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IWSG: a place where writers and friends share woes or hugs.
Welcome to mine!
July 7 question - What would make you quit writing?
Thanks for cohosting us this month! Pat Garcia, Victoria Marie Lees, and Louise – Fundy Blue
Thanks for cohosting us this month! Pat Garcia, Victoria Marie Lees, and Louise – Fundy Blue
Okay, this is a very interesting topic. Who is coming up with these questions? Is Alex picking them out of a jar or something?
I notice whenever an author is violated, like Stephenie Meyer when her Midnight Sun draft was stolen and, if I remember correctly, posted all over the internet by one of her critique partners, she fell out of touch with writing. It took her a great while.
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| photo by Isabella Mariana @ Pexels.com |
I've heard of other authors, after their work is stolen, fall out of touch with their writing as well.
This is emotional rape! How can anyone feel whole enough to continue with the same "innocency" and power and motivation before the violation? I believe this would be the ONLY thing that would make me stop writing. At least for a while.
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| photo by Gabriel @Unsplash.com |
I grew up with it. It's been my tourniquet, my healing, my escapism, my breath of life so to speak. I grew up in an abusive home and endured more during my marriage, so writing has always been my healing power.
If I was violated like poor Meyers was, I would definitely take a step back for a while to heal, but like her, I would step back up and continue.
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| photo by Luis Dalvan @Pexels.com |
Writing is in my BLOOD!!!
How would you emotionally deal with someone stealing your work?
How terrible her own critique partner did that! Who could live with themself after violating someone like that?
ReplyDeleteRight? I can't bear to think on it.
DeleteHi Elizabeth, I would be heartbroken if someone stole my work. I'm sure it would take me a long time to recover from that.
ReplyDeleteFor sure! It would also be nice if the laws didn't hesitate to protect us, either. So much red tape! x(
DeleteIn answer to your question about the questions...the Admins write them. Thanks for being a part of IWSG.
ReplyDeleteThank you for answering! xD
DeleteFrankly, I can't imagine anyone stealing my stories. It only happens when the stories/authors are popular, which I'm not. But if that happened, I'd probably consider it a validation of sorts. I mean, someone wants to steal my story. It must be good, right? Despite all the emotional fallout, the realization that my story was good enough to steal would keep me afloat. I guess...
ReplyDeleteI hope it would keep you afloat!
DeleteLOL! When I was an admin, we each came up with a question on a schedule to be used.
ReplyDeleteExperiencing something like Stephanie Meyer did is disheartening and can definitely make you feel violated. It’s horrible that people do those kinds of things to artists and creators.
I know! If only it was easier for us to file a lawsuit as well against the perpetrators!
DeleteHaving your writing stolen would be terrible. I can understand needing to take a break after something like that, but I don't think I could ever stop writing forever.
ReplyDeleteI could never see myself stop writing forever, either.
DeleteI would be livid if someone stole my work, though I'd be able to prove my authorship and creation dates through handwritten originals (which I always date) and the computer files. Many of my books still have the original-originals on disks, which long predate transferring them over to more modern computers and file formats.
ReplyDeleteThat's wonderful for the papertrail! If only it wouldn't be a huge legal battle. *sigh* >:(
DeleteThat sounds very scary!
ReplyDeleteIt does! It's happened to Rachel Ann Nunes and her book wasn't even on Wattpad or anything like that--a school teacher flipped it into an erotica!
DeleteI remember a poet--Judson Jerome, I think-- who wrote a column for Writer's Digest and said he'd be flattered if someone stole his poetry. I doubt he was ever faced with it, and I doubt any of us would be flattered. I honestly don't know what I'd do if someone ripped me off. Probably just gripe about it to hubby because he's the only one I'm confrontational with. LOL.
ReplyDeleteI sort of think ideas float through the air because so many writers get the same idea at the same time. I've seen so many of MY ideas end up written and published by others because of my procrastination. But ... that's another story. Thanks for visiting me! ~Jessica (I think this is going to show up under my old google account.)
I once had an illustration claimed by another site, if only they'd attributed it! I know that is not the same, but when we are the ones who've created the very breath and land of that story, it feels horrible when someone else steals!
DeleteI'm glad you have someone to vent to!
I remember a poet--Judson Jerome, I think-- who wrote a column for Writer's Digest and said he'd be flattered if someone stole his poetry. I doubt he was ever faced with it, and I doubt any of us would be flattered. I honestly don't know what I'd do if someone ripped me off. Probably just gripe about it to hubby because he's the only one I'm confrontational with. LOL.
ReplyDeleteI sort of think ideas float through the air because so many writers get the same idea at the same time. I've seen so many of MY ideas end up written and published by others because of my procrastination. But ... that's another story. Thanks for visiting me! ~Jessica (I think this is going to show up under my old google account.)
That seems like a hard situation to grapple with!
ReplyDeleteRight?
DeleteIf someone stole my work, I think the lawyer in me would take a full-court press via the Courtney Milan approach, who outed romance writer Cristiane Serruya for outright plagiarizing several romance writers work, including Milan's. I kind of have a "take no prisoners" attitude on that sort of dishonesty.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm so with you... I'll hire you too!
DeleteThat would be very had to cope with...I'd probably vent via journaling. Writing is how I cope with most things.
ReplyDeleteit is very cathartic!
DeleteWhat a terrible violation - and by her own critique partner! Unthinkable.
ReplyDeleteWith regards to your enquiry about the source of these monthly questions - Alex and the IWSG admins take turns to contribute a monthly question.
If you enjoy writing can you really quit? I don’t think so. You may have phases, where you don’t write much; but eventually you will find your way back to the blank page.
And I'm talking about writing for the sheer pleasure of writing, and possibly publishing something along the way.
Then there's writing to pay the bills - that's a different story.
Happy Writing!
I'm with you on that: write because it's pleasurable and then getting stuff published is a bonus! To depend on it would become stressful!
DeleteThere is nothing great about stealing someone else's work. It's an emotional gut punch for sure. I would still keep writing though, because writing makes me who I am.
ReplyDeleteWriting words is the absolute best kind of medicine.
Q
I love that quote: "Writing words is the absolute best kind of medicine."
DeleteThis really spoke to me on many levels. I've had a rough few weeks after what felt like an emotional violation. I'm finally doing my IWSG visits post-violation and also sharing my fiction writing. (I was still writing but lacked the self-confidence to share.) Reading this post bringing some tears to my eyes. Thank you so much for sharing this honest, thought-out answer. Very, very true. <3
ReplyDeleteAnne from annehiga.com
I'm so sorry you've endured emotional trauma, Anne--it is never an easy thing to endure nor is it easy to heal but healing does come! It especially comes with strong support. I *know*!
DeleteI'm happy to hear that you're starting with IWSG. It's a good place to start. ((Hugs))
Thank you for your honesty as well. I hope you find healing from the emotional violation!
<3