I am really upset and pissed off. And feeling so betrayed at this moment it is hard to work around it.
For my stories, I spend HOURS researching and writing for one chapter. Then I go back over the chapters and edit them, sometimes adding thousands of words. Then there is all the time I spend on here adding pics and letting it look good. This is all BEFORE I even hand the story over to the betas.
Yes, I spend a lot of time on them. I also read a lot of fanfiction. And I can certainly understand if someone’s story inspires their own. It’s just going to happen. It’s life! Shoot, What If is a direct example of this. And because of this, I went to the author and told her my plans (even though they didn’t go that way) and we spent hours talking about it. She gave me permission, and even when it went off the script that we talked about, it still wasn’t her story and she knows all about it. I talk to her, and fully support her try to break out to the Writing industry. If she asks me to ever pull the story, well I would talk to her, but I would pull it. Its courtesy.
All I ask is the same courtesy. If my stories inspire one of yours, then please ask me if you can use the idea behind it. I’m pretty sure I would approve, I can’t guarantee, but I will tell you why if I can’t. But to be off reading while I am relaxing and finding one of your stories out there under someone else’s name? No. That felt like betrayal. It hurt.
It also made me consider what one of my betas said about locking stories. But I decided not to do it. This is fanfiction. We write our own stories based on the stories out there. As long as I am writing on that, I cannot say I will lock them. But my Original Fiction? Yeah that baby is locked up tight. And soon will be going through its own purge if there are people approved to read it who are not reviewing. Not every chapter, but at least something! I am asking for feedback so that when I go back and do the edit process, I can fix anything that needs to be fixed.
So the meaning of this message? Is that I am hurt, betrayed, and upset. Someone took something that literally has been a work on my part of hours, and on this particular story, no less than four of my betas have helped me look up details and such. Not to mention the Beta who works on it. She gives her time, but I admit it ain’t easy to make my work look like it does. It is a reason I have Betas folks. It was their time as well as mine stolen. Time I give up to get the experience to write, and to give you guys the stories, time that they give unselfishly to make sure it looks good. And all they get for a reward is access to the rest of my stories to read ahead. Nothing else. I get the reward of making some awesome friends in here, my group and my betas. And not a penny more. Ask my Husband. He can tell you all about it. In detail.
I have been hurt by demands for stories, when people don’t realize how much time I use to write this. I have no life. And with the help of my betas, they convinced me to relax. Because of this I am working actively on ED, and am moving forward in the story in leaps and bounds without losing anything you guys like. I am not putting in place holders to please fans, no instead, I am writing the story. I plan on finishing this and You’re before I go back to publishing. This way we all will have the updates and you guys keep me inspired and more importantly, my muse. She is a hungry, mean, bitch. And if I don’t write what she wants me to write, she leaves.
Thank you for listening to my rant. It makes me feel better to get this off my chest. I cannot explain how hurt I am by this betrayal.
Wendy
You have every right in the world to be feeling angry, pissed off, betrayed, stabbed in the back and hurt. What gets me? If this li’l snot had just ASKED YOU, and worked WITH you, it’d have been so very different. I can’t blame her for being inspired by you, but I blame the hell out of her for how she went about it.
People also do NOT give you, or any on-going writer, nearly enough credit. Lives are NOT meant to be lived over a keyboard all fucking day, yet you do exactly that with amazing regularity, yet people STILL bitch and whine about updates.
Do we want more chapters of your stories? Hell yeah we do, but we ALSO want you to have at least some semblance of a normal life, too.
So: do what you do, and live a little, and rant when you need to, and we’ll still read your words. And if we spot someone plagiarizing your works (and therefore stealing your and our blood, sweat, time, tears, and gratuitous curse words), we’ll definitely let you know.
Fuckin’ A, man. That shit just plain sucks ass.
Ooooohhhh that sucks big time hun! And really, meridiean couldn’t have said it better from a fan p.o.v. Although, as another side to this coin, life? What life is there outside of writing? Husbands n pets need attention??? Huh? What are those? Haha I hope you know we all have your back on this one. Keep up the awesome work. I’ll hopefully catch up in the chapters one of these days… 🙂
Totally understandable and I appreciate all your work cause let’s face it I’m addicted to your stories! Thanks for all the hard work and sharing your brain and muse babies!
I can’t believe people it really fries my tater when people do this shit.What story did they copy? I’m sorry people are giving you a hard time about updates I know I asked a while back and you said you was taking a break cool everyone needs a break. Don’t get me wrong I’m pretty much twitching for an update but I dropped it. I hope to see more of your awesomeness soon 🙂
Wendy.
I just read your post, and I am with you on this.
Shen I read the post the first two times, I thought that someone had ripped you of your amazing plots, but when I read it a third time I realised that you felt unapreciated by us, your readers. And I am so sorry about that! I knew it takes a lot work and time to write as amazingly as you do, but I didn’t know how much work and how much time it takes, untill Inread your post.
