Mod Post: Good Night and Good Luck
A few years ago some assholes on the internet done did some plagiarism. It was an uncool moment for everyone involved because the rose-colored glasses were unceremoniously yanked off--people were vile, disrespectful of feelings and intellectual property, and authors and readers alike suffered. Stories were pulled, and there were some who wondered if they'd ever even feel again the joy of writing.
But the authors discovered they weren't ready to call it quits. They put their heads together and created a community in which they could continue to pursue their artistic endeavors and their stories could still be enjoyed without fear of theft or infringement. There would be safeguards, and maybe the audience wouldn't be as wide as it had been elsewhere, but it was worth a shot.
Plagiarism Haven became everything its title implied. Old stories were refreshed, beloved worlds revisited, and new adventures could be enjoyed by all. As the readership grew, so did the number of authors posting, and authors and members alike were given the chance to try new genres and broaden their horizons without having to worry about who was stealing what. It wasn't always puppies and sunshine but the community grew closer as a result, and for three and a half years it served its designed purpose.
And then, the "But."
As enriching and edifying as Plagiarism Haven has been, the last year or so has seen a lot of changes for us authors. Many of us no longer have the same time or energy to continue writing the way we once did. Some of us are no longer interested in writing the kinds of stories that PH was such a haven to, and a few want to preserve their work for publishing. The amount of work and upkeep that goes into the community--ignoring the time and effort we put into research and writing for our stories--has become very difficult and time consuming as the number of members has grown. And for all the safety precautions we've taken, we've still been finding instances of plagiarism. The shift has been quiet, but it's a change long in coming.
After this post, Plagiarism Haven will be shutting its doors. The community will no longer be accessible for viewing, and the Formspring and Facebook pages will be deleted. But we are not disappearing. In its place we've created a new PH at which we will continue our book posts and other discussions, as well as update those who are interested in what writing progress we make. The new community is our Posthaven, and it will be open and public in the way that Plagiarism Haven was not. There are no membership requirements to be met--no personal information needed, no participation quotas, and no intricate excel docs to keep track of everyone's involvement. The community will remain within LiveJournal so there will be no need to form a new account somewhere else.
Our goals are changing, but our love for you guys is not. We appreciate the family we've created here and we want to keep in touch. We'll use Posthaven as a blog that all of the authors will update with book and writing discussions, recommendations, and progress reports. Those of us that want to continue writing will do so at separate blogs, and will provide links to those updates through Posthaven. Any agent or publishing developments will be shared immediately and with very silly gifs.
The saying goes, "When one door closes, another one opens." This is our open door, and we hope it leads to many more. The fact that Plagiarism Haven is ending is of course sad to everybody involved, and we understand the disappointment that follows. But every minute spent here has been invaluable, and for all of the time and attention that you all have given us and our stories we can only say thank you. Thank you thank you thank you times infinity.
We all have some personal thanks to give and want to make our writing plans and contact information available. Even if you can't comment here, we encourage you to stay in touch, and definitely visit us at Posthaven. :)
angels and effects:
PH has been an amazing experience. Truly, it has been. It is a direct result of PH that I did not fail my Design Basics module, for example. (Did too much Photoshopping!) And it is a direct result of PH that I wrote enough "passably good" stories to pad my writing portfolio, which subsequently got me into my internship.
This doesn't even count getting to know you guys. Being plagiarised is never a walk in the park. Many of us were afraid of never being able to write again, after suffering the indignity of essentially being robbed of our blood, sweat and tears. You guys helped us rediscover our spirits. I myself have never been a particularly consistent writer in PH, but it did get me writing stuff I didn't think I would. It helped me refine my poetry side. That said, all good things have to come to an end, and PH is at its tail end of the journey.
I don't know what I'll do with my writing after this. In all likelihood, I might never post fiction online again. Journalism seems to have taken a hold in me, which means a) I might pursue that as a career, and b) it leaves me with little energy to write other things. But we'll see.
I'm still perpetually contactable through my Twitter, Tumblr or, of course, private LJ PM. My poetry Tumblr is also still up and running. I might be contributing weekly book and music posts to PostHaven (maybe a BS segment... not bullshit, Book & Song, tsk tsk). My Internet presence is far and wide, so do feel free to follow me at any of the links! If you want to stalk my reading, here's my Goodreads too.
