A small matter.... - PPC Posting Board

Subject: A small matter....
Author: Karen Elaine DuLay
Posted on: 2011-08-21 17:26:00 UTC

Now that I know I can post again (InnerVoice: FINALLY!), there's a matter my beta thought I should present to the Board.

I'm running the Official Fanfiction University of Avatar: The Last Airbender, known in short as OFUA:TLA. Here's a link:

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6795085/1/OfficialFanfictionUniversityOFUATLA

My beta is Anjilly Ka, known on ff.net as Caelum Blue. The other day, she ran across a fic that had her worried. Here it is:

<a href="http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6046263/1/TheAvatarTLAFanfictionWritersAcademy">http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6046263/1/TheAvatarTLAFanfictionWriters_Academy

The Avatar: TLA Fanfiction Writers Academy » by Midori Aoi reviews
Ever read a fanfic that makes you want to tear your eyes out? Well, I'm on a mission to help Aspiring Authors and FF Writers to reduce Crap!fiction. JOIN Jackie Ortega and the cast of ATLA to become a better writer at the A:TLA-F.F.W.A! chars welcome!
Rated: T - English - Humor/Romance - Chapters: 5 - Words: 32,647 - Reviews: 15 - Updated: 8-15-11 - Published: 6-12-10

Anjilly is worried Aoi's plagiarizing a little from my story, and I'm not sure what to think. We agreed it would be best if I went to the Board and asked for help. So....what with all of this, what do you guys think I should do about it?

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A small matter.... by Karen Elaine DuLay on 2011-08-21 17:26:00 UTC

Not done an investigation by IndeMaat on 2011-08-22 08:28:00 UTC Reply

but Midori Aoi's story started in June 2010, yours in March 2011. At a first glance, since she started nine months before you, you have to come with a little more substantial evidence than "fic with similar idea" before you start accusing her of plagiarism.

At the moment it looks more like you are plagiarizing her. (Which I doubt is the case.)

Hu? by Karen Elaine DuLay on 2011-08-23 15:18:00 UTC Reply

Wait, hers started in 2010? I feel observant....

Same... by Anjilly on 2011-08-24 01:19:00 UTC Reply

...you can tell I'm completely exhausted when I forget to check the glaurunging date, of all things. XD

Thanks, IndeMaat.

You must be tired by Karen Elaine DuLay on 2011-08-25 00:01:00 UTC Reply

You should procrastinate more. *nods sagely*

Some thoughts... by HerrWozzeck on 2011-08-21 21:54:00 UTC Reply

Have you or Anjilly contacted Midori Aoi? That might be a good way to clear the air, see what's going down.

But honestly, I'm not sure there's that much plagiarism going on. Your OFU is an ensemble cast affair, while hers is more centered around one character going around doing stuff. Also, it reads more like a high school thing than it does a guide on how not to write fanfics in the A:TLA continuum. I dunno.

I suggest you contact her about it first before you do anything else. That might help clear the air a bit...

Honestly.... by Karen Elaine DuLay on 2011-08-22 02:40:00 UTC Reply

Truth be told, I'm good with just letting her be. Her story hasn't been getting much attention, and I personally don't care about what she does with it. Anjilly and I thought it best to ask for more professional second opinions on the Board, in case there was anything we missed.

So for now, I'll probably just leave Aoi alone.

Strange... by Sergio Turbo on 2011-08-21 18:41:00 UTC Reply

No disclaimer of "fanfiction universities are Miss Cam's idea", and no trace of Midori Aoi in the Wiki or the Board. Not good.
I didn't search for similarities between your OFU and hers because I don't have the time, however.

I know that PPC and OFUs are separate entities, but effectively seems that a random girl decided to open her own OFU-lookalike. In my personal opinion, nothing wrong about that. Love for canon and good writing is always a good thing.

But pagiarizing somebody else's work is always bad.