Current plagiarism update: 86 books/36 writers
This is a very long slog on many fronts. There are days since all this started it feels as if we’re battling Hydra. Slash at one head, more pop up.
But we’re slashing away, and we’re moving forward.
Writers wouldn’t be able to move forward on any of this without readers.
A reader first discovered the copied passages in Serruya’s book and notified Courtney Milan of the infringement. We wouldn’t know the stunning extent of this one woman’s thievery without that first reader. And all the other readers who’ve since dug in, looked for other copying. Generated lists, kept track, gave support, shared outrage.
You can’t fight if you don’t know. And it’s damn hard to keep fighting without support.
It was a reader who first discovered copied passages in Janet Dailey’s Notorious and notified me. I might never have known my work had been stolen.
It’s almost always a reader.
Readers have beat the drum against the scammers on the Kindle platform, helping to alert writers. Now both readers and writers–traditionally published, indie, hybrid–who are honest and hard-working are digging deep into this morass to uncover the muck.
For writers this slog is a matter of protecting their work, their livelihoods, and the honorable profession of storytelling. For readers? It’s a labor of love, and it’s about the books they love. It’s about a moral center.
There are writers much more tech savvy than I am (that’s not a hard one!) who are spending precious time helping to expose these cheats and liars and con artists who think of books only as assets, only as a way to make money. They scam their way to every dollar.
There’s no way any of this could be done without the readers who took the time, made the effort–continue to take the time, make the effort–to help. The readers who made noise because this is just wrong. Because they care about books and the people who work to write them.
I’m so grateful to the readers who sounded the alarm, to the writers who are diving deep, to all helping to expose this ugly, ugly underbelly that contaminates what we–writers and readers–love and respect.
Readers and writers are connected–strongly, even personally–through the art of storytelling. Those who corrupt that art won’t win.
When we win this, every writer who takes pen to paper, sits at a keyboard facing a blank screen, struggles to create worlds with words will have readers to thank for the victory.
I’m so grateful. I know there are scores like me who are grateful.
We won’t forget.
Nora
#truth
What you don’t fight wins. You will win this because you and your fellow artists will fight til the scourge has been expunged. More power to you.
^^^THIS! Readers are superheroes. ❤️
Loyal readers are eager to protect their fav authors. You have earned our devotion!
I wish there was a list of the 36 authors so that I don’t buy their stuff. I read with a Kindle. I have a membership to Kindle Unlimited. Maybe I should cancel that?
The 36 authors Nora mentions are victims of plaigiarism. You can check out the list of writers plagiarised here: https://caffeinatedfae.com/2019/02/20/copypastecris/
Laura
Oh, the way it reads is that 36 writers plagiarized the 86 books. Thanks for clearing it up.
Is there a listing of writers who did the plagiarizing?
Thanks Laura.
Perhaps other readers can generate a list…maybe the authors cannot do that as this will ultimately go to court and until plagiarism is proven it’s “innocent until proven guilty” Of course, if a reader reads a passage in a book and realizes it’s a passage from a NR book that reader can add the plagiarizing author to the list.
Nora Roberts is my favorite author
Hang in there, Nora. I will always have your back!
We won’t forget either.
I recently dropped an author I did reviews for because I asked her if she used ghost writers, because it seems impossible for one author to put out a book every two weeks. I also gave her three stars on one of her books and wasn’t allowed to read similar books because I might give her another bad review. I dropped her and refuse to read any more of her books.
From those of us who hang on your every written word, we support your undying efforts. I also personally appreciate the information you’ve given me through these blogs so that I can become become a more educated reader.
I’m literally sitting at my desk with a heating pad strapped to my back with an ace bandage in an attempt to relieve shoulder pain enough to write. And if I didn’t have the ability I’d find a way because this is what I love to do, what I feel I’m meant to do. Serruya can’t cheapen that because she has no morals, but damn it I hope she pays!
I found out recently that some word processor have diction programs built in. I use Pages on Mac. It’s not perfect, but it gets out my thoughts enough that I can clean them up later without losing the writing going on in my head that I don’t have time to do. Hopefully you feel better soon so you won’t have to resort to alternatives! <3
I liken this to a beautiful train that the owner has turned into a show place! Every one wants on the train & clambers aboard at every stop. They’re too lazy & trifling to build their own train, they want to hop on yours. THEN their work begins to try and push you off your train. Trolls! Thrives & vagabond.
