I'd be curious to know if every story posted to that person's account is ripped off from someone else. Getting take down requests for all their stories might have some effect. Sorry that happened to you Walter. Plagiarism sucks.
I just reported the account and blocked the person. I find it's better not to engage because I don't want to lose my temper or get provoked into saying something that doesn't reflect who I am. It's better to just report and move on. I don't think it really hurt me since the individual didn't have many followers, it just made me feel sad honestly.
I understand the doppleganger, because it turns out there are at least a couple of other writers out there named David Perlmutter (one of them a "nutrition" expert) whose books sell better than mine- but at least one of them befriended me on Twitter/X and has tried to help me.
Here I thought I had a unique name, and that seems to be an aid in having a science fiction writing career since so many of the greats in that field have uncommon ones (Asimov, Heinlein, Zelazny, Le Guin, Delany, Sturgeon, Vonnegut, Sheckley, Resnick et al).
Of course, "Ice Ice Baby" is very different from "Under Pressure"- the former only used a snippet of the latter's driving bass line, but that's apparently considered enough for the label of theft...
And even if we writers have it tough now financially, we're better off than our counterparts were before the passage of universal copyright laws in the 19th century. In those days, enterprising con men would publish "pirated" editions of the works of living writers and not pay them bupkis!
I haven't. This one was posted on Medium and it was handled relatively quickly. I am not sure what I can do about stories that might be reposted elsewhere on the internet. I've found copies of my books on pirate sites. There's a lot of open theft in plain sight, I'm kind of used to it.
At some point in the distant future, I expect somebody will make money on all the work I've done. I only hope that a little bit of the profits trickles down to my children. What a frustrating world!
Wouldn't that be nice. For a while I used to send emails threatening legal action when I found one of my books on a pirate site. They usually took it down, but it seems to me that some government agency should be demanding they send me a check. Oh well... that's not how the government works!
I'd be curious to know if every story posted to that person's account is ripped off from someone else. Getting take down requests for all their stories might have some effect. Sorry that happened to you Walter. Plagiarism sucks.
I just reported the account and blocked the person. I find it's better not to engage because I don't want to lose my temper or get provoked into saying something that doesn't reflect who I am. It's better to just report and move on. I don't think it really hurt me since the individual didn't have many followers, it just made me feel sad honestly.
I understand the doppleganger, because it turns out there are at least a couple of other writers out there named David Perlmutter (one of them a "nutrition" expert) whose books sell better than mine- but at least one of them befriended me on Twitter/X and has tried to help me.
Here I thought I had a unique name, and that seems to be an aid in having a science fiction writing career since so many of the greats in that field have uncommon ones (Asimov, Heinlein, Zelazny, Le Guin, Delany, Sturgeon, Vonnegut, Sheckley, Resnick et al).
Of course, "Ice Ice Baby" is very different from "Under Pressure"- the former only used a snippet of the latter's driving bass line, but that's apparently considered enough for the label of theft...
And even if we writers have it tough now financially, we're better off than our counterparts were before the passage of universal copyright laws in the 19th century. In those days, enterprising con men would publish "pirated" editions of the works of living writers and not pay them bupkis!
Infuriating and concerning for you Walter. Did you google other titles of boosted stories?
I haven't. This one was posted on Medium and it was handled relatively quickly. I am not sure what I can do about stories that might be reposted elsewhere on the internet. I've found copies of my books on pirate sites. There's a lot of open theft in plain sight, I'm kind of used to it.
I didn’t know that was a thing until recently. Its infuriating that you get used to it, because you have to.
At some point in the distant future, I expect somebody will make money on all the work I've done. I only hope that a little bit of the profits trickles down to my children. What a frustrating world!
To have to bear the burden of proof as an innocent bystander is so Lewis Carroll warpy. No one with a conscience can stand for it anymore.
The “it’s ok if I get away with it” routine constitutes addiction,.
When character, honesty and integrity become symbols of wealth and success ...we might see a change.
Wouldn't that be nice. For a while I used to send emails threatening legal action when I found one of my books on a pirate site. They usually took it down, but it seems to me that some government agency should be demanding they send me a check. Oh well... that's not how the government works!