This is not an actual chapter :P I need to rant about something fanfiction related and F.A.M.E needs updating. So, let me start with my ranting.

This is an issue probably everyone can relate to in a way, whether you're a business man or a fanfic writer. It's the issue of plagiarism, which is defined as "taking someone else's work and or ideas and passing them off as your own."

I'm a review stalker and I've noticed some authors writing things in their reviews like "this kind of remind me of my story" or "it seems like you stole my idea."

Seeing this stuff makes me very angry, especially since this is the Rimahiko fandom we're talking about and there are SO SO SO many trends and cliches (e.g Rima's pet name in Rima Can't Spell, "Riri-tan")

It really feels like this accuser is taking too much credit, saying that another author is so heavily inspired by their story and is copying their ideas, etc. etc. It's like. . . if a girl wears skinny jeans to school and approaches some other girls wearing skinny jeans with a different top and such, then goes "Ya'll copyin' my style."

If two people both write songfics for You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift, then they're bound to be similar, no?

Someone once told me that some people are copying my fics, and it made me so mad I felt like crying. But then if I was accused of stealing ideas, I'd be crying, too.

I realized that there is no such thing as original plots/ideas. NO SUCH THING, I repeat. If you google "how to come up with an original idea" (which I admit to because I was on writer's block :P), you will find that authors' ideas are based off their inspirations.

Inspirations can come from movies, music, relationships, global news, past personal events, dreams, etc. There will be people who are inspired by the same things as you, so therefore...

Your resulting ideas may be similar or someone else may be inspired by your work. And I understand that it's so infuriating when someone copies something in your story and you just know it, but it goes uncredited D:

The details and characters that you entwine with your story idea is what makes your story original.

So when people accuse other people of copying your work, I find that totally hypocritical and arrogant since they probably were inspired by something else to write their story as well.

Before Stephenie Meyer was writer her forbidden love story of a girl and a vampire being in love, Shakespeare wrote his forbidden love story of Romeo and Juliet. As far as I know, Meyer never cited Romeo and Juliet as an inspiration. So if Shakespeare accused Meyer of stealing his forbidden love idea, it would be wrong.

Unless there is an uncanny resemblance between your story and another, such as they just changed the name/job/age of your character or like they both have young wizard children with a scar on his forehead and a redheaded best friend, then please calm your ego before you accuse people of plagiarism.

I'm pretty sure some people have read Rimahiko fanfics, were inspired by them and wrote their own fics, but forgot to cite their inspirations. But if your story was worthy of people copying ideas from, then you probably have fans who'll be quick to recognize that it was your idea first.

Wooooww I feel a lot better xD

This might not matter to many of you guys but I just had to rant about it, so thanks for reading my rant.

What are your thoughts of plagiarism? Don't be shy (: