IPKKND SS: The Third Kind (Ch. 4, p. 16) UPD: 6/03 - Page 11

Originally posted by: shona-li

I am properly and truly appalled by the kind of comments the readers of this story has been making by attacking the author based on a claim made by another author that hasn't been verified yet.

I have read both stories and not to demean the two authors but the concept of someone taking the bullet for a loved one and the dialogue they used isn't novel to me. I've read it a gazillion times across different fandoms. The fact that the concept is recycled and used by the two authors could be a happy coincidence or blatant plagiarism. I do not know, and cannot know. But what I know is the verdict lies with the regulators, not vigilante justice from the readers. If it is a clarification, that would be different, and depending on how it is constructed, absolutely reasonable. As a reader, we have a right to ask if the work we are reading is original or not. Authors have to be held accountable for plagiarism. However, what has been done here is a shameless attack with no basis whatsoever. And I have a bone to pick with that!

Srujie, as it is we only have your word that the idea and words are your own. If it is, you should contest the accusation and write in the complaints thread to testify your 'innocence'. If you didn't plagiarize, I don't see why you have to delete your story. Talk to the mods, and discuss it with Lyraa if need be.

I want to make it very clear, while I admire the spirit and lack of tolerance this community has against plagiarism, I think being judge and jury without validation or giving the author a chance to explain themselves is immature and thoughtless. You have already decided the person is guilty without giving a 'fair trial'. This is not done, and I won't condone this practice of jumping the gun. The fact that happy coincidences can exist should give the author room for plausible doubt.

If you have a problem, do what Lyraa did. File a complaint with the mods. The last thing we want is for our fanfiction forum to turn into a hotbed of vigilante plagiarism bashers. There's a proper course of action that exists for that.Also, I do not have to explain the importance of being respectful do I?

Originally posted by: Lyraa99

Reason I breathe started off with this scene when I first thought of this FF. Yes love triangle, taking a bullet , sacrifice in love is not unheard of and I wouldn't have had a problem if it had stayed to that. I don't have a problem with the plot but with the four lines that makes it so similar to mine.

"Why did you save me?" He heard Aryan ask but it was to Khushi that Arnav answered.

"Because you love him" he said

"Why did you risk your life?" she asked brokenly

"Because I love you."

n Reason I breathe

"Why?" he asked the man lying on the ground calmly, as though they were in a board meeting discussing new design ideas and one of them was not at the brink of death.

"Because she loves you."

"But why.. why did you..." There was no need for him to finish the question. Everyone present there in the wedding hall understood all too well.

"Because I love her."

- The third kind

If this makes it okay and it is called inspiration, then plagiarism is inspiration as well. The four lines weren't mere lines, they were the soul of reason I breathe. She was a reader of my FF, her comment on my ff is a proof for that.

The words are unimportant. They can be replaced. It is the meaning and the feeling they convey which she used as a tool in her ff the way I did in mine. So is it wrong on my part to feel infuriated?

Originally posted by: srujie

I understand your feelings completely, but it was unintentional and I have removed those lines.

Originally posted by: Lyraa99

Reason I breathe started off with this scene when I first thought of this FF. Yes love triangle, taking a bullet , sacrifice in love is not unheard of and I wouldn't have had a problem if it had stayed to that. I don't have a problem with the plot but with the four lines that makes it so similar to mine.

"Why did you save me?" He heard Aryan ask but it was to Khushi that Arnav answered.

"Because you love him" he said

"Why did you risk your life?" she asked brokenly

"Because I love you."

n Reason I breathe

"Why?" he asked the man lying on the ground calmly, as though they were in a board meeting discussing new design ideas and one of them was not at the brink of death.

"Because she loves you."

"But why.. why did you..." There was no need for him to finish the question. Everyone present there in the wedding hall understood all too well.

"Because I love her."

- The third kind

If this makes it okay and it is called inspiration, then plagiarism is inspiration as well. The four lines weren't mere lines, they were the soul of reason I breathe. She was a reader of my FF, her comment on my ff is a proof for that.

