Comments on: Plagiarism, Writing Scandals are Everywhere

By: Peter N-H

Peter N-H — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:26:07 +0000

That there’s plagiarism and hearsay in Lonely Planet titles is hardly news. The accusation has been made on more occasions than can be counted, and the only novelty here is the writer outing himself (although in later interviews he’s back-pedalling). It’s commonplace for editors to discover material in submissions that has simply been pasted in from elsewhere. Many LP titles contain little notes of thank you to Jack or Jill for information on places the author hasn’t reached, and biographies that indicate the author has no relevant qualifications or experience of the destination in question.

For no fact-checking to be done is almost standard procedure. I’ll make an honourable exception for Dorling Kindersley, which pays money for every single phone number to be called during the editing stage, and as many facts checked over the phone as possible. I know of one other publisher who makes a few sample calls, but in the case of China, for instance, it’s rare for the editor even to have been to the destination let alone have enough of the language to make any calls.

Kerry’s question, above, is the one more people should be asking. LP is only fact-checking Kohnstamm’s work now when it’s already in print? This, plus random recruitment policies revealed by other writers and by the biogs in the books, tell you everything you need to know about quality control?

Loss of reputation? What reputation? And the same question can be asked of many other series.

Peter N-H
http://peternh.blogspot.com

By: Being an Asshole, Liar Does Pay; at Least at Lonely Planet. | Dear Author: Romance Book Reviews, Author Interviews, and Commentary

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:10:59 +0000

[...] evident every day. Last week, it was discovered that Lonely Planet, a travel guide publisher, was putting out books by an author who a) plagiarized and b) didn’t even travel to the places he wrote about and c) took money [...]

By: Kerry

Kerry — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:07:58 +0000

Where’s the condemnation of the editor and publisher for not verifying every word the fraud wrote? I realize they’re “only” travel guides, but let’s be consistent.

By: Shiloh Walker

Shiloh Walker — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:45:08 +0000

Oh, what a piece of work.

By: Jana Oliver

Jana Oliver — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:29:23 +0000

Cathy – Love the “poxed whore” comment. I swear, there are days I can so relate.

Okay, so the lesson here is to jump directly to dealing drugs, passing by writing entirely. Got it. Who says I’m slow on the uptake?

By: Anne Douglas

Anne Douglas — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 23:40:15 +0000

Ahhh, but you left out the best bit about how plagiarism doesn’t pay so he started dealing drugs…

By: Cathy in AK

Cathy in AK — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 21:40:10 +0000

I’m busting my hump to put out the most original stories I can think up, working on my craft, revising my brains out, and getting more “no thanks” than a poxed whore while all I had to do was copy/steal/lie then say I did so? Man, they never tell you THAT in all those writer’s workshops.

Also, “chick”? What a schmuck.

By: Robin

Robin — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:43:41 +0000

Isn’t it strange how these books on ‘how I deceived blah blah blah’ have become so popular. I wonder if the draw is partly a vicarious sense of forgiveness and redemption, wherein the author’s confession substitutes for the reader’s (to whatever the reader may feel guilty about). Perhaps Dostoevsky was right about confession having so much social value. If it only didn’t have so much monetary value, though. I get the sense from Kohnstamm’s comments that he had about as much respect for the “chick” as he did for his travel guide readers (not to mention the editor and publisher).

By: Ann Bruce

Ann Bruce — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:34:55 +0000

*sigh* Some days I don’t want to turn on my computer.

By: Jackie L.

Jackie L. — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:31:31 +0000

Two bangs for the buck, repeatedly.