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can you believe people are all like "I spoke with my friend and now I seen the facts and believe she's innocent" do they take a damn second to read anything for themselves or that their friend didn't write or tell them to think? fuck me the hivemind on this site is shameful!!!!

Of course not!!!! That would require taking the time to think for themselves!

barrr ram uuuuu!

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So LOL @ everyone saying theres no evidence or that because you didn't link the fic its isn't legit. Like what do they think? You wrote the parts for Story X to look the same as Story Z? ALSO like people saying you shouldn't cry plagiarism because it's a serious thing. Like hi, hello! COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS A CRIME! A CRIME COMMITTED BY SAD-SWEET-COWBOY WHEN SHE TOOK MONEY FOR WRITING A RED DEAD FIC. She could ruin this for all of us by doing that!

The writing is on the wall with this, I don’t know why so many people refuse to see it and condone it by make excuses that it’s a non issue because I wouldn’t link.  OR that it’s acceptable based on the “all fics are basically the same” idea, which is such bullshit.  If that was true there would be callout posts for copying every day and there just isn’t because things are usually different enough to co exist but this fic is clearly heavily influenced by Story X. And there is a VERY fine line between influence and plagiarism. 

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Just found Fic X and saw writer Z had commented on it. Checked out her profile and its real funny how she only ever posted one out of like 20+ of her videogame!Arthur oneshot fics on AO3. The other modern!Arthur oneshots she put on there don't really mention him being a videogame character. Wonder if she knew people would notice her copying? So much is overlooked on Tumblr because of the cliques and thirst for quick self insert fics or instant smut.

This is you hitting the nail on the head! 

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gonna name a fic so i hope you post this but a few days after story x got published one called ashes of night came out. its about arthur coming into 2019 and i thought it was a rip off of story x too, but its not at all. its completely different and set as arthur just being like an historical outlaw or something. story z didnt need to copy the videogame element when there are like a dozen other ways to bring arthur into 2019!!!

This is so true!  I remember that story and I read it worrying the same thing, but it was different while still being similar. No wonder SSC never really posted her video game one shots on the archive. SSC’s story is a straight rip of Story X, don’t know how people can argue that isn’t true. 

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I love how people are like "they didn't link the fic so it's all lies". The fic is easy to find on AO3 without a link and I just saw sad-sweet has commented on it to the writer acting like she's not done anything wrong. Funny she said she didn't know of the fic but then starts commenting on it. The author links her Tumblr on her profile so sad-sweet is clearly wanting to bring the drama to the writers door like you said she would!

Yep yep! No need to tarnish the original fic itself by posting with all this, I considered doing it but didn’t want to make a mess on AO3 when the copying is on Tumblr. Commenting on it was obviously a play to draw attention away from SSC’s blog and put the drama on the original writer (her Tumblr is on there like you said) because she isn’t apologizing and clearly thinks she’s done nothing wrong or even questionable! Just hope the other writer has some support on here because I am worried they are going to get torn apart by SSC’s cheersquad! 

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Like the fact sad-sweet-cowboah charged money for that fic is bad enough. She didn't even bother to proof read it for typeos before taking the money. Disgraceful!

RIGHT??? Tumblr: Where Morals Don’t Mean Shit!  🤣

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Dear people making me the problem

How I acted in trying to call out sad-sweet-cowboah’s plagiarism does not change the fact that she blatantly stole a story idea from someone else!

There is a world of difference between writers using the same name for Arthur’s daughter (Bea/Bee) or writing similarly about a reader/oc meeting Mary, or saving Arthur from Downes or a reader/OC killing Micah, or squaring up to Dutch or any other shared change/addressing of CANON and taking a whole original AU idea and ripping it off for money! 

The facts are there, I can’t make you accept them. Whatever I did or however I came across in trying to hold sad-sweet-cowboah accountable does not change the fact she has stolen someone elses ideas. 

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I've had the idea of "Bea" for Arthur and reader's daughter's name for months now. Another writer I talk to from time to time just used that name in a fic of their own. Similarities happen. Names can occur across multiple creators.