I am an avid reader and have never realized that this was going on until I read your blog and outrage. I can’t believe that their are writers who would do that. I thank all the readers who have made you aware of this problem and THANK YOU for all the wonderful books that you write.
Thanks for fighting.
What is the real criteria for plagiarism? Is it taking a complete paragraph or more (word for word) from one book and using it in another book? What about plot lines? I’ve read books where I know I’ve seen the same plot lines in another book written previously but if it’s not and exact excerpt I don’t think it’s plagiarism, just lack of imagination.
A plot that that writer surely got from reading another author book, that for me is plagiarism
Unfortunately there are books that are more or less retellings of other books with the barest of changes, like removing supernatural elements, and added sex, because of course there is, sometimes even starting off with the same character names, that end up traditionally published, and this has been legitimized to the point that it’s no big deal anymore to openly admit something is lifted from another writer’s work. Apparently this is no longer plagiarism. Paraphrasing used to be a form of plagiarism when I was younger, though I’m not sure that’s still the case. But some of what we are seeing right now are passages copied and pasted, sometimes with a few words added or change, and that is still undeniably plagiarism.
It is a big deal, and if it’s copying lines, scenes, phrases, it is plagiarism. A bit of paraphrasing doesn’t change that.
Using the same character names wouldn’t be plagiarism. Repeating tropes, themes, even storylines happens, especially in genre fiction. It’s the words that matter, how a writer creates the world from that theme or storyline.
Romeo and Juliet/West Side Story. Same basic storyline, two entirely different and brilliant takes on it.
But stealing those lines, paragraphs, scenes has not, and will never be, legitimized.
If I heard someone openly admit they lifted from me, you’d better believe they’d hear from my lawyer.
I was speaking on the larger scale of society, it’s not seen as a big deal anymore (for some of my daughter’s literature homework, copying verbatim from the text results in the most points, rather than using her own words to demonstrate comprehension, and no, citing that it’s directly from the text isn’t required). To me personally, it’s really disturbing how much of this is accepted, and is seemingly being encouraged at times (like my daughter’s literature homework), and I’ve been trying for YEARS to get people who are okay with it to realize the harm it causes. I’ve lost track of how many times over the past years I’ve gotten into debates, to put it mildly, with people who genuinely think just paraphrasing something paragraph by paragraph, or even outright lifting scenes word-for-word is okay, with their justifications being absurd, such as “what if the person reading didn’t read the original, where’s the harm?” or “what if the reader doesn’t want to support the original author, but wants to read the story anyway?” (those are veeeeery likely to be people who pirate books or who do read-and-returns on Amazon). The increase in this sort of thing is legitimizing it on a societal as okay, and it is MADDENING. A few days ago, one of my best friends and I got into an outright fight on this, and she’s still not talking to me. She thinks I’m making too big a deal out of this stuff since “it happens all the time”, and I think she doesn’t care because it doesn’t affect her personally, and she doesn’t write, so runs no risk of it affecting her in the future.
The most blatant example I’ve seen was an old Fanfiction.net story that paraphrased Twilight and used the names of Bella and Edward. The poster (I refuse to call that person a writer) said that using their own words made it original. Some commenters agreed, some didn’t, but eventually it was taken down, though I don’t now if the poster or an admin did that.
It genuinely hurts my heart to think about how many people are perfectly fine with plagiarism and other harmful things just because of how common they happen. It is NOT okay, and it feels like yelling into a void trying to convince people to stop seeing it as a legitimate form of writing just because it’s becoming so common. Being common shouldn’t mean it should be accepted.
And I’d like to just add that I’m so excited and relieved to see you addressing this. I think it’ll help writers, as well as readers, who start to feel hopeless about the whole thing to feel not so alone when we try to speak out about it and are dog-piled by people who say we’re just salty and jealous. Jealous of the success of plagiarizers? My dad raised me to understand that an honest loss is better than a dishonest win.
I don’t say this as any jest: I was so happy to read that you’re righting this that I called my husband at work to tell him so. If I start to go into the reasons, I’ll start crying instead of merely tearing up. Thank you so much for stepping up on this. Maybe hearing it from one of the most successful authors in history will get at least a few people to rethink their positions of acceptance and views of legitimacy.
First, I’m amazed and appalled any teacher would allow, much less encourage, straight copying without attribution. How is that teaching right from wrong? How is that teaching critical thinking?
There are many people who’ll never understand, who’ll continue to think NBD. When I was going through the Dailey mess there were many–readers, writers–who claimed I should be flattered, it wasn’t a big deal, that I was jealous and just trying to score points and publicity.
