The editors have just had a busy time dealing with the fall-out when it was discovered that one of our members (using the name 'Inavilita') had been posting a whole string of plagiarised poems. Her membership was immediately revoked and all her postings deleted from the site. Our apologies to those whose poems she stole. It's almost unbelievable that anyone should sink to such pointless thievery, especially, as it turns out, it was from people she knew.

It seems almost pointless to issue our members with a warning over this, but we would be grateful if any member spots anything they suspect might be plagiarised, then please bring it to an editor's attention. This can be done in private through the message board. Apart from the fact that the use of pseudonyms (except when there are special and specific reasons) so often gives an impression of juvenile amateurism, it also lessens any suspicions of rascality if members use their proper names, as well as appearing more professional.

Cheers

milner

I am stunned!!

Interesting News .....as i had asked 'Inavilita' a few times if i could share some of the poems,
yet i wanted an email address from her or a website as a reference before doing so.

I never got a reply from her.

As i have mentioned previously in this forum .... i post my poetry in a jpg format
with a mention of © and my website .....since i have experienced somewhat similar problems.

Would just like to say to those whose poems were stolen, how, on the one hand how sorry we are for the fraud perpetuated, but, on the other, how grateful we are for having seen such fine poetry, though sad that our acknowledgements of that were misdirected.

milner

This is just another reason why we do not want our members hiding behind silly screen names. PoetryCircle was conceived by and for experienced writers. One doesn't submit poems to a literary magazine using a "screen name," and we don't want it done here. Please, if you're not confident enough to put your actual name behind the work you post here, find another Internet venue where you can be anonymous. Goodness knows there are plenty out there.

There's a kind of sick feeling that comes from being taken in this way.  It's only exceeded by having been the one whose poems were stolen.  I hope the real writers come forward so we can acknowlege them.  You gotta say one thing for Inalivita -- she stole the very best.

Rick

Well, yea, its awful that she stole, but honestly, she could have picked a name, 'Susan Smith' and it wouldn't have made a difference. I don't think the heart of this matter is if our screen names are legit or not, I prefer to not post my full name because I prefer not to, it doesn't mean I'm not serious about my writing or anyone else's on here, I just prefer not to. To some degree, I can understand how one, such as you, Jay, would prefer to not have a poetry site loaded with screen names such as, 'dragonslayer', because it would be obvious that perhaps that site might not be taken as seriously as some. But really? Why are we blaming this on her 'fake name'? I think we should be looking into protecting our work on this site, so someone like herself cannot just copy and paste and post on another. I might be ignorant of the matter, but I feel like this is a valid point, yes, no?

Here here. I'm not a fan of fake screen names (and absolutely want everyone to use real names on here), but focusing on that does seem to miss the real point.
Well said dragonslayer.

BRIAN FRANCIS EDWARDS

I don't think we are blaming it on the fake name. The name issue has just surfaced because of the plagiarism. When Jay said: "Please, if you're not confident enough to put your actual name behind the work you post here, find another Internet venue where you can be anonymous." he was asking people to use their real names but in a deeper sense he is asking people to put their reputations on the line.

It is easy to ignore negative comments behind a fake name and easy to step over the honesty line, also. The real name is a request not a deal-breaker requirement. NOBODY gets banned for using fanciful names.

I don't see EB as a fanciful name. Initials are fine with me. It's easy to take EB seriously, her work is outstanding. It is hard to take a dragon slayer or a sunny sunflower very seriously.

Just my opinion. Here's a story I've repeated several times here.

In John Wayne's last movie he played a dying gunman who befriends a young Ron Howard. He teaches Ron to shoot and when Ron exclaims that John must be the best. Wayne says: "It's not being the best or the fastest, it's being WILLING."

If you aren't willing to face the gun, why does it matter if you are the best?

If you are willing, then you reap the reward. Nobody cares if Blue Butterfly wrote a good poem, but someday people might care if Lavonne Westbrooks wrote a good one.

Of course, someone will point out famous poets who have used fanciful names. Raindog comes to mind, but he lives and dies by that name, worked hard to get where he is. He earned that name.

We ENCOURAGE people to sign up with their real name but don't refuse membership or ban people who don't.

Regarding protecting your rights: It is a lot easier to prove your ownership of a piece of work when you use a real or legal name. It is not necessary to put a copyright notice on each piece you post. Just the act of making it public secures your copyright.

Excellently put Lavonne, but I think EB's point stands. She could have used the name Susan Smith and still been a cheat.
Thank you for the detailed explanation though.

B.

Absolutely - Her point is very valid. Not disputing it at all! I like that you chose Susan Smith - that name is famous in the states as belonging to a woman who killed her two children!

And the name on the tombstone I found! The best and the worst of names. A rose by any other... LOL.

:)

Every writers greatest fear is their work being stolen. Having read your opinions on the matter, I was enlightened enough to change my name on the site to my formal name. I whole heartedly agree that while an alias is simply put, a name to hide behind, it is also a lie in some ways to those reading. My account, though only active for a day (newcomer!), was started under the name Missile Bait, but I have gladly shown my true colours.

Oh and Lavonne, your poem, Simpatico, in this issue of shelf life, is amazing, and is how I found my way here.

Glad to greet you under your real name, Ahmed. Welcome.

I've not knowingly been plagiarised, and am thus uncertain how I'd react. I guess it would depend on how and where. As one who only really writes in poetry, where financial rewards are negligible, I certainly don't regard it as my greatest fear. If it occurred, I guess my reaction would be very mixed. Miffed, probably, amused, maybe, flattered more than possibly. Only if someone used it and won a prize would anger arise, and then mostly at myself for not entering it first! I know from experience that others react with real self-righteous rage, but I hope I wouldn't be that touchy. Whatever, good to meet you.

By the by, one advantage of putting stuff on a site such as this, where all is dated and recorded, is that for those concerned with copyright provenance is established.

Cheers

milner