It's the first Wednesday of the month, which means it's the posting day for the Insecure Writer's Support Group! Click here to learn more and sign up!
This month I'm a co-host! The other awesome co-hosts are Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Natalie Aguirre, and Olga Godim! Be sure to give them a visit!
This month's optional question is: What is the most unethical practice in the publishing industry?
I'm not too knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the publishing industry (that would require finishing a book in order for it to be published...) so I'm sure there are quite a few practices that I'm not aware of. I guess the worst one to me would be plagiarism. Stealing another person's work and passing it off as your own just seems unfathomable to me. On top of being unethical, it's just lazy. If you don't want to actually write something, or can't for whatever reason, then just don't! Maybe writing isn't for you.
Hey, I've gone a few years now not really being able to write anything and I've never considered plagiarism. I honestly wouldn't even know how to pull it off even if I wanted to. At my job we recently had someone steal money out of a coworker's locker, and all I could think was, even if I wanted to do that, I'd be too afraid of getting caught! I'm just not that sneaky!
I'll leave the unethical activities to the characters in my stories...
I know I *just* had a vacation a few weeks ago, but I start another one tomorrow! And it's a good old fashioned staycation. Do I plan on doing any writing? Well...probably not. I mean if the mood strikes me I'll certainly go with it, but I don't foresee that happening anytime soon.
I plan on spending a lot of time getting my new apartment more organized, watching some of the dozens of movies on my many watchlists, and maybe if we're lucky, get back into some reading. I know that not reading any books certainly doesn't help me start writing again, so I figure that will be a nice first step. No real pressure.
I had a great time in NYC as well! I had mac and cheese on pancakes, got spit on by my favorite actor (iykyk), and pet lots of kitties at our favorite cat cafe. Three days went by way too fast! And I got my chocolate martini, of course.
All sounds good but the spitting... Mac and cheese on pancakes? There is chicken on waffles, so why not?
ReplyDeleteThere's also the guilt of doing something unethical like that as well. I couldn't live with that.
Thanks for co-hosting!
Enjoy your vacation! Sadly, writers I know have had their ideas stolen. It's wrong. Thanks for co-hosting with me.
ReplyDeleteThe martini looks delish! Glad you enjoyed NYC, except for the spitting...LOL! Thanks for co-hosting!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree, plagiarism is bad. Your vacation looks great though! Thanks for co-hosting!
ReplyDeleteThere's never enough time in NYC. And Mac n Cheese on pancakes? Was it good? And I always wonder if there's a "no plagiarism" ethic with AI.
ReplyDeleteBTW...the last comment was from me - Em-musing
ReplyDeleteI love chocolate, not sure about a chocolate martini. hahaha
ReplyDeleteI agree, “If you don't want to actually write something, or can't for whatever reason, then just don't! Maybe writing isn't for you.”
Thanks for co-hosting IWSG this month.
Becoming a writer requires a touch of 'boring' in your nature. You have far too much fun! A chocolate martini? I have never heard of that.
ReplyDeleteThe chocolate martini looks yum!
ReplyDeleteI watched a YouTube video about an entire book plagiarized and published with different names and slightly different wording... Scary!
Ronel visiting for IWSG day Unethical Publishing Industry Practices 2025
I'm not that sneaky either. Nor would I want to try.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your staycation. Sometimes those are the best kind. Thank you for co-hosting IWSG this month.
ReplyDeleteI don't really get the desire to plagiarize. Writing isn't *that* profitable where theft will make me fabulously wealthy…and the writing itself is the whole point of it for me. @samanthabwriter from
ReplyDeleteBalancing Act
Enjoy your staycation! Sometimes we just need a minute to unwind and put life back in order, eh? (I'm going to need a major one of those soon.) Good on you for having integrity. Too many people lack that in this day and age.
ReplyDeleteAnonymously Esther O'Neill, East of the Sun, with no signal. Thanks for c-hosting. Just discovered I'll have a staycation all day Friday, all by myself too.
ReplyDeleteI'm so fascinated by those mac & cheese pancakes. I just may have to make some at home.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your staycation!
NYC! My favorite place. I remember the cat cafe! Stealing is stealing. It should never be allowed. Having your own imagination sparked by the work of another author is one thing but using that author's words is quite another.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being a co-host! As for vacations... yeah, I just got back from one trip on Saturday, and I'm leaving this Sunday for another... it's one reason I'm self-published--I like to travel and I don't like deadlines!
ReplyDeleteThanks for co-hosting today, Sarah! Your NY vacation sounds like it was awesome! I love cats, but Terry can't stand living with them. So I get my kitty fix at a Cat Cafe in Waikiki. I enjoyed your kitty photos, and that chocolate martini looks fabulous. I'm hoping you get inspired to write again. Enjoy your staycation!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your vacation time! Leave that window of creativity open for any and all inspiration - sounds like it's due for you ;-) Thanks for co-hosting!
ReplyDeleteI love good vacations. Glad you've been enjoying yours this summer. https://cleemckenziebooks.substack.com/p/caged
ReplyDeleteI'm not sneaking either, so the world is safe from us at least. hehehe
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
Nothing wrong with getting away for a while. That can be a cure for writer's block. Love the cat cafe!
ReplyDeleteThanks for co-hosting.
Thanks for co-hosting! And yes, plagiarism is really horrible. I really think that is the core of AI, as well- taking everyone else's ideas and making money off them without permission. Thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great vacay! I like your idea of allowing/encouraging your characters to do illegal and nefarious things!
ReplyDeleteI like that line about leaving the unethical things to your characters.
ReplyDeleteThanks for co-hosting today! And enjoy your staycation!
Hi, I so agree. My article also considered Plagiarism as one of the worst things taking place in publishing.
ReplyDeleteThank you for co-hosting.
Shalom shalom
You're right. If one doesn't want (or can't) write their own story, what is the draw to publishing someone else's story and calling it yours. No satisfaction in it at all. At least, not that I can see. Plagiarism is just another name for stealing, a dirty crime, nothing else.
ReplyDeleteThank you for co-hosting. Your time at NYC sounds like a lot of fun especially the culinary aspects.
ReplyDeleteYour trip to NYC made me a little green with envy. I've been trying to save up enough to go for over three years now, but still haven't made it. It's a long way from New Zealand... One day, though.
ReplyDeleteThe things our favourite actors put us through, eh? Thanks for co-hosting this month :)
ReplyDeletePlagiarism is pretty bad. I'm with you. I can't fathom why anyone would do that. For most of us, there's not even enough money in publishing to make it worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of a few cases of false accusations of plagiarism, too, as a way to try to get controversial books pulled from shelves. In some ways, I think the people who make those false accusations are worse than the ones who actually plagiarize.
What a lovely trip to NYC. Thank you for sharing those pictures -- with humor and cats! I never heard of mac and cheese on pancakes. Guess that doesn't happen on the west coast. I hope some words find you at some point. Meanwhile, thank you again for co-hosting. May the rest of your summer bring you joy!
ReplyDeleteMy conscience would nag me until I told someone.! Sounds like great plans for your stay cation! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure there are easier ways to make money or get followers than plagiarism as well.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your staycation.