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About the author and blogger ...

Anne Goodwin’s drive to understand what makes people tick led to a career in clinical psychology. That same curiosity now powers her fiction.
A prize-winning short-story writer, she has published three novels and a short story collection with small independent press, Inspired Quill. Her debut novel, Sugar and Snails, was shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize.
Away from her desk, Anne guides book-loving walkers through the Derbyshire landscape that inspired Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.
Subscribers to her newsletter can download a free e-book of award-winning short stories.

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On pop, pirates and plagiarism

7/12/2015

26 Comments

 
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I recently shared an extract from my next novel, Underneath, in which a little boy is dancing with his mother to Cliff Richard’s Living Doll. The words are taken all too literally by the child who becomes the man who keeps a woman imprisoned in a cellar but I knew, from the very first draft of this novel, to be wary of quoting song lyrics. Yet, in the version I sent my publisher, I’d retained six words that furnished a neat link between past and present, while demonstrating the narrator’s disturbed and disturbing state of mind. But as publishing becomes a (still fairly distant) reality, I thought I’d better get some advice from the Society of Authors on copyright law. Based on what I was told – and this is only my interpretation – I’ve decided to paraphrase instead of quoting: I don’t want to risk having lawyers on my back; nor do I want to renege on my own personal vow never to pay to be published (it’s the author’s, not the publisher’s, responsibility to seek out and pay for permissions).

I think it’s a shame that record companies are, or have the reputation of being, so (over) protective of their rights. Isn’t quoting song lyrics a form of advertising, more likely to enhance sales? It seems to me very different to purloining a couple of lines of poetry without permission, but what do I know? I’ve decided not to take the risk of finding out.

Of course
plagiarism is one of publishing’s deadliest sins, and no writer worth her salt would want to go down that route. Yet we all, consciously or unconsciously, feed off each other’s language and ideas. Part of the reason I read so much is to improve my own writing, hoping the talents of others will rub off on me. And I’m so delighted when it works the other way round – when my writing inspires another’s – evidenced by the fact that I’ve hung onto this tweet for two whole years in the hope I’d eventually find a home for it. (If you want to read the story that inspired it, it’s here.)

@Annecdotist Your story Peace and Quiet Pancake really touched me & inspired me to write a story in which the parent realizes their mistake

— AnnMarie (@annmariehurtado) December 9, 2013
One downside of the digital revolution is the ease of pirating books. Although I write to be read rather than for the paltry payback, I do think readers should play fair. It’s one thing reading a borrowed paperback – although not ideal – but it’s theft to download from a pirate site, even if such readers aren’t the demographic that would ever buy a book.

Over on the Carrot Ranch, lead buckaroo Charli Mills is encouraging us to feed on each other’s words with her weekly flash fiction prompts. It’s the latest, on pirates and piracy, that has inspired these musings but I was at a loss, at first, as to how I would corral them into a 99-word story – or, indeed, any story at all. But, although I have cried off at times when I haven’t had the headspace for something well out of my comfort zone, these challenges wouldn’t be challenges if we didn’t push ourselves to write about things we didn’t think we could. So let me introduce my pirate; I think he’s rather fun!
With swashbuckling charm, he sails through the pages, brandishing his hook. Despite the patch across one eye, his vision is acute: legend claims he can see through safes and chests to the treasures within. Strings of pearls and rubies hang from his neck, he indicates the golden nuggets, too heavy to shift, to the parrot on his shoulder who’ll repeat them later when he’s back at his desk. Sea storming in his head, a tot of rum at his side, he’ll tap his stolen jewels into his computer.  “Aye, aye,” says his agent. “Another John Silver bestseller coming soon.”
Thanks for reading. I'd love to know what you think. If you've enjoyed this post, you might like to sign up via the sidebar for regular email updates and/or my quarterly Newsletter.
26 Comments
Charli Mills
8/12/2015 01:38:25 am

Fabulous pirate, Anne! It works so well, the associated details and the zinger of an author name that tells us his real profession. I read recently about a prolific romance writer who was writing homo-erotic stories by re-assigning genders to already published romances. I guess she figured the audiences wouldn't cross but once she was found out, her piracy has had a long history.

About the lyrics, though. I once wrote a review of a band and used the title of a popular song as the review title and it got pulled for "plagiarism." All I had to do was change the title. Lesson learned. Great response to the challenge! I'm pleased you took it. I'm still thinking about your novel character though after last week.

