If you're flaming a plagiarist, does that make you a troll?

[Guest Guest]

So I have been flaming a plagiarist who stole a story from a very good friend of mine. The abuse team was emailed a few weeks ago and so far nothing has happened.

So my question is this... is flaming her in an attempt to shame her into removing the story considered trolling? I never thought about it until now.

I've turned up the heat on this girl and her "fans" because they are of the argument that fan fiction is plagiarizing the original creators of the story anyway, so using things from other fanfics is fair game.

You can't argue that kind of stupid, right? But I'm trying.

They seem to not understand that fan fiction is a homage to the original work. It we were all just plagiarizing the originals, we'd just be copying and pasting the entire story and posting it under our names. I just don't "get" how they think writing an original story, using characters borrowed from an established book/movie/comic/graphic novel, can be considered plagiarizing.

Seriously, is it just me?

So my question is, is it considered "Trolling" if it's somebody who doesn't deserve the respect of being hosted here?

[DemonGoddess]

So I have been flaming a plagiarist who stole a story from a very good friend of mine. The abuse team was emailed a few weeks ago and so far nothing has happened.

So my question is this... is flaming her in an attempt to shame her into removing the story considered trolling? I never thought about it until now.

I've turned up the heat on this girl and her "fans" because they are of the argument that fan fiction is plagiarizing the original creators of the story anyway, so using things from other fanfics is fair game.

You can't argue that kind of stupid, right? But I'm trying.

They seem to not understand that fan fiction is a homage to the original work. It we were all just plagiarizing the originals, we'd just be copying and pasting the entire story and posting it under our names. I just don't "get" how they think writing an original story, using characters borrowed from an established book/movie/comic/graphic novel, can be considered plagiarizing.

Seriously, is it just me?

So my question is, is it considered "Trolling" if it's somebody who doesn't deserve the respect of being hosted here?

Can I have a link to the plagiarized fic, as well as to the original work that was stolen?

[shinigamiinochi]

there is a deep difference between taking stuff from anime, books, movies, ect and using them in your fanfiction and someone plagiarizing from someone else's fanfic: first, if you are taking something from a media, you have to mention it in a disclaimer, like 'I don't own such and such', something that no plagiarist does. These people do not ask for permission, they simply steal stuff because they like it and want some praise for themselves. It's basically the opposite of fanfiction, which is an outlit for people's creativity. Also keep in mind, that you can take someone's plot, just like how fanfiction writers can take the idea of the story, but actually copying the entire media and putting it in a fanfic and then calling it yours is just as dispicable as plagiarizing anothers fanfic, so, no, it's not the same because fanfiction writers actually use their own creativity to delve deeper into the media and use their own ideas as well while people who plagiarize just copy things. Flaming a troll, plagiarist, ect is still trolling. I don't agree that people should outright attack someone like that so viciously, but I do believe that they should be punished. Flaming someone who you think deserves it is like getting down to their level and I think that we are all better than that. You should make the rest of the community know what she did and the mods to try to get the story deleted, trolling just sends the message that it's ok as long as you think that person deserves it, which is subjective.

[Guest Zanthious]

I agree that flaming them is not the answer. It only takes you down to a lower level that you souldn't stoop to. I'd come to the forums and put it out in the open like you have now, and if it still took a while to get it fixed, I might even write a fic where a plagiarist is brutaly tortured, and otherwise done dirty, and mke similarities between the character and the offender, then come to the forums and promote the crap out of it

[Guest guest]

Can I have a link to the plagiarized fic, as well as to the original work that was stolen?

You have it already, hon. It's the stop_plagiarism one.

[Guest guest]

there is a deep difference between taking stuff from anime, books, movies, ect and using them in your fanfiction and someone plagiarizing from someone else's fanfic: first, if you are taking something from a media, you have to mention it in a disclaimer, like 'I don't own such and such', something that no plagiarist does. These people do not ask for permission, they simply steal stuff because they like it and want some praise for themselves. It's basically the opposite of fanfiction, which is an outlit for people's creativity. Also keep in mind, that you can take someone's plot, just like how fanfiction writers can take the idea of the story, but actually copying the entire media and putting it in a fanfic and then calling it yours is just as dispicable as plagiarizing anothers fanfic, so, no, it's not the same because fanfiction writers actually use their own creativity to delve deeper into the media and use their own ideas as well while people who plagiarize just copy things. Flaming a troll, plagiarist, ect is still trolling. I don't agree that people should outright attack someone like that so viciously, but I do believe that they should be punished. Flaming someone who you think deserves it is like getting down to their level and I think that we are all better than that. You should make the rest of the community know what she did and the mods to try to get the story deleted, trolling just sends the message that it's ok as long as you think that person deserves it, which is subjective.

