Animation Source Forums

I'd like to thank Togo for letting me make another topic on this. And hopefully people will stay ON TOPIC this time. But just so there's no confusion:

THIS TOPIC IS ABOUT FANFIC CONTENT CONCERNING PLAGIARISM AND ANYTHING THAT COVERS IT. THIS IS NOT ABOUT FANFIC CONTENT CONCERNING HOMOSEXUALITY/INCEST/ETC. IF WE CAN KEEP THAT IN MIND, AND GRIT OUR TEETH AND BEAR THOSE FACTS, MAYBE WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION HERE AND MAYBE THERE WILL BE LESS OF WHAT I'M RANTING ABOUT.

Ok, this really peeves me off. Like everything else, lack of creativity is one of the MOST INCREDIBLY ANNOYING things I ever come across. And I come across it in the fanart and the fanfics section, but since there's already a ranting topic about the fanart section (black shimmer beat me to it XD) I shall rant on the fanfic section, which is just as bad.

Now, let me point out that I do not think it's a bad thing if fans admire another fan's writing and want to write like them. Learning from other writers (and artists) is how all creators work. They learn from others so that they can give themselves a little push towards creativity. I also don't mind if people want to make their own "re-make" or "sequel" to another's fic.

But what I can't stand is when people will like another's idea, and then make "their" version of it, WHICH COVERS the dumbing down of grammer, using the same basic idea, and changing of character names to make it seem less obvious they copied.

Bad grammer in fics. I CAN'T STAND bad grammer. I understand that most of the population on this site consists of children, but if they're going to write a fic, they should use this as an opportunity to try their hardest to use proper English and punctuation (using periods, exclaimation points, and question marks, in other words) If they don't speak very good English, WRITE IN THE LANGUAGE YOU'RE FLUENT IN. If its their first fic, I can understand. But when I continuously see zero improvement, it drives me (and other people) nuts.

It's also annoying when people do not take advantage of PARAGRAPHS. Using PARAGRAPHS (you know, the little space in between two groups of sentences) makes it alot EASIER (and more enjoyable) to read. And yes, I mean TO READ (not write) because the only point of WRITING something is to have OTHERS READ it.

But when bad grammer is combined with a stolen idea, that is far worse than just "Engrish". When people read a fic and say "I like that idea! I feel like writing it too!" And write out the basic plot (which basically includes ZERO thought from the writer) of the story they read, and dumbed down the language it was originally written in. Its REALLY pitiful when it's obvious they took anothers' idea, writing out similar poetic sentences used in the fic it was so-called "inspired" from (mind you, they ALSO give out zero credit to other writers from which their "ideas" came from, which is also bull crap)

Why people HAVE to make fics like everyone else's, I have no idea. But it seems to me that EVERYIONE has their version of how "Balto met Boris" how "Aniu met Balto's father" how "Aleu was AFTER Wolf Quest" how "KODI AND DUSTY FALL IN LOVE" (that one REALLY irritates me) how "Dingo and Saba form a bond stronger than love" and how "Jenna cheats on Balto with Steele." And for some ODD reason, ALL OF THEM SOUND ALIKE. PEOPLE. For the sake of everything cute and fluffy, USE YOUR BRAINS AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING ORIGINAL, PLEASE! I am sick and tired of reading someone's lame version of Jenna and Balto's fourteenth litter! I want to read some fanfics with DECENT ideas, with twists that make me go "Wow! I was totally not expecting that!" Like with my fic about Miksa and Aniu! Were you execting Miksa to go away? I didn't! It's stuff like that that makes the fic all the more interesting! If you hafta give it a sad ending, so be it! All the more room for a happy sequel! Just PLEASE make DIFFERENT ideas!

Ok. Now. Combine bad grammer and idea theft with the ever-so-clever change in character names to make it seem less obvious that their story idea is NOT original. (Now, keep in mind, I know that there are a kajillion and a half versions of Balto's father and Balto's offspring, but I am including these character names WITH idea theft.) It is even more annoying when they use YOUR idea with SOMEONE ELSE'S character (or vice versa).