It was disheartening, and also an eye-opener for me.
Obviously it didn’t stop me.
It was maddening then, and this whole crapfest is maddening now. But readers and writers who have the moral center, the spine, who care about what’s right, care about the time-honored craft of writing won’t stand for it.
At a parent-teacher conference, I told her I was having a hard time getting my daughter to do more than copy verbatim. Unfortunately, it’s not the teacher’s choice. It’s the curriculum being used. They’re teaching the methods necessary to pass the testing they have to take (two and a half weeks for just math testing, literature/language arts I think is in May). When I was in school, that was an instant F because it was considered to be plagiarism unless the answer contained a piece that was quoted. Her father and I are supplementing this at home. Unfortunately, due to her autism, she has a problem with flexibility in thinking and breaking habits.
Yet they’re expected to articulate their thought processes in math to demonstrate understanding the material. “Why does 7 plus 5 equal 12?” “Because that’s what you get when you add them together” does not suffice. Go figure.
As if YOU need publicity, especially by speaking out against people copying the work of others! What a ludicrous accusation. I sincerely thank you for using your platform and rock-solid reputation to tackle this bullshit, especially when you’ve got a busy family life and work to do. When Createspace has the ability to run new uploads through some backend program to make sure it’s not a piece of plagiarism (I know it works as I created a new account, uploaded a new edition of one of my books, and it wasn’t accepted due to “another” user already uploading it), then Amazon has no excuse, especially since Amazon now owns Createspace. And how many years now have professors been able to use various programs to check submitted work for plagiarism? Yet Amazon can’t figure it out? They must be making damned good money off of it all.
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” is wrong. I think that should be inspiration. Inspiration involves sparking creativity and drive. Imitation is letting someone else do the work, and then copying the outcome. I wonder how many of them would be thrilled if work they did was copied by someone else who claimed credit for it. Imitation hinders creativity, and incessant imitation is the death of innovation.
When our favorite authors are attacked, we take it personally. Grrrrrr.
Writers and readers possess an incredible connection – the power of words. Words painted with the artistic touch of a gifted writer draws us in to invest our time, our emotions, and our commitment to the discovery of truths we may never have known. About ourselves or the world we share.
Why wouldn’t we as writers and readers be outraged by the imposters and thieves who would rob us of what we share, respect, and treasure?
I am a big fan especially the J D Robb ( love Rourke) no one else can compare to you. Hope you get the justice you deserve
Nora…you are my hero! God bless!
Thank you for continuing to fight this. God bless you.
Nora, most of us readers who love books, know that it takes time to write, edit, correct, submit for publication, etc. You and every other true writer should reap the benefits of your minds work, whether big or small rewards, and should not have your work stolen and used by someone else for their benefit, without them having put in the work to create the words.
Thank you for standing up for yourself and other writers you maybe cannot afford the legal fees involved with these types of fights. You have given other authors and the book reading audience a tremendous gift, by fighting the good fight!
Thank heavens for discerning readers!
“The standard you walk past is the standard you accept,” – Lt. Gen. David Morrison, Australian Defense Force
If you don’t stand up for what is right, you accept what is wrong. At every level of modern society, our obligation is to stand for what is right.
Thanks for fighting. Readers appreciate it and we won’t forget. This has been eye-opening!
I really hate reading that the count continues to increase. Maybe you can turn it around into a plot for your next book. If you can’t get justice in reality, maybe you can in a story.
So sorry this is happening.
After learning about what is happening on Kindle Unlim., I research the author of EVERY book before buying. I will not forget about this, because we all know that only readers can really stop this.
It’s too expensive for the writers to try to sue all of these thieves, and they certainly can’t read every book out there looking to see if they spot passages from their own works.
I hope the plagiarists are starting to see decreases in their sales from this scandal and that diligent readers can give themselves a pat on the back for helping to put these crooks out of business.
Keep fighting! I have felt so niaive about how big this was. I am being even more diligent now. The frustration is wanting to support new writers but not feed the dishonest mobs. I usually read hard copy books, but even that’s not safe.
But each writer speaks with their own voice and I hate imitators trying to “sound” (ie: write) like another author. To say nothing about stealing their voices completely. It’s like Ursula the Sea Witch using Ariel’s voice after stealing it.
I understand being influenced by another author, but this isn’t it.
We, your readers, and readers world-wide, thank you and are behind you and everyone else fighting for the integrity of our stories and our favorite authors and all new authors who are trying to put their blood, sweat, and tears into the hands of new readers.
