If you know me, I wasn't insulted by the uncouth response. I AM insulted that it was just a copy and paste message from her profile page (seen screencaptured below with name erased) and didn't reply to my message at all. Sigh. Some people just never learn. I would have loved to get a personalized message, you know? As I mentioned previously, I vehemently hate the world "plagiarism" and its variants because it is misused and overused, but in this situation, because the plagiarizer herself stated that she has stolen and doesn't care she has, then I guess that is what she is.
Yeah. She decided to rename "New Trials of CCS" to "New Trials." What makes me sad about this affair is that the individual did not really seem to learn anything from this experience (perhaps other than "don't mess with CCS fangirls,") which was NOT the message anybody was trying to relay to her. I think somebody reported her since then (thank you whoever did), and currently New Trials seems to be permanently removed from her profile.Truthfully, the individual in me wants to reach out to this girl and try to figure out what is wrong. The realist thinks ignoring is the best measure. As we all know, it happens all the time on the internet and will continue to happen. However, the writer in me just heaves a long sigh. This could have happened to anyone, and one way or another, I might have expected it to happen to me at one point. The person shows no sign of logical coherency, therefore I am not going to think that New Trials was particularly targeted for any reason of logical coherence or devise. New Trials is the variable, the interchangeable factor, and the constant is that individual who could have substituted New Trials for any number of anime fanfiction out there. That is why I am writing this post, because writers ARE helpless in this situation. All we can do is spread awareness. I am grateful to all those who cared enough to point out the plagiarist's wrongdoing, because it is all of you who do bring about relative "justice," but at the same time, I feel bad that you all had to waste time on someone like her and probably woke up to having such an unpleasant copy-and-paste message waiting in your inbox. And I also regret that the plagiarizer herself probably came out of this mess feeling like the victim, that she was flamed and she was wronged.
I went through bemusement at the situation to befuddlement then disappointment. I get disappointed when a person acts according to what is expected of them. What is more cliched than a plagiarist who is seeking attention, denies wrongdoing, can't write proper English (by proper, I mean sentences with punctuation and without profanities and doesn't apply to those who are not native-speakers, but hey, English wasn't my first language either), flames everybody and then quickly destroys all evidence, as is easy to do online? Yeah, I've worked in the legal field, so I'm big on evidence-keeping, hence the ready screenshots of profile pages that keep disappearing. I was writing a longer blog entry trying to make sense out of things, but at the end of the day, I grew weary of making excuses for this individual and really didn't see much resolution to the larger issue at hand which is not plagiarism but why this individual (and many others out there) was compelled to commit this act (as I mentioned before, I classify internet plagiarism differently from academic or professional plagiarism). It could happen to anyone, but it happened to me, so now, it is something that I am going to ponder over. I will love to hear what others feel about this issue and how you would handle this situation because truthfully, I am stumped.
Anyhow, it's all for the better to just let her be. All I can say is, girl you picked the wrong fanfic author to mess with.
Well, we can all clearly see why she directly copied and pasted your fanfic. Given her syntax and grammar, I question her ability to make her own alterations.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame people don't realize how valuable creating your own works can be. The feeling that you alone created or completed a task gives you that feeling of self-satisfaction to keep moving forward despite future obstacles. The dopamine (a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure) is based on a goal-oriented, reward system, released only when you work hard to achieve your goals -- spurring you forward with triumph and motivation (sorry, I just had to tie in my neuroscience major haha).
I don't think there is much to be done here. If it's already removed, then it's over with (hopefully). If she posts it up again, she'll only receive bad publicity; anyone looking at the reviews will immediately redirect themselves to your fic rather than pointlessly wait for an update from her.
Hopefully this blows over, and you can update Chapter 66 ASAP!!!! (today? tomorrow?)
Yay to neuroscience major!!! That was very enlightening. Dopamine... I swear, I should have taken more science courses in college.
ReplyDeleteI feel guilty that I didn't work on Chapter 66 over the weekend as much as I would have liked to. I'm reworking some key scenes, but I'm hoping to have it released some time next week. Is there some scientific explanation to procrastination, I wonder?
