issenllo: tsukasa from Tokyo Crazy Paradise (tsukasa's face cracks)
issenllo ([personal profile] issenllo) wrote2009-07-30 10:30 am
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So, I surface from a two-day binge* of reading HP fic to find a ruckus in the Hikago fandom involving an alleged case of plagarism (accuser: [livejournal.com profile] bookshop; accused: [livejournal.com profile] lundi--see this post). Also see a response from [livejournal.com profile] umarekawareru.

Have to admit, I'm frustrated at the drama of deleting journals and then restoring them ([livejournal.com profile] lundi) as it is unnecessary and only leads to contempt (the accusers), anger (accusers' defenders) and bewilderment (all).

Also, I can't comment on the similarities between [livejournal.com profile] two_if_by_sea's fic and [livejournal.com profile] lundi's, because I am 100% clueless about the canon. That's for the two of them to sort out.

Still, I don't find the example of plagiarism that [livejournal.com profile] bookshop detailed in her post to be convincing. Yes, I can see where the same words and phrases are used, but...

There're similar fics in every fandom, especially if it's a popular scenario or plot point, and sometimes they are similar to an alarming degree. In the Hikago fandom especially, hands up now, who has not read about a dozen Akira-confronts-Hikaru fics that you could actually swear were all written by the same person? The set-up is similar, as are the scenes of confrontation, the development of the plot, and even the very phrases used might be copies of one another. I think just about every newcomer to the fandom has tried her (and his?) hand at one of such scenes.

Other cliched fics:

- Hikaru confesses about Sai
- May Day angst
- Hikaru falls in love with Akira
- Akira falls in love with Hikaru
- Sai comes back
- sex in a hotel. Bonus for use of "hand of God".
- the new insei (reincarnated Sai)
- the new insei (Mary Sue--or more charitably, OC)

There are varying levels of similarities in plot, characterisation, jokes and shout-outs, but sometimes there're even identical turns of phrases. Some of it is no doubt due to coincidence. But this being the internet (and in places such as ff.net), I also don't doubt that perhaps a number of those are the result of plagiarism, unauthorised borrowings, unintentional liftings or 'inspired' takes on a well-liked fic (or fics).

But that does not mean a fic that sounds familiar must be the result of plagiarism.

Gah, thinking about this makes my brain hurt. I'd like to go back to Harry/Draco smut now, thanks.



*Owned, WIP, DH-compliant except for epilogue, Harry/Draco, slave!fic, by [livejournal.com profile] jordangrant. Up to chapter 99, soon to end. Hm, I don't often read slave!fics, but I like the idea of Harry as the head of Magical Law Enforcement. Heh.

Also read: Last man standing, Touya Akira, HnG, by [livejournal.com profile] thephoenixboy
armadillo: (Acorn)

[personal profile] armadillo 2009-07-30 05:57 am (UTC)(link)
This is former!nakatani_yuushi AKA The Zombie, here via [profile] readerofasaph's journal. HI. Just saying, I'm not a completely random stalker. I agree with many things you say here. Most fandoms have their basic cliches that are used all the time. This is how fandom works, no matter how you feel about it. So yeah, while I really can't blame the authors for getting frustrated over this (I've never been a victim of plagiarism, I don't even KNOW how it feels)... it's complex and nothing is 100% clear.