10 Things Self-Respecting Writers Never Do
I have read so many articles where the authors are spouting off their knowledge about being successful writers, but clearly not putting them into practice. A brief look at their profile, contents pages, and their prominence on the site tells me that they don’t know any more than I do, and maybe less.
So, instead of rehashing lists of “must do”s’ like dozens of others have done, I thought it was time to write a list of “Writer Taboos”.
There are some excellent writers on Triond who spend a lot of time researching, writing, illustrating and producing top quality articles, but there are many more who frankly don’t give a ‘rats’ (as we say in England.)
Conventionally, if not morally,there are certain things respectable writers never do. I hope this is a useful guide to those Trionders who feel that the only worthwhile pursuit in life is earning a few cents, by any means, fair, or foul.
There are ten golden rules that real writers don’t break.
- Don’t flip through other people’s work and simply cut and paste their articles. This is theft. It’s plagiarism and it’s a crime.
- Think for yourself. Rehashing other people’s ideas as your own thought, is plagiarism.Think for yourself. Find you own ideas.
- Using pictures that are not yours and not sourcing them, i.e. putting a link to the owner’s name, or website, is theft of someone else’s work.
- Taking pictures that are copyright and that belong to someone else without permission is theft, even if you do give the source.
- Uploading lots of photographs that you have found on the internet to Picable as though they were yours and hoping to get paid for them is fraud and theft. You will be found out and you could even be prosecuted.
- Do not ignore your spell checker. It does actually know how to spell in British and US English and will correct most of your spelling errors.
- Don’t be too lazy to proof read and correct your articles before posting them. You will benefit in the long run because you will become respected as a competent writer and readers will return to read your new articles.
- If you have English grammar problems then perhaps writing is not the thing you should be doing. You will make more money joining up on a ‘paid for clicks’ site and you won’t have to use your brain.
- Don’t write comments on the bottom of almost illiterate work saying, ‘Fabulous’, ‘Great article’. It makes you look totally stupid and anyone reading these remarks will think you know no different. (Perhaps you don’t but that is a subject for a completely different article all together.)
- Don’t bother getting all defensive and leave acerbic comments about your rights to write whatever you wish. I don’t give a ‘rats’ as I said earlier and I’ll only delete the comments I don’t like.
Keep your eyes open for a whole string of other ‘writer taboos’ compiled by the ‘Oooh goodie! What a great idea. I just found a subject for my next article’ brigade.
Imitation is supposed to be the sincerest form of flattery but ***** that! I would much prefer the flattery in terms of dollars (or preferably pounds so I don’t have to pay to convert them.)
So, there you are. That’s my take on it. Horrible, unkind, rude? Well probably, but whether I mean it, or this is another example of my somewhat twisted sense of humour, only a privileged few will know.
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Tags: author's rights, cheating, plagiarm, real writers, stealing ideas, theft
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March 23rd, 2009 at 2:15 am
Straight to the points! Great reminder to be an ethical writer.
March 23rd, 2009 at 2:52 am
Fabulous article with great advice!
March 23rd, 2009 at 2:53 am
When you speak, many listen. If only more would take heed.
Nice article Louie
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:22 am
Of course, it’s OK to source information, after all, no one knows everything about everything, (except me!). Great article, great advice, Louie.
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:24 am
Voicing our own thoughts in writing builds confidence in our own abilities. Reason enough not to copy.
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:25 am
Hey Louie,
You go girl! This is some great advice regardless of how ‘rude’ it is. I don’t totally agree with the comments part as time can be an issue but I had never even thought about someone coping bits from different pieces of work and then claiming them. Thats low.
Cheers,
RJ
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:49 am
Ooh! Spot on!
It’s time someone said these things loud and clear. Thank you.
It seems that Triond editors are stricter than before about point No.3.
However, aspiring writers do need a forum where they are encouraged and can learn the trade. I’ve learnt a lot about popular writing on the Internet here. I agree fully that someone should chastise some ‘writers’ for their sloppiness and lack of ethics. Who is better suited for that than a TEFL teacher? Hats off to Louie! But, as a maverick, I also feel that underdogs should be given a fair chance (with the chastisement, which they really need).
One last point, the gushing rapids of sterling flattery does indeed depend on the volume of traffic. So, if we don’t suffer ‘fools’ and scare everyone away, wouldn’t that significantly reduce the astronomical income from articles?