I seriously don't know what to say. I went through both blog posts and the more I read, the more astonished I got. First of all, of course I'm very shocked and angry that someone dares plagiarize New Trials. But I'm also awed at your reaction, Wish-chan, because this person simply doesn't deserve so much psychoanalyzing and thinking up excuses for her. The way she responded on her profile, and in her comments, shows that she probably doesn't even understand your reaching out to her. She probably doesn't even understand what she's doing wrong, which is sad. However, I'll say to just forget and move on. I'm glad that the matter is resolved now. She may still post up the story again and again, but really, what will she gain from it? I'm sure she'll grow tired before she even reaches the end of Arc 1 in her copying/pasting spree. ^_^
ReplyDeleteJust let the matter rest. You handled it marvelously, like a true CCS fan.
@Kirei-chan, you're always so understanding. :) I think writing out my thoughts on the matter was sort of therapeutic--got it out of my system, and I'm feeling pretty foolish after the whole ordeal, so I'm redoubling efforts on this chapter.
ReplyDeleteIt's the occupation disease, I think. With the motto "there is a reason for everything," I am always questioning "why." But some things just are. ^_^;
I have been reading new trials ever since the beginning. I have seen you evolve as a writer and although I am not an active poster or commenter I have to say I was a little hurt for you by this. Not only is she too stupid to realize that plagiarism is a criminal offense she just seems rude. The audacity of her to swear at you when she was clearly in the wrong is shocking. Trust me, if she had done this to me I would not have handled this as calmly. You're smart not to post her user id because I would have put this idiot child in her place for you.
ReplyDeleteI just want to say thank you so much for your creative nature. Thank you for being the classiest fanfiction writer there is. Most of all, thank you for continuing new trials all these years. I haven't kept a continuing interest in any fanfictions over the years except for yours and I hope you know that people still appreciate your work.
There are people that just think they can get away on what they do. Yesterday i had found that girl profile on which the fanfic had already been deleted. As soon I saw this post I went to her profile just to know that the profile was deleted. I don´t know if it was the ff.net that deleted the account or if it was the girl so I hope this problem is finished.
ReplyDeleteAlso that girl needs some manners, she´s a teen but she could be polite, maybe it´s the hormones I don´t know.
Since this problem is already part of the past let´s just thinking on good things like the next chapter. I don´t know if it´s just me but these days I've been very nervous for the next chapter. I can barely wait, I think I will jump of joy when the new chapter is updated. ^_^
Wish-chan,
ReplyDeleteI've been following New Trials for some 10+ years now, but this whole ordeal has prompted me to post something here for the first time. There can be so much to be said about this girl, and after everything you have already graciously done, I think she doesn't deserve the energy for further analysis. At the end of the day, the creativity and joy that goes into creating a complex world such as New Trials will always and only belong to you, the result of which is in turn channeled to your fans. If this teen continues to plagiarize, sadly she will never be able to experience this, and such a loss is truly pitiful.
I hope you won't let this whole thing get to you too much! I know that after all these years, including a period of reading practically every CCS fanfic on the planet ^_^, yours is the only one I still follow, and it seems like that is the case for many others out there. The characters and story that you have crafted have breathed a whole new life to CLAMP's original. Best wishes for the chapters ahead!
Wow. That girl has quite an offensive personality there. I shudder to think what she’d be like if confronted in real life instead of just over a simple computer screen.
ReplyDeleteI’m glad that this drama seems to be over with now. Good for you Wish-Chan for taking a more calm and diplomatic approach as compared to this young girl.
Also, I can’t wait for the next chapter. Your update will surely be the climax of this coming week. ^_^
Best wishes to you,
~Lizzie
Though it's always hard to believe that someone could steep as low as plagiarising another person's work, so obviously at that, I can't help feeling surprised that it took this many years before someone tried to do it to New Trials.
