Stolen Stories

[SexyNoises]

Ok because I am not so familiar with the copywrite information I have a question...and PLEASE don't get the panties bunched because of what I ask.

Being this is the internet...don't we risk someone taking our stuff just by posting it? I mean anyone can copy/paste and say it's theirs. And just by emailing a site owner and telling them YOU wrote it doesn't really prove you wrote it does it? Can't they just as easily point a finger at you and say hey YOU copy/pasted it.

I'm not trying to cause a ruckas here (seems one has already been started) and I don't by any means think it's right for someone to steal what we worked so hard for. And yes I would be upset if I found something I worked hard over posted by another and have them taking credit for it. But when it comes down to it...how can I stop it except to not post it to begin with.

 

[Guest]

Ok because I am not so familiar with the copywrite information I have a question...and PLEASE don't get the panties bunched because of what I ask.

Being this is the internet...don't we risk someone taking our stuff just by posting it? I mean anyone can copy/paste and say it's theirs. And just by emailing a site owner and telling them YOU wrote it doesn't really prove you wrote it does it? Can't they just as easily point a finger at you and say hey YOU copy/pasted it.

I'm not trying to cause a ruckas here (seems one has already been started) and I don't by any means think it's right for someone to steal what we worked so hard for. And yes I would be upset if I found something I worked hard over posted by another and have them taking credit for it. But when it comes down to it...how can I stop it except to not post it to begin with.

No ruckas caused, and if my panties bunch up then I just take them off.

The easiest way to check story copyright is by the date the story posted, of course. A thief can hardly claim a particular story belongs to them if it was posted on Lit a year before they "borrowed" it.

That will always be the best way to determine ownership.

It's the same as a person taking something in print and passing it off as their own. Except that on-line it is a great deal easier for us to search for a possible theft. (Yea google search!)

Don't let the fear of someone stealing your work prevent you from submitting it. It does happen, yes, but each time something of mine was "borrowed" the site owners and operators of Literotica (Laurel and Manu) took care of the problem.

 

[SexyNoises]

Woot off topic here but..May I suggest no panties at all

 

[SexyNoises]

I dunno what I was thinkin by the previous post *blushes*

Back to the topic at hand....

How do you search google for your stories

 

[cloudy]

I dunno what I was thinkin by the previous post *blushes*

Back to the topic at hand....

How do you search google for your stories

Depending on your "handle" here at Lit, and how common a word it is, you can just do a search using your name and a story title. With mine, it's a lot harder....I have to find a fairly unique line in the story, or use character's names along with the story title, something like that, to find anything.

Your name shouldn't be near as hard as mine to search with, that's a good thing.

 

[SexyNoises]

Thank you Cloudy...Appreciate it!!

 

[Boxlicker101]

Depending on your "handle" here at Lit, and how common a word it is, you can just do a search using your name and a story title. With mine, it's a lot harder....I have to find a fairly unique line in the story, or use character's names along with the story title, something like that, to find anything.

Your name shouldn't be near as hard as mine to search with, that's a good thing.

This doesn't always work, though. The pirates will almost never use your name anywhere in their version of the story. They just pretend they wrote it. Using the title doesn't help much either because they change that too. The name of a character doesn't help much either unless it's a very uncommon name and, in that case, it would probably be changed also. I pick out an unusual phrase and search for that. This doesn't always work either. If it were 100% effective, you would always come up with the story that you were looking for listed on Lit. but you don't. It's basically hit or miss.

 

[Boxlicker101]

This doesn't always work, though. The pirates will almost never use your name anywhere in their version of the story. They just pretend they wrote it. Using the title doesn't help much either because they change that too. The name of a character doesn't help much either unless it's a very uncommon name and, in that case, it would probably be changed also. I pick out an unusual phrase and search for that. This doesn't always work either. If it were 100% effective, you would always come up with the story that you were looking for listed on Lit. but you don't. It's basically hit or miss.

One of the worst offenders is a site with a name ending something like realday.net but I am not sure what else is in their name. Thay have ripped off at least a dozen of my stories and I don't know how to get at them to tell them to desist.

 

[Shuvani]

Writer's Ripped off

All this talk makes me worry about even posting here at Literotica.
This REALLY sucks.

 

[Guest]

Nahhh, don't worry.

I know what Box is saying but I have always managed to find my work.

Sometimes they've kept the title, sometimes they've even kept my name as author. Very strange.

BUT even if they don't, all you need to do is pick an unusual sentence or two from the middle of your story. Pick something with unique phrases, or names, or locations, for example.

Use quotes around it and insert THAT into a google search. If your story has been stolen, you'll find it.

