Previous Entry | Next Entry

I've Been Plagiarized

  • Apr. 30th, 2008 at 11:16 AM
theemdash: (Default)
Many thanks to [livejournal.com profile] loriel_eris for alerting me to the fact that my Jack/Daniel fic Bruised was plagiarized and turned into a Jack/Ianto fic called Utility Cupboard.

Much scorn shall be heaped upon the plagiarist (who has deleted her journal). *scorn*

In general plagiarizing fanfic is pretty retarded. No one is making any profit off of it and all the plagiarist is doing is earning comments off of someone else's creativity. And while it's always nice to hear that people love you—in the case of fanfic, they love the work, not you. So basically what they're saying when they give you positive feedback is, "I love this work that you didn't do." And, personally, I can't imagine that feeling is all that awesome unless the plagiarist is just getting off on tricking people.

Anyway, let's do a quick side-by-side comparison.

My Fic: Jack's fingers fit over the bruise on my left bicep. It's dark purple in the center, radiating to blue on the outer edges, roughly the shape of a boot heel. His knee bumps into an almost all black one on my leg. That one is long and thin, sort of baton-shaped.
* * *

Her Fic: Jack's fingers slide slowly over the bruise just under my collarbone on the right side. It's dark purple in the centre, radiating to blue on the outer edges, the same approximate shape and size as a boot heel. His knee accidentally scrapes against another on my upper thigh, one that’s almost black, long and curved like a crescent moon.


Note: The location of the first bruise changed, but there's still my description of the bruise coloring (oh, look! she changed the spelling!)(Also, funny aside: a previous draft used the phrase "the approximate shape and size.") And then she changed the shape of the second bruise!

My Fic: He couldn't wait—I couldn't wait—to get out of the mountain, so he'd darted his eyes to a supply closet, and we'd met there twenty-five minutes later. Jack was there when I walked in, sitting on the floor in the back, picking his cuticles, and biting his lip. We didn't say anything, he just grabbed me; he hasn't let go.
* * *

Her Fic: Neither of us could wait long enough to get out of the Hub, and I’d always been a little bothered about the fact that the entire front of his office was see-through. Jack has an exhibitionist streak longer than my entire body, but made an obvious glance towards a utility cupboard and we'd met there twenty minutes later. Jack was already there when I walked in, leaning against a precariously-stacked shelf and whistling softly to himself while examining the contents of the furthermost cupboard. We didn't say anything. He closed the distance between us in a matter of seconds and grabbed me; he hasn't let go.


Same events, but she did quite a bit of work in providing Jack's characterization and setting the location. The thing that really upsets me is that she's taking credit for my semi-colon use. Because no one wields a semi-colon like I do. (Also, funny: She didn't use my em dashes.)

My Fic: I prod the cut in my hand, fresh blood pushing out of the slit. "I'm okay," I breathe. I wipe my hand on my black T-shirt and apply pressure.

His eyes shift away, looking up to the underside of the supply shelves above our heads. He tilts his head, thinking. "I should probably get some staples."

I stifle my laugh. "Use yours up shooting them across your office?"

He smirks, eyes easily meeting mine, our normalcy reestablished with one well-placed joke.
* * *

Her Fic: I wipe my hand on my T-shirt and press it against the cool denim near my hip, applying pressure. His eyes shift away, looking up to the underside of the supply shelves above our heads. There are cobwebs; I really should dust down here more often. He cocks his head to one side, as if thinking, and then says, "I should probably get some staples."

I stifle my laugh. "Use them up shooting them across your office again, sir?"

He smirks, eyes easily meeting mine, our normalcy re-established with one well-placed joke. I’m good at that.


She stole my joke. That? Is unforgivable.

Also? She combined two paragraphs with different subjects. Tsk, tsk.

My Fic: "About the staples?" I deflect the verbal intimacy. It's too raw for Jack; I know the limits of our relationship, just how hard to prod the porcelain shell of his masculinity. Bruises fade, cuts heal, but words can be scratched into the surface, engraving that compromises the integrity of a structure.
* * *

Her Fic: "About the staples?" I quickly deflect the spoken intimacy. It's too raw for Jack; I know the limits of our relationship, just how hard to question things, to tease and prod at his pride and masculinity. Bruises fade, cuts heal, but words can be scratched into the surface, engraving that compromises the strength and overall integrity of a structure. Sticks and stones, et cetera.


Okay, I slaved on this paragraph. You think phrases like "engraving that compromises the integrity of a structure" just fall out of trees? In fact this paragraph is what inspired my first FMA fic Porcelain Men (would you like to plagiarize that, too?) because I knew I had that line about "the porcelain shell of his masculinity" and I had wanted to write a whole fic on that subject, so I did when I got to FMA.

