Please Don’t Feed the Writer

The chatter in the writing world is still focused on the issue of plagiarism.  The issue currently revolves around authors in the world of fiction, but the truth of the matter is, it’s a real problem for you if you’re writing for the web as well.

I’ve heard some people grousing that no one should care.  I don’t know where they get their idea of fairness , or of ethic, but to me the thought of citing another author that has taken the time to put down original information is more than a little appalling. Weren’t we taught not to do this in grade school?  It is not only inconsiderate but rude, and leads to substandard work on our part, therefore it should never be done.

The simple way to give credit if you are writing fiction is to acknowledge the source of your research in the opening credits of the book.  A line as simple as “I could not have accurately recreated Paris in the 1900’s without the brilliant work of Steven Zdatny from his book “Hairstyles and Fashion, A Hairdresser’s History of Paris, 1910-1920″ is usually enough to stoke another author’s ego and to properly credit your research…  But was it research or plagiarism?

Let’s define research:

 re·search: NOUN: 1. a detailed study of a subject, especially in order to discover (new) information or reach a (new) understanding. ⁽¹⁾

Simple enough.  You’ve looked it up, you’ve got the information and you write it down.  But when you do so are you writing or plagiarizing?  To know for certain, let’s look at the definition of plagiarism:

Plagiarize \’pla-je-,riz also j - -\ vb -rized; -riz·ing vt [plagiary] : to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own : use (a created production) without crediting the source vi: to commit literary theft: present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source - pla·gia·riz·er n
FROM: Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary 9th ed, (Springfield, Ma: Merriam 1981, p. 870). ⁽²⁾

Now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s take a look at what it says.  To start off with the definition of plagerize is “to steal”.  Using someone’s work other than your own and calling it yours is stealing.  This was the case with Cassie Edwards in her books, and it is what has sparked this debate, but the fact is that she’s not the only one who has done it, she just got caught!

It’s simple to avoid plagiarizing your research source. Write what you’ve learned in your own words.  That’s it, it’s that simple.  If you need to re-tell a description out of a history book, look at it closely, then use your own voice, not the words of the original author.  A better bet is to read several different descriptions of the same thing, so that you have multiple perspectives to draw from.  Take notes, then write from your notes.  It’s almost impossible at this point to have plagiarized the original, since you’re not citing one source.  What you end up with is your own impression, and that’s what your readers want.

If it is necessary to quote directly from the original source, quote it! Give the author credit from the start and don’t try to hide it.  If writing for the Web and citing another web source, add a link.  Most web sites or blogs welcome this kind of interaction. If writing for print, your publisher will usually get the O.K. for you, but again, getting credit is something that authors and publishing houses enjoy, it’s not usually a problem.  Getting caught copying someone’s work is a problem.  It can cost your publisher, and you, a lot of money.  It will almost certainly destroy your credibility, and as a writer, that’s all you have.

The debates will rage on for some time, I’m sure. Some writers will continue to claim that their readers would never know the difference.  Some will overreact, which Linnea of HEA Cafe warns us against. Some will shrug and move on.  You can bet that this situation won’t be forgotten quickly.

The witch hunt has just begun and soon you’ll see more and more accusations flying. In the aftermath of those there will be more discussion, more lame excuses and more waffling.  In fact, I liken this event to a political debate, because in the end, when all the talking is done and all the parties agree that huge changes are needed, nothing will change at all.

But this was just my two cents worth.

Sources:

• (1):Taken from:
  http://www.webs.uidaho.edu/info_literacy/modules/module2/2_1.htm
• (2):Taken from:
  What is Plagiarism
  By S.E. Van Bramer, Widener University 1995.
• Hairstyles and Fashion: A Hairdresser’s History of Paris, 1910-1920 - Free Online Version
  

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 20th, 2008 at 11:51 am and is filed under Tools of the Trade, Writing Tips, blogging, writing for the web. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.