I couldn't agree more, Prestidigitweeze! Actually, I wanted to help, so I decided to post a public announcement on Facebook too:
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This isn't a lesson, but something writers should know. You aren't a writer if you steal other writer's work. All of us are influenced by writers, and the influence can be seen by the well read, but influence is different from theft. The number of novels written today that have been recalled for stolen sections is amazing. So many young writers who have grown up in a world where it's okay to steal music, and movies, and books, think it's also okay to steal the words. Listen you goddamn f*****g thieves, if you want to be influenced by a writer, that's fine, but let the influence come through with your story and your way of putting it down. Borrowing a stylistic trick is one thing, but borrowing the exact book is not. Note that there have been at least two books recently that had to be withdrawn for being stolen from other books. One had whole unchanged passages taken from other books, thirteen for sure, and maybe more. It does matter if you stole the words that a writer worked hard to create. It matters a lot. It's no different than my coming to your house and stealing your car to drive around because I can't get mine to start.
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