or inclination to view your request, respond to it, and address the issue.

Sapphicphile, I would keep trying, both from email and PM. I would also ask that the Lit member who made the accusation be required to provide a link to this story you supoposedly copied, and then show exactly, on a copy of each story, where you plagiarized.

*growls* I HATE people like that... "Oh, I remember a story like this, so you must have copied!" SIMILAR is not IDENTICAL, you twits!! Sapphicphile, my sympathy, and I will mentally flog the evil accuser in the dungeon of my mind for you. I hope everything works out right.

Laurel doesn't always respond to every email or pm, but she does read her PMs and you have a greater chance of it not being filtered out as spam, etc.
And while I completely agree that it's total shit to be wrongly accused of plagarism, I don't think Laurel or the accuser has to provide the accused with anything. The accuser should obviously have to prove their case to Laurel (as should the accused), but it seems to me that allowing the accused and accuser to deal with each other on the issue is pointless and potentially ugly.

I was accused of plagarism on my very first story, but it never escalated to Laurel. It's a shitty thing to say of someone, just because a plot line is similar. There's only so many ways to write porn, ya know?

 

[Guest]

I meant the accuser should have to prove it to Lit, not to Sapphic... :S I guess I'm not making much sense today. Oh well.

The offer of mental floggings with the dancing banana are still open.

 

[Guest]

Yes, I'll echo everyone else.

A PM to Laurel is the way to contact her (she usually answers my PM's within 24 hours). On the other hand, she receives thousands of emails.

This has happened on Lit before, and there have been works removed from Lit but generally the accuser has to give Laurel or Manu the links or the text of both stories. Proof, as it were.

Many of us have had works stolen by other sites, and Laurel has managed that very well.

My sympathies, sapphic.

Don't give up on Lit yet, please.

 

[sophia jane]

I meant the accuser should have to prove it to Lit, not to Sapphic... :S I guess I'm not making much sense today. Oh well.

The offer of mental floggings with the dancing banana are still open.

I'd really love to see a flogging with a dancing nana. (wonder if one of our computer gurus can make an animation of that!)

 

[Pure]

Unofficially speaking--

I'd remind posters here that they lack the facts, as do I. But here is one possible scenario. The accuser convinced Laurel there was plagiarism, showing her the two stories. So Laurel decided the matter and does not wish to debate her decision (since the accused was notified once.)

If someone wants a public discussion of the matter, the first step would be to post or make available the two stories. Right now, nothing is known for sure, but the possibility I mentioned does exist.

J.

PS added: I neglected to mention one of the other obvious possibilities: Laurel is still reviewing the matter, and is silent for the time being only. I'm sure there's lots on her plate.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

The accuser convinced Laurel there was plagiarism, showing her the two stories. So Laurel decided the matter and does not wish to debate her decision (since the accused was notified once.)

possibly... but it seems that Laurel has asked sapphic to "state their case"...

Literotica withdrew the story the same day and emailed me to diplomatically (and sympathetically) ask me to state my case.

and that is what there hasn't been a response to... correct?

There should be some sort of closure to the matter, if the author was asked to refute the claim, I would think...

 

[CopyCarver]

Unofficially speaking--


If someone wants a public discussion of the matter, the first step would be to post or make available the two stories. Right now, nothing is known for sure, but the possibility I mentioned does exist.

J.

I had the same thought: if the accuser has a good memory for every detail of the "first" story, he/she should be able to specify the title and/or author.
Side-by-side comparison of the two stories should produce at least a clearer picture of what happened--albeit probably not a definitive one, given the fact that plagarism is inherently rather relative.

Whichever way it cuts, the matter should be resolved to the greatest extent possible. Both plagarism and accusation of plagarism are too serious to be left hanging.

 

[Guest]

It really sucks to be accused of something that isn't true and to have it carried on and on the way your problem seems to be. Everyone has given you great advice. And good luck with future stories here on Lit.

 

[CopyCarver]

It really sucks to be accused of something that isn't true and to have it carried on and on the way your problem seems to be. Everyone has given you great advice. And good luck with future stories here on Lit.

