YOU DIDN'T WRITE THAT!!!

I am and always have been a voracious reader.  Yes, I looked up the word voracious, on line and it definitely fits my reading habits.  My love affair with reading began in 1st grade when I found out that the words coming from my mouth were actually different combinations of letters.  I also found that those words could be arranged in different combinations on a page to tell a story, describe a sunset and even transport me to faraway places without ever leaving my chair.  Thus began my fascination with the written word.  I read every book I could get my hands on, read signs and even the writing on the drain culvert; of course Mom quickly explained that I shouldn’t sound out every word I saw.  Around 7 years old, I discovered newspapers.  They contained real news about real people that was happening right now.  On Saturday and Sunday, I would wake up at 6:30 just to be the first to read the newspaper.  The local library banned me from checking books out in the morning and returning them in the afternoon because I wasn’t giving them time to process the cards; this was years before computer technology.  A couple of years ago, Steve bought me a Kindle, now I carry over a 100 books, ready anytime; anywhere.

When I turned 50, my love for reading morphed into a love for writing.  I write when I’m happy, excited, sad, grieving, thoughtful, outraged or when any other emotion invades my life.  There is something so satisfying about describing feelings, thoughts, concepts or revelations through the written word.  I never grow bored with the challenge of using words to transport my reader smack dab into the middle of my imagination.  Through reading and writing, I have developed an appreciation and respect for the work of other writers because each finished work is a very personal piece of the author.

Now you understand why it is so troubling when I see quotes and sometimes whole paragraphs and articles posted on social media without mentioning the name of the author.  No, as a matter of fact, often they are posted as the poster’s own awesome thoughts and creations.  Thumbs up, kudos, oohs and aahs are given and even then the poster refuses to clarify the authorship and instead accepts the accolades as his due.  I know that the world has been around for thousands of years and there is probably nothing new under the sun that has not been said or published somewhere.  I am sure that if someone wanted to Google various lines from any piece of writing, they could find somewhere it had already been spoken or written.  I am also sure I have been guilty of not doing enough research on some lines but if it is not my own thoughts, I try to cite the author or at least, author unknown, so as to not mislead my reader into thinking it is my brilliance on the page.  In the academic/journalistic world, such behavior is called Plagiarism.  Reporters have been fired and students have been expelled for stealing someone’s creativity and passing it off as their own. 

Recently, I was listening to an awesome sermon.  It touched me so deeply; I wanted to post a link so that others could be blessed.  Turning on the television, I heard, to my surprise the same sermon being preached by a different preacher.  It wasn’t just the same scripture text or the same idea or title, IT WAS THE SAME SERMON, WORD FOR WORD!!!  I wanted to scream, “YOU DIDN’T WRITE THAT!!!”  I didn’t post the link because I wasn’t sure who should be credited with the sermon.  I recently posted an article on my Face book page and imagine my surprise as I read another posting today with the exact same article.  The difference, I provided a link to the article which cited the author; today’s post had the article rewritten, word for word as the poster’s own thoughts on the matter.  The comments posted after the article confirmed that most everyone thought the poster was brilliant for having revealed such awesome truths.  I continued reading the comments, sure that somewhere the owner of the page had posted a comment clarifying that it wasn’t his article but one that was so good, he had to share, but NO, the pats on the back and accolades kept flowing.  I wanted to type, “YOU DIDN’T WRITE THAT!!!”  I refrained. 

So please remember, just because you can type or manipulate a pen doesn’t make the words you write your property unless they come from your brain and your heart.  If you author something and I repost, I will be sure and cite you as the originator.  If you post something that you read or hear, please, please, please give the author credit or at least (anon) so that you are not guilty of receiving praise for plagiarism.  According to dictionary.com, plagiarism is “an act or instance of using or closely imitating the language and thoughts of another author without authorization and the representation of that author's work as one's own, as by not crediting the original author.”  And according to the Bible; Exodus 20:15, “Thou shall not steal.”