March 23rd, 2009 at 4:39 am
Well, it hasn’t scared my readers away! Well , not yet! I just don’t write anything when articles are very bad (in my opinion) . I might write interesting if they are so, so but I don’t want to say what I really think. I never write rude comments in public comments boxes about anyone’s work, though!
If it’s a writer I know I might send a private messsage if I find errors, disagree, or whatever, but it is always constructive and only sent to others I know will appreciate it. I get comments in my mailbox about typos, mistakes, inaccuracies, etc and I am always grateful for the chance to improve my work. The main thing is that it needs to be encouraging criticism!
March 23rd, 2009 at 4:55 am
Bravo! That article hits straight to the bone and highlights many important issues. I really enjoy the work and dedication that a lot of Triond writers put into their work, and I feel that the experts really stand out from the rest, with how much time and effort they put into research and development of their articles. There is so much work and dedication put into articles that it is definitely not fair if a person does take the work on from another calling it their own. Dedication will always prevail!
March 23rd, 2009 at 5:32 am
you hit the nail right on its head. good points and helpful advice. Thanks Louie for sharing your thoughts.
March 23rd, 2009 at 5:44 am
All good points, Louie! There are writers worth working with on the grammar stuff tho. There is a young person on my friend list who has been improving by leaps and bounds on that front, and recently made the hot list. A few short months ago, we could have called him Mr. Run-on Sentence. #3 can’t be said loudly enough or often enough.
March 23rd, 2009 at 5:55 am
Some good points here Louie but I have a bit of an isssue about leaving comments . Usually the articles I read are from friends on Triond and leave comments to encourage. We may have been born with the need to write and I agree it does not make us all good writers.
March 23rd, 2009 at 7:05 am
I applaude this article! It highlights problems we have been experiencing lately here on Triond.
I think we should all take a look at what she has written and be guided by a professional, soon to be published (again) author.
This is not a rant from her but a open, honest article offering sensible guidelines.
Constructive critisism is not the same as an insult.
Anyone who reads this and feels slighted, angry or annoyed in anyway…is that your conscience telling you something?
March 23rd, 2009 at 6:12 am
Oh! I agree that some writers are worth working with, Daisy P, I have helped one young lady in particular who now writes some amazing short stories. The ones who would be better off not writing are those who just want to make a quick buck at any cost and we all know who they are! They often don’t care whose ideas they steal.
We all need to develop and to learn from each other. When I first came onto Triond others helped me. I had to learn fast. My recent journey in the world of publishing opened my eyes to things I had never even given thought to. I’m a beginner in that field. So we all need to learn.
However, I do make distinction between real writers and people just typing any old thing to earn cents, publishing stolen photographs on Picable and claiming them as their own, stealing poems by well know poets and having the nerve to post them as their own work (yes it happened here!)
Yafffel: I hear what you say. I would never leave unpleasant comments on anyone’s work but I won’t praise up a fellow writer’s work if it I’m not being honest. There’s a difference between not hurting feelings and going over the top. For instance, a short time ago a writer published a so called creative article with 5 words in it. It was simply a statement of self praise. (all 5 words).
That person’s friend praised it up as being amazing, wonderful, cleverly written, etc. How ridiculous is that. Outsiders reading comments like that will get the impression that this is what Triond is, a self appreciation society! I didn’t write what i really thought in that person’s comments box, it would have been too rude, but I wasn’t going to make a fool of myself and praise it either.
March 23rd, 2009 at 7:13 am
I loved this article! You got right to the point! Thank you for pointing these things out.
March 23rd, 2009 at 6:30 am
Wonderful article, Louie. I’m probably as guilty as anybody at overdoing the flattery in comments, though I do send private messages with corrections when a good piece with a blemish is worthy of being fixed.
As far as original ideas and those who feel the need to copy the works of others … it’s sad. We each have so many life experiences from which we can draw our own stories. There are still so many untold stories out there left unexplored. Nicely done here!
March 23rd, 2009 at 8:04 am
Not at all rude as you say. What you said was so true. The proof reading again
To tell you the truth, grammars are always a problem to me. I just hope that I’m improving. Thank you for this post.
March 23rd, 2009 at 8:46 am
Fantastic! That was great! I loved it! Thnx 4 sharing this cool stuff
March 23rd, 2009 at 9:18 am
As always, the kind and poignant sister/teacher. I could see the elevation in the scruff of your neck, Louie…this needed to be said; and its focus seems to be on qualifying a “Writer” vs. quantifying the “writterrs”. Well done; and as always, “thank you”.