Sites that steal rarely change more than a title and author and most of the time they're too damn lazy to do even that!

Don't worry - just do it!

 

[Rainbow Skin]

Re: Nahhh, don't worry.

That's the key: people who can't write, only rip off, are too lazy to change anything. They won't try covering their tracks inside the story. Find a group of about six words that's unlikely to occur by chance and search for that. (And from the middle or end of the story, because of the phenomenon I discussed above.)

Not only do we have date evidence of when we posted stories: if necessary we have the advantage that we are writers with a definite style, and they aren't. If someone else ever claimed to have written one of mine (thankfully it hasn't actually happened yet) I could quickly write more of the same as evidence that I wrote the original. Then I would defy them to do that.

 

[yui]

My worst story has been stolen! Iiee! Bastards! It is coming up as hit on a central pay porn page with about five different possible web locations. I can not pay $12.95 per individual site just to see which one it is on!!! Bastards! Oy, there is no way to search the story achieves without joining...trauma...bastards...

 

[Boxlicker101]

My worst story has been stolen! Iiee! Bastards! It is coming up as hit on a central pay porn page with about five different possible web locations. I can not pay $12.95 per individual site just to see which one it is on!!! Bastards! Oy, there is no way to search the story achieves without joining...trauma...bastards...

PM Laurel about it. Hopefully, she will be able to contact the sites withut joining up. Include as much info as you have.

 

[yui]

PM Laurel about it. Hopefully, she will be able to contact the sites withut joining up. Include as much info as you have.

Thanks for replying, Boxlicker101! I took your advice and PMed Laurel. Hopefully she will be able to either take care of the problem or advise me on the best way to rectify the situation. I still can't believe they took my story! Huff! Anyway, I will try to move on…but I'm still pissy.

Luck to you,

Yui

 

[Guest]

Just chiming in here...

I write a lot of various genres, from fantasy to erotica to non-erotic horror and horrotica. I also do essays, articles, write love letters for tongue tied friends, and I write poetry. In the past, I have had things stolen, stories, poems, once an entire three-hundred page rough drafted novel manuscript. Every single time it's happened, I have been furious, depressed, and just plain disgusted by turns. I work hard on my writing, I always have, since I was a little girl. I truly enjoy being able to say "I've had about fifty pieces of poetry published in various places," or having authors who I consider to be far beyond me in ability ask for opinions and editing.

With one exception, everything that was stolen was stolen in an attempt to gain a profit. Two of the short stories and ALL of the poetry ended up entered in other people's names for contests. Those contests (one of which my poem had won) were notified, and all of them rectified the problem immediately. In every case, I did elect to press charges, and in every case, there were consequences for stealing my work.

Bottom line is: Don't EVER fuck with a writer where their work is concerned. We are overprotective tigresses with our babies, we have no problem with ripping you apart in their defense. If we decide a site isn't "good" enough for our work, WE DON'T WANT IT THERE. Gods help anyone who steals another author's work, it shows just how pathetic a person they are. That said, with the minimum fuss and cuss, I'm going off to Google my stories. And I hope if anyone who stole mine, they have a really good lawyer, lol!

 

[Guest]

Excellent post, Angel.

Chime away!

I especially like this sentence:

Bottom line is: Don't EVER fuck with a writer where their work is concerned.



Damn straight.

 

[~hellbaby~]

You go, girl!

And, congrats, by the way....just in case I haven't already said it.

My sentiments exactly..You go Girl .

 

[~hellbaby~]

I have found one that was altered by turning a M/f into M/m.Having a unique feature in a character or an unusual phrase is a good way to search.Something essential and unique in a story is a fairly good way to track a story down.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Re: Just chiming in here...

I write a lot of various genres, from fantasy to erotica to non-erotic horror and horrotica. I also do essays, articles, write love letters for tongue tied friends, and I write poetry. In the past, I have had things stolen, stories, poems, once an entire three-hundred page rough drafted novel manuscript. Every single time it's happened, I have been furious, depressed, and just plain disgusted by turns. I work hard on my writing, I always have, since I was a little girl. I truly enjoy being able to say "I've had about fifty pieces of poetry published in various places," or having authors who I consider to be far beyond me in ability ask for opinions and editing.

With one exception, everything that was stolen was stolen in an attempt to gain a profit. Two of the short stories and ALL of the poetry ended up entered in other people's names for contests. Those contests (one of which my poem had won) were notified, and all of them rectified the problem immediately. In every case, I did elect to press charges, and in every case, there were consequences for stealing my work.

