mcstoklasa
Hank Scorpio
Sigs/Avatars cannot exceed 1MB
Posts: 6,944
|
Post by mcstoklasa on Jan 18, 2015 13:12:01 GMT -5
Ok I work as in intern for a social media company. I mainly do their social media interactions on twitter et al. Now and then I get to write blogs. I really like writing, so that is the best part of the role.
The blogs are on the topic of social media but I can write about whatever I want to do with that subject. I haven't been with the company long so I have only written one blog so far.
As I was writing it, I was worried I had added too many personal elements into it at first so rewrote it with a lot more "social media" related info. It would move between a personal account and information on social media and I was quite happy with it. I submitted it and they said they liked it, they put it up on the site. It did quite well and got the most shares and likes that they had had for any of their blogs. I felt I had achieved something, I was pleased that they liked my writing.
That was a month ago. I just was browsing through the company site for the first time in a while and what do I see? My article, but now my name has been removed and someone else's name and picture from the company has now apparently written the article.
I thought "Oh, maybe they did not like the personal anecdotes mixed in with social media details" and totally rewrote it. Nope, the article is the exact same, just with my stuff swapped out and someone elses personal anecdotes switched in. The structure, everything, is the exact same otherwise.
Could they not have said to me "Hey, we like the article, but could you change this little bit please?" Or, they could have just removed it outright. Instead, they credited my work to someone else and changed a few words.
I know its just an internship, but as someone who enjoys writing, was proud of the article and shared it with a few friends, I now feel embarrassed, and like a failure. This really, really hurt me.
I just needed to vent.
|
|
|
|
Post by rapidfire187 on Jan 18, 2015 13:42:19 GMT -5
Wow. Maybe you should contact the guy who "wrote" the article.
|
|
mcstoklasa
Hank Scorpio
Sigs/Avatars cannot exceed 1MB
Posts: 6,944
|
Post by mcstoklasa on Jan 18, 2015 14:38:54 GMT -5
Wow. Maybe you should contact the guy who "wrote" the article. It's written by a girl now. |
|
chazraps
Wade Wilson
Better have my money when I come-a collect!
Posts: 27,989 
|
Post by chazraps on Jan 18, 2015 14:49:24 GMT -5
You might want to contact the company because that could just be a clerical error. It's happened to me before where the wrong photo and name is attached to something I did.
|
|
mcstoklasa
Hank Scorpio
Sigs/Avatars cannot exceed 1MB
Posts: 6,944
|
Post by mcstoklasa on Jan 18, 2015 15:02:53 GMT -5
You might want to contact the company because that could just be a clerical error. It's happened to me before where the wrong photo and name is attached to something I did. I thought that too until I skimmed the article. The layout, the content, eveything is the same, but the few personal references are now someone elses personal references- IE ( this is just a made up example of the changes) if before it said "I have a tattoo of my cat, Harold, on my arm to remind me to live each day like its my last", it would now say "I have a poster on my wall of my canary, Gonzalez, to remind me never to waste a day". The changes are literally like that. The rest is just my exact words. |
|
chazraps
Wade Wilson
Better have my money when I come-a collect!
Posts: 27,989
|
Post by chazraps on Jan 18, 2015 15:09:06 GMT -5
You might want to contact the company because that could just be a clerical error. It's happened to me before where the wrong photo and name is attached to something I did. I thought that too until I skimmed the article. The layout, the content, eveything is the same, but the few personal references are now someone elses personal references- IE ( this is just a made up example of the changes) if before it said "I have a tattoo of my cat, Harold, on my arm to remind me to live each day like its my last", it would now say "I have a poster on my wall of my canary, Gonzalez, to remind me never to waste a day". The changes are literally like that. The rest is just my exact words. Then you can contact them and ask what the deal is. Be calm about it and wait for their response. If it's anything other than "Sprry about that, we'll restore your name to the article you wrote," you can point out that that's plagiarism. |
|
mcstoklasa
Hank Scorpio
Sigs/Avatars cannot exceed 1MB
Posts: 6,944
|
Post by mcstoklasa on Jan 18, 2015 15:13:14 GMT -5
I thought that too until I skimmed the article. The layout, the content, eveything is the same, but the few personal references are now someone elses personal references- IE ( this is just a made up example of the changes) if before it said "I have a tattoo of my cat, Harold, on my arm to remind me to live each day like its my last", it would now say "I have a poster on my wall of my canary, Gonzalez, to remind me never to waste a day". The changes are literally like that. The rest is just my exact words. Then you can contact them and ask what the deal is. Be calm about it and wait for their response. If it's anything other than "Sorry about that, we'll restore your name to the article you wrote," you can point out that that's plagiarism. I shall speak to them when I am next in. Like I said, I am just an intern but the writing is the one good thing out of this job that I can use for other prospective jobs. I would prefer if they just deleted the whole article at this point. |
|
chazraps
Wade Wilson
Better have my money when I come-a collect!