I have it on good authority that the situation is being evaluated, and that it will be rectified soon.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I wonder if we're seeing a new kind of troll at work here. Spurious charges of plagiarism seem to have been increasing lately, and the fact that this person didn't even give you the name of the story he's accusing you of plagiarising kind of makes me suspicious.

I don't know how Laurel treats charges of plagiarism. Is just an accusation enough? Or does the accuser have to provide some proof?

 

[Guest]

I wonder if we're seeing a new kind of troll at work here. Spurious charges of plagiarism seem to have been increasing lately, and the fact that this person didn't even give you the name of the story he's accusing you of plagiarising kind of makes me suspicious.

I don't know how Laurel treats charges of plagiarism. Is just an accusation enough? Or does the accuser have to provide some proof?

Zoot -

Do you remember a situation several years ago? KillerMuffin was involved in the accusation/proof process.

The results weren't discussed openly, but very soon after all the works from this person were removed from Lit and when the inevitable arguing began to happen on a thread KM ripped him scathingly.

Oh, how I miss her.



(I'll hunt a bit - see if I can locate it.)

 

[Guest]

Here it is - from June, 2003.

A situation with Michelle Houston and Biggbear8?

(And oh, what a treat to read some Mathgirl (and Durtgurl) posts.)

https://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=180988&page=1&pp=25&highlight=plagiarism

 

[gauchecritic]

As a matter of interest: A few weeks ago I was reading a story and thought to myself "This seems familiar." When I'd finished the story I remembered a very very similar story but which included a little bit of pre-story involving homoerotic experience thereby giving a lead in for the main part of the story.

I remembered this because it was one of my stories. "Hmm" I thought " they've taken my story and changed a few details, left out the pre-story but made a pretty good job of writing." I was actually flattered and was considering mailing the author until I double checked and found that this story was written two years previously to mine. (egg missing face by mere inches)

Beware of plagiarism, but be aware also of similar trains of thought.

 

[LadyCibelle]

Someone should give an award to SSS and Gauche for their discerning qualities and abilities.

 

[CharleyH]

As a matter of interest: A few weeks ago I was reading a story and thought to myself "This seems familiar." When I'd finished the story I remembered a very very similar story but which included a little bit of pre-story involving homoerotic experience thereby giving a lead in for the main part of the story.

I remembered this because it was one of my stories. "Hmm" I thought " they've taken my story and changed a few details, left out the pre-story but made a pretty good job of writing." I was actually flattered and was considering mailing the author until I double checked and found that this story was written two years previously to mine. (egg missing face by mere inches)

Beware of plagiarism, but be aware also of similar trains of thought.

Good to see you Gauche. and funny story . I am of the belief that there are few original thoughts, however, there are many styles and modes of writing since we are all unique, and I doubt anyone has ever written the same story in the exact same way twice.

 

[sapphicphile]

Many thanks for all your responses and support. Following MistressJet's immediate advice I have PMed Laurel and am now in contact with her so I can at last *re-state* my case by sending my original defence. My wish here was not to start a public jury, just try and reach Literotica because I (wrongly it turns out) thought that perhaps I was being stone-walled. Hence I was a bit vague with details and names of the case. There's nothing sinister here- just a rather bemused newby. It was because of the fanstastic support and sympathetic nature of 99.9% of the communication I have had with members and owners of Literotica via email and the forum that I am encouraged to press on.
Thanks again,
Sapphicphile

 

[Liar]

Here it is - from June, 2003.

A situation with Michelle Houston and Biggbear8?

(And oh, what a treat to read some Mathgirl (and Durtgurl) posts.)

https://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=180988&page=1&pp=25&highlight=plagiarism

I don't know this way or the other about who ripped who there, but Biggbear8's AV made that thread worth a revisit.

[/jedthrack]

 

[Guest]

I don't know this way or the other about who ripped who there, but Biggbear8's AV made that thread worth a revisit.

[/jedthrack]

Laughing - Liar, you pervert!


Sapphic - good luck!