Go Nora!
The proliferation of plagiarism has me so nervous about even reading sometimes since I don’t want to accidentally use a phrase or something that I read at some point and forgot reading. I recently started using part of my dog’s name as a nickname for a character in one of my books and crud, that name’s used in another book. Another book I’m working on now is set very close to a town in another book I enjoy, and I nearly scrapped it. The people who steal so much harm so many, including those honestly writing our own books who end up going to such extremes to try avoiding even similarities.
But since there’s hardly a point anymore in releasing books since we’re in a time when the promotion necessary would be a full-time job eliminating time to actually write, I go through all the work of writing, getting betas, editing, titling, cover, layout, even ISBN, the call it a day. An unreleased book can’t technically be a flop, yet a book released can be buried by dishonest people.
It sucks so much to release a book, then have an onslaught of negatives *far outnumbering the copies sold*, with some being nothing more than a copy/paste of part of the blurb. I believe in the one just finished, and the sequel I’m working on now, but how does one make something stand out when competing against frauds essentially stealing six figures or more a year? The dishonest assholes ruin everything.
I find this appalling. I’ve read Nora/JD for years. There are a few other writers that I read but most are well known. That some unscrupulous person steals the work of another anger me. I would be extremely pissed off if a picture I posted of one of my quilts was stolen and posted as someone else’s work. Keep up the fight. I’m behind you 100%.
As Edmond Burke once said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men (people) to do nothing.” I am proud that my favorite writer brought this to my attention as I never realized this problem was this extensive. Nora, I so admire and respect your integrity. You Geaux Girl…keep up your awesome work!!!
I would love if you could comment on what we, as readers, should look for when reading a new author? I have my favorites (such as you)… But I saw an Amazon ad for a book by an author I haven’t read before… And found myself hesitating before clicking. So what can I look for to be sure I’m reading a legitimate author (by legitimate I mean using their own blood sweat and tears, not whether they are subjectively my thing)? Perhaps how many books per year published/released?
Personally, knowing the cost of Amazon ads, I’m weary of books by unknown authors that are being promoted without being released by a publisher that may be footing the bill. What’s so awful about this is that there are true indie authors who save up to run a short campaign, and there’s a chance I will overlook one of their books.
I think the number of books a year can be a bit tricky. There are authors who rush out a full book a month by releasing their first draft, then moving on. The quantity-over-quality approach.
I wish I could tell you. I’m still learning about all this myself. I don’t publish as an indie writer, and don’t read e-books. I’ve heard suggestions from those who do, such as checking for a social media presence. But then I think I wouldn’t have much of a social media presence if Laura didn’t do the heavy lifting.
I think if you see hundreds of five-star reviews generated in a short amount of time, that may a clue, something to think about. Just as seeing multiple books a month published–billed as new work–by the same author would make me suspicious.
Nobody writes that fast–and I don’t give a rat’s ass how many come on here claiming they can knock out a book in a week. Easily do two or three, even four books a month. No, they can’t.
Not a full-length book, and not even a first draft of a full-length book. Certainly not one that’s been written with care, edited professionally, proofed.
Indie authors–and we can hope the one you’re referring to is by an honest indie–are being buried under those who do this sort of `rapid release’.
Straight up.
Thank you Nora! I couldn’t agree more and thank you for having our backs. Is little guy authors appreciate what you are doing. And to my girls Suzan Tisdale, Samantha Cole and Riley Edwards and huge hug and a big smooch. I will see Suzan and Samantha in June. You ladies are amazing.
And FINALLY Thank you to all the readers for everything. Y’all are AMAZING.
No honor among cheaters, liars, and THIEVES!!
You’re welcome! Thank you for all you do, thank you for wielding your power with grace and precision, and thank you for being you. Onward!
Stephanie
#professionalromancefan #nottoday #teamNora
Thank you.
Much love and appreciation for everything you do, and every word you’ve written! <3
Like many new authors I want to be recognized for my writing. I sit, I write, I edit over and over. That takes a lot of effort and time. I don’t have the time to go through other authors books to copy a line or paragraph. AND I wouldn’t want to. The stories are mine the same as any other honest author. To plagiarize another’s writing is just plain laziness and so wrong. Thanks for bringing this to everyones attention. I may not be famous but now I read books carefully to be sure someone hasn’t screwed me.
That’s a great point about time. Why spend it looking for something to copy instead of working on honing skills?
