Plagiarism In The New Age QUESTIONS

I wasn't actually referring to that 'post your MS to yourself in an unopened package' ploy from yesteryear, but more to keeping a date-stamped online trail that can be verified.

Emails, over a long period, for example. I've sent various copies of drafts to myself as email attachments over a period of about 6 years, so the date stamps can prove I was working on my story for a long time. (This is an excellent extra backup trick as well, in case your computer fails and/or your files get corrupted—as long as you have an online-based email account, which you can access from any computer, you can recover your work.)

I also keep both paper and computer copies of my research notes—which are extensive, as I write historical fiction—and copies on my computer of my drafts at various stages.

My personal paranoia is losing my work due to computer loss or failure, rather than somebody stealing it. Sad stories of computers being lost, stolen or breaking down and resulting in work being lost forever appear on this forum often enough to be noteworthy. I very nearly lost an important chapter of my book because of a corrupted file that got duplicated in my single backup I was using at the time. My bacon was saved by the fact that I still had a printed copy! I now keep multiple staged backups on different media. You really can't be too careful about backing up your work. (Keep printed copies as well, if you can....)

I've also got many beta readers who have read the story at various stages over a number of years who would vouch for the fact that the story is mine, if called upon as witnesses in a court of law. Many of them corresponded with me when giving feedback, and I've also kept their emails which contain their suggested changes. (And many of them, especially the ones who read the story a while back, are people whom I actually know face-to-face, and didn't meet online.)

Nobody who 'steals' my work will have access to this trail, unless they steal my desktop computer and all my backups as well. And even then, I'd have reported the stolen computer. Plus, I always carry several flash drives with my backup files on them with me on my key ring. If all that failed, I would still have my beta readers to vouch for me.

Copyright, of course, IS the best answer. But most people don't want to formally copyright their work till it's done—or nearly done except for minor tweaks. Maybe that should change. Maybe we should be getting copyrights for our work as soon as we start writing it?

However, I also wonder if copyrights would hold up in a court of law if you made umpteen changes to the piece after you got the copyright for it? So early copyrighting could work against you as well as for you? Just curious about that one.

 

Also is there a breakdown of Romeo & Juliet, somewhere on-line where I can join the dots for my Roger & Julio version?

I remember the terrible frustration I felt [commanded] reading the first 'Bernard Cornwall.' The author's agony was tangible as he struggled to page 200 to 'finish this shit off.' Then he copied the shape 200 times. Doesn't seem fair that he's rich and I'm poor.

Thinking that is the way to go, join you romantic folk for more of a colouring exercise than the freestyle I currently practice to great acclaim, at home.

 

Number 5, Matthew, number 5.
https://t.co/b2zIz6ZyCv

 

Why would I do such a thing? I would never disparage, I might pull your leg [Tyburn 1750, only].

You'll find my response to this gentleman further down the comments section, thank you. [it is kind of shit - I thought the containers on the table were beer, I can't see.]

 

Isn't that number 9?

*shakes head sadly*

 

A blog post? Nope.

I can't lose.

I mean I hardly understood a word he said, a completely altered reality to mine. I'll go try him again.

...

What about 4?

7?

What a cuntpuffin,

buddy?

 

Okay, genuine question, not meant as an insult... is this actually true? Do you actually have trouble understanding what he's saying?

Because I absolutely have trouble understanding your writing. The syntax, the apparent stream-of-consciousness babbling, the randomness--I rarely have any confidence that I've accurately interpreted your posts.

And I've generally thought it was because of your mode of expression, but if you genuinely have trouble understanding that blog post, possibly it's an entire dialect or language issue? Like you and I don't really speak/use the same language?

I mean, I don't understand you but had no problem understanding the blog post; you probably understand yourself, more or less, but apparently had trouble with the post...

Possibly you were being facetious and I'm taking the whole thing too seriously, but it would explain a lot, really, if you were speaking a totally different dialect...

 

I am sorry @BV

'There are a bunch of authors out there who are...' CLASH
...

1977, my buddy was reading the Abba biography. Sat at his desk, the teacher passing by, he ripped the book from the boy's hand,

"ME AND A BUNCH OF FRIENDS FROM STOCKHOLM" read the teacher stood over the quivering boy.

'IT IS A BUNCH OF BANANAS, NOT A BUNCH OF FRIENDS, FOR GOD'S SAKE,' said the teacher.