Bottom line is: Don't EVER fuck with a writer where their work is concerned. We are overprotective tigresses with our babies, we have no problem with ripping you apart in their defense. If we decide a site isn't "good" enough for our work, WE DON'T WANT IT THERE. Gods help anyone who steals another author's work, it shows just how pathetic a person they are. That said, with the minimum fuss and cuss, I'm going off to Google my stories. And I hope if anyone who stole mine, they have a really good lawyer, lol!

Go get'm. And let us know how you do because it is probably worth everybody's while to cooperate on nailing the pirates.

 

[Guest]

Re: Re: Just chiming in here...

Go get'm. And let us know how you do because it is probably worth everybody's while to cooperate on nailing the pirates.

Hanging them up by their tiny little testicles comes to mind.

 

[Boxlicker101]

I sent a PM to Laurel almost a month ago and haven't heard anything yet. Every time I look, I find more stories that have been copied, at least in part. I think that what bothers me the most about it is that, although my stories are mostly about gentle, mutually-enjoyable love-making between people who really care for each other, they appear on sites who advertise themselves as brutal rape stories or other nasty sites. I also don't like the idea of them profiting on my work, of course.

 

[Daisy May]

This definitely isn't good. I haven't posted anything yet. More so browsing the forums and checking things out. Now I'm leary.

(sigh)

 

[slut hound]

Don't let the fear of someone stealing your work prevent you from submitting it.

It does happen, yes, but each time something of mine was "borrowed" the site owners and operators of Literotica (Laurel and Manu) took care of the problem.

I'm new to the lit forum and have already come across a number of statements such as the one just quoted.

Just want to say it's impressive and refreshing to find site operators like Laurel and Manu that take it upon themselves to protect those that choose to post their original works here.

It's one thing to borrow an introduction or highlight, write an abstract or provide a summary, and then give full credit and a link back to the source (it's how we get spread around)...

But it's a whole other thing to out and out steal someone elses work and take credit for it as if it was our own... !

Cheers from the Slut Hound....

 

[Guest]

You're not going to beleive this....

Thankfully, I haven't found anything of mine that was stolen online... yet. Or, let me rephrase that.. I haven't found any of my EROTICA stolen. However, I did come across something that made me laugh uncontrollably for about an hour and possibly cracked a few ribs falling off the computer chair:

Someone STOLE MY LIVEJOURNAL POSTS!!!! I know, I know, how pathetic, but my lj ends up being the place I throw all the bits and pieces that I'm working on. Fanfic, erotica I'm not quite happy with, ideas, tales of the strange world of rp i sometimes drown myself in, and the odd and bizarre life-related post. Now, if it had been the unfinished erotica or one of the random fanfic posts, I might have understood, but they went in and stole an actual entry, and then posted it as a real life memory on some weird sharing site...

*smiles ever so sweetly* Needless to say, that site has since taken the post down and removed that person's account. Amazing what can be done by a couple National Directory calls and a rabid hellfire breathing bitch, isn't it?

But I'm still looking for the possibly stolen pieces.. every Monday morning I do the search list, and then giggle at the odd stuff that comes up.

And if there's anyone interested in the random acts of literary abuse that I call writing, here's a link to the lj.

www.livejournal.com/users/silenseshadow


*hugs* to all, I'm sure...
AngelShadow

 

[Boxlicker101]

Re: You're not going to beleive this....

Thankfully, I haven't found anything of mine that was stolen online... yet. Or, let me rephrase that.. I haven't found any of my EROTICA stolen. However, I did come across something that made me laugh uncontrollably for about an hour and possibly cracked a few ribs falling off the computer chair:

Someone STOLE MY LIVEJOURNAL POSTS!!!! I know, I know, how pathetic, but my lj ends up being the place I throw all the bits and pieces that I'm working on. Fanfic, erotica I'm not quite happy with, ideas, tales of the strange world of rp i sometimes drown myself in, and the odd and bizarre life-related post. Now, if it had been the unfinished erotica or one of the random fanfic posts, I might have understood, but they went in and stole an actual entry, and then posted it as a real life memory on some weird sharing site...

*smiles ever so sweetly* Needless to say, that site has since taken the post down and removed that person's account. Amazing what can be done by a couple National Directory calls and a rabid hellfire breathing bitch, isn't it?

But I'm still looking for the possibly stolen pieces.. every Monday morning I do the search list, and then giggle at the odd stuff that comes up.

And if there's anyone interested in the random acts of literary abuse that I call writing, here's a link to the lj.

www.livejournal.com/users/silenseshadow


*hugs* to all, I'm sure...
AngelShadow

You may just bre lucky so far. I have found at least 36 stories that have been stolen in full or in part. I have told Laurel but I don't know if anything will come of it.