Posts: 27,989
|
Post by chazraps on Jan 18, 2015 16:00:10 GMT -5
Then you can contact them and ask what the deal is. Be calm about it and wait for their response. If it's anything other than "Sorry about that, we'll restore your name to the article you wrote," you can point out that that's plagiarism. I shall speak to them when I am next in. Like I said, I am just an intern but the writing is the one good thing out of this job that I can use for other prospective jobs. I would prefer if they just deleted the whole article at this point. Right, and I understand your frustration, but keep it's important to keep your composure through this. Who knows, it might just be the female who plagiarized you, deleted your story and uploaded it without the company even knowing. This could go plenty of good ways, ask for your original piece to be up with your name credited and, if that's an issue, ask to be compensated for your work on the piece where you weren't credited as ghostwriting wasn't a part of your initial agreement and this counts as plagiarism. The cards are all in your hand at this point and if you show them that you aren't easily razzed but stand up for yourself, they'll know that it's in their best interest to compromise. |
|
mcstoklasa
Hank Scorpio
Sigs/Avatars cannot exceed 1MB
Posts: 6,944
|
Post by mcstoklasa on Jan 18, 2015 17:41:42 GMT -5
Thanks for your input pal.
I won't lose my composure, I am not a confrontational person anyway. Honestly, I couldn't imagine her doing it without the higher ups having decided they didnt like it and getting her to change it. Its just very odd though, anyway. Could they not have asked me to modify it to their liking after they wanted to change it? Or at least delete it. Or totally rewrite it? Rather than taking my work, changing about twenty words and putting someone elses name on it.
I have calmed down about it now. Just imagine the initial shock of seeing something you worked hard on credited to someone else.
|
|
Sephiroth
Wade Wilson
Surviving
Posts: 28,961
|
Post by Sephiroth on Jan 18, 2015 17:57:47 GMT -5
This is FAN. Odds are you actually did get kicked in the balls.
|
|
mcstoklasa
Hank Scorpio
Sigs/Avatars cannot exceed 1MB
Posts: 6,944
|
Post by mcstoklasa on Jan 18, 2015 18:00:06 GMT -5
This is FAN. Odds are you actually did get kicked in the balls. You take that back, Jack! |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2015 18:42:21 GMT -5
Ew. Plagiarism is like the worst thing ever. I assume that you would have no issue if you were credited and the "author" just jumped in here and there, but no, your thoughts are now some hacks because somebody couldn't be bothered. If I were you, I'd start shopping myself around. Let somebody else write for Zero Integrity Monthly or whatever.  |
|
mcstoklasa
Hank Scorpio
Sigs/Avatars cannot exceed 1MB
Posts: 6,944
|
Post by mcstoklasa on Jan 18, 2015 18:52:17 GMT -5
Ew. Plagiarism is like the worst thing ever. I assume that you would have no issue if you were credited and the "author" just jumped in here and there, but no, your thoughts are now some hacks because somebody couldn't be bothered. If I were you, I'd start shopping myself around. Let somebody else write for Zero Integrity Monthly or whatever. I also write for a comedy site (unpaid) and the editor will move some things around and fix things up, generally improving my words (most of the time). Basically editing my words which is his job. He never takes my name off of the pieces though! |
|
