stolen Sherlock writing by musicaltheatre273
This morning a very kind anon told me that an entry on fanfiction.net was awfully similar to a Sherlock story that I wrote a year ago. I looked, and not only were the themes identical, the user had lifted several of my lines and phrasings verbatim.
My original story
Their story
Here are just a few of my specific lines and phrases that they used:
In my original story, as in the copied work, John finds himself caring for a de-aged toddler Sherlock. In one scene, John is trying to cook lunch when the smoke alarm goes off, and coupled with little Sherlock's screaming, it's too much for his patience.
1.
My story: "Sherlock, be quiet! Please - " John squeezed his eyes shut and pressed the phone against his forehead. Ringing phone; screaming baby; barking dog. Lather, rinse, repeat. It was too much. He lost his patience for a vital split-second, and when Sherlock screamed again, John leant down and screamed right back at him to see how he liked it.
Their story: John suddenly lost his temper in a vital split second. He screamed right back at Sherlock as loudly as he could, just to see how he liked it.
2.
My story: If John had expected any reaction at all, it would have been a look of cool distaste
Their story: John had expected his reaction to be that of severely cool distaste
3.
My story: Sherlock Holmes burst into tears. His tiny face crumpled into a wavering howl of distress. The dummy dropped from his mouth and he put his little hands over his eyes, as though he could make the scary monster go away if he simply couldn't see him anymore.
Their story: Sherlock Holmes shrank back from John, his face crumpled in fright and distress and he burst into tears. John stared at Sherlock as he held his little hands over his eyes, as though he could make the scary monster go away if he simply couldn't see anymore.
4.
My story: "Shhh. There. Bad John. The big shouty man's sorry; he won't scare you anymore."
Their story: "Sssssh Sherlock… it's alright… Bad John, frightening you like that, the Big Shouty man's sorry Sherlock; he won't scare you again…"
5.
My story: John hushed and cooed, rubbing soft circles against the little boy's back until the worst of his fright had passed. As the startled sobs faded into hiccuping gasps, John suddenly had an idea.
Their story: John softly hushed and cooed, watching as Sherlock's frightened sobs slowly became little gasps.
6.
My story: Good God if he didn't feel like the world's biggest idiot right now, but when there's a crying baby in the room a man's got to do what a man's got to do.
Their story: He felt like a bit of an idiot right now, but when there's a crying Sherlock in the room, then a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.
These are just a few examples; there are many more throughout the story.
Q
My original story
Their story
Here are just a few of my specific lines and phrases that they used:
In my original story, as in the copied work, John finds himself caring for a de-aged toddler Sherlock. In one scene, John is trying to cook lunch when the smoke alarm goes off, and coupled with little Sherlock's screaming, it's too much for his patience.
1.
My story: "Sherlock, be quiet! Please - " John squeezed his eyes shut and pressed the phone against his forehead. Ringing phone; screaming baby; barking dog. Lather, rinse, repeat. It was too much. He lost his patience for a vital split-second, and when Sherlock screamed again, John leant down and screamed right back at him to see how he liked it.
Their story: John suddenly lost his temper in a vital split second. He screamed right back at Sherlock as loudly as he could, just to see how he liked it.
2.
My story: If John had expected any reaction at all, it would have been a look of cool distaste
Their story: John had expected his reaction to be that of severely cool distaste
3.
My story: Sherlock Holmes burst into tears. His tiny face crumpled into a wavering howl of distress. The dummy dropped from his mouth and he put his little hands over his eyes, as though he could make the scary monster go away if he simply couldn't see him anymore.
Their story: Sherlock Holmes shrank back from John, his face crumpled in fright and distress and he burst into tears. John stared at Sherlock as he held his little hands over his eyes, as though he could make the scary monster go away if he simply couldn't see anymore.
4.
My story: "Shhh. There. Bad John. The big shouty man's sorry; he won't scare you anymore."
Their story: "Sssssh Sherlock… it's alright… Bad John, frightening you like that, the Big Shouty man's sorry Sherlock; he won't scare you again…"
5.
My story: John hushed and cooed, rubbing soft circles against the little boy's back until the worst of his fright had passed. As the startled sobs faded into hiccuping gasps, John suddenly had an idea.
Their story: John softly hushed and cooed, watching as Sherlock's frightened sobs slowly became little gasps.
6.
My story: Good God if he didn't feel like the world's biggest idiot right now, but when there's a crying baby in the room a man's got to do what a man's got to do.
Their story: He felt like a bit of an idiot right now, but when there's a crying Sherlock in the room, then a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.
These are just a few examples; there are many more throughout the story.
Q