The words are unimportant. They can be replaced. It is the meaning and the feeling they convey which she used as a tool in her ff the way I did in mine. So is it wrong on my part to feel infuriated?

Originally posted by: shona-li

Hi Lyraa! First off, when I made that argument, it was not directed by you but at both your and srujie's readers. So please do not take offence that I am not taking any sides. Like I have mentioned before, the verdict on whether it is a plagiarized piece or inspired piece is the mods decision alone. In fact you raise a valid point - is it inspiration or plagiarism? I recently visited the complaints thread and participated in the discussions there. The general consensus is that there is no clear guidelines on I-F as to the differences between inspiration vs adaptation (blatant copying of the exact sequence of events). It's something for the mods to work on, but the fact of the matter is, those lines are very thin.

This is why I recommend that the mods should be the one to deal with it. They would have the most experience to differentiate between the two and provide the right recourse justly. Everyone will have their own definition of plagiarism and what might seem alright to them may be wrong. We haven't had a set of rules that addresses the ambiguity of 'inspired' work. The only reason I made that comment against the readers who are quick to point the finger when they hear 'plagiarism' is because it is a trigger reaction. It's unfair when the case is not clear cut. I respect that you feel that isn't so, and perhaps you are right. But like I said, this case has room for plausibility and instead of jumping straight into the blame game I would rather this problem be investigated thoroughly so that no party receives unfair treatment. For the authors concerned, that means the one who has been plagiarized gets remediative action taken, or the one accused is does not have their reputation as an author unjustly slandered.

You have your reasons for thinking it is plagiarism and I think that is fair enough. To be honest, I only care that justice is served. Now whether that means she plagiarized or not, that's not up for me to decide. You and Srujie will have to convince the mods, not me. I'm the least interested in indulging in the politics and blame-shaming your other readers have participated in. That is my only problem.

Whatever the outcome, I hope this incident doesn't scare either of you to stop writing, Both of you write well and as a reader, I've enjoyed reading both your work.

Originally posted by: srujie

don't worry, we have resolved the problem.

Originally posted by: shona-li

Hi Lyraa! First off, when I made that argument, it was not directed by you but at both your and srujie's readers. So please do not take offence that I am not taking any sides. Like I have mentioned before, the verdict on whether it is a plagiarized piece or inspired piece is the mods decision alone. In fact you raise a valid point - is it inspiration or plagiarism? I recently visited the complaints thread and participated in the discussions there. The general consensus is that there is no clear guidelines on I-F as to the differences between inspiration vs adaptation (blatant copying of the exact sequence of events). It's something for the mods to work on, but the fact of the matter is, those lines are very thin.

This is why I recommend that the mods should be the one to deal with it. They would have the most experience to differentiate between the two and provide the right recourse justly. Everyone will have their own definition of plagiarism and what might seem alright to them may be wrong. We haven't had a set of rules that addresses the ambiguity of 'inspired' work. The only reason I made that comment against the readers who are quick to point the finger when they hear 'plagiarism' is because it is a trigger reaction. It's unfair when the case is not clear cut. I respect that you feel that isn't so, and perhaps you are right. But like I said, this case has room for plausibility and instead of jumping straight into the blame game I would rather this problem be investigated thoroughly so that no party receives unfair treatment. For the authors concerned, that means the one who has been plagiarized gets remediative action taken, or the one accused is does not have their reputation as an author unjustly slandered.

You have your reasons for thinking it is plagiarism and I think that is fair enough. To be honest, I only care that justice is served. Now whether that means she plagiarized or not, that's not up for me to decide. You and Srujie will have to convince the mods, not me. I'm the least interested in indulging in the politics and blame-shaming your other readers have participated in. That is my only problem.

Whatever the outcome, I hope this incident doesn't scare either of you to stop writing, Both of you write well and as a reader, I've enjoyed reading both your work.