And then he smashed the boy's face down & hard on the desk. It was a traumatic moment. Every time I see the word 'bunch' I smash my face hard on the desk. Do you see? Do you understand? Now finally I shall take my place at the top table. Pass my trident, @TE.

...

No, but it's a really good theory of yours. That would be great. Perfect really. Can I be on your team. I am facetious. [facetious]

Best think of me as an underwater swimmer, or an underwater writer - we're both six years old down the pool. Sure, you are clever with your armbands and your breaststroke to teacher, but I am underwater, and that's why you can't understand me.

Maybe a snorkel?

 

No, our minds are just a bit different - you're more slanted toward reason...and other things...commonsense. It's just the way it is.

 

I like 10 personally, about authors being so salty they'll feel the need to reply to his post. I scroll down the page...and there are 54 replies! Brine I tell ya.

FWIW – with some self-abasement, I don't come out of that post too cleanly. (I actually typed self-assessment there, but my computer seems to know me more than I do).

 

You can't even count.

 

Nah, I'll just go back to "ignore".

 

I'll still read your books, mummy.

 

Let me speak in a language everyone can understand-

Oooh, ouch, burn, pwned.

 

I like to frame Matwoolf's posts as linguistic Jackson Pollocks.

 

That's probably a less aggravating approach than the one I've been taking, trying to actually "understand" them.

(How bourgeois of me, how pedestrian, how overly dependent on the mind instead of the soul, etc. etc.)

 

I find Mat's posts incredibly entertaining. He is playing most of the time—with words, with concepts, with point of view, connecting events and situations and people that don't normally connect up. Out of that play comes an occasional real gem of insight.

After a while of reading his accumulated posts—single ones can be very strange, but when you take them all together, you can begin to see what he's doing—his own personality does emerge. He's an original writer AND an original human being as well. He doesn't miss a trick, incidentally. He's sharp. And he makes me laugh—many times out loud and a few times uncontrollably ...to the extent that my husband has come into the room wondering 'what's wrong.'

Mat has constructed a persona for himself that's an intriguing mix of overconfidence and self-loathing, if that makes sense—and it never wavers. He never steps outside it, to be 'real' as most of the rest of us are. Not even on his blog. I have no idea how true to life this persona is, but I suspect it's true enough. He's a one-off. I don't worry about understanding him. I just enjoy him. Occasionally I do understand him as well. (Should I be worried?) Fun moments.

 

I do understand where Bayview is coming from, but I think Jannert explained it perfectly. I'd never want you to change your eccentricity, I enjoy not understanding your brand of streaming consciousness. Not a good swimmer above or underwater, so I'll just observe from outside your tank. You're interesting and not at all aggravating. You're part of what makes this forum special for me @matwoolf.

Oh, if you're going to start writing bodice rippers, can you please send me a copy when you're done? I'm curious...

 

Me too, I think he's a genius—a literary darling/Dali. I really do.

Anyway...feels awkward where this has landed up. Given this thread's about plagiarism it's kinda derailed (holds guilty (joint endeavour) hand up).

So, reverting to said topic—and from that picking plot. I think plot's a more forgivable aspect of writing to copy. I have on occasion believed I've had a gem of a story, come up with a (personally revelatory) scenario, and been enthused to blaze forward with it. Old head now though has me stop to do a bit of due diligence, check if it's been done before (done well), and from there make the choice to carry on. I still get caught out though, even after being quite meticulous; I'll be say running a synopsis of my latest WIP by someone (who'll listen to me) and they'll go, "oh that's been done already". < That, and all other ways of stumbling onto a pre-existing version of a piece you're well into...it's a real 'rug pull', wind gone from sails moment.

There's turns of phrase as well. I love trying for unusual word pairings, adverb + noun, occasionally oxymorons. There's the lesser spotted chiasmus* too which I revel in if I believe it to be a new discovery. I think I've posted before that I thought I was the inventor of feeling 'comfortably numb'. < Turns out that was a lift from my subconscious of a v. well known song title and lyric by the greater spotted Pink Floyd.

* when the going gets tough, the tough get going type phrase

 

Oh, don't give him ideas. Ooop...too late....

 

Actually, how well you understand @matwoolf's posts is a strong indicator of your intelligence (or lack thereof), so if you don't get it, just pretend.

 

"Marmat. You either love it or hate it."

 

People that will steal your work and pass it off s their own are no threat if you are competent. They won't be able to edit it, or much of anything else. It is the nature of the work-stealing-cretins.