Reply
Annecdotist
8/12/2015 10:01:00 am

Thanks, Charli. I came across that pirating case after I'd drafted this post, but managed to sneak in a link (it's in the third paragraph). Apparently that author had published about 75 works in that year which, unless they were 99 word flash fiction, should have had alarm bells ringing anyway!
I didn't know that song titles were taboo as well, or was your editor just being overly cautious? I might have to check that out.

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Charli Mills
9/12/2015 09:07:20 am

75! Wow, quite the booty of words she hauled in. That's more than one book a week. And as for the editor, they had started to use a new plagiarism program and found that song lyrics, including titles, triggered a negative response.

Annecdotist
9/12/2015 12:59:13 pm

Well, don't quote me on that 75, it's just what I've gleaned from a quick reading of the post. But yeah, how ridiculous can you get?
Did you see Deborah's reply about the plagiarism programs? I'm way behind on this!

Gargi link
8/12/2015 05:55:08 am

I detest book piracy. I don’t do it and discourage others as well. I don’t encourage piracy of movies and music either but at least those artistes earn in the millions while most writers earn just about decent incomes.

I missed your novel extract earlier and am off to read it now – sounds very interesting! I love Cliff Richard!

Reply
Annecdotist
8/12/2015 10:02:27 am

I agree, book piracy is especially mean when authors earn so little. Hope you enjoy the extract, Gargi.

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Norah Colvin link
8/12/2015 10:30:04 am

Plagiarism and piracy suck!
How clever is your flash fiction though to capture this plagiarizing pirate at his game. It sums up the dastardly deeds very well. And I agree with Gargi that pirating books is very unfair when so much energy, emotion and creativity has gone into the writing (other than for those pirates such as Ms Harner) for, in the most part, a minuscule return. I am more than happy to pay for work I enjoy. Your second novel sounds dark and intriguing. I'm looking forward to reading it.

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Annecdotist
8/12/2015 05:45:26 pm

Thanks, Norah, it's funny how fictional piracy got to be such and endearing thing when the reality is so ghastly – and book piracy is probably the least damaging aspect.

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Paula link
8/12/2015 01:43:41 pm

Here in the states, we are all relieved to learn that we are no longer violating copyright every time we sing Happy Birthday. As long as Disney does not somehow get ahold of it.

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Annecdotist
8/12/2015 05:46:04 pm

Ha, the time will come, Paula!

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sarah
10/12/2015 01:30:28 am

Hahaha! :-D

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Linda Daunter link
8/12/2015 05:39:44 pm

Love your description of the plagiarist although I suspect the pirate himself might take it as a compliment!
But copyright law is so complicated that even honest writers can get tripped up by it. I've just come across the same problem as yours. Can I, or can't I, quote a song lyric? I'm writing a short story about someone who is inspired to change her life when she remembers a pop song from the 1970's. I think most British people who were in their teens or 20's at that time will only need the song title to understand why it means so much to my character, but to make it clear to other readers I also want to quote the first line of the song. I'm not trying to pass it off as my own work - I also give the name of the original singer/ songwriter - but I'm not sure if I need permission to include it.
P.S. I know all the words of Living Doll, even though I was never a Cliff Richard fan!

Reply
Annecdotist
8/12/2015 05:49:37 pm

It's so annoying, isn't it, Linda, when the whole point of quoting is to introduce it as the song itself rather than as our own work, but I would be very wary of quoting even the first line.
As to Living Doll, the tune is just so catchy the words just follow, although I wasn't conscious of how disturbing those words actually are if you take them literally – I think my husband pointed it out to me!
Wishing you all the best with your story – you seem to be on a winning streak!

Reply
geoff laptop link
8/12/2015 07:32:10 pm

yep, the theft sucks; I'm a bit cavalier with song titles etc but, hey, let them sue me first. The lawyer in me probably. That said I recall the horror of finding out my darling boy had been illegally downloading music. Maybe the lecture he got that evening made him want to be a lawyer too!?

Reply
Annecdotist
9/12/2015 12:57:43 pm

Ha, well we could always use your trial as the basis for some fiction – might even get you some three-dimensional lawyers!

