What's the penalty for stealing ya'll's ideas?

Good Lord.

*bails*

Are you talking about using layout structure for your work that you saw here on AW, or are you saying you took plot ideas, or worse,that you plagiarized material?

Well, ideas are a dime a dozen --it all depends on how each writer interprets the plot and interaction of the characters that makes each work unique.

My interpertation of this thread, however, is you're trolling. That's not wise.

I neither approve nor disapprove of your post. I think it's a fairly ridiculous post, but that's on you. *shrug*

Then again, I have lots of phrases in French I could whip out here, but why bother? If you wish to have a private conversation with someone about stealing their ideas, the appropriate place to do so is in PM and not in the public forum.

Tout suite. Comprendrez vous? Bon. Au revoir.

I got no French to whip out. Can I still play?

Mais oui, mon ami.

You can toss in some Latin or German if you prefer.

WTF?


Ideas can't be copyrighted. And that's okay, because they're worthless.

still alive said:

mscelina, if you're leaving right now, why are you still around? tongue in cheek got by you, did it?

Rolling Thunder, I'm not trolling. I've been discussing self-publishing and POD on other threads. And I'm not plagarizing, I can write my own novel, thank you.

But copying style might be a form of plagarizing I'm not familiar with, so I asked before I did it! Especially since book designers get a lot of money for what they do. And I'm doing it myself and am a novice but learning.

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Dude, if you don't have more sense that to tout your facility for stealing other people's ideas in a writer's thread then I'd find another hobby.

And with that, I leave the itty bitty troll committee to the mods.

still alive said:

One other kinda off-subject question: with POD how do you get books in bookstores? A lot of people don't have the Internet access, believe it or not! So how would they order your book??

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Mostly, they don't. POD books don't have returns; bookstores depend on being able to return books.

POD books are excessively high priced, and not mass market sized.

You might get a local bookstore to stock a few, maybe.

Or you could sell them to the billy goats who pass above you on the bridge . . .

What kind of ideas? Like, putting page numbers on the bottoms of the pages? Using running heads? Justifying the text? Centering the chapter titles? Using chapter titles at all?

Or do you mean trying to write in the style of Stephen King? Sure you can try. Lots of folks do. Few succeed.

The penalty is $1000, payable to me, now.

Okay, dumb question.

What does this "troll" word mean on the interwebs exactly?

I keep reading it, and I can't figure it out.

valeriec80 said:

Okay, dumb question.

What does this "troll" word mean on the interwebs exactly?

I keep reading it, and I can't figure it out.

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Trolling is really just being contrary or inflammatory to annoy and provoke other participants.

still alive said:

mscelinaI take it you don't approve of my post? There's a phrase in French that I like because it sounds so much worse than it is: tant pis!

I didn't address it to you in the first place.

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Here's a tip: If you don't want people to answer you, don't ask the question in a thread.

You started it; people get to reply.

Tant mieux.

Perks said:

Trolling is really just being contrary or inflammatory to annoy and provoke other participants.

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Huh! And here I thought it meant like in fishing, when you're "trolling" a lure behind the boat, trying to goad the fish into biting.

Learn something new every day.

Barbarique said:

Huh! And here I thought it meant like in fishing, when you're "trolling" a lure behind the boat, trying to goad the fish into biting.

Learn something new every day.

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It's both. There are two words in English; a noun Troll, and a verb to troll.

The two words are not related, but the Internet use of the terms, noun and verb, draws on both.

The Noun

From Old Norse; a mythological creature associated with bridges, magic, and luring people to their doom. The root of the word in Old Norse has to do with magic and charms/spells.

It was borrowed into English twice; first, directly from Old Norse into Old English as Troll; second from the dialect of English spoken on the Shetland Islands, which was inhabited by Norse speakers. Troll became Trow.

The Verb

Stolen Borrowed from Old French, but ultimately of Germanic origin; has to do with repetitive motion, walking back and forth, or in a circle, or the sort of repetitive motion associated with trolling in fishing.

Hence the Internet use of troll, which combines the verb and the noun--a person who repeatedly misbehaves in order to elicit reactions, often, in hopes of angering/hurting/upsetting the unwary or naive user. Typically trolls are PITA with no life, and little genuine wit.

The Troll engages in online trolling in hopes of damaging the community.

still alive - When you were asking for help in the font spacing it was Captain Jack that gave you this advice, with a picture of what it looked like from his book. In doing so, I don't think he minded you using his advice. I would PM him if you want to be sure.

I used Garamond 12.5 and I think it is still a bit small! Must be my old man eyes! I also used "exactly" 17 point line spacing. That was for Grinzelville, for That's Ancient History I went to 13 font ..... here is a picture of the Grinzleville layout:

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zpeteman gave you a pdf link to show you what he did as his advice. Also in another thread.

I've spent a large chunk of time lately typesetting my book as I get it ready for the printer. Just about everyday someone asks me what exactly typesetting means. So I put a post up on my website describing in some detail what I've been working on and included some examples in screenshots as well as a .pdf of a finalized passage.

Since poor typesetting is an incredibly common thing in self-publishing, I thought I'd mention it here in hopes that this little slice of information might save someone else's book from becoming just another self-pub stereotype.
If you're interested, here's the link.

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I think you are safe and in no way stealing anyone's art or hard work. I would also like to say that their typesetting is rather beautiful and I for one appreciate the advice they have given.

Good luck with your book.

The OP is in time-out and can't respond, so I'll close this and let it sink.