There is a world of difference between reusing Arthur’s moms name for his fictional daughter and copying an entire concept for a fic and using almost ten different direct rips from the original content!  Did you even read beyond the first example? I never said using the same name was a smoking gun, but when added to the other examples of copying it goes a long way to look more like one! 

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I read your posts first and considered what you were saying to be credible, but after how irritable and sarcastic you came across in your anons to sad-sweet-cowboah, it's really changing my opinions on your intent here. You're losing all credibility in my eyes because you decided to take the route of being arrogant and mocking.

However I acted in trying to call her out does not change the facts that she’s clearly stolen someone elses idea and tried to make money off it. It’s happened to me before and friends of mine and fandom will always turn a blind eye to content theft if it means more content for them and that is wrong! I think you’d come across as irritable and sarcastic when you’d seen a dozen different people come back at you calling you a moron and such for trying to call this out and hold her accountable in a less dramatic fashion. 

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writer z or sad-sweet-cowboy has an ao3 account but she's not active on there much. no guessing why that is now huh?

nope. you shouldnt shit where you eat. 

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tbf sadcowboahs stuff only gets so many notes because its self insert. its such a lazy way to write and theres no respect for the craft of actually developing a story and characters from start to finish when you just jump to all the action and smut. she obviously stole the idea for that fic but she will never admit to it and her followers will slay you and trash the original writers work for you calling her out.

Not here to trash anyones work for what it is as long as it’s original and not taken from someone else. I agree she sent the attack dogs straight away as I expected, it’s always the same. I hope Writer X isn’t attacked because they are the victim in this but I guess all her friends will be tearing the original apart now and looking for ways to turn it back on Writer X. I will be upset if that happens but this had to be exposed. 

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I didn’t start this blog to call out just one plagurist in the Red Dead fandom. If you know of any others let me know and we can expose thieves together.  Art theft should never be tolerated. Especially when the thief is making money off their crime.  Trouble is people think they are anonymous and above the law online but if Rockstar ever found out what sad-sweet-cowboy was doing, fan fic would be over for all of us. Take Two would have a field day going after all the GTA/RDR fan works. 

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A Gentle Reminder:  Fanfic Plagiarism is just as big a deal as fanart theft.  

But it is a little worse:  it can be so much harder to spot, because readers won’t necessarily recognize a single story or a writing style at a glance or it may take a knowledgeable reader a while to spot a work they know they’ve read.  Meaning the  plagiarist has the potential to fly under the radar for a long while before anyone catches wise to their game.

Writers are often putting in equal or greater amounts of time to create pieces, and need just as much protection from the fandom as a whole.

When it happens – and inevitably, it always does – know that you don’t have to report it to the plagiarists upload site of choice.  Just as with art, often it requires the original artist making the official claim to get the offending work pulled down.  Additional reports can often bog down the already small abuse committees who research and mediate on the archive sites and delay appropriate remedy of the issue.

But as a fandom, signal boosts/reblogs for the issue and/or research assistance to a thread are both so necessary and so greatly appreciated.  The more people who know of a particular issue, the more likely someone is to recognize a piece and the faster the issue can be resolved.  When Plagiarism is blatant, it can be much easier to find.  When it is partially modified or masked, that’s when everyone’s support matters.

What’s more, if the Plagiarist is combative, it can take weeks for AO3 or ff(dot)net to have them removed as abuse.  That’s weeks of frustration for an author who probably had no idea it even occurred in the first place.  Every hour can count in giving that creator back peace of mind that their work and their creative time is valued by the fandom and the creative community as a whole.

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Warning!

Red Dead fandom, I didn’t want to point fingers but since @sad-sweet-cowboah is coming for me in the tags as retaliation for calling her out as a blatant plagiarist, here I am! The first post on this blog will tell you everything about what has happened and what she’s stolen. Her friends have made sure to report the original as spam to avoid her being exposed.  I have not messaged anyone but her and the writer she ripped off to warn them about what I found. I am not trolling. I have followed people who defended her to get them to see this blog as a response to messages about this earlier to day where many people attacked me for telling her off for copying. I did not contact any of them directly. I am not harassing anyone and I’m not slandering anyone. (It’d actually be libel anyway but whatever!) I am simply alerting people to the truth of what has being going on under the fandom’s noses since January. My blog only details how @sad-sweet-cowboah copied a Modern Arthur AU fic and this reaction of hers tells me very strongly that she has something to hide. 

