How Do You Rape a Writer: The Evil Behind Plagiarism
Something that every writer should be aware of.
The Rape of a writer: TH EVIL BEHIND PLAGIARISM
WRITTEN BY CHRISTINA Doelitzsch copyright 3-2009
Image via Wikipedia
Last night as I tossed and turned in my bed as the thoughts of the day seemed to leap into my brain. They sat there taunting and teasing me until I had to get up and write this. This isn’t a poem or an art form, it isn’t a piece of literary genius but it is a message to all of my new found writing friends and writers everyone.
When I first joined Triond I was so excited to finally find a community where I could express freely and enjoy the works of others. How wonderful I thought, that we could share our innermost feelings and have comments left on the remnants of inner pieces of our lives. our self’s and our souls to be shared with the world. It was then amidst my searches for other sites that i came upon a comment via the Internet from others who said that Triond was a place for plagiarisers to go and steal someone else’s creative works. That scared me. When I write it is a part of me.
As all writers know creating something is giving birth to a new idea, a thought, a piece of literary work, an article and even a picture. It does not matter what it is for it has come from within you. You are one with what you create.
I decided then to share with my fellow writers and artists a tid bit of information that you may or may not know.
Image via Wikipedia
For those that write books or poetry or any creator you can apply for ISBN numbers. ISBN numbers however cost money! We all know that struggling writers and artists are trying there best to earn and can’t afford to spend hundreds on ISBN numbers so in lieu of that let me offer you all a piece of advice.
Image via Wikipedia
The poor man’s copyright. Simply take your written word or artistry and make a duplicate, date it and sign it then go to the post office and have them stamp it with the date and have it re-mailed to you. I also go one step further in my copyright protection by having ALL of my work notarized by a notary republic in addition to the poor man’s copyright of re-mailing. Get an old shoe box which does not cost anything and put the unopened envelope there. Remember to always put the titles on the outside of the envelope or code it with a matching title that you can keep in a binder. This way you always know which piece of work is enclosed in the envelope. I for one know what it feels like to have work stolen for it has happened to me and I won the fight in addition to getting a huge apology from a comedian who posted my work as there own. Yes I also write comedy. LOL
I have come to love this website and mostly because of all of you. Remember fellow visitors and writers don’t forget to leave comments and click that little like icon if you truly like what you have read. It only takes a few moments of your time and the writers will all appreciate it for we are here as a conglomeration to unite our creative talents into one portal. Triond has been a very useful and helpful tool to showcase our creativity.
When one takes even one line of our work and invokes it into there own you feel as if you have been raped. A feeling of anger, and of violation. I do not believe people can truly understand the true meaning of a writer or artist’s heart. We give our souls, our hearts and our entire being in what we write whether it be humour, sadness, darkness, children’s literary, lyrics, portraits, articles or anything else. It belongs to us! So I say unto you plagiarism rapists beware for we will not allow our souls to be stomped on. We will not allow you to violate us and take from us without asking. How pathetic it must be to have to steal from another for your own personal gain. The poor man’s copyright and notary signed documents hold up in court. We will win the war against plagiarism. And creativity will go on.
Thank you fellow writers and poets, Thank you artists of all forms and also thank you Triond for uniting so many powerfully talented human beings to this inner circle of lucid creation. Thank you all for being who you are. The creators whose works will live on through the encompasses of time.
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Tags: art, poetry, writer, Writers Resources
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April 10th, 2009 at 5:08 am
Very interesting this – some years ago I worked teaching in a Uni and had to mark large quantities of written work. Students used to fail to realise that I had probably read every reference they had used and could spot ‘borrowed text’ a mile off. It used to make me angry as they obviously thought that I would not spot a sudden change in the style of their writing! They were wrong.
With the use of so much electronic storage of data, it is also easy for one student to get hold/copy chunks of another student’s work. Again they thought that I would not notice – mistake!
The sad thing was that as they were all studying to become lawyers, if they were ever to be accused of plagiarism it would actually go down as a case of dishonesty and they could in all probability find themselves unable to register with the Law Society and therefore never be able to practice! Hell of a result for a bit of cheating!
April 10th, 2009 at 9:11 am
I totally agree with your position on this subject. You envelope your opinion with very sound advice. I have zero patience for people that plagiarize. To me it is stealing. It’s very sad how rampant this problem is. Good piece.
April 10th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Awesome article and very informative. I agree with most of what you say in your article. As a published author of 13 eBooks as well as and ongoing trilogy, I understand where your coming from as others have taken my work and tried to make it their own. When I can afford too,I’ll purchase the IBNS but until then i will continue to use the poor mans way. Please feel free to read my on going adventure series if you like as well.