ReplyDeleteYour story is phenomenal, and it does have a large fanbase that is just incredible. People get jealous of things like that, and I'm just shocked that this problem is happening NOW when so many people know of your story, rather than in your earlier days.
I guess it goes to show that, in many cases, the intelligence in some people is going down. Way, way down.
You handled this situation like a very kind and understanding person, and you should be very proud of your attitude towards someone who is SCREAMING to be scolded 100%. Just reading her message to you (or, rather, the copy and paste message to all "fangirls") makes me want to get angry at her. I just... don't understand some people :/
But anyway, I was very impressed with your attitude toward the whole ordeal, and you have a lot of support behind you to keep this sort of thing from happening :)
Hopefully everything will go smoothly now :) Can't wait to see what you've got in store for Chapter 66! I promise, I'll actually review this one ;) I was just tired after reading your entire story in like, two days. TWO! ALL THOSE WORDS! AHHH! (But it was worth it. :) )
wish-chan, your fanfic is the best & I dont think copying your work will harm it cuz copying is never on par with the original, besides I'm 100% sure that every reader is on your side...........
ReplyDeletewe(readers) all support u & love you as a great author. seriously, the way you handeled the situation is worth praising.I dont think I could have remained this calm....u r amazing(a complete tomoyo, I never stop praising u)
That's sad. It's just some immature kid with too much time on her hands? As long as the Internet exists, annoying trolls will also exist...
ReplyDeleteFellow reader who's been following for 10 years+ here, and girl, you handled that kid better than I would. Judging from her 'profile' I'd say she doesn't feel any guilt at all and is ready to do it again. I have a feeling she's not going to stop here... you better watch out
ReplyDeleteHahaha, I found her profile on ff.net, and am tempted to flip her off.... but since you chose to go about it the polite way, I won't do it since it might give you a bad name.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for the next chappie!
New Trials is simply the greatest fanfiction in the history of fanfictions. Heck, in my opinion, the thrilling plot and the excellent writing style places this story above some of the classics. It's no wonder why trolls on the internet attempt to steal this masterpiece. Well, all I can say is that you handled the situation with the utmost dignity and respect, even though she didn't deserve it. I loudly applaud you for that! Always remember that your fans support you 100%, I know I do. I am really looking forward to Chapter 66 and 67. Best wishes on writing, Wish-Chan!
ReplyDeleteI have been following New Trials for 5 years now and reading about this incident makes me feel sad, irritated and to somehow feel pity toward the said 'writer'.
ReplyDeleteMy posts on the internet has been copied more than thrice already- 2 times by 1 person and then by others, and what really irked me was that what they have copied are my forum posts, video comments and even a blog entry which took me days to complete and eventually publish- (a POST about a case of plagiarism, actually).
It really got me annoyed when the person involved denies the act and/or simply ignores a Clear Warning and continues to copy and paste someone else's work.
Its a pity they could not even word their own comment, articulate their own reaction or create their own entries.
I can relate to what you are feeling and I am impressed with how you dealt with the situation. *I especially love your last line.*
And personally, I dont think said 'writer' comprehends the five letter word ^&TCH, or else said person would be telling that to him/herself- there's no point in being gender sensitive now. Oh well, Projection is one of the most common defense mechanisms. Poor thing.
I have a space in my hard drive for screencaps too. Some people think they could get away every time. *sigh*
I support you Wish-chan.
Thanks for inspiring me to create my own fic someday,
and for bring cure to me whenever Im down.
Every New Trials chapter makes my day-
week even. :)
people like this who dont have the creativity to write something of their own should be ashamed!!
ReplyDeleteWish-chan, your writing is AMAZING and you should not be affected at all by this kind of person who only likes to hurt others with their actions! i hope you stay positive and dont let this kind of nonsense bother you! ;)
Thanks everybody for your encouraging words. I really appreciate it, and it made the whole situation a lot more positive experience than it could have been.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, a more important note, I'm in the final editing stage of Chapter 66: The Truth in the Heart. It's twice the usual length of a chapter, so hope it would be worth the wait. ^_^
wow wish-chan u sure do go through alot for your fans!!! you're such a dedicated and amazing writer...and now u have to fend off these horrible parasites that try to take credit for our wonderful work...
