| Author | Message | ||
| Mariah Wilson
Intermediate Member Username: mariahwilson43 Post Number: 327 Registered: 11-2007 |
Okay, the deal is, after reading many Dean Koontz novels in a row I wrote a poem titled Shadowfires, which is also the title of one of his novels. The poem and the novel are completely unrelated but in the poem I kinda steal a couple of phrases Koontz has used in a few different novels. This poem has never been published let alone even seen by anyone but me. I just want some advice on whether or not it should even exist. Should I burn it? Should I post it? Those people that say anything is possible obviously have not tried to slam a revolving door. | ||
| LJ Cohen
Moderator Username: ljc Post Number: 8614 Registered: 07-2002 |
Mariah, Artists have always taken inspiration from one another's works. That is *not* plagiarism. It is customary for the poet to add an attribution in that case. Perhaps "for Dean Koontz", or "after Dean Koontz" for example. Plagiarism is taking wholesale from someone's work and presenting it at your own. At its most blatant, it is simply changing the author's name. More subtly, it might be making small changes to non-critical words and presenting the work as original. Parody is not plagiarism either. (There are probably thousands of parodies of 'This is Just to Say' by William Carlos Williams, for example.) Just add an attribution, or indicate in the notes to the poem what phrases are direct quotes from Koontz' work. best, ljc Once in a Blue Muse Blog LJCohen | ||
| Mariah Wilson
Intermediate Member Username: mariahwilson43 Post Number: 330 Registered: 11-2007 |
Thanks LJ. I am not quite familiar with the rules and guidlines for plagurism and did not want to get myself into hot water. If I post I will be sure to add a note about Koontz. Thank you for clearing that up Those people that say anything is possible obviously have not tried to slam a revolving door. | ||
| Mariah Wilson
Intermediate Member Username: mariahwilson43 Post Number: 332 Registered: 11-2007 |
On a whim I posted the above mentioned poem in CV if anyone wants to take a gander at it. Those people that say anything is possible obviously have not tried to slam a revolving door. | ||
| Gary Blankenship
Moderator Username: garydawg Post Number: 21284 Registered: 07-2001 |
grabbing a couple of lines is ok with attribution or as Lisa says in the style of I like to do grabbed lines in italics Smiles. Gary | ||
| Christopher T George
Senior Member Username: chrisgeorge Post Number: 6042 Registered: 12-2004 |
Hi Mariah I would not worry about it. As Lisa says, artists have always taken inspiration from one another's works. You may or may not know that Dylan Thomas's play for voices, "Under Milk Wood" was inspired by James Joyce's Ulysses which as you probably know takes place all in one day, June 16, 1904, in Dublin. Thus Thomas set his play all in one day in the lives of the people of a fictitious Welsh fishing village, Llareggub. I have obtained inspiration from others' works -- for example, borrowed titles by other writers, a song lyric or two, or whatever strikes me, in my writing, to create something new and my own. This isn't plagiarism so much as a homage to the original work, and is recognized as such. One piece of art leads to another -- that's the way it should work and does work. One of the latest examples of this among my poems was a poem of mine called "Peace Is Just a Word" in which the title was taken from a song by the Eurythmics. Poet Andrei Codrescu once told me "It's okay to borrow the dog for the night." He's the guy with the black hair and heavy black moustache in the following view of Baltimore poets at Poe's grave some years ago. What Codrescu means, and what I think is valid, is that it's acceptable to borrow a bit but not the whole thing -- which would be plagiarism. So in other words, use your own judgement. All the best Chris  (Message edited by chrisgeorge on January 05, 2008) Editor, Desert Moon Review http://www.desertmoonreview.com Co-Editor, Loch Raven Review http://www.lochravenreview.net http://chrisgeorge.netpublish.net/ | ||
| Fred Longworth
Senior Member Username: sandiegopoet Post Number: 2935 Registered: 05-2006 |
Sorry, Mariah. There is no forgiving this. My collection of eyeballs-in-jars needs another pair. So, as penance for your evil plagarism, expect the Harvesters to come by tomorrow. Dean Unofficial Forum Pariah recent victim of alien abduction | ||
| Mariah Wilson
Intermediate Member Username: mariahwilson43 Post Number: 346 Registered: 11-2007 |
I shall bolt the door. Those people that say anything is possible obviously have not tried to slam a revolving door. | ||
| ~M~
Board Administrator Username: mjm Post Number: 27819 Registered: 11-1998 |
Dearest Mariah -- while this thread doesn't speak to plagiarism as its sole focus, it does discuss derivative work: WPF Creativity Challenge from September 17, 2007 Perhaps reading through that will give you a clearer idea of what is a very difficult topic to nail down. Love, M | ||
| Ron. Lavalette
Intermediate Member Username: dellfarmer Post Number: 572 Registered: 05-2007 |
I shall bolt the door. There. --Ron. Eggs Over Tokyo | ||
| Gary Blankenship
Moderator Username: garydawg Post Number: 21310 Registered: 07-2001 |
bolt the door board up the windows block the fireplace and do not forget the vents in the attic s/g | ||
| judy thompson
Intermediate Member Username: judyt54 Post Number: 460 Registered: 11-2007 |
and look out, look out for the grue in the cellar | ||
| ~M~
Board Administrator Username: mjm Post Number: 27831 Registered: 11-1998 |
Now you're starting to scare me.  |