Thank you for all your help and support of your fellow writers and for this informative article.
April 10th, 2009 at 11:47 am
Wonderful article, thank you for the heads up. You are correct an artist, whether they be the written word or through images pours their heart and soul into the work. No one wants another to steal what we took the time and effort to create.
The “Poor Man’s Copyright”, is the way to go for those of us who can not afford the IBNS at the present time.
One thing I do when converting my lifemates work as well as other’s into an eBook, is to add a copyright clause as an added protection. Just another way to protect the authors/artist work.
Again, wonderful article.
April 10th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
This is a great articule. The thing is, when you publish with Triond, is the stuff still yours, or now, theirs? You can’t publish anything on Triond that you’ve published elsewhere, so I’m guessing that applies with other writing sites. So, when you publish, who does the work then belong to? You or them?
April 10th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
It is still our copyright and as far as Triond goes, it is up to us to protect it. They do try and act on some cases of plagiarism but to keep up with them all would probably be a full time job.
Unbelievably, I was recently befriended by someone on StumbleUpon and this morning they sent me an article – to stumble I guess – on a website I did not know. Oh, here is the unbelievable part,. The content of the page was an article I had written in February. The person was promoting his website but stealing my work. He didn’t know I was the writer as my SU and Triond names are different but can you imagine my surprise?
Needless to say expletives followed. The article has now been taken down. Unofortunately for many writers their plagiarized does not land in their lap like this.
My suggestion is, if you think you are being plagiarized then do a google search on some key words in your article. That should show up the links which you can then check. Beware, though it can lead to more heart ache. Often the sites are in the Far East and beyond occidental jurisdiction and never get back to you when you complain.
Anyway, thanks for an interesting and thought provoking read!
April 10th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
I agree with you completely and very nicely written
April 10th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Great article. You’re truly a great writer as I can grasp the passion with which u have written this.
I understand where u’re coming from as I have had one of my poems stolen and used without reference to me, and because there was no isbn, I could do little about it. I felt violated and ‘raped’.
Thanks a lot for ur wonderful piece of advice, and I too will begin to use the ‘poor man’s’ isbn method.
April 10th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
“….The poor man’s copyright. Simply take your written word or artistry and make a duplicate, date it and sign it then go to the post office and have them stamp it with the date and have it re-mailed to you….”
—————–
This method may not hold up legally in a court.It is simple for anyone to just have pre-sent (pre-mailed) envelopes which can then be used by placing the actual content inside.
If you mean to have the Post Office date-stamp the material as well as the envelope, I doubt if the USPS wishes to act as your agent on a Notary Public capacity. This does not constitute ‘witness.’ The ‘poor man’s copyright’ is weak protection yet this continues to circulate as a valid method.
April 11th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Good advice!
April 11th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Good advice, thanks for sharing.
April 14th, 2009 at 6:51 am
I very much doubt anyone would want to plagiarise my stuff, but still, if they did I would be infuriated. Good advice, if I think I ever write anything worth protecting
April 14th, 2009 at 10:07 am
you have done really well to display this to bring it to attention!
April 14th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Rambling, bordering on hysterical. The use of the word “rape” is inappropriately emotional. Clearly written by a feminist. I strongly oppose plagiarism, however, rather than hysterically, emotionally, scream “evil,” I prefer to calmly, rationally seek the cause. As a teacher, I find that the cause is usually ignorance, or, in the worst case, laziness combined with ignorance as to the seriousness of plagiarism. Overly emotional displays do nothign to combat this problem. I have found that taking the time to rationally and logically explain the nature of plagiarism, and how it affects one’s own credibility and integrity, combined with patient instruction and drilling in how to prevent it, usually is effective in helping to solve the problem. There is no room for hysterics or wild charges, here. Save your emotions for your writing…
April 14th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
I must add an addendum here. I just read the other comments and noticed that anyone who takes issue with “starrlove’s” point of view automatically is attacked. For example, instead of logically refuting “thestickman’s” comment about the legality of her IBSN idea, she asks, “I wonder if you have ever plagiarized?” What kind of idiotic response is that?!? Someone disagrees or has an alternative point of view, so their reputation is questioned? This woman is a whack job. If I were to employ her own tactic here, I might ask: I wonder how unhappy her childhood must have been, and how much she was picked on as a child, to have become such an over-emotional mess that cannot handle any dissent from her own worldview? Her reply to “thestickman” was completely out of line, and wreaked of a hysterical non-logical inability to argue or refute an argument effectively. Anyone who would make such a statement, just because an opposing viewpoint is offered is to be shunned. To attack a reputaton just because one disagrees with your opinion, is a henious act that should be condemned in the strongest possible manner. You are hereby censured, “starrlove9.” You should issue an apology to “thestickman.”
