Warning From a Best-Selling Author

Discussion in 'Traditional Publishing' started by word whisperer, Jan 12, 2013.

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  1. word whisperer

    word whisperer Member

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    Hi PaulKemp24. The PI located two of the editors working at the publishing company at the time I submitted my manuscript. Neither one would speak to him. Then he did something quite simple. He made a list of every person the writer thanked in her novels. From that list, he discovered one of them was working at the publishing company when my ms came in. That person now works at the writer's publishing company. Quite the coincidence, wouldn't you say?

    WW
     
  2. word whisperer

    word whisperer Member

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    Hello again, PaulKemp24. I agree with you. Obviously, this other writer is better than I am. If I was so great, the publishing company would have published my novel. But if this writer did indeed get a copy of my ms, she had some help with plotting and characterization. I started with nothing.

    WW
     
  3. word whisperer

    word whisperer Member

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    I wasn't interested in presenting my case to another lawyer. It wouldn't do any good. I wanted to present my evidence to a legitimate copyright infringement attorney just to prove to the skeptic that I have a case. People seem to be having a difficult time believing me. Maybe they would believe an attorney who specializes in this type of case.

    WW
     
  4. word whisperer

    word whisperer Member

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    Yes, I'm really enjoying basically being called a liar and being condemned for making this claim. It's been a real blast...
     
  5. evelon

    evelon Active Member

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    But we believe you when you say that you've consulted several legit attorneys already and none of them have considered your 'case' worth taking. Isn't that ringing some bells with you? If you haven't got a case with all the other lawyers, you can't expect to have a case with us.
     
  6. word whisperer

    word whisperer Member

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    I wish I could tell you who it is, Lemex. But that could hurt this website. They don't want any legal consequences coming at them. I'm protecting them with my silence.

    WW
     
  7. word whisperer

    word whisperer Member

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    mammamaia, I just want other writers to be careful. I hear about some who give their stories to anyone who asks. This is a huge mistake. Whether you believe me or not, the crime of plagiarism does exist. Don't take any chances with your precious creations. That's all I'm asking.

    WW
     
  8. word whisperer

    word whisperer Member

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    Evelon, every attorney I saw said they wouldn't take my case on a contingency basis because we'd be going up against people with deep pockets. They all said it had nothing to do with the merit of my case. Why would they say that if they didn't mean it? Just to tell me what I wanted to hear? They have a reputation to protect. They wouldn't want me to say they told me I had a strong case if I really didn't.

    WW
     
  9. PaulKemp24

    PaulKemp24 New Member

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    Coincidence? Sure. But proof? Not even close. Is there any way of proving that the employee in question ever even saw your manuscript? Just because you submitted it and somebody there read it and rejected it doesn't mean that this particular person ever came across it.

    And wait a minute here...... in an earlier post you said that the employee made a copy of your manuscript to give to their writer friend. Where is the proof of that happening? How does this PI know for a fact that the employee made a copy of the manuscript? Does any proof of this photo copy exist?
     
  10. Cannoli

    Cannoli New Member

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    You forgot 'Objection!'
     
  11. BritInFrance

    BritInFrance Active Member

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    I'm sorry, this is nonsense.

    You are an attention seeker: enjoying people wondering who has ripped you off.

    I have checked your profile. You have only contributed to two threads (both of which you started): this one and your "newbie" post (which you mention you are a "best selling author" because someone else wrote a book a bit similar to the one you claim you have written).
     
  12. evelon

    evelon Active Member

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    But she had 1,310 views - which is a hell of a lot over nothing at all. This one will be 1,311. Maybe it's time to stop responding.
     
    1 person likes this.
  13. madhoca

    madhoca Contributor Contributor

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    This whole thing looks like it's either a fantasy or a brainstorm for a plot. UK does not have a statute of limitations, and I know JK Rowling was sued for plagiarism from a book written well before HP and many years after HP came out (they lost). Is this what set the idea off?
    You're right though, evelon, we shouldn't really be debating this any further.
     
  14. word whisperer

    word whisperer Member

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    Great idea, evelon. If you don't believe me, you don't have to come to this post anymore.

    WW
     
  15. Lemex

    Lemex That's Lord Lemex to you. Contributor

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    I don't see how you could possibly harm the reputation of this site.
     
