When journalist Robert Kolker published an article in the New York Times Magazine titled Who is the Bad Art Friend?, it set the internet ablaze over a strange feud between two writers, Dawn Dorland and Sonya […]
Dorland v. Larson (aka The Bad Art Friend)—Where Plagiarism Meets Copyright Infringement Read More
“Good artists copy; great artists steal.” The quote is widely attributed to Picasso. Most likely, the idea existed before Picasso made it famous. The literature is littered with much older discussions of how artistic theft
Creative Theft – Plagiarism vs. Copyright Infringement Read More
Steal a plot. Crib a phrase. Imitate someone’s prose. I often hear this advice in my writing communities. And every time, that old high school taboo stored in the rafters of my brain screeches, “That’s
Prose, Plots, and Plagiarism — How To Avoid Literary Theft Read More
Over the holiday, Kristin from Florida asked if she could use a current news story in her fiction without being sued. This question arises often and in various permutations, like writing about relatives, celebrities, politicians,
Pilfering News Events For Your Fiction – Is it Legal? Read More
In my writing circles over the years, I often heard advice encouraging writers to steal a plot, use a phrase, or mimic someone’s prose. And every time, that taboo I learned in high school and