👏 Trying to report my blog to get this taken down proves she has something to hide and is guilty of plagiarism!   👏

No one should tolerate art theft!  Bully and attack me for calling it out all you want this needed to be exposed. I’m not the one who’s done anything wrong! 

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Plagiarism in the Red Dead Fandom (Examples Included)

Please read! This is a warning to all the amazing writers out there in fandom. There’s some blatant fic stealing going on and it aint good!  😡  Here is a little tale about two fan fic stories.

The first one Story X was posted for free on Archive Of Our Own on January 20th 2019.  It’s about Arthur magically coming out of the game and into the life of an original female character and trying to get used to knowing his life was a video game while figuring out how to live a modern life in 2019.

The second (Story Z) is an Arthur X Reader fic and was posted here five days ago as a $10 commission. 🤐  I found just now that Writer Z also has some other reader one shots stories which are set in the same AU concept as Story X with Arthur being in 2019 and knowing he’s a video game character. Haven’t had chance to read those to look for similarities but: The earliest of those one shots were posted here on January 27th. There is no mention of an idea for a modern AU on Writer Z’s writing blog before then.  A whole 7 days after the first story dropped. 😮  That on its own should be enough to prove that Story Z is a direct rip off of the original concept/idea of Arthur coming out of the game into 2019 from in Story X.   Yes of course ideas will over lap to some degree.  Yes of course in 2019 no idea is truly 100% original.  Yes of course there are Modern Arthur stories in the fandom!  BUT only a few of them focus on Arthur being alive in 2019 in any sense.  I’ve been through the archive today trying to prove myself wrong on this messed up situation BUT

The first story to focus on Arthur coming out of the game and learning he a fictional character was Story X.

It is a unique concept, and I doubt two people would have that exact same idea within a week of each other!!!! That just doesn’t happen!

Even tho I’ve been asked to I will not direct to either story here, or name any names, for now at least. Why???? 😎 Because I know exactly what Tumblr is like for drama and attacking the victim in any situation. I saw the same thing happen in another Rockstar fandom and the writer who got plagiarized ended up leaving and having a breakdown because she dared to question a popular writer. I do not want to see an unsuspecting writer get dogpiled by a popular blog ever again just because I’m going out on a limb and calling out their copying. I reached out to both writers earlier today and welcome them to have a say in this if they want to. 

Below are some extracts from the two fics and 8 examples.  !Please read them all before passing judgement!

(If needed I can post screenshots from the fics themselves for more proof.)