Excellent reply, and I thank you for taking the time to write such an eloquent reply.

I pushed the author to do everything she could - which specifically was to contact the plagiarist first. Turns out the plagiarist put out the bat signal and her and her little buddies flamed the original author both at her LJ and her FF.net acct. Then the author painstakingly went through both stories and lifted the parts that had been plagiarized, and then sent the report to stop_plagiarism on LJ. They investigated and found that the story was plagiarized, and sent an email to the abuse team, to which they never heard back. Meanwhile the original author was still getting flamed.

That's when I stepped into the flame war. By that time I was pissed bloody off at this girls audacity. Things went strangely silent after that (in regards to flames on my friends journal and FF acct.) I don't like the whole "arguing on the internet" because I do think it's pretty damn pointless, but when I do get into it, it usually isn't pretty.

For me, the entire point was to shame this girl into removing her story - because it seemed that AFF.net was turning a blind eye. But then I discovered the forums and posted the plagiarists story with links and proof, and voila - within 24 hours, steps have been taken!

Demongoddess is definitely on the ball and I couldn't be more pleased with her involvement.

So yes, I do agree with you that flaming takes you down to their level, but you you think in some cases it is warranted, if not a little bit deserved?

[Guest guest]

I agree that flaming them is not the answer. It only takes you down to a lower level that you souldn't stoop to. I'd come to the forums and put it out in the open like you have now, and if it still took a while to get it fixed, I might even write a fic where a plagiarist is brutaly tortured, and otherwise done dirty, and mke similarities between the character and the offender, then come to the forums and promote the crap out of it

Another excellent suggestion.

I've only just discovered the forums, as of late (late) last night. Had I known this was an option, I would have b-lined it straight here and foregone with the flames.

If any more of my friends get plagiarized, you bet I will post here first!

[Guest Zanthious]

I'm new here as well, but I'm a bit of a forum junkie, so it works out well for me!

As to it being deserved or warrented, if you get that upset with them, and you HAVE to vent your anger at them, find a way to pm, or e-mail them, and do it there in private, that way you're not seen on the same level as them for using the public areas to do something fundamentaly wrong. This way, you get to vent, and still be the good guy.

[Guest guest]

I'm new here as well, but I'm a bit of a forum junkie, so it works out well for me!

As to it being deserved or warrented, if you get that upset with them, and you HAVE to vent your anger at them, find a way to pm, or e-mail them, and do it there in private, that way you're not seen on the same level as them for using the public areas to do something fundamentaly wrong. This way, you get to vent, and still be the good guy.

Agree completely. My modus operandi is to conduct things in private. I'm a big fan of nastiness staying between the parties in conflict and not allowing the watchers to get their thrills. But in this case, there was no email address visible. Believe me, I looked.

[Guest Zanthious]

Thanks. I was just over reading the forum about Mary Sue characters, and made me think a little on this....The writing world is diverse. Made up of fools, prodigies, brilliant minds, liars, thieves, bastards, and whores all rolled into a community where most dream of being published and read by thousands, but few do. And we as writers are all guilty of pride to an unhealthy (at times) degree. We should just remember that there are things sometimes that we can simply not controll, or change. Just as there will allways be someone on AFF that will not like your writing, So too, there will almost surely allways be someone who will try to take someone elses. We just have to try and rise above.

[Guest Guest]

Your last post was brilliant! I have to concede to such brilliance with the exception of one thing - plagiarism is something I feel passionate about. I know there are so many things in our lives that we cannot control - and honestly, you'd go crazy attempting to.

But when it comes to plagiarists, you can do something. You can turn up the heat and make as much noise as you can. At least alert the other readers that are enjoying the story where the original is and to give the original author the feedback she deserves.

Plagiarists are sneaky and lazy. They want the adoration without lifting a finger to do the work.

Generally I abhor trolls. My general rule of feedback is "if you can't say anything positive, don't say it" and that includes constructive criticism. My rule of thumb is to support the creative process and be gentle with the author, because writing is a process, and they may not start out being very good, but many evolve into talented writers.

Plagiarists is the only time where all bets are off.

But I bow down to you. You give a hell of a debate for the "turning the other cheek" method!

[DemonGoddess]

In all actuality, techinically yes, flaming a plagiarist make the user a flamer, but not a troll. Still, it's better to not do that in the first place.

[Guest Guest]

And since the boss has spoken and the word is law - that's the end of the debate.

I certainly don't apologize, but if it's against the rules here, I won't do it again.

(Now I know where to launch a complaint)

Thanks for the great debates, guys!