Reply
Deborah
9/12/2015 10:17:15 am

I support your point about easiness of pirating books. Some authors have no idea which would be the results of such crime. But it doesn't mean, that to stole is easy and the victim will not defend herself. F.e. Rachel Ann Nunes will start a lawsuit about plagiarizing her novel, so you can support her here: https://www.gofundme.com/standingagainstplagiarism

Charli Mills mentioned a special plagiarism detection program... Yes, now such programs are used here, there and everywhere - not only in publishing, but in blogging and journalism. Writers want to rescue themselves from lawsuits about plagiarism. Personally, I use Unplag plagiarism checker, while my friend still choose iThenticate, despite it's more costly. Not all plagiarism detectors work inadequately, I'm pretty satisfied how my checker works.

Reply
Annecdotist
9/12/2015 01:00:01 pm

Thanks for sharing, Deborah – I'm sure others will find these links useful.

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Caroline link
9/12/2015 07:40:40 pm

I wrote a thesis about how people talk about learning in schools, the different discoursers of learning. I had to sign something to say all the words were my own - yet many were reported from the mouths of others, and no word exists for just one person.
I am more worried that people dont acknowledge debts of ideas, or dont reference things properly. Plagiarism programmes are widely used in unviersities as well.
And I think poetry estates are just as bad as lyricists for charging for use of a few lines.
Lots of sticky issues here. Thanks for raising them.
Caroline

Reply
Annecdotist
10/12/2015 05:50:45 pm

Thanks, Caroline, this makes me think that appropriate concern about plagiarism can go too far the other way, or turn that concern into a nonsense, if we're required to give guarantees that don't make sense.
I do agree about the importance of acknowledging ideas, which to me seems fairly straightforward in the academic world where a report would start with some account of how previous publications have led to the question the current paper is designed to address, but in fiction it's quite difficult to KNOW if an idea has come from someone else, especially if it's been incubating for some time.
Complex issues!

Reply
Sarah link
10/12/2015 01:32:58 am

Well, so much has been said here. Great post, horrible topic, and fantastic take on the prompt. Universities have to run papers through plagiarism sites (as Caroline said) but books...? I don't know how they're not caught before they release such an obscene number as 75 (or even 10, honestly). This sucks.

Reply
Annecdotist
10/12/2015 05:53:02 pm

Thanks, Sarah, amazing what some people think they can get away with.

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Irene Waters link
10/12/2015 12:20:12 pm

Oliver Sacks wrote an interesting article in the NYReview http://www.nybooks.com/articles/2013/02/21/speak-memory/
about autoplagiarism. As a university student everything has to go through a plagiarism checker "turnitin." Not only is plagiarism frowned upon but so is self plagiarism. I worry about things I may have blogged that I may also have written in a paper or my thesis. As a result I write very little on my blog that has anything to do with my studies and I hope that articles I have read oodles of times I haven't remembered some small turn of phrase that I have come up with, thinking they are mine where in reality they aren't.
Original ideas are also a problem. I am asked for references for ideas that are mine but that is another problem.
Regarding song lyrics - what is the difference between a song lyric and a poem. They are both poetry just that one is set to music. Saying that I do quote lyrics of the odd song on my blog, giving credit to the band when I know it. I have no idea of the legalities and the risks one takes.
Loved your flash. "Sailing through the pages" was a great line.

Reply
Annecdotist
10/12/2015 06:01:19 pm

Thanks, Irene, this topic gets scarier as the comments come in! We all have phrases we tend to overuse, so wouldn't they inevitably get repeated? On my Mammoth Blog Tour and beyond, I've tried not to repeat content, just because it would be boring for anyone who might take the trouble to read the lot – but there's definitely an overlap. I must say, I'm glad that my student days are most definitely over – sounds so complicated nowadays.
Maybe you're right about there being no difference between song lyrics and poems, although in my mind the song is written in order to be song or heard, not to be read without the music.
As for quoting, I don't think giving credit is actually sufficient, one is expected to request permission, but hopefully it's unlikely that lawyers would chase up a blog that isn't actually bringing in any money (I hope – although I've taken care not to quote any songs, although I do then go and post a YouTube video now and then – perhaps that's even worse!)

Reply
Contrib link
21/7/2017 03:45:05 pm

What can I say? I agree with your opinion, you are almost right. I think in our world people are divided into creators and those who are engaged in plagiarism. It's a pity, but the number of creators is smaller and smaller.

Reply
Annecdotist
21/7/2017 05:45:00 pm

Obviously I wouldn’t condone plagiarism, but maybe they’d argue it’s another way of being creative. Thanks for visiting my blog.

Reply
Seo Expert link
16/5/2019 12:34:15 pm

Very Nice Information

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