ok ok sorry last message/update
In the past, I have had people message me asking if they can use parts of my story/Mariana in their own writing. We have had good conversations about intentions, ideas, and plans for the future of their stories. At the end of these conversations, we have come to agreements. Only those people should ever have Mariana and her story or something similar to that in their writing.
Plagiarism is not just the direct word for word copying of someone's work, but also paraphrasing, using their characters, or using their plot points. It's different from using tropes to using someone's unique and detailed plot.
Recently, there was an incident where there was plagiarism of this story and it was incredibly frustrating and painful for me. I have put so much of my heart and soul into Mariana. I wrote 200k+ words in one. year. That is not an easy feat. I appreciate that people love her so much, but I want to encourage creators to develop their OWN characters who have their OWN stories.
I appreciate all those who have messaged me in the past about plagiarized work. Thank you SO much. If you ever see my works being plagiarized, PLEASE let me know. I am athena-grants on tumblr and TheDreamerSetFree on ff.net.
Another thing is: Mariana is a woman of color. In my Sam Wilson story, Chris is a woman of color. I do not make these characters WOC just for the hell of it. I research extensively, consult with creators of color, have hard discussions, and work to make characters that POC feel proud of. I want to create characters who are proud of their heritage and who represent readers who are marginalized. Too often have I seen white-washed characters or, in the case of some characters, people who are stripped of their identity to appeal to a wider audience.
If you are going to write POC, research. Ask questions. Ensure it's accurate. Don't be afraid of criticism. POC voices deserve to be heard. Listen to POC when they tell you. Do not reduce POC characters to tokenism or stereotypes. Don't add representation just to make yourself feel better. Write POC because they are people who have amazing stories too.
Drink water, get sleep, step away from your screens for a bit. If you're going through finals like I am, you're doing awesome! If not, I'm proud of you no matter what.
YOU ARE READING
In Flames // 9-1-1 Fox (seasons 1-4)
Fanfiction"Keep your confessions Cause babe I'm no saint We're playing with fire" - In Flames, Digital Daggers Mariana Ramirez doesn't let people into her life. At twenty-six, she has seen her fair share of loss not only in her life but also in her ER. After...
