Comments on: Plagiarized or packaged to death? http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/04/28/plagiarized-or-packaged-to-death/ musings, thoughts, and writings of Barbara W. Klaser Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:24:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.3-beta1 Comment on Plagiarized or packaged to death? by: Ken http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/04/28/plagiarized-or-packaged-to-death/#comment-2999 Sat, 06 May 2006 20:37:54 +0000 http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/04/28/plagiarized-or-packaged-to-death/#comment-2999 I've wondered how much inspiration versus discipline either helps or gets in the way of writing versus writing well, and how the two approaches affect readers' enjoyment of what's been respectively written during moments of each methodology. Perhaps one should only write when one is inspired to write. If one is forced to write, perhaps regurgitation is the best result, and plagiarism is the worst result. I’ve wondered how much inspiration versus discipline either helps or gets in the way of writing versus writing well, and how the two approaches affect readers’ enjoyment of what’s been respectively written during moments of each methodology.

Perhaps one should only write when one is inspired to write. If one is forced to write, perhaps regurgitation is the best result, and plagiarism is the worst result.

]]> Comment on Plagiarized or packaged to death? by: Sarah http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/04/28/plagiarized-or-packaged-to-death/#comment-2990 Mon, 01 May 2006 19:35:40 +0000 http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/04/28/plagiarized-or-packaged-to-death/#comment-2990 In India, "education" consists of memorizing and regurgitating the right answers. Maybe that process spilled over into a supposedly creative book. Though given the topic, it wouldn't be hard to regurgitate pre-processed plot and dialogue. No excuse, though; but maybe an explanation. In India, “education” consists of memorizing and regurgitating the right answers. Maybe that process spilled over into a supposedly creative book. Though given the topic, it wouldn’t be hard to regurgitate pre-processed plot and dialogue. No excuse, though; but maybe an explanation.

]]> Comment on Plagiarized or packaged to death? by: violetismycolor http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/04/28/plagiarized-or-packaged-to-death/#comment-2986 Mon, 01 May 2006 01:50:00 +0000 http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/04/28/plagiarized-or-packaged-to-death/#comment-2986 I can't exactly tell how this happened but I have great sympathy for this young girl. This is an incredibly hard thing to go through at 18. And I can't believe that she would actually on-purpose copy this way. You're smart enough to get into Harvard, so you're smart enough to understand that you'll get caught. I can’t exactly tell how this happened but I have great sympathy for this young girl. This is an incredibly hard thing to go through at 18. And I can’t believe that she would actually on-purpose copy this way. You’re smart enough to get into Harvard, so you’re smart enough to understand that you’ll get caught.

]]> Comment on Plagiarized or packaged to death? by: blogdog http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/04/28/plagiarized-or-packaged-to-death/#comment-2985 Sun, 30 Apr 2006 16:11:05 +0000 http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/04/28/plagiarized-or-packaged-to-death/#comment-2985 Call me cynical, but now we've even outsourced Chick Lit to India? Call me cynical, but now we’ve even outsourced Chick Lit to India?

]]> Comment on Plagiarized or packaged to death? by: Eric Mayer http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/04/28/plagiarized-or-packaged-to-death/#comment-2981 Sat, 29 Apr 2006 16:40:09 +0000 http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/04/28/plagiarized-or-packaged-to-death/#comment-2981 When we were kids we used to make up stories which were little more than what we'd seen on tv the night before. I think you only gradually move toward having your own ideas. How many 19 year olds have totally original ideas I wonder? Not me. But I suspect a 19 year old prodigy looked marketable to the book packager. We keep hearing how authors need to sell themselves but this is where it's headed, finding a saleable author and then needing to find a book to attach to her. What's interesting about books (to me) is that they allow us to share another individual's thoughts. Words are a form of telepathy, as has been remarked. I see something in my mind, write some words, and then you see something very similar. Neat. With books by committee you lose this magical sharing of another individual's vision. The image the book shows you is just a construct, a contrivance, impersonal. Publishers want to make money of course but making money has nothing whatsoever to do with writing. When we were kids we used to make up stories which were little more than what we’d seen on tv the night before. I think you only gradually move toward having your own ideas. How many 19 year olds have totally original ideas I wonder? Not me. But I suspect a 19 year old prodigy looked marketable to the book packager. We keep hearing how authors need to sell themselves but this is where it’s headed, finding a saleable author and then needing to find a book to attach to her.

What’s interesting about books (to me) is that they allow us to share another individual’s thoughts. Words are a form of telepathy, as has been remarked. I see something in my mind, write some words, and then you see something very similar. Neat. With books by committee you lose this magical sharing of another individual’s vision. The image the book shows you is just a construct, a contrivance, impersonal.

Publishers want to make money of course but making money has nothing whatsoever to do with writing.

]]> Comment on Plagiarized or packaged to death? by: susan http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/04/28/plagiarized-or-packaged-to-death/#comment-2975 Sat, 29 Apr 2006 05:09:42 +0000 http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/04/28/plagiarized-or-packaged-to-death/#comment-2975 Yes, it happens; but not without that deja vu feeling when reading your writing. And that's when you check it out or dump it the phrase. And forty times? No, she's not totally alone in this--I read that she wasn't that good in her writing of academic papers so why she was writing a novel or who encouraged her to do so may hold some of the blame. We'll never know the whole story, but I too am glad that these things are not going unpunished. Yes, it happens; but not without that deja vu feeling when reading your writing. And that’s when you check it out or dump it the phrase. And forty times? No, she’s not totally alone in this–I read that she wasn’t that good in her writing of academic papers so why she was writing a novel or who encouraged her to do so may hold some of the blame. We’ll never know the whole story, but I too am glad that these things are not going unpunished.

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