How do I deal with Plagiarists and Plagiarism?

I see this question being asked a lot, and mainly because I work with a lot of people who are ‘creative’. They are often the ones with either deep intuition, or inspiration that has come ’via’ them, from the inside but indirectly… if you know what I mean.
by Clare Legge, 29th January 2019

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I have a really short answer for this. There’s not much you can do, unless you have plenty of cash, in which case you probably don’t care that much that they’re copying anyway. Also, how do you know for sure?

This resentment can come from a number of places, sometimes anger based on fear, because of your own lack… and I imagine it being heart-breaking to see a poacher doing better than you… sometimes anger from sadness that you’re not getting the recognition you think you deserve… or maybe just your thoughts about respect, your boundaries… or something else.

Fundamentally it’s about values and beliefs, as much as commercial interest, and at the end of the day… not everyone has the same ones as you.

The way I see it… the bottom line?  Unless it’s a product or service concept that you think really should be patented or copyrighted (because you can’t protect an ‘idea’)… when it comes to content... unless it’s a like-for-like ‘cut and paste’ (and you’d have to be pretty stupid to do that these days with the content-bots running on the web)… ‘copying’ is pretty subjective. Even with products, people have the same ideas at the same time in completely different parts of the world. That’s energy for you.

If something’s determined to become manifest be sure it’ll find a way. Some people call these things happy ‘accidents’ or coincidences Or, maybe they’ve been inspired by the same thing as you… or maybe not. Maybe they are the implementers who need the creatives, in order that they can bring something into being.

When it comes to content, people’s energy is ‘in’ their version of it. It’s also why content writers may get you leads, but may not always get you clients… words have energy. When they’ve come from an inspired place they have energy attached… it’s when we’ve over-processed words and over-analysed meaning that the impact is often lost, along with the interest of the reader.

You can think what you like; I think your vibe will eventually determine who works with you. People will soon get caught out if they get visibility based on other’s work… for a start what happens if you take a break? There are plagiarists, we all know who they are… frankly history is littered with them, and doesn’t history tell us that it’s the followers who often cash in after the originator has gone broke ‘creating’.

If you’re a sensitive person, you know when something’s been written for you and directed at you… if you’re not sensitive in a way that you ‘know’ consciously, be assured your unconscious will feel the vibrational match. You’ll just ‘know’.

Yes, I’m writing this not only because I’ve seen the question being asked in forums, and been asked the question myself by my own clients, but because I’ve have also had this same experience. There are people who wait for my posts and then post something similar, or use my message as inspiration and post straight after.

But in my writing I’ve researched and been inspired by the work of others too, who I reference at the time. But what about when recalling things that have inspired me at some time in the past, or when I no doubt see things differently and a thought comes back to me in another way. Other people's work may have influenced something I’ve written too…. but I no longer know the source, albeit I will be using my own words and interpretation.

I’m fortunate to have an abundant life… but on the odd occasions when I’ve been curious enough to validate my suspicions, and been interested enough to see who and what has been commented on content that’s been blatantly copied… to be honest, the comments and engagement have come from people who probably wouldn’t be attracted to me and my work anyway… so really, what’s the issue?

Yes it’s nice when someone is kind enough to give credit to those people who’ve inspired them… not everyone has the self-worth to allow them to do that. Many people don’t even see it as plagiarism, although the law may take a different view.

So I say this, keep doing your thing, put your message out there without attachment and expectation. Trust that what flows from you will return to you in some other way… And think on this... if the creatives aren’t bringing new ideas into the world it would be a pretty dark place … so shine your light anyway!

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Clare Legge    www.clarelegge.com

... is a Business Transformation Consultant, Coach, the 'Man's Man's Mentor', Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, and Author of 'Love Your Numbers' The Anatomy of Success series.