What kind of books do you write, and where might I find them? These days, I don’t read a lot of traditionally published books (there’s an obvious exception), as I prefer to pick up books by indie authors, as I hope they’d do for me. I find indie books to be a breath of fresh air after so many books that follow trends.
You should use this in an upcoming Eve novel. Maybe have someone plagiarize Nadine. And then end up dead after Nadine threatens them. Just a possible way to make lemonade from lemons.
I second this!
Nora you are such a talented writer that has proven your ability to capture the minds of your fans. I’m so glad that the struggles that less capable writers cause you don’t get you get you down.
I would find it difficult to open books with other writers names on them and my words in them. One after another.
You have amazing strength, give them hell Nora.
We’re here for you, Nora ?
My long held dream, since ninth grade, at least, was that I’d, at some point in my life, write a book. I wanted that so badly. When I retired, I tried to do just that. I found out that wanting to and having an idea did not get you a book. I found out that I’m great at fixing other people’s book issues and that I can help to guide their stories in the right direction. I just can not start a book on my own. I have the ideas, thoughts, experiences (good lawrd, you’d never believe the actual, true-life stories) to write about. I just don’t seem to have the talent to write them from the beginning on my own. So, I have the utmost respect for anyone who can write a story that can bring me back to it again and again. Thank you, Ms. Roberts, for doing just that. For supplying me with stories which can give me comfort when my mind needs peace and a sense of just plain, old, homecoming. When I need the equivalent of comfort food for my mind, I go to a Roberts book. Thanks, again. To thieves, cheaters, plagiarists, I say drop dead, you talentless hacks. Nora, you kick their ass, we’ll hold your coat.
Trust your instinct.
I was reading a Nora book and thought is Nora repeating herself? Because I already read the same in another book. Now I now why.
Keep fighting ladies.
It is a big deal, and if it’s copying lines, scenes, phrases, it is plagiarism. A bit of paraphrasing doesn’t change that.
Using the same character names wouldn’t be plagiarism. Repeating tropes, themes, even storylines happens, especially in genre fiction. It’s the words that matter, how a writer creates the world from that theme or storyline.
Romeo and Juliet/West Side Story. Same basic storyline, two entirely different and brilliant takes on it.
But stealing those lines, paragraphs, scenes has not, and will never be, legitimized.
If I heard someone openly admit they lifted from me, you’d better believe they’d hear from my lawyer.
It’s really not. Ideas are often just out in the universe, and writers will grab one and go–more than one may grab and go. In genre fiction you’re going to see some basic storylines that repeat–but they should be from that writer’s voice, her/his style, in her/his words.
I was never a fan of romance novels until I was handed one of your books. Your books pull me into the story and make me believe. So I believe you will fight and you will win, but like you said it’s like fighting a Hydra. The only way to win that is to take out the heart, but how do you kill greed?
I totally agree about the five star reviews on some books. About 2 months ago, I did a review on a book because the 5 star reviews were so different from what I was seeing in that book. To say it was a mess was an understatement. English was always my worst subject and if I have problems with the book anyone who did great in English wouldn’t have made it pass page 10. The book was so badly edited (if at all) that frankly it was an incredible chore just to get to the end. It’s hard reading a book when you are yanked out of it constantly by bad spelling, punctuation, & unrelated gibberish showing up in paragraphs. There is no why on the face of this planet that those people had actually read the book. So the author was either paying for reviews or friends were trying to advance sells. In real life I would have given it a 4 on plot and characters but a -10 on editing etc.
I went to that site Laura pointed and I must say I read most of those books. I’m appalled. And feeling a bit sick to be honest. Can’t even grapple how you are all feeling.
Sick sick world and minds
Teresa, the titles on that list are the ones that have been plagarizied, so don’t feel bad that you’ve read them. They’re the good guys. I just wish I knew the titles that plagarized them so I can go checking thru my cloud & delete any that I’ve acquired!
Every time I read or hear of someone hacking accounts, scamming folks, etc, I just have to wonder why? They’re smart enough (well, the hackers anyway) to be able to work their way around ; why can’t they use those brains for good. Can’t be laziness; developing that hack isn’t easy! As for those that scam, esp. scamming folks who really can’t afford it; I think we need another level in Dante’s Hell & find some way to make sure they get there before they die! I know, wishful thinking.
Let me start by saying Nora/J.D are my #1 reads. I have started my collection from the beginning and have, but a few yet to get. Most of the ones in the last 5 years I have of J.D.
I can understand how some people can steal from others in today society everyone wants something for free or for little to no work. My daugther has written a couple of stories and even a book. She put it on Whatpad which is a good site, but for unpublished people understand your work is not protected.
