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Post by nicola on Aug 25, 2009 7:16:18 GMT
 Despite knowing it would happen sooner or later, as this is the internet, it didn't make it any less frustrating - the person that has plagiarised me has published his review in a newspaper and has been paid for it. He has merely taken my review and has reworded it - Hayley is mentioned in both articles, but then, of course she is, because I mentioned her in mine! My Article published on the 9th August. His Article published on the 25th August. However, due to my inexperience, I have no idea what to do about it, or if there is anything that I CAN do. I have e-mailed the paper to inform them of their plagiarist writer, but whether I get a reply or not, I don't know what to do. Anyone more knowledgeable know?
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rockman
New Member 
Rockman
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Post by rockman on Aug 25, 2009 9:44:22 GMT
Nicola I am sorry that you feel so (rightly) aggrieved at having your article plagiarised. This is a subject that I know a good deal about, and I'm afraid that actually there is little you can do about it other than to write to the Australian paper and complain. The copyright laws that exist in this country do allow for "fair use" of another writer's material in a new piece written by someone else. However, the definition of "fair use" is pretty vague. Generally you only have the protection of the copyright laws if you claim it. By this I mean that in a novel you will always find a statement in the front matter where the author asserts his or her right as the holder of the copyright. Unfortunately on a web site there is far less protection available to an author. The good news is that the Australian paper in which your alleged plagiarism appeared is one which has a good reputation and I am sure that they will take your complaint seriously. However, other than possibly issuing an apology, it is difficult to see what else they can do. Four years ago my wife gave a reading at the Cambridge Literary Festival and one of her fans suggested that she might be interested in looking at a book called "Rock me gently" by Judith Kelly. When Hilary read it she found parts of her own work and other sentences plagiarised from Graham Green, Charlotte Bronte, Antonia White and several other well known authors. The case was taken up by the press and in the end the author had to re-write the offending passages for the paperback edition. However, the publisher - Bloomsbury - refused to withdraw from sale the books which clearly had the plagiarised passages in them. This is the Independent on the saga: www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/bloomsbury-withdraws-paperback-accused-of-plagiarising-jane-eyre-and-brighton-rock-502659.htmlOn a slightly different topic I am currently trying to get an illegal file-sharing web site to remove a copy of one of Hilary's audio books from its site. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I'm afraid that this is how the internet works these days. Gerald |
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Post by nicola on Aug 25, 2009 9:55:28 GMT
I thought that would be the case, Gerald. I expected it from other websites but an actual newspaper - I was surprised. Plagiarism is very hard to prove. I know that the writer could claim coincidence, and I would have great trouble in proving otherwise, but it is glaringly obvious to me that he has used my article as a base. It makes all the same points I made, in the same order, and he even takes some of my phrases. Here I am trying to get a job in journalism and publishing, whilst an already established journalist takes my humble work. In any case, I'll stop whinging about it, it was bound to happen, was just taken aback by it being done by a newspaper. |
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Dave
Administrator
HWI Admin
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Post by Dave on Aug 25, 2009 14:05:51 GMT
Hi Nicola,
I'm sorry to hear about this unfortunate and obnoxious piece of intellectual theft, after the many hours hard work you put into your article, it must be very frustrating. Gerald has covered the main points at issue so I won't go into them again but I'd certainly hope for at least recognition and acceptance of your claim by the newspaper concerned. It may make the offender think twice before taking more of your work in the future, at least for that newspaper.
Unfortunately, some people seem to have no concerns about copying other people's work without permission and credit, however many hours, days and weeks have been spent preparing it. It's done with our members' photographs and on YouTube too, quite regularly in a few cases, as I have discovered. Editing or cropping a video to try and disguise the source is akin to changing the order of the words in your article, the intent is the same. Although, even YT now have procedures to stop it but they are complex, legalistic and framed in such a way as to put most people off... quite deliberately so, I suspect. I hope you don't come up against a similar barrier with the newspaper.
I believe copyright is automatic, with no need to register or mark it as such, but that doesn't stop plagiarism and the written word must be the hardest medium of all to stamp as your own so it will not be easy for you. I wish you luck!
Cheers, Dave
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Post by nicola on Aug 25, 2009 17:13:10 GMT
Thanks for the advice, Dave.
I can only wait for a reply, if I don't get one, that's that, I suppose. I imagine it will take a while as they will need time to look into it (if they even bother to look into it). I have calmed down since I first found out, so if nothing comes of it, I won't feel particularly upset or angry. That's life. If the writer is informed he has been accused, then like you say, he may think twice about doing it again, as he doesn't want that kind of reputation, I imagine. Just don't want him to plagiarise anyone else again. It's totally disrespectful.
