I can't really say I ripped any writing off but I always find inspiration of various books, movies, games... As a matter of fact, the first story I have ever written was heavily inspired by a certain animated series. Over time, I altered it and it is now the bedrock of my very own universe. I guess what I'm saying is that the difference is quantity. Depends on how you use and what you use. A small bit which you build off of shouldn't be considered plagiarism but inspiration.
I think that it's reasonably safe to use short quotes that aren't song lyrics. Song lyrics seem to be more dangerous. Another risk, however, is the possibility of dating your work. In Agatha Christie's Why Didn't They Ask Evans, a character says, "I get you, Steve." (I think that was the quote.) No one involved was named Steve. I assume that this was a popular quote that the author thought would live on, but it didn't. It's slightly confusing. (It's also possible that this is British slang that did live on, and I'm not aware of it as an American.)
@ChickenFreak That is an odd quote: I get you, Steve. I don't follow on how it could be a quote period. Holds no value unless the one they are talking to is named Steve. @Helga Rune I think it is ok to make references to well known characters, just over do it. I use Tweedles Dee and Dum in a negative context in a scene that is calling two random tertiary characters almost being allowed to destroy a private installation.
At what point does something stop being inspired and become plaugerized? I have two perfect scenarios and lines, but as I was thinking about how to work them in I realized that both lines are extremely similar to two lines from George R.R. Martin's A Song Of Ice And Fire series. What should I do? I want to avoid stealing from another author, but I really want to use what I thought of. Anyone have anything that can help me?
Two lines out of the entire Song of Ice and Fire series, that aren't even copied but are similar? Generally, I wouldn't worry much about that in terms of copyright. If there is a specific reason to be more worried about these particular lines, let us know.
I agree with Steerpike, unless they were totally iconic lines. Like, if you picked "I'll be back" and "Hasta la vista, baby" from Terminator, then, copyright violation or not you're going to seem like you're copying. But I don't remember any of GRRM's individual lines being all that memorable, really....
The lines I thought of are "I kill men like you every day, little man." "There are no men like me." (That's the one I thought of.) and the other is "go ahead, little man. Kill me. But you'll think of killing your brother every day for the rest of your life." "That didn't save Kain, and it won't save you." "I don't want it to save me, little brother. I want it to haunt you." And the two lines from George R.R. Martin are when Jaime tells catelyn "there are no men like me. Only me." And the exchange between Rickard Karstark and Robb Stark right before Robb executes him. A big reason of why I'm worried is that both of those lines from A Song Of Ice And Fire were both considered important enough to make it onto Game Of Thrones, so a lot of people know them
And I immediately thought that was plagiarized from Goldfinger..."I don't expect you to talk, Mr. Bond. I expect you to die." And it's also illogical. Why would I give a damn, once I'm dead, about how upset you're going to be over killing me? I actually do give a damn about whether you kill me.
I wanted him to say that because he's been fucking with the MC's head since the day they met. He's beaten, and he knows it, and he knows that he won't be spared. But he's taking this one last chance to fuck with his head
I'm a huge fan of Game of Thrones. I've read all the book and then reread them. I have watched all of the HBO episodes two times over. I work at a restaurant that hosts Game of Throne costumed dinner theaters. I will tell you write now that most people won't even get your references. The books are LONG. No one is going to care at all if you use a line or two from GOT.
I wouldn'r ever think about copying closely from someone elses work, as in trying to reword specific things they have said, unless its a comment on some sort of real worl universal concept perhaps but I have always wondered where the line is regarding other peoples concepts and ideas. At what point does something become available for everyone to write about ? Lets take a simple example. Light Sabres. I don't know if Light Sabres came before other versions of a sword blade that uses energy as a blade, but there are multiple examples out there of such a weapon. Someone had to come up with the idea first - so what allows other people to use that idea? Surely it cant just be changing the name or I could go out and write the Lord of the Rings and replace Froddo, Bilbo and Gandalf with Rod, Jane and Freddy. And how much needs to change in regards to general concepts? Take the Lord of the Rings and the Belgariad series and play spot the plot similarities. At some point I want to write a fantasy novel, but so many concepts have already been used. I dont want to be doing a re-write.