The fact that they would steal from published Authors and pass it off as their own is wrong in so many ways. Thank you Nora for giving me a way to escape everything with your book to another world.
This is a hard battle, especially when you are trying to make a living writing other books. Thank you for taking your valuable time to lead the fight. We’ve got your back and will continue to buy your books.
I never had time or interest in reading fiction. Browsing a used book sale with a friend, I asked if she had any suggestions for a good beach read for my vacation.
“Have you ever read Nora Roberts?” She asked as she handed me one. The rest is history. I’ve read EVERY one. More than once. Only Nora.
Back in 2001, when my dad and grandma and great-grandma were still alive, I was in the hospital not expected to make it. I had lucid moments, and when I had them, I wanted to read. Reading took me out of that hospital room where I was connected to over a dozen tubes, not allowed to eat or drink, and no longer had the muscle to walk. Intestinal rupture when you only have half a set left and severe septicemia. When you know you’re not supposed to make it, and fighting for each say comes with more and more hell and that looks to be the rest of your life, you start to wish the end would hurry up. Kinda not a good time.
My great-grandma wanted to do something for me from two time zones away, and send my grandma some money to get me some books, and my grandma picked out a few Nora Roberts books since I’d recently finished everything Dean Koontz. I went from the mindset that if I die, oh well, to, “Well, now I have to get through that next hellish piece of hell so I can figure out what happens,” and when going through things I’m not going to describe, it really helped to think about a place that was one of my favorites in the world, still is to this day, that Nora captured so well.
My great-grandmother, who asked for some books to be bought for me, died the next year. My dad, who taught me an honest loss is better than a dishonest win, died the year after. My grandma, who picked those books for me and shared so many others and who just plain understood my love of words and art, died just a couple months ago, right when I started reading the second of those books, which are all three sitting about three feet from me just to the left of Stephen King’s “On Writing”. I haven’t been able to pick it up yet to continue reading, but I will. They gave me incentive to push through to the next day. To say they helped me live would be no exaggeration.
In today’s (April 5) Sarah Wendell’s Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, blog, she has a discussion on the plagiarism issue. You can listen to podcast or read the transcript! They also link to Nora’s Blog on the issue, as well. Thought you might like to know! Keep up the great work on this, Nora. We as readers will prompt you when we see anything that looks like theft of your work! It’s disgusting!!
What bugs me is that our favorite authors (my #1 is Nora) have to mess with the copycats instead of writing more excellent books. Selfish, but true. ?
But her willingness to do so shows how much she cares about the craft, not only for traditionally published authors, but independent ones as well. This is very encouraging.
Even at 70, people misinterprete what I’m saying. God bless you. LOL ?
What as readers can we do to help you and other authors, fight and win this battle. Seems there are a lot of us who are willing to help. What can we do?
I’m so glad you have brought this to everyone’s attention. It’s changed the way I buy books. I’ve stopped thinking that buying the bargain books was helping a new writer and stopped buying any of them. However I have noticed in the last few weeks that they are including books from writers I actually read including you and Robin Carr. Thank you Nora for hours of pleasure.
I’ve said it before, but must repeat: Nora, you are so very loved.
Wish I could find a list of the authors doing that. I would make sure not to read their books. ? I don’t remember reading anything that sounded copied, but at my age…. ?
Nora,
Thank you! Almost four years ago I walked into Turn The Page bookstore looking for advice. (Who better to ask than a local rockstar?) I had recently finished writing my first book and had no idea what to do with it. I had thought about self-publishing being a first time author and all. You were nice enough to be blunt with me: something to the extent of, “self-publish if you are not confident in your writing or you don’t think it’s that good. If you love your work and think it has potential, pick up a copy of Guide to Literary Agents and start querying. Patience will pay off if your book is good.”
Nine months later I had an agent, and this week I sign a deal with a publisher for the book series to be published early 2020.
Again, thank you for taking a few minutes with me way back in 2015. I am grateful for your words.
In Him,
Dwight
Waynesboro, PA
I feel like a dope, but I don’t know how to research an author to see if they are a plagiarist. Obviously publishing books every week or two is a giveaway, but what else? I don’t know if you’ve already answered this in reply to someone else’s comment – I’m not going to take the time to read them all.
Could you possibly post something about how to be a more careful consumer? Or take it further – get your publisher to coordinate with other publishers and get the information out on every author’s websites, publishers’ websites and so on. They should be able to help fund an information campaign.