I just have to thank everyone for their encouragement and support and general awesomeness. You don't know how y'all have changed me. Many of you have supported me through the toughest time of my life, to which I can say: I am continually bowled over by how a community of people I've never met IRL kind of saved my life. How is that even possible? But it did. You have all made me a better writer and person. Cheers to a brilliant three and a half years.
A big, hearty XIE XIE NI. (Look, apparently I still remember some Chinese.) I hope to go on seeing you guys around in PostHaven and in the aforementioned other corners of the Interwebs. <3
Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
candid:
As the newest author to the PH author group, it's a bit strange to see Plagiarism Haven ending before I've even reached a full year. I loved getting to know the men and women behind some of my favorite Fictionpress stories, though, and I got to reconnect with old--and new--readers who had some really insightful and helpful opinions and suggestions as to where I should take my work.
I'm not going to start talking about "trust quilts" and "warm fuzzies", but I think it's fairly accurate to say that my readers and my friends made me into the writer that I am today. And if I didn't have those gushy praises and prodding jabs, I doubt I would have pursued publishing on my own. Ever. In fact, I'm still not convinced that this isn't going to bite me in the butt somehow.
But before you get too sad, this isn't goodbye! (Sorry if you thought you were finally going to be free of me. You should know it isn't that easy.) I fully intend to lurk around on Posthaven. I think of it as a great opportunity to get to know all you fine people. (We can't really call you play-heys anymore. So maybe you're po-hos now?) Even so, thanks for everything. And, um, hopefully you don't find me hopelessly boring!
You can also hit me up:
On Goodreads (link)
On Blogspot (link)
On Amazon/Kindle Store/Createspace (just plug in my name to the search bar)
I look forward to discussing books with all of you!
As Douglas Adams once said, So long, and thanks for all the fish.
Em Wolf:
Ditto pretty much what everyone else has already mentioned. pH has
been an awesome place and introduced me to some equally awesome
people, readers and writers alike. I heart you all, hardcore. I'll
still be around on my personal LJ and twitter (EmCheriWolf).
I'm debating what to do story migration-wise. To be honest, it's a
bitch and a half, so on the wall about that. Don't know what I'm going
to do with the old Tangled since the rewrite is half finished. The
only thing I know for certain is that the sequel will still happen
since I've been owed that to you guys. But I'll keep y'all updated on
my LJ.
Peace out homies.
JD Allen:
Hey guys!
So here's the dealio shpielio: I'm currently setting up another LJ spot to post most of my stories. It's sort of a slow-going process moving everything over, so it may be a little bit before it's perfectly ready, but I will post a link to it at the new community (PostHaven) when it's sorta ready.
But, like some of the others, I'm not going to be very update-y for awhile. At the moment, the only thing that interests me (and what I need to focus on) is fixing up Six Feet from Paradise so it's worthy of querying and attempting publication. Therefore, I will be taking a break from my new stories. I'll explain more about that on my new LJ, but I just wanted y'all to know I'm not disappearing into the void of the internetz. I'm just hiding in my editing cave for awhile, so I ask your patience (and that you don't forget me!).
PH has been one of the greater experiences I've had and I'm so glad to have gotten to know the people I've gotten to know and that I got the opportunity to be a part of something really kick-ass. At the same time, I'm really excited about moving on, going on this new adventure in my life, and really happy that we'll still have a way to communicate and keep in touch.
Thank you so much for an amazing 3.5 years, and here's to many more on Posthaven and beyond! And if you wanna contact me in the meantime, just send me a PM on LJ!
Love and stuff!
Kendal:
I'm not good with the teary or the maudlin, and in the interest of keeping this short, because we all know how wordy I can be, I'm just going to say thank you. So many of you helped me with pieces I turned in for class, and to think about things I never would have thought about with the stories I was writing at the time. I appreciate that more than any of you know. A lot of what I wrote dealt with things that were going on in my life at that point in time, and being able to share them with you guys and to find some way to express myself when that was what I really needed. Thank you for allowing me to do that and for your positive and helpful responses when I did.
I know I haven't been around much lately -- posting anything has been a massive fail for me recently, partially because life has gotten in the way more often than I like to admit and partially because I was struggling with where I wanted to go with my writing. I have actually been working on Illusoire, albeit sporadically, and my goal for 2013 is to finish it, and perhaps query. It's not a standalone story, so a lot of that has been working on the overarching plot and how everything ties together. So I have -- if not high hopes -- at least hope, and that's more than I've been able to say in a long time.