April 14th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Calumny is evil, too.
April 14th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
I agree with the last comment. Where do you get off accusing someone you don’t know of plagiarism just because they took issue with something you said. You do not seem to realize how such a stupid, careless shooting off of your mouth has completely destroyed your credibility in my eyes. That was not the reply of an adult, but rather of a small petulant, scared, pitiful child.
April 15th, 2009 at 7:49 am
This is to Al and Robert. How interesting you say that I attacked stickman. I didn’t attack him and I also wrote him an email. I merely responded to his disbelief of protection. Now let’s head on down the path to you. First and foremost you want to talk of attack, You both must have some deep rooteed mysogonistic issues for the way you attacked me. I am a whack job, My credibility has been sucked down the tube, I never attacked any of my views. THEY WERE ALL WONDERFUL COMMENTS! Where do you get off saying the use of rape in my work is a feministic attempt. I am not feminist in any way and you hide behind your little blank picture. The word rape was an eye opening word, and for you as a TEACHER, How terribly sad and shocking for those poor children . I see alot of hate towards women here boys. No I am not hysterical and I am well educated. THose who know me know my diversity. The two of you however are the ones who insult. I didn’t insult stickman, we had our own discussion and it was actually jovial in our email.
if you can’t say something nice don’t say anything at all. It’s men like you that cause women as you say like me.
move on. I’m not immature and it’s obviously your too ignorant to see the writing as just a piece of creativity and advice to my friends which you both are not….p.s I submitted this to my college professor…he told me it was a work of genius using the rape word as a metaphor. Go back to school and learn to be more like a human being.
April 15th, 2009 at 10:30 am
To Starrlove9: I do not claim to know you. I was reacting to written words I saw on a page. There is what you intend and there is how I perceive it. You must be able to respond to both realities. I took exception to your use of the word “rape” and that was based on my worldview, which is as valid as anyone else’s. That is the wonderful thing about communicating with the intent of reaching a consensus. I made a comment based on your comment, you respond, and eventually, we come to a meeting of the minds. That is how understanding is brought about. Having said that, I regret my own use of the words, “whack job.” You have caused me to refine my original perception of your comment, and although, I originally thought that you were accusing “stickman” of plagiarism, I accept your claim that you meant no such thing. As for your other comments towards me, I can understand them in light of your perception of my comment. However, let me assure you that, at least according to my students and the evaluations of my department heads, I am an effective teacher. I am NOT politically correct,” but I am effective at trying to see all sides and reach a consensus. Consensus is sometimes forged out of the fires of contention. Also, my wife and friends would attest to my claim that I am definitely not a hater of women. Anyway, I just wanted to respond to your comment in the spirit of coming to an understanding of each of our points of view. It was out of line to refer to you as a “whack job,” but everything else I wrote was a reaction to what you wrote, and it only through back and forth and give and take, that we can reach an understanding. Cheers.
April 15th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Thanks for the article. It is a little scary to me as I have these flashes of creativity, unlike others who flow with beautiful words. I would hate for someone to take what little I have to offer. Thanks for the warning and the information!
April 16th, 2009 at 4:02 am
Excellent and important article! I love your use of the word “rape” it is so appropriate! Great piece!
April 16th, 2009 at 8:15 am
Comment back to Al…
all is forgiven, The reason for comments is so that people get there points of view out. This I do understand and appreciate. Something you should know of stickman though is that he is an absolutely brilliant writer. His words are phenominal and I would never insult a fellow writeir. EVER!. I have made many many wonderful friends on here and have taken there work and stumbled it throughout the internet so others can see there work as well as on my facebook to get more hits on some of these brilliant artists. Since I just read your follow up I forgive u….As they say hakuna matata….and it’s in the past forget about it.
April 16th, 2009 at 8:19 am
Also,
a note to stickman….YOUR THE BOMB….
And let me say that if I ever need that educational debate on a sunday morning over coffee and donuts you my friend would be it. Nothing like a great debate with intelligent individuals. So fun.
take care…
keep writing
keep always posting your opinions because there great
tina
May 12th, 2009 at 9:43 am
Excellent piece. I often think about the security of my posted work. Not that it is great, but it is my and I would like to protect it. I am thinking of having it copyrighted. Thank you for sharing this information, I enjoyed reading it.