March 23rd, 2009 at 9:22 am
I have a hard time proof reading my own work, I can be looking right at the mistake and still miss it. Sometimes you get too close to something, and your mind plays tricks on you.
Good article – something many new writers should pay attention to.
also DO NOT go fishing for readers – dont message people to read your stuff if you have not put in any time to read theirs!
March 23rd, 2009 at 9:30 am
Triond should e-mail this to everyone!
I have left comments that are constructive (eg. I pointed out to somebody they spelt Zebra wrong in their heading) and they were appreciative of it. I think its good for all of us if we can help each other improve.
Make comments in a constructive way, not to be mean.
March 23rd, 2009 at 9:35 am
You tell ‘em louie!! You go girl!! BRAVO! BRAVO!
March 23rd, 2009 at 10:27 am
Fabulous! Great article! No, really I enjoyed this one, you got right to the heart of the matter. Let us not forget that writing is at it’s most basic level, a means of sharing ideas, communicating complex thoughts with others, and enriching our lives. Like the old computer programing lingo says, GIGO (garbage in, garbage out)! Keep writing!
March 23rd, 2009 at 1:14 pm
I can’t wait for the next “writer taboos”. Part of being a writer is to learn, to accept criticism and to improve!
This is not rude, Louie! This is just straight to the matter..
March 23rd, 2009 at 2:18 pm
I love this article, Louie!
Right on about the pictures- I don’t look at them that often, but I see many that don’t belong to the person who posted them.
And I am so guilty of flattering bad work. I don’t know how many times I have written a long, scathing comment about spelling, grammar, misused words or a “poem” that’s just gibberish- only to erase it and type “hey nice picture!”
I’m scared of critiquing anyone because my own stuff’s not perfect & I don’t want to discourage anyone.
On the plus side- it gives me ideas. I’ll write an article about my poetic pet peeves and let people read it.
It doesn’t work.
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:29 pm
yep totally agree with you there! Especially on the no plagirising stuff…it’s pointless!
March 23rd, 2009 at 4:58 pm
I heartily agree, Louie. Well said and well done.
March 23rd, 2009 at 5:45 pm
These rules apply in music as well. (Just my two cents/400,000 shillings ).
March 23rd, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Good writer accepts criticism too. Excellent points and I totally agree with you.
March 23rd, 2009 at 9:08 pm
You go girl!
Thanks,
Clay
March 23rd, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Wow, those words needed to be written.
Thank you so much for writing what I would have liked to have written, and done so eloquently too!
I used to make acidic comments when I’d been disappointed in reading something that a pregnant cat could have written better, and then read the sugar sweet comments from others. Then I realised my time is more valuable to waste, and I just shake my head and go to a better place.
March 23rd, 2009 at 9:11 pm
Oh dear, should have written ‘my time is too valuable to waste’. What a silly.
March 23rd, 2009 at 10:52 pm
This article raises important issues that writer should keep an eye on. Thanks.
March 24th, 2009 at 3:13 am
I know that I have commented on this article earlier, Louie, but I’ve had a thought. How do these people possibly get away with plagiarism? I have written totally original work and had it turned down because, according to Triond, it was too similar to other work on the Internet. I applaud Triond for their vigilance, and with a bit of tweaking (mainly formatting) it usually goes through. Given that there are now billions of pages on the Internet and all the popular subjects must have been covered thousands of times over, you have got to be prepared for a ‘knock back’ now and again. At the other end of the spectrum, one piece (about my family, the contents which only half a dozen people in the world know about and none of them have written about, I’m absolutely positive, on the Internet) I banished to the recycle bin in frustration in the end because it kept getting turned down because it was ‘too similar blah, blah.’
I know that I could have appealed to the editor, but why should I when there are blatant shysters out there getting their work published, possibly without editorial comment. I always check my work with ‘Copyscape’ and it always comes back as kosher. So how does Triond decide between plagiarism and talent?
March 24th, 2009 at 4:46 am
George: I was recently sent a link by a Triond friend who asked me to check if the article was mine, republished under a different author’s name. It was very similar, the facts were the same and the pictures were published without sources (another story!). It was so similar tha the writer had to have read my article.