My Fic: "Jack." As he turns back to me, I place the ream on a shelf and step close to him, too close. His intake of breath has more to do with fear than titillation. "You can't leave like that."

His eyes search my face, threat assessing, always. His free hand flexes by his side and I know he's already thinking of how to take me down without injuring me further. My dick actually twitches with the knowledge that he'd never intentionally hurt me.

I lick my lips as I slowly lean towards his face. We've never kissed; it's just not something we do. I don't know if it's too personal, or something we only do with women, but Jack and I don't kiss. Which is why I don't take it personally when he flinches. I grab his face between my hands, push him up against the door, and hear the box of staples drop. He freezes when my tongue touches his skin, licking up the drop of come that was still clinging to his lip.

His moan climbs inside my chest and lives in my blood.

His lips taste like both of us. I open my eyes and see it lying bare on Jack's face; somewhere down the road we're both going to shatter. Bruises are nothing compared to what will happen to us.
* * *

Her Fic: "Jack." As he turns back to me, I place the ream on a shelf and step close to him, too close. His intake of breath has more to do with shock than actual intimacy.

"You can't leave like that."

His eyes search my face, startled. Jack’s not used to receiving orders, and it shows. I lick my lips as I slowly lean towards his face.

We've never kissed; it's just not something we do. I don't know if it's too personal, or something we only do with other people, but Jack and I just don’t kiss. Which is why I’m not offended when he shudders, just a little. I grab his face between my hands, push him up against the door, and hear the box of staples drop. His lips taste like both of us. He freezes when my tongue touches his skin, claiming his mouth for my own. Sound waves break in my ears and the surging in my brain feels tidal.

His moan climbs inside my chest and lives in my blood.

I open my eyes and see it lying, silent but glaringly clear on Jack's face. His eyes are scared, and his face is slack, like he’s a thousand years old, so I know he sees it mirrored back.


You know what ticks me off about this? She broke the paragraph for dialogue that doesn't change speakers. ASDJFHKALG. (Yes, I am angry about nonsensical editorial changes. It's the me in me.)

Also, I'd just like to point out that this fic doesn't actually fit Torchwood canon. Fail, plagiarist, fail.

Other SG-1 fics were plagiarized and are being identified here at [livejournal.com profile] stop_plagiarism. if you have a moment and are familiar with SG-1 fics, please stop by to help identify the other fics.

Remember kids: plagiarism is bad.

Tags:

Comments

[identity profile] princessofg.livejournal.com wrote:
Apr. 30th, 2008 03:58 pm (UTC)
unfuckingbelievable.

i totally cannot comprehend the mentality of anyone who would do this. it just makes no sense at all. do they think no one will notice? jeez louise.

anyway. you have a great attitude about it. *cheers*
theemdash: (Daniel Serious)
[personal profile] theemdash wrote:
Apr. 30th, 2008 06:11 pm (UTC)
I don't understand why you'd want to steal a fic either. I mean, I just posted 2 fics and I have such joy when someone replies to say this part was funny or if they quote something back at me or if they love the same parts I do. But I'd have no sense of ownership if I hadn't written the words. I spent a lot of time replying to comments last night and really sharing some of my thoughts and processes and . . . what do you say if you didn't have those thoughts and processes?

I don't understand theft, particularly creative theft.

And yes, I do have a decent attitude about this. You should check out my commentary over here. :D
[identity profile] lady-ganesh.livejournal.com wrote:
May. 3rd, 2008 03:29 am (UTC)
You would've thought they would've at least taken the time to find fic that vaguely fit the canon, or made appropriate changes.
[identity profile] janedavitt.livejournal.com wrote:
Apr. 30th, 2008 05:12 pm (UTC)
YOU ARE KIDDING ME ::seethes:;

Gah.

::hugs you::

I just don't, and never will, get why people do it. The praise they get is meaningless as it's not for them.
theemdash: (Daniel Huh)
[personal profile] theemdash wrote:
Apr. 30th, 2008 05:33 pm (UTC)
You really should read the commentary on my flocked post.