You guys are more than welcome to hit me up via email at kendalynne@gmail.com if you have questions or just want to keep in touch. I fail at any type of social media because I just forget to check it, and I'm bad about my inbox on LJ, too. But I will definitely respond if an email shows up in my inbox. I can't promise how much participation I'll put forth in PostHaven, but I will definitely be around, so this isn't goodbye. :)
Thanks again for love and support you guys have shown all of us over the last several years!
Le Meg:
2012 was a hard year for me--the summer was especially unkind--and it took its toll on my writing. So many of the collections and series additions I'd planned, the one-shots I'd started and never finished, the drive to finish all four of my major works, these things became the casualty. I never lost my love or writing or thought that these stories would be doomed forever, but it did shuffle my priorities for a while. But some good things did come out of 2012. I may not have finished four novels, but I finished two of them. And I came out of the dry spell knowing that I wouldn't be happy until I'd pursued this publishing thing to the bitter end.
I've tried to be honest and open with you guys in terms of my writing expectations, and the various snags that happen a long the way. PH is and will remain an incredible thing that I was a part of and I want to thank you guys for sharing that with me. I know not all of my stories were to everybody's taste, and some of them were hideously long, but the attention and the feedback you gave them, the detailed PMs full of concerns and concrit, the beautiful, beautiful banners you sent made this an experience I will probably never have again, anywhere else. It has meant a great deal to me and one day I hope I can return the favor with polished, cohesive, bound editions.
That's my continued commitment to you guys: I will publish, or die trying. You will be able to purchase these stories someday, though the hows and wheres of this will be a mystery for a while. Recently I spoke in a status monitor about my plans for The Ghost Stone, and before that I vowed to make a serious push towards publishing in 2013. I wasn't sure if I was ready to dive back into Deveshire so soon, but the last couple of weeks have proven otherwise. I'll be using this new year to rewrite and query The Ghost Stone. It's unlikely that I'll post a whole draft anywhere but I'd love to share progress reports with you guys, as well as the occasional teaser. I may continue to write character snippets and alternative POVs, as I have done in the past, and those I will certainly share. If any of you are interested in beta-reading the second draft, please let me know--but know that I'm not looking for line edits and spelling corrections. That's something we can discuss through email. :)
I have not forgotten about Talking of Michelangelo, Red, the tarot universe, or my sci-fi collection. The latter of which, at least, I have a few unfinished pieces for and may find the need for an occasional break from GS, so there's a good chance those will be finished and posted elsewhere. The others will have to wait. I've read that sometimes it takes an author five, six, seven (or more) books before anything they write becomes of interest to an agent. Let's hope that's not the case, but it only goes to show that I've got plenty of stories up my sleeve and all the confidence in the world that one of these is going to be The One.
I hope to continue to do writing discussions and even book club posts and/or reviews at Posthaven. I have plans for a website but until that's finished, you can find me at the new PH, on twitter (schlegelosaurus), or if you'd prefer to email (or want to get in touch about the beta-thing), PM me and I'll send that along. I hope we can stay in touch, but regardless, you guys have my best wishes and fondest regards. In other words: you fucking rock. Thank you again.
Lord Iron-Balls:
Being the only guy at PH has been an interesting, amusing and very enjoyable experience. My fellow authors are great, the community is great, and I'm going to miss it. Really, the only person in that group who didn't pull their weight was me.
When I joined PH, I really was planning to do a full rewrite of BTG. I really was planning to expand and write other stories, probably in the fantasy realm. Unfortunately, real life intervened. I started working at Google, which - while fantastic - is vastly more demanding of my time and mental energy than my previous job. I also got married. So my day now looks like this: get up, go to work, do a lot of really intellectually demanding stuff, go home and spend the evening with my wife, curl up with her for a bit before she goes to sleep, and then have time to myself. At 11 PM or so. At this point, I'm basically done. I chat with people, browse the internet, maybe play video games - but my capacity for doing more mentally demanding stuff, like writing, is almost totally shot. So I didn't end up contributing as much as I wanted, and for that I apologize.