ReplyDeleteIt's so hard to come by reading material that can fully engross u and transport u into another dimension...I'm so glad u've stuck it through this far...I think I'd go through a morbid state of depression if nt was ever discontinued :(
I don't know what I'll do when nt comes to an end...what a bittersweet situation that'll be...I can't bear to think about it *sob*
seriously I'm addicted...I'm on some serious nt withdrawal right now...like some crazed stalker on my yahoo mail o.O
Anyway before I digress further from my original train of thought, I'd just like to congratulate u on handling the situation so calmly and eloquently...u shouldn't have been so softhearted though, and instead report her immediately....it was blatent copy and paste, and she was downright nasty about it too...
~eagerly awaiting ch 66~
~GRS~
I've been checking this blog daily in the hopes of an update (sometimes, a few times a day). Like gamma rae star, I'm suffering from horrible NT withdrawal ^_^;; I even started re-reading bits of the CCS manga. Oh gosh, and the new NT chapter title is such a teaser! I'm getting even more excited.
ReplyDeleteI'm also desperately waiting for the next update; many times a day on this blog. Ahh, I'm dying of anticipation! Can't wait for Ch 66!
ReplyDeleteAHHH Thanks for giving us the chapter! I seriously can't wait. Great job thus far, and I hope to see a chapter soon!!!!
ReplyDeletewaiting for a new chpter wish-chan............
ReplyDelete& plz no matter wat u do plz let S+S be togather forever ......plz plz plz dont seperate them.................
You seriously are the greatest author I have ever read a story from please next chapter.... please...?
ReplyDeleteWould it be unreasonable for me to beg for the update to be tomorrow so I can read it before leaving to college on Monday? :) Greatest-fic ever!
ReplyDeleteWow. So many things have been going on during New trials. I find it sad but interesting to hear psychoanalyzing. I did not know there was such a thing but I hope the matter is resolved. I cannot wait till the next chapter but until then. You go Wish-chan. ^_^ Maybe don't remember but I used to email you about two years ago. Things sound hectic but hey life is. Hope to see the story evolve more.
ReplyDeleteNext chapter? pretty please? WIth a cherry??
ReplyDeletepleaseeeeeeeee update soon :'(
ReplyDeletei only found new trials in march, but my god, it is the best fanfiction i have ever read. it makes me kind of sad that amazing writers like yourself arnt eurning what you deserve for your talents, where as stephenie mayer is rolling in it with her sorry attempt at writing..
please update! i await the chapter! <3 x
@leatwerpenn x
I'm so late with this comment, but luckily, I'm reading these posts today (when I've popped in and found out you've updated). I can't begin to tell you how disgusted this girl has made me feel. I applaud your ability to be so level-headed about this entire thing. As a fan who's been reading 'The New Trials...' since the very beginning, I think I may be more outraged that you. As an English-Business double major plagiarism drives me up the wall. It's bad enough when we'd find out my classmates would do it and we'd all be punished for their negligence, but this isn't research or a quote. For someone to steal your ideas and your characters outright...
ReplyDeleteI remember the first time this happened. I was actually a little awed. The "author" actually picked apart your story and changed more than a few things (which I think hinted to the fact that s/he was a fan). But this one just doesn't care. And that letter... I couldn't read the entire thing, it hurt so much. I'm going to attribute that to her being batshit crazy.
Well, I feel a rant coming on, so I'm going to stop typing and go read chapter sixty-six (congrats on getting through it, by the way. As difficult as it may have been, long chapters are always preferred. ^^). I'm glad the "author" was taken care of and you've moved past this. Hopefully, if/when she tries this again, fanfiction.net will ban her for good - we both know they've done so to real authors for much less.
May the rest of your summer be relatively stress-free!
~Animefreak242
aka
Kawaii Girl