Don’t let us kid you. Sometimes we get pissed off. I mean we have even been known to get very pissed off.
We’re human. It’s normal. I try not to sweat it. I let it roll over me and through me and then I move on to the next big thing, thanks to the book, Dune, and the Bene Gesserit fear mantra. But…
I know Indie authors who push the boundaries and I don’t mean with BDSM, secret sex clubs, multiple partners, and butt plugs. I’m talking about creative, talented, ambitious writers who I wish to god could reach a wider audience with their work. Hey, I’m talking about myself too. I’m not going to pretend otherwise.
What’s that saying? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery?
I disagree. Imitation sucks. I’ve had people ‘borrow’ from me. By ‘borrow’ I mean take one of my stories and turn it into some poorly written weird ass piece of deep-throat purple porn. I’ve even had stuff borrowed from my work of nonfiction. I’ve had blog posts lifted in their entirety. I’m not alone. This has happened to a number of my friends as well.
I have to be honest. It’s not nice. It doesn’t feel good. It pisses you off.
Yeah, there’s nothing new under the sun, blah, blah, blah, but if you don’t have your own stories to tell or your own unique way to tell them, then… Well, I don’t know what to say except shame on you.
Look, 99 times out of 100, maybe 999 times out of 1000, I swallow my words. I keep my mouth shut. But I spoke with an author today, a good writer, a hard-working writer, who was just screwed by someone she had considered a friend. Truly makes you feel like crap, especially when the other author is someone who already makes way more money than you do and doesn’t need to borrow your story to succeed.
I’ve been there. I have stood in my friend’s shoes. It feels like you are getting your heart ripped out. I don’t know what to say…
Wait. I do know what to say- Don’t touch my junk. And don’t touch my friends’ junk.
Exactly! I just don’t understand people who steal.
Unfortunately, we may see more and more of this in the near future. Indie writers are under a lot of pressure to produce and there are plenty of those who consider writing as a way to get rich and/or famous. That kind of desperation leads to all kinds of nasty behaviors.
Young writers today might not believe it, but there was a time, not too far past, when writers were solitary creatures. The only industry professional they might ever talk to would be their editor, or perhaps their agent. Readers and fans might as well have lived on another planet. They might have a local critique group and attend a conference or two, but otherwise, their contact with other writers was limited. Writers were a rare breed.
Not so today. Today we’re tripping over each other. We launch our work into the ether and build fan bases before we’ve published a single story. And we talk. And talk and talk and talk. Without apprenticeships and acknowledged masters of craft and, quite frankly, a code of conduct or even manners, it’s the Wild West all over again-complete with claim jumpers and cattle rustlers.
Reason will return eventually. Until then… Don’t know what to do.
Bastards….. That is all
Bastards….. That is all …
It does bear repeating, Tom! LOL!
Yeah, I hope so, Jaye- it’s nothing new, borrowing has happened forever. But it is very annoying. And yes, if you’re going to put out something every single month you will indeed have a tendency to borrow in order to meet your own deadline. Hard to be creative under that kind of pressure.
It’s plain old disrespectful and rude, Amber - and probably borderline illegal but most of us don’t have the money to do anything about it.
Borderline illegal??? Try down right illegal!!! I wish I was independently wealthy. I would pay for you to go after the bastards. Wish there was something you could do. I’ll think on it and see what my evil mind can work up.
Till then: {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{BIG HUG }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
I feel your indignation, Roberta! Yup. If I was independently wealthy I would too!
At an absolute minimum - can’t you do a side-by-side comparison - without even any commentary.
And send notices of plagiarism to Amazon?
Oh, thought about that, Alicia. Even tried to hire someone. Doesn’t work well and regardless plagiarism is very hard to prove.
Amen, amen, amen. Unfortunately, I believe you’re preaching to the choir. The sinners out there all think you’re talking about someone else.
Oh don’t I know it, Anny! If it wasn’t so true it would be funny.