She denied it and claimed that she had researched on Life Hacker and other places. The Life Hacker article is actually mine. It was picked up by them (with my permisssion). So, by her own admission, she used my article and didn’t cite the source (obviously it was too similar to do that.).
Triond published it. I complained and sent them url’s as proof, etc but they still basically said that I couldn’t proove it! I am really annoyed that this can happen inside Triond. So, watch your back, even other Triond members are getting away with stealing work by rearranging the words! Disgusting. Makes me feel less inclined to put articles here that require a lot of research, so that someone else can just steal it!
Sorry for ranting on!!!
March 25th, 2009 at 6:18 am
Hi Louie,
I’ve been away from here writing away my priority deadlines, I’m swamped! And what do I find? Your article. This is one of the best I’ve ever read here in Triond.
Your honesty is admirable.
Thank you for lifting writing and writers professionalism. Good on you, Louie. Very good!
As to Carolyn’s thoughts re: “sugar sweet comments” I smiled upon reading it. *Carolyn, I shake my head with you.*
Tel
March 26th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Hi, LJ, how are you?
I like what you’re saying here, there are a few good ‘policies’ here that every writer should heed.
I think you should add to that list Don’t accept heresy as truth. Do your own research and validate it yourself. After all, going on assumptions and not actually learning about your topic can actually make you look more like a fool than anything else.
I read your response here about an article of yours being stolen! I’ve had that happen too. I know just how you feel. It’s a pity, really, that people think they can get away with not writing their own articles. Anyway, talk to you later. Thanks for sharing.
March 27th, 2009 at 10:38 am
Hi Louie,
I am a new member here and I am so glad I read your article. So far I have followed almost all the points as mentioned by you but yes the article does serve as a checklist to all the members on Triond and pushes them to be honest writers!
Manya
March 28th, 2009 at 4:38 am
I am pleased to find this. I am new and this is very helpful. Thank You.
March 28th, 2009 at 5:30 am
Spot on article.I don’t find it rude in anyway.It’s very helpful for the new writer (me) to show him a list of what to do and what not to do.I read some of your comments on this article and it is very sad that people steal other people’s articles.Permission or no permission i don’t think that using someone’s material just to earn more money is alright.
March 28th, 2009 at 11:40 am
I’m a little concerned about your rule about photographs. Do think that I should delete my Flaccid Felicitations category on The Bucktooth Times? It features old movie stills for which I have no copyright – though the captions are all mine. I only did them to make people smile. is that a good enough excuse? Please slap my wrists if I deserve it.
Tooty
March 28th, 2009 at 11:42 am
Please insert the word ‘you’ between the words ‘Do’ and ‘think’ in my last comment. Oh – if only my fingers could keep up with my brain.
March 28th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Tooty, nice to see you here! I wouldn’t bother removing them. If anyone is bothered they will soon let you know.
March 29th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Louie, I’m reading back through things tonight. The comments on this article are almost as interesting as the article itself. I think the big thing here is: think for yourself, don’t copy stuff just to make a penny. If it’s a well-worn topic, make it your own by taking another angle or personalizing it. When it comes to pictures, maybe let folks know it isn’t your work? I seem to recall someone posting pics of their postcard collection–not original work, but fun to see what she had been collected. I looked at your book website tonight–can’t wait till the budget lets me buy a copy! I don’t know about anyone else; but I write because I get all tangled up inside if I don’t–and I make pictures and music for the same reason. Triond gives me a place to throw it out there for the world to see. People like yourself, and all the other wonderful folk on Triond, give me encouragement, and some criticism…and it’s all good. A community of writers–tain’t perfect, but it’s pretty grand for a’ that.
March 29th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Hi Louie
I like to introduce myself first because I admire the work you have done and this article only tells the truth. Yes I have made the mistake of “Glorifying” some material that isn’t up to scratch, but I suppose as a soccer coach years ago, I have the habit of encouraging people and not being a teacher writing or English
grammer, I feel I wasn’t qualified to criticise other writers.
I wish to add you as a friend, if you feel we can appreciate each other’s material.
Best Wishes for more good writing and I hope you are doing a follow up soon on Peter and the Black Dog.
Tim.
April 5th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Very good tips – - I appreciate all comments left no matter how brief – - because I know everyone’s time is valuable and for them to show that they took even a second for my work is truly a gift.
Blessings.
Sincerely,
-Liane Schmidt.