I'm always terrified that I'm going to accidentally copy some clever line or turn of phrase that I've read somewhere else, but don't remember reading--that when something brilliant just "comes to me", I really only think I came up with it myself. But that's just my paranoia. ^_^; Me, I experience incredible guilt just from being inspired by another writer--like, I've been wrestling with myself lately because I read a story in which the writer approached the character in a particular way, and I realized, this was exactly what my character needed all along, I just didn't know it. And maybe I would have eventually figured it out for myself, but now, because for me it has an outside source, I don't know if I should use it (especially since the characters had been in similar situations too).
I would say that plaigarism is either the writing sin, or is on par with it. It is both laziness and malicious theft. Not only is someone making money (or some other benefit) off of your hard work, but there is something deeply personal about having one's writing stolen.
Heh, I remember way back in grade school, a classmate turned in a book report that the teacher thought was suspicious. She picked up a copy of the book, and lo and behold--the summary was lifted word for word from the back cover. How dumb can you get?
I would say that plaigarism is either the writing sin, or is on par with it. It is both laziness and malicious theft. Not only is someone making money (or some other benefit) off of your hard work, but there is something deeply personal about having one's writing stolen.
Heh, I remember way back in grade school, a classmate turned in a book report that the teacher thought was suspicious. She picked up a copy of the book, and lo and behold--the summary was lifted word for word from the back cover. How dumb can you get?
