The big no-no.

Today, won't be a chapter of my amusing judgments of the lovely hopeless authors works...jk. *Snickers.*

It will be about what exactly is PLAGIARISM. Everyone has their one thoughts and beliefs and view points. 

The actual technical definition is...

 { The practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own. } 

NOW! The word that everyone, or most authors get hung up on is the silly, simple word IDEA  .

"You stole my idea!" 

The very idea is actually impossible to prove, for instance. J.K Rowling story of young man whose orphaned boy who finds out he's actually special, and is taken on wild adventure and has to face down an enemy...~isn't exactly all that original. 

And before everyone jumps down my throat, and causes whiplash, "I'm saying that the idea of an orphan boy, who discovers his true identity isn't original."

Millions of Authors have come up with their own spin on that type of idea, or basic formula, but JK managed to get truly well known for it, when you think wizards... you think her even though wizards and witches have been in millions of other stories. 

So, can you steal an idea?

Well, technically...no. Why? Well let's look at what an IDEA is...

  {a thought or suggestion as to a possible course of action.  }

See, it's a possibility that you might use it...or you might not. So the idea isn't tangible, not something you can tell someone they copied from you...which turns us to this. 

How does one sue, or otherwise claim PLAGIARISM, simply put the thing that has to be copied, or altered but is still clearly yours is a physical piece of work.  And I don't mean, "I wrote a story about elves and rainbows...and she wrote a story about elves and rainbows."

Just because I wrote about Vampires doesn't mean I'm copying Twilight or, Vampire Academy, though its a girl who turns into a vampire and then falls in love. That's a similar premise but that doesn't mean I've copied their work. 

What has to be copied, and stolen has to be the PHYSICAL work. 

They have to look at your story, and be like copy, and paste with a few switched names and words here and there. 

That! And only THAT can actually be actively  sued or disputed over, and again, it has to be the physical work.   ( Though to sue over something you're not making money off of...would essentially be a waste of money...*Shrugs*)

Now I've noticed a trend of fans hunting down the perceived thief and basically CYBER BULLYING, them, or the opposite CYBER BULLYING the accuser. 

I will step out of my silly, and polite box. 

THAT SHIT ISN'T OKAY!! I don't give a flapping-hyena's ass colored chaps your reason! 

As a community of authors and readers, we should be able to intellectually handle such issues with the class and grace we obviously are born with. 

It's a gross disfavor to said author or reader when they act as if they have no HOME TRAINING! 

So I will list the steps that should be taken on WATTPAD...if you find an authors/ your work copied. 

1. First for the fan: PM the Author, do not, I repeat, Do not! Send them a message on their conversation panel. It would involve a gross amount of people who do not need to be involved. After you inform them...your job is done. Do not then go to the other authors page and start an insult fest, its trashy and insulting to do so. 

Second for the Author: I suggest you first read the story to make sure said thief actually did take your story. No point to start fires before investigating. 

LBKeen

2.  Pm' them politely letting them you know they have taken your work, and that you'll give them five days to take it down. (LOL you need to at least sound reasonable..even though you're screaming on the inside "TAKE THAT SHIT DOWN NOW!!)

3. After the five day mark, contact a second time demanding for it to be taken down immediately, (No cursing, we're classy here)

4. Then if they do not, report them to an ambassador. After that let it be. After all, by the time Wattpad Mods, and Ambassadors and Admins get involved it's too late for them to make excuses. 

END YOU'VE HANDLED OUR THIEF!

Now remember this is only on WATTPAD. 

Out side web-sites? *Shrugs* If you've gone through that much trouble to steal my story, I'll just be evil and publish it on Amazon and have them call you *Grins-Evilly* Do you, or would you really want to deal with such a large company?...Thought  not.

And that's my advice, and chapter for the day love y'all!!

SYWAR OUT!!