I'm hoping that someday I can get back to writing. I think I have the raw talent to get published, but I'd actually need to be disciplined and finish a story first. And since I'm planning to have kids in a couple years, who knows if that will ever happen. I hope it does. If I do get back to writing, I'll definitely update here and let you know where to find me.
I don't really keep up with my LJ anymore, so if you want to keep up with me a bit and see me swear about sports or politics you can follow me on twitter (mlamdin) or shoot me an email at mlamdin (at) gmail dot com.
Thanks, everyone.
McQuinn:
Plagiarism Haven was more than a haven from plagiarism. It was a real-life haven, a school haven, and a study haven. It was an effective enabler. It was an opportunity to grow as an author, a tool to improve my writing, a means to obtain feedback from fellow authors, and a chance to forge a closer relationship to my readers.
PH has been my online home for the last two years. I’ve met so many amazing people and built relationships with writers and readers who will be lifelong friends. I am so thankful for the chance to be able to share my stories with you and I am thankful for your feedback, your input and criticism, and your nudging for me to update. PH and all the people involved have encouraged me to become a better writer-for that, I am forever grateful.
Even though PH is closing, I intend to finish 1 800 SMU, its spin-off, and even The Raccoon Wars on my personal LiveJournal (mcquinnish). These stories are very important to me and I would hate to leave them without a proper ending. Aside from those three stories, I want to try my hand at writing something that could maybe see a Barnes and Noble bookshelf one day. I might even take a whack at screenplay writing. Whatever it is I’ll be doing, I’ll make sure to post updates about my progress on the new PH. You can reach me on that blog, on my LJ, or on my personal formspring (http://www.formspring.me/Quinnish). And if you ever want to talk about law (meh), movies, writing, the meaning of life, add me on GChat (mcquinn1010 [at] gmail.com)-don’t be strangers!
Hugs!
Myrika:
Twelve years. That's how long I've been writing online. With the closing of PlagiarismHaven, it almost feels like the end of an era.
I was so young when I stumbled online, never dreaming that there were many people who actually put their stories up for people to read for free. Eventually I became one of them. As a kid, I had a lot of creative freedom and time. Now, as an adult, I have more discipline and experience, but the creative freedom and time, not so much.
2012 was a hard year for me in many ways. Long story short, I lost approximately 80 pounds for health reasons. Now I'm healthy (yay!), but I need to keep it that way (never an easy thing). However, my teeth problems have been worsening because I grind my teeth due to stress. Basically, I need surgery, extractions, crowns, root canals, grafts, etc. I've been visiting the dentist a few times every month, and will continue to do so, for the next few months. Not only that, I teach full-time, as you guys already know. Plus, my family is undergoing some astoundingly difficult times, financially. All of that has left me very little time to write.
At the same time, it's made me realize that I really want to start thinking about publication. I can't say if I'll be successful - who knows? - but at least I need to try. So that's my goal for 2013. Start working seriously toward publication.
You guys helped me to write again after the plagiarism mess. Some of you were there wayyyy before the plagiarism. I'm really hoping you guys will check PostHaven :) I'll be participating there. In the meantime, I can be found at twitter (myrikami). Shoot me a PM if you guys want to talk :) Eventually, when the time is right, if I ever start feeling like I'm ready to post online again, I'll let you guys know the details in PostHaven :) After all, I want to finish so many projects like Fish, River Valley, and WH! Not to mention polishing up and rewriting some old favorites...
Remember, this is not the definite end. We will see another beginning! <3<3<3
simone x says:
I think we all know that I don't do sappy very well, so I'll make this short and sweet.
PH has been a huge part of my life for the last three and a half years, and I owe a lot of my personal growth to this wonderful community. I was just a few weeks shy of seventeen when PH first opened its doors. I was still in high school and unsure if I would stick with writing once I went off to college. Now I'm a few years older (possibly wiser) and I know that writing will probably remain a large part of my life.
As for posting online, I haven't decided if I will continue to put anything up, but I did create a new journal for that purpose (simoneneversaid), so feel free to drop me a comment and add me as a friend. If you'd like to contact me (or just want to chat!) you can find me on Tumblr (simone x says - my tumblr of pretty things or simone never said - my tumblr of hot men, things I find funny, feminism, and nice butts). Also, you're welcome to shoot me an email or add me on Gchat, just send me a PM and I'll give you my email.
Later, bros.