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Post by nicola on Aug 26, 2009 6:53:19 GMT
The newspaper have taken the review down, and I received an e-mail saying that they are looking to it.
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Post by Richard on Aug 26, 2009 7:34:26 GMT
Hello Nicola!  I'm pleased this affair seems to be getting sorted. I was about to post that review in the Grace Bawden thread yesterday morning, but luckily I saw this thread first. Best Wishes, Richard  |
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Post by nicola on Aug 26, 2009 8:29:48 GMT
I feel a bit off about taking publicity away from Grace.  If I let myself calm down first, I would have just left it alone. Hopefully it will be resolved quickly so the review can go back up, with or without credit to me. |
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Post by Jono on Aug 26, 2009 8:50:25 GMT
Nicola, You shouldn't feel bad at all about it! You have every right to feel cheated when someone has quite clearly plagiarized something you have written. And if I recall correctly, Grace and her mother Matilda thanked you for the publicity which you gave them from an "overseas site". They said it really helped their promotion locally in Australia (resulting from the overseas credit). Keep up the excellent work for the genre!  Jono |
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Post by grant on Aug 27, 2009 18:35:38 GMT
Hi Nicola I feel a bit off about taking publicity away from Grace. If I let myself calm down first, I would have just left it alone. Hopefully it will be resolved quickly so the review can go back up, with or without credit to me. There will always be unscrupulous people around waiting to take advantage of someone else's efforts. The paper in question does seem to be taking your complaint seriously which is good, but have you considered sending them your review with a suggestion that they may like to use it instead? You could also provide them with a bit of background to your own work, that way they get a better review and you get some valuable publicity. If they like what they see (and I'm sure that they will) you could well become a regular reviewer for them. Always worth pushing yourself forward! Best wishes Grant |
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Post by stevemacdonald on Aug 27, 2009 21:24:55 GMT
I feel a bit off about taking publicity away from Grace. If I let myself calm down first, I would have just left it alone. ... I think Grace would be the first to thank you for outing a fraudulent critique. I didn't see the offending review, but I can't imagine it being as good as yours. If it's any comfort, that individual will have to live with the embarrassment of being himself. |
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Post by nicola on Aug 28, 2009 5:56:45 GMT
Grant: My review is out of context for a newspaper article. It's written with a classical crossover audience in mind, whilst people reading the paper are just a general audience. I could adapt it, of course, like my friend Stephen Davenport did, but since it was a newspaper, the article has already been printed and dusted.
Thank you, Steve.
In case anyone wants to know the outcome, the article was taken down several days ago, and I have since received an e-mail from the editor. The writer claimed ignorance of my article, but the editor agreed that it was all uncannily similar. The writer, therefore, has been suspended from the newspaper.
I was not expecting such a good result.
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Post by Richard on Aug 28, 2009 7:49:17 GMT
Hello Nicola! It's a pity he wasn't suspended from the gallows!  Richard  |
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Post by grant on Aug 28, 2009 9:25:02 GMT
Hi Nicola Grant: My review is out of context for a newspaper article. It's written with a classical crossover audience in mind, whilst people reading the paper are just a general audience. OK, I understand The writer claimed ignorance of my article, but the editor agreed that it was all uncannily similar. The writer, therefore, has been suspended from the newspaper.
I was not expecting such a good result. That is a good result, particularly justified as the writer didn't even have the decency to admit that he'd been caught out. He'll think twice about doing it again though! Best wishes Grant |
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Post by graemek on Aug 28, 2009 9:33:55 GMT
Hi Nicola, On a lighter note, somebody I know told me about a year or so ago that he saw my name as credit for a photo in a Wollongong newspaper. When I asked him what the subject of the pic was, he couldn't remember ( ) and to this day I have not the slightest idea which pic it was. But certainly nobody asked me if I was happy about it. Graeme PS I hope it was a Hayley pic from Flickr or Photobucket but plenty of those have been used internally by people making up picture collections without asking me. (I'm not actually sure that it's possible to ask for permission to use pics in Photobucket) |
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Despite knowing it would happen sooner or later, as this is the internet, it didn't make it any less frustrating - the person that has plagiarised me has published his review in a newspaper and has been paid for it. He has merely taken my review and has reworded it - Hayley is mentioned in both articles, but then, of course she is, because I mentioned her in mine!
If I let myself calm down first, I would have just left it alone.
