This Week's Topic: There is No 'Me' in Community
I haven't written a Breakfast with the Bookie post in a long time but I haven't felt the need to write a rant or discussion until now! This week I want to talk about reputation, actions and how they affect the blogging community. With the recent burst of new plagiarism claims, I just want to talk about how one person's actions can cause repercussions for the whole community.
The blogging community is really fragile, it the grand scheme of the publishing industry, we are a very small and quite insignificant part. I'm sure we make somewhat of a footprint in publicity, media and sales but we are in position to cause masses of drama and in turn give publishers a reason to say no to book bloggers. With sites like Goodreads and online bookshops allowing customers and users to post reviews, publishers could easily give up working with bloggers.
The foundation of anything in life is honesty and plagiarism is anything but honest. However I'm not here to lecture anyone about why plagiarism is bad and why you shouldn't do it ( like smoking and drugs!). I'm here to talk about how one action affects everyone. I like to think of this community as quite a close knit family and when something happens in the community, everyone is bound to find out. Everyone including publishers.
So when something like a plagiarism claim pops up out of no where, it's quite embarrassing not only for the plagiarist but for everyone. Book blogging is a hobby but when you add an industry like publishing into the equation, it's a professional hobby. Essentially your actions affect all bloggers because we are a community.
The last thing anyone wants is to hear someone say" Oh did you hear about the plagiarism in the blogging community? That's so pathetic, they must be a community of plagiarists." Of course this could apply to anything - the way you behave at book conferences, your actions against another blogger, author or publisher or some other drama that I forgot to mention.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that next time you're going to do something that's not "right" please think not only of yourself but the whole community. We have your back so please don't stab us in the back by doing something like plagiarising or biting librarians at conferences or calling people names. Keep it professional people.
I would like to know what everyone else's thoughts are on dramas that affect the whole community, what do you guys think is the most professional way to deal with a drama llama and just what everyone thinks community means. Let's discuss!
PS - Matt Bomer is a sexual beast.
Badass Bookie xx
Everything in this post is so true. Plagiarists in the blogging community don't even make sense. I mean what, you couldn't come up with your own thoughts or opinions? That makes zero sense.
ReplyDeleteAnd in response to Matt Bomer: *steals shirt* *swoons*
PREACH IT, SISTAH! Or Daughtah... or... YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
ReplyDeleteYES.
It's horrible, even more so, because it has a wide reaching impact on a LOT of people. The effect on the victim, the plaigiarised is terrible, and I know my friends who HAVE been plagiariased hve had to deal wtih anger, doubt, guilt they shouldn't have to and stress, and, as a community, it effects us all.
It's really sad when, like Alexandra said, you have to plagiarise someone else's opinion. Sheesh.
Oh, Lisa. You sure know how to get people to comment. That GIF! Okay, in seriousness I completely agree with EVERYTHING you said. I'm a damn lazy blogger, but the act of plagiarism would never cross my mind. Once you've stolen work from another, you really have to think WHY you're blogging. What are you getting out from it if what you're writing isn't 100% from yourself? I can kind of understand if you're reading someone's post and think YEAH! NOW I'M INSPIRED TO POST LIKEWISE ON MY BLOG! Heck, I've done that before and I bet everyone has. But there's a line between inspiration and plagiarism.
ReplyDeleteEck. Not even going to touch on the subjects of all the drama and how it impacts the outreaching community. We all have the same viewpoints anyway. :P
Is there a reason why you're posting about this, plagiarism and drama and the blogging community NOW, Lisa? Did something happen recently that I've just missed? :S
There was something posted at The Midnight Garden earlier in the week - someone plagiarised Wendy Darling. Blegh... honestly it feels like the issue that just continues to raise it's ugly head.
DeleteWell said though Lisa, it's truly disappointing that it seems people haven't learnt from past examples that this is not okay. I honestly don't understand people's motivation behind copying other people work? I just don't get it.
I'd like to think generally speaking most of us are a pretty honest, hard working bunch of people. But you're right - it only takes a few bad apples to spoil the broth. :S
Eck. More drama for Wendy. I really love and admire her reviewing style so it's not all that surprising that someone plagiarised her. Thanks for the mention.
DeleteI actually just wrote a rant about this same thing that I am posting for the Sunday Salon this weekend. It is ridiculous how this keeps happening. I don't understand what their motivations are since the truth always comes out eventually. Are they fame seekers? Insecure? Just jerks? I don't know.
ReplyDeletebookshops allowing customers and users to post reviews, publishers could easily give up working with bloggers. Extra Bookie
ReplyDelete