There is nothing worse than the feeling of having been used (people who recives, but never gives) there is nothing worse than that.
Been there… Done that… My self
I personally love your stories, especially, Yes you guessed it, ED, What If, Twilight; teashoppe, and the one about Bella and Jasper, with James in 3rd command…
I am sorry for not reviewing your last chapters, but about a month ago you wrote a post here on WP and on fanfiction.net, where you told your readers that you were sick and had been told by your betas and your husband to slow down and take it easy. So I decided to not leave a review, because I had a feeling that you would focus all your energy on answering it and writing new chapters, instead on focusing on getting back on your feet again.
Yes. I am anxiously waiting for the next chapter in the tales of Godric and Bella, Carlisle and Bella, The Hatter and Bella, and Jasper, James, and Bella. But i refuse to put pressure on you, and demand new chapters to satisfy my need! Because you your health, and your familu comes before my and other readers demands for new chapters.
But I can promis you this…
When you publish new chapters of my favourite stories, and yes I am excitingly waiting for them*s*, then I will post a riview on said chapters both here and on fanfiction.net. you have my word on that*s*
Have a great day, and please dont let demanding readers take your good mood and spirits away.
Sincerely
Dortd a.k.a. Booklover31
People (using the noun loosely) can be wonderful and terrible in turns. I am so sorry that someone has taken your idea and ran with it without so much as a by the way. I do enjoy your work. Congratulations to you and your team, and thank you to your husband and family!
Have you contacted the site where the story is posted and expressed your concern that it has been stolen from you? It might be worth a shot to see what they can do. Contact the person also and if they turn nasty put the word out on Facebook and get the stolen story mass reported.
I feel so sorry and upset that you are having to go through this. I can’t believe the nerve of some people. It is always alright to rant, this is YOUR blog, anyways. We are all indebted to you for your wonderful stories. They are amazing!!!!
I love ur stories. so sorry this happened to you.
I’m so sorry this happened Wendy. I know how it feels to have a story “taken”. A couple of weeks ago someone copied “A Shifter’s Heart” word for word on their own FFN page. I hope this doesn’t discourage you hun.
I’m so sorry to hear about the rip off and how you feel under valued as a writer. i adore your stories when i get a chance to read em
Wendy, I’m sorry to hear what has happened. For this to happen at all is horrible. But, for it to happen to an orig work makes it that much worse. I am trying to be a writer as well. I have 3 stories up at fan fic. Like you I’ve done research, some of it was fun. Some not so much. I don’t have anyone helping me (though I know I should).
I have read so many good stories on the different sites. I’m reading several of yours. I haven’t updated any of my stories in a very long time. I pull them out and edit every so often, with the thought of getting inspired to write more.
I think you and your team are very good at what you do. I can’t wait for the next update on the stories I’m reading. I’m a beta as well and I’m doing more of that then anything.
Every story I read gives me inspiration to want to come up with an idea for a new story. I have all of these plots running around my head. Several inspired by other works. I would never think of stealing an idea from someone else.
I guess this boils down to I’m sorry this happened to you. I’m a big fan of yours, though I’m one of those people that don’t normally review.
Please don’t let this get you down. You have so many fans that love your stories. Please don’t get discouraged. I hope to see you published and soon.
Kim
Wendy,
I’m so sorry to hear that this has happened to you and can fully understand your strong feelings, it is a betrayal in the most simplest form and i cannot believe the stupidity some of the ‘writers’ on the Fanfic website who obviously steal stories and claim them as their own. I also feel sympathetic towards your beta’s too, i was in a situation last summer where i was messaging an author on Fanfic who was desperate for help on her story which she had just started. We exchanged hundreds of messages over a few months trying to help her plot along, develop characters, brush up on history and geography so that it seemed more realistic and then she turned around and claimed on her story that these were 100% her ideas and that she had no help. I cut off contact with her and have not read any of her stories since.
Without sounding ignorant, i’m not a writer on fanfic so bear with me- is there not a facility to block certain readers or report this writer to fanfic’s administrators to try and get the story removed from Fanfic?
I fully appreciate the effort, time and genuine love you put into all of your stories, which are among some of the best i’ve read and i hope this experience does not deter you from finding enjoyment in the process in the future.
I wish you the very best of luck for the future and hope writing once again becomes a happy experience.
Gah!! WTF? Who stole and what did they steal? Need to know so that they can be flogged with a dead fish!
*sigh* This really sucks. Unfortunately, it is unbelievably common. You work exceptionally hard at your stories, and I’ve seen how your work has progressed over time. How you keep so many stories going at once is absolutely astonishing to me. As others have said, you have every right to be upset by this thievery,so rant and scream all you want/need to. Take breaks when you need/want to. And know that though we probably don’t say it nearly often enough, we appreciate you and your stories.
I’ll send virtual hugs and cookies your way.
I’m so sorry that this happened to you please don’t let them stop you from writing your quite good.