I wasn't sure what section to put this question, so I just put it in general writing, but is it plagiarism to be reading a book, see a sentence you really like, then incorporate into your own writing? Like, the exact sentence, but used in a totally different context with a completely different set of characters and situation. I mean, writers must have the same sentences all the time, but not on purpose, so is it considered plagiarism to have just one sentence the same sentence of another book? I don't mean like writing something in which every other sentence is copied, just one sentence in an entire book.
If it's an intentionally recognisable reference, a knowing nod at your audience, then that's fine. (e.g. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.") I guess if it's not a famous line, and not one so unusual that it could be easily identified, no-one would ever know, but I think you'd get more out of it as a writer if you think about why you like it so much and use your analysis to help you write better. Or you could adapt it or parody it: just use it as a starting point. There's usually more than one way to say something. Wouldn't you rather say it your own way?
nobody has copyright on a single sentence (except maybe the Fine bros), you'll be fine. nobody will even notice.
@Sal Boxford and @yeybez, thanks. This is something that's been really bugging me, and I'll try figuring out what makes the sentence work so well.
How distinctive is the sentence? What makes it so special? I wouldn't copy it, myself. It seems like the first step down a bad path.
Did you come up with any part of the sentence yourself? No. Did you copy it verbatim into your own work and pass it off as something you created? Yes. Is this plagiarism? Absolutely. Will you get caught/in trouble? Almost certainly not. Maybe not getting caught is all that matters to you, but I'm with @Sal Boxford. The only time it's acceptable to boost a line verbatim is when intentionally referencing another work, paying homage to that work in a clear way, or writing a character who enjoys the work the line is from (which always feels contrived to me, so I wouldn't recommend it anyway). I have read lines in books that make me cringe in a "damn, I wish I'd written that first" kind of way, but to consider actually stealing them? There's no honor in that. Consider this: You write something and post it in the workshop on this forum. Feedback from other members about the piece is positive. One of them steals a line from your piece for his/her own story. You'll likely never know, but if you did, how would you feel? I would lose all respect for the person who used my line without permission.
Plagiarism isn't a legal cause of action, so you don't have to worry about that. I wouldn't be so sure no one will notice. If the sentence is generic, lacking in distinctiveness, it is likely that no one will notice, but then why copy it? If it struck you in a way that made you want to copy it, it probably struck other readers that way as well. Those readers are likely to be the ones who notice, if they're likely to read both your book and the source.
I was faced with a similar problem and came up with this as a solution (FYI, the first-person MC's mother has just been gifted with a tray full of leftover battered fish, but the MC doesn't like fish): We said so long to Irene (but I sure as hell wasn’t going to thank her for all the fish).
I actually used the quote "So long and thanks for all the fish" in a resignation letter a few years ago.
Yes. What you are talking about doing is plagiarism and wrong. You are stealing. You are taking someone else's words and trying to pass them off as your own. If you go through with this, I hope you get caught. Even if you don't get caught, you will always know the truth. I don't know how far along you are in your writing career, but if you are thinking about plagiarizing and hoping to somehow justify it as saying it's only one line, maybe writing isn't your thing. If writing was your thing, you wouldn't feel the need to steal someone else's work. Any of it. I would tell anyone thinking of plagiarism that writing probably isn't there thing. It might start with one line, but it probably won't end there. And I don't see how any one line is just so great you have to steal it. Do you steal other things? Probably not because you know it is wrong. Plagiarism is wrong on every level.
Thank you to the people who pointed out why this is a wrong thing to do, it showed both sides of it. I definitely see where you're coming from, it makes a lot of sense; yes, it would suck to have your sentence stolen, regardless of whether it's legal or not. But is it okay to write that sentence in your own phrasing, just kind of using the general idea of it? Like, with the fish sentence: Would it still be stealing if you rephrased it like: We said goodbye, conveniently neglecting to thank her for the fish. We decided it was best to skate around either thanking her or telling her we hated it, what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her. Or is this still copying the original author's sentence?