Also, I'm going through her other fics and I found one that's a drabble and immediately thought of you. I can't get to your site from work, but if you want to take a quick look and see if it's familiar it's here
[identity profile] janedavitt.livejournal.com wrote:
Apr. 30th, 2008 05:43 pm (UTC)
Not one of mine, thank heavens (no one ever has plagiarized me; I'm glad as it gets messy while at the same time wondering sadly if I'm not worth nicking from ;-))
theemdash: (Daniel Happy)
[personal profile] theemdash wrote:
Apr. 30th, 2008 05:52 pm (UTC)
LOL! I'd nick from you any day. ;)
[identity profile] janedavitt.livejournal.com wrote:
Apr. 30th, 2008 05:55 pm (UTC)
Yes, but I love you so I'd just let you ;-)

:;smooches:;
[identity profile] amedia.livejournal.com wrote:
Apr. 30th, 2008 05:31 pm (UTC)
That is such a HUGE HONOR. No one has ever plagiarized me.

:-(

Still, confusion to the plagiarist, and I'm glad it was caught and publicized!
theemdash: (Daniel Happy)
[personal profile] theemdash wrote:
Apr. 30th, 2008 06:12 pm (UTC)
LOL. A few people have responded that way. And it's my first time! Does that make me well known or something?
[identity profile] fluffymaru.livejournal.com wrote:
Apr. 30th, 2008 05:48 pm (UTC)

Your comments regarding why someone would steal fic match mine almost completely.

Deep down, they MUST know that the comments aren't aimed at them, yet they still do it. Conclusion? They have very, VERY sad little lives.

Still don't feel sorry for them. I would be LIVID.

::wishes she had a decent TW icon::
theemdash: (M Grammar)
[personal profile] theemdash wrote:
Apr. 30th, 2008 06:18 pm (UTC)
It's like attention seeking except not. I mean, okay, I understand taking credit for someone else's work if you're going to get a promotion or an award or something (I understand the motive, not y'know, actually doing it), but uh, if you're going to steal one of my fics to like get an award, might I suggest a different fic? I love Bruised and all, but I have better fics.

Y'know what else bothers me? I've been through the fics to see if I recognized any others and there's no sense of cohesion. I mean, it might be difficult to tell when comparing my angsty fics to my crackfic, but when you get down to the sentence level and how I punctuate, it's very clear that my fics were all written by the same person. Her collection was so wild and clearly not from the same person.

I mean, if you're going to plagiarize, aim for cohesion at least! :P
[identity profile] fluffymaru.livejournal.com wrote:
Apr. 30th, 2008 08:24 pm (UTC)

Haha!

Also, I like how she obviously has SOME measure of talent, since the changes were pretty darn decent. WTF is up with THAT? Usually, the people who gank fics are sad little 12-year-olds with no skill in the writing department and want in on all the fun...

People. Can't live with them, too much effort to kill them. Plus, who would steal read your fics?
[identity profile] audrich.livejournal.com wrote:
Apr. 30th, 2008 06:03 pm (UTC)
I think you've taken it very well.
I mean, there's borrowing with pride and then there's taking the piss.

*bookmarks the STOP! site*
theemdash: (SG-1 Teal'c)
[personal profile] theemdash wrote:
Apr. 30th, 2008 06:20 pm (UTC)
I think I've taken it very well, too. Thank you. ;)
[identity profile] jedimara77.livejournal.com wrote:
Apr. 30th, 2008 07:04 pm (UTC)
Too bad you can't sue her.
[identity profile] luzitasg1.livejournal.com wrote:
Apr. 30th, 2008 08:28 pm (UTC)
Sorry this happened to you. Even though there's no monetary loss involved, it still must feel icky. It makes no sense to plagiarize fan fic, of course, but some people's brains are just wired different.
[identity profile] stoopbeck.livejournal.com wrote:
Apr. 30th, 2008 08:37 pm (UTC)
THAT? INSANE.

Seriously, who steals fanfic?
[identity profile] amazonsun.livejournal.com wrote:
Apr. 30th, 2008 10:25 pm (UTC)
Oh no!! Rat bastards!
[identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com wrote:
May. 1st, 2008 03:20 am (UTC)
I went through but I didn't see any I recognized. Man, I'm sorry.

ext_1836: (smarter than you)
[identity profile] rigel-7.livejournal.com wrote:
May. 1st, 2008 10:31 am (UTC)
*blinks*

Seriously, that's pretty low.

Also, how can these people think they won't eventually get caught?

And I love that LJ seek has archived the posts. Can't stop the signal!
(Anonymous) wrote:
May. 3rd, 2008 03:18 am (UTC)
that's why i don't post my stuff online. that and people would no doubt tell me it sucks.

Profile

theemdash: (Default)
[personal profile] theemdash
theemdash

Latest Month

December 2024
S M T W T F S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    

Tags

Powered by Dreamwidth Studios
Designed by [personal profile] chasethestars