Example 1: Same type of cat.  Story X Chpt 4 ....hurried on to her own room instead, stepping over the silver tabby cat who gave a cursory nod her way before wandering off downstairs. Story Z It was ajar, and you sat the little silver kitten dart into your room. * Example 2: Same name used.  Story X Chpt 4 ...a strange concept popped into her head. "What was your last horse's name?"  Arthur frowned at her for a moment, wondering if he should answer and what she would reveal with the information. "Artemis, why?" Story Z  “What’d you knock down this time?” You asked her, shooting Artemis a glare as she disappeared underneath your bed. * Example 3: Touching to confirm Arthur is real.  Story X  Chpt 4 He handed it to her carefully but when his rough fingertips touched hers accidentally and she visibly shivered. "Oh God!" she gasped, realizing that he was in fact a flesh and blood man. Standing there in front of her by some kind of witchcraft or trickery or gargantuan mental fucking breakdown. Story Z  You wordlessly reached out to him, brushing your fingers against his arm. He flinched from your touch, but he was solid. His skin was warm. * Example 4: Arthur being the same “Arthur” the female character played in Red Dead.  Story X Chpt 4 She suddenly laughed out loud, quickly clamping her hand over her mouth as tears suddenly brimmed up her eyes. The furrow in Arthur's brow deepened at the sight, a cocktail of emotions swirling in his gentle aqua blue. His gaze silently urging her to explain herself and lead him out of the deeper confusion he felt at the sight of her reaction. "You're my Arthur." She shook her head softly, searching herself for the right words, unable to believe that she'd already spent so many hours with the man before her. Story Z  You’d realized with a jolt that he was just as you designed him in your personal game.  * Example 5: Almost word for word self discussion.  Story X Chpt 4‘.... How's he going to manage in the world when he doesn't technically exist?...’ Story Z As confused as you were, it was even more confusing for him. He technically didn’t exist in this world * Example 6: Arthur taking a long first shower for almost exactly the same length of time. (45mins is almost an hour.)  Story X Chpt 9 She could just about make out the sound of the shower, letting her know it was still running, but that meant Arthur had been in there for almost an hour. Story Z He also loved the shower, mesmerized by the mere concept of having hot water on demand. His first shower lasted around 45 minutes, and you had to pound on the door to tell him that hot water wasn’t free. * Example 7: Learning to use the microwave.  Story X Chpt 10 "Well, wait 'til you see this." She shuffled past him and moved down the counter to where a microwave was fitted into the cabinets besides the integral double oven. She pushed the button to pop the door open and made a presenting gesture for Arthur's benefit. "Microwave. Hot food in minutes." "Whut?" he stepped closer peering curiously inside the strange illuminated box, looking around as if he was searching for something. "Can't fit much of a fire in there." Story Z He as certainly intrigued by the microwave, in complete awe that food didn’t have to be cooked over an open fire anymore. You taught him how to use it * Example 8 Summary Arthur appears in Story X in almost the exact same way as Story Z ... showing up at the main characters house out of the blue. There are many more subtle similarities to Story X in the way Story Z mentions how they talk over meals (which is what the 3 characters in Story X do in 3 separate chapters) to the interaction Arthur has with the TV and so on. 

The comparisons speak for themselves and even if you don’t believe they are the same, you cannot deny that the concept of Story Z (and the additional AU one shots) were ripped directly from the original idea in Story X. Story Z seems like a watered down version of Story X.  🤐  👏 👏 👏 Story X existed before Story Z did, therefore the concept itself belongs to Writer X. 👏 👏 👏  You can argue that no one owns a fan fic idea and its everyones sandbox or whatever but this is a unique concept that is not a typical off the rack AU idea.  👏 If you’re going to write Arthur coming to life as himself in 2019 then at least make the set up different in some way. Don’t carbon copy and rewrite the original idea in your own words. 👏  Bottom line is Writer Z ripped off Writer X’s idea a week after they first posted it on Archive Of Our Own and started writing one shots.  Writer Z then continued to copy/be inspired/pay hommage/steal the ideas Writer X had used in the chapters they had posted so far and used that to make money with Story Z. 😡 😡  I’m sure Writer Z’s defenders will come for me and try to flex saying I’m delusional or that all fan fic is copied and that ideas overlap all the time but that’s bullshit. Story X was a unique idea within this fandom.  Story Z copied that idea almost to the letter and cut corners by writing one shots over creating a fully fledged story like Story X is clearly trying to be.  Any writer with half a brain checks to see if their idea has been written/shared before setting to work on it, it is just common sense to do that, and I can not believe that two people had exactly the same idea in such a small time frame.  This is plagiarism. 😲  Whether you want to believe it was a legit coincidence or not we should not be standing by and allowing this to go on as a fandom. There are a lot of stories out there for Arthur, we as individuals can’t read them all and should have writers backs.  Yes we all enjoy stories irregardless of if they’ve been done before by a different writer but this isn’t that.  This is a direct rip from a pre existing idea and anyone with respect for writers in this fandom should not stand by and tolerate someone capitalizing to this extent directly off another persons idea!  Peace!  ✌️  PS: it is also illegal to make money off writing fan fic so if Rockstar come down on all our asses you know why!