Plagarism at fanfiction.net (non-Star Trek)

[justTripn]

Hi guys. I was just alerted to the most blatant case of plagarism I have ever seen--over at fanfiction.net. A friend of mine from work, querl, wrote a Merlin story called "You Always Surprise Me" (posted 3/29/2010) rated about PG-13: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5852185/1/Y ... urprise_Me

It was turned into a Lord of the Rings Story called "A Delightful Surprise" (posted 9/18/2010) by Callidora-Malfoy who has also "written" like six other stories. The story is almost exactly the same as my friend's story except the names have been changed to LOTR names. Please do not click on this link (and thus increase her hit count) unless it is to leave an outraged review: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6333460/1/A ... l_Surprise

I have already reported the abuse at fanfiction.net. I am curious to know if this person is stupid or evil.

[Silverbullet]

JT, is there the possibity that there is other examples of plagerism that we don't know about. I.e. someone taking a story from the Enterprise section , changing some names and making it an NCIS Fic. (horrible example but best I can think of so early in the A.M.) I know that there are some great writers and wonderful stories in the Enterprise world now and in the past that might be stolen.

[justTripn]

I don't know why I am so outraged, but I feel tempted to go to this person's other stories and google a line from each and see what turns up. I just talked to my friend again this morning and the plagarism of her Merton story was so blatant, that one of the first comments under the plagarist's LOTR version was "Who is Arthur?" Apparently, the plagarist had cut and pasted my friend's King Arthur story then substituted in Lord of the Rings names, execept in one place! LOL (The Arthur name was then apparently removed from the plagarized story because it's not there now, but the comment still remains.)

[Misplaced]

You don't know why you're outraged? I know why I am! It's because someone took the time to write a great piece of ficiton and someone else copies it, changes the names and slaps on a disclaimer to make it sound official and then claims it as their own brilliance. That's definitely an offense worthy of getting irate about.

I created another account to leave a scathing review. (I'll be damned if I lead her back to my work even if it is not as translatable to the genres she "writes" in.) I also reported it. I'll bet she thought she could get away with it because they are in different areas of the site.

[justTripn]

I mean I don't know why I am taking it so personally, but I am. At lunch time I started googling lines from this
person's other stories and they are all plagarized. "Fortitude" by 13 o'clock Erik was turned into "Captive of the Enemy" "by" Callidora-Malfoy, again, simply by changing the names of the characters. "Impossible" (a Merlin fic) was turned into "Taboo" (a Harry Potter fic). This last one is off the top of my head. I don't have the info written down as I type this. I alerted the authors of the second and third plagarized stories and now my lunchtime is over. This is despicable.

Ann

[Misplaced]

If I have time later, I will spend it reporting every story. Hopefully we can get her kicked off the site (at least that username). And I'm going to leave a review on every one stating that it's plagiarized so that other readers will be alerted. (I don't know about you, but unless it's an author I know, I always read the reviews before I read a story.)

And as far as taking it personally... I think it's really because you've written fanfic and you know what kind of work goes into coming up with a good story, so the idea that someone can just swoop in, change names and post it as their own work in a different forum is highly offensive. I am incensed on behalf of all the writers this girl has ripped off.

ETA: Looks like she's taken down all three of those stories. She's got three left... Hopefully if they are plagiarized, one of us can find the original and get those taken off as well.

Update: All but one story off her list now. I haven't yet found if there is an original stolen for that one yet.

[justTripn]

Wow. Thank you, Misplaced. I hope that fanfiction.net has some kind of backup so that evidence of the abuse remains. I really do want her shamed and kicked off the fanfiction site. If she leaves voluntarily that isn't quite as satisfying, but it's something . . . Thanks for understanding.

Any great writers out there might want to google a line from their work and see if it's been plagarized in this way. Finding the plagarism was so easy. The line brings up two stories. But I would have never thought to look for such a thing.

[Alelou]

I spend so much time doing that with student work already I don't think I can bear to check for plagiarism on my fanfic, assuming anyone even thought it was plagiarism-worthy. If someone is that desperate to pick it up, c'est la vie as they say on Earth. They aren't going to make any money off it, and someday they may just find it really embarrassing.

I have a hard time understanding how it would work with something that's really character-driven or as funky in its setting and conventions as Star Trek, anyway. How can you pick up Trip and T'Pol and the rest of the crew and translate them into other existing characters and expect it to make any sense at all? Maybe they could steal a plot -- but hell, some of the best fanfics also help themselves to plots -- think of a post-Xindi apocalypse Casablanca (can't remember who wrote that but it was fun) -- and there was a post-alien Casablanca fic for XF that I loved, too. I wouldn't call either of those stories plagiarism, even if they hadn't mentioned their inspiration. Maybe it they'd stolen whole chunks of dialogue, yes, but I don't think that happened ... and if it had it just wouldn't have made sense with those characters. You'd end up with something that's an obvious, clunky pastiche.

[justTripn]

Yes, I don't see anyone changing Your "Missing Scenes from Season Three" into "Missing Scenes from Season Three of Battlestar Galactica." But writers might want to google a line from their shorter stories, especially those of a romantic nature.

[Silverbullet]

I guess insperation is one thing and Plagarism is another.

I have used two items for insperation: "The gift of the Magi" and a song "I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus." I admit the the Gift was close to the original but I belive someone else wrote a story based on the Gift of the Magi. As far as the song goes. I only used a bit of the Song the part of the boy Seeing his Mommy Kissing Santa. The rest is original.

What is that saying?: "Plagarism is the sincerest form of flattery?" or something like that.

I understand that some well known persons have been guilty of Plagarism. Doesn't excuse it though.

SB

[justTripn]

Silverbullet, I don't think anyone plagarized your "Gift of the Magi." I had seen many Gift of the Magi fanfics BEFORE yours. I think each was inspired by the original story, which Wiikipedia says was written by O. Henry.

[enterprikayak]

I really do want her shamed and kicked off the fanfiction site. If she leaves voluntarily that isn't quite as satisfying....

GIVE EM HELL!

(i totally agree, btw, that is sooo pathetic and maddening and despicable. what is the point even for the author? how can it even be fun for her? what a moron.)

[Silverbullet]

JT, I didn't say anyone plagarized my story. I said I got insperation for the story from "The Gift of the Magi" by O'Henry.

I know that many have written stories based on that short story by O'Henry

[justTripn]

I'm sorry Silverbullet. I apologize. You didn't say that (I see that you didn't) and now I have no idea why I thought you did. Seriously, I'm very sorry.

[Silverbullet]

JT, not to worry. No harm done. A not uncommmon error. Forgotten.

SB