So this rant was basically about the creativity I am reading (or rather, NOT reading) in fanfics. People NEED to think and BE ORIGINAL! Where's the fun in expressing your idea when it's not even YOUR idea??? You write fanfics based off other peoples' ideas and you wonder why nobody likes your work! It's because its BORING and UNORIGINAL. If you come up with something new that no one else has ever thought up, you'll be getting comments left and right! And a little recognition is really all we want, isn't it?

REMINDER: THIS TOPIC IS ABOUT FANFIC CONTENT CONCERNING PLAGIARISM AND ANYTHING THAT COVERS IT. THIS IS NOT ABOUT FANFIC CONTENT CONCERNING HOMOSEXUALITY/INCEST/ETC. IF WE CAN KEEP THAT IN MIND, AND GRIT OUR TEETH AND BEAR THOSE FACTS, MAYBE WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION HERE AND MAYBE THERE WILL BE LESS OF WHAT I'M RANTING ABOUT.

Heh heh heh...NOW! You dopes get out of line, and thence will come the smack down!

Actually, I agree with most of what you said. But as to plenty of writers having their own versions of classic story elements (including ones which were never really covered in the three Balto cartoons), I don't see a problem with that. I mean, everyone would like to share their own visions of what those events were like. Where's the harm in it? Some of them are quite poignant. (Others, admittedly, are pretty freakin' DUMB).

I thought this topic was about fanfics?,well as a member here,I have the right to at least one posting.

FOR THE KAJILLIONTH TIME: We're not talking about your blasted fic. You can stop advertising now.

*gets the smack down from Seppala*

Owwie, that hurt

*massages multiple lumps on head*

sorry about going off topic.

Yes, Cat, I have seen many fanfics that are a REMAKE mostly, your Buried Secrets. I don't even bother to read them. It ISN'T an interesting fanfac if someone makes thier own version of someone elses. I like seeing creativity and originallity. When I see these remakes I just push them off because I have already read a fanfic like that and frankly when people make remakes it is never as good. It's almost like they dont have enough creativity to sit down at a computer and type a story with thier own imagination.

Yes! Well said Cat! I'm glad you reposted this, I didn't get the chance to post anything on the first one, it had already been blocked!XD

Ok, so you say that people should try to make there fics more original, I agree with you 100%. I hope your post will help BS members that do these almost copied fics will realize that they are being labeled as thieves or unoriginal leeches that can only create fics that have already been written by an other author. I myself have never done this and will never do this neither for fanfics or fanart.

I agree with a lot of what you said cat, though I can sympathize for those with bad grammer and spelling, as I have a learning problem when it comes too english, so I have too take extra classes, thats why I get nervous about posting my stories up. Anyway its true creativity is getting weaker and weaker, and some seemed too just rip ideas off others, instead of creating their own ideas from someone elses work if they have too.

I had to read this quickly, but I would like to know how things could be improved. I mean, yes all this is annoying, but what can we really do about this? The main problem is that it's difficult to know when a story was copied or not. Even when reading them.

Honestly their probably is no easy way to do this. You really just have to comb every fan-fiction almost or go by your best judgement. The only way to really do it is probably get mods who know these fan-fics really well and who are going to take the time to sit down and read them over, compare and get down to duty and painstakingly do the task.

Unfortunately, Drew is right about that, the only way to rid ourselves of these copies is to read them carefully and compare them with detail. I agree with Drew but, this would take a very long time but, I think it's worth it.

I agree with Drew, but I also belive that stories say with only five lines a chapter should get locked, they are not thought through and can stop great stories from getting publicity, and also a side note, if the person is new and its their first story, do not say 'not bad' or 'pretty good' if it is not, I have seen a few bad stories getting these type of comments, and its irritating, do not go soft on someone, but at the same time do not completely trash their story, not everybody can write great stories.