  16. word whisperer

    word whisperer Member

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    Lemex, I would be happy to give you this information in a personal message. You have been nice to me, and I want to return the favor. Can you please start the messaging? I'm new to this site and am unfamiliar with everything about it. Thanks.

    I have to leave for work now (yes, I'm a working stiff). I will return your message as soon as I'm able, probably around 6:30 pacific time. I hope that is okay.

    WW
     
  17. jazzabel

    jazzabel Agent Provocateur Contributor

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    My thoughts exactly! That or some kind of social experiment.
     
  18. lowprofile300

    lowprofile300 Active Member

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    I have read all 6 pages of this thread, and i too think that perhaps all this attention seeking hoopla could be some kind of social experiment. I will even dare go a step further by saying, it's a government conspiracy against Word Whisperer a.k.a WW...Not! (sorry, i just had to go there)
     
  19. Cerebral

    Cerebral Active Member

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    OK, I think you're all a bit pessimistic. I don't think WW is seeking attention...I think WW is seeking guidance. This is a confusing and unfortunate situation. And while I don't think that WW has a case, it's not because I believe he/she's a liar.

    WW, There's just not enough evidence to go up against the big boys; it's not fair, but nothing in life is. My suggestion to you is to leave it alone...as long as this author stole just your idea and not your writing (which seems to be the case...similarities, as already mentioned, prove very little), you should just let it go. Sometimes, it's best just to walk away.

    Good luck to you.
     
  20. word whisperer

    word whisperer Member

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    Thanks, Cerebral. I definitely came to the wrong place. I just wanted to warn people to be careful. For my effort, I got condemned. Not what I had expected.

    I wish you luck as well.

    WW
     
  21. cicerotamar

    cicerotamar New Member

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    Word Whisperer, you can't come into a room of writers, tell them that one of their peers is a lying thieving bastard, and expect to just get warm and cuddly replies. You can't. You're talking about a major author. You have to understand that so many attention seeking gold digging hack writers try to sue successful writers all the time. You know that right? They sue because they have some simmilar idea in their hack book and so they hope they can get something out of it. Sure, some of them genuinely think they've been stolen from, but 99% of those are delusional.

    The odds are, you are very wrong about what you think happened. You might have written a book about sparkly vampires, or about hungry people, or about anything, but you were not first. What you wrote had been done before.

    Most people here are trying to tell you that you need to be careful. If you're wrong, and you take a famous author to court, you'll be a laughing stock. Your career as a writer, if you have one, will be over. If you win, wow, great, you're a hero, you're rich. You're a rich hero.

    Also, your dismissive attitude about books that are similar to popular book is really head-shakingly-silly. There will always be books that are comparable to other books. Publishing works like that.

    Good luck to you.
     
  22. word whisperer

    word whisperer Member

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    I appreciate your response, cicerotamar. You have been very fair with me. I want to thank everyone who responded to this post. You've helped me see I'm in a losing battle. I care too much about my writing -- and my reputation -- to pursue this further. And I want to apologize to anyone I have offended. That was not my intention. I got defensive because so many people were thinking I was a liar or delusional. I will always believe this really happened. If that makes me delusional, so be it. But I appreciate what you all have tried to do for me. It's time to get back to writing. I hope we all see our novels on the bookshelves one day.

    WW

    I've decided to try and get my novel published. Do any of you think this is a stupid idea?

    If I do manage to pull this miracle off, I'll tell you my real name. Then you can judge for yourself if I had a valid claim.

    Thanks again for your help.

    word whisperer
     
  23. swhibs123

    swhibs123 Active Member

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    Nope, I think it's very smart! I hope you find a home for it and it has huge success!
     
  24. word whisperer

    word whisperer Member

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    Thanks, swhibs123. You're great. I wish you great success as well.

    ww

    I really do want to thank you guys. I've decided to read through my manuscript, and it makes me happy and hopeful. I haven't felt this way in a long time. You are a great group of writers, and I wish you only the best.

    ww
     
  25. tonten

    tonten Active Member

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    Although the situation sounds bizarre and unlikely, there have been cases where published writers have plagiarized. I wouldn't straight out dismiss the op, but would still err on the cautious side as similarities and coincidences in writing do happen.
     
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