Crossing the Line to Plagiarism

Crossing the Line to Plagiarism

         Recently, I read a story here on Writing.Com that left the word "Plagiarism" flashing like a yellow caution light in the dark, cobwebby corner of my brain. I don't often see it, and I'm stunned when I do, that one would try to pass another's work off as their own, especially here where there are so many avid readers who will surely spot a fraud.
         Though I was sure this particular story wasn't copied word for word, the idea was definitely copied and characters were very similar. What I wasn't sure of was just exactly where the crossover point is that constitutes plagiarism. So I went in search of information and this is how I interpreted what I found.

Plagiarism: the practice of "dishonestly" claiming or implying original authorship of material which one has not actually created, without attributing it. (definition from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia on the web).

          While I think most of us understand that you cannot copy another writer without giving the author full credit and cite the source, there is a gray area that may be a bit confusing. That is paraphrasing.

Paraphrase: a statement or remark explained in other words or another way, so as to simplify or clarify its meaning. (definition from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia on the web)

          You can put another person's ideas in your own words but you must still give credit to the author and cite the source as well. Taking your neighbor's rug home and putting your own furniture on it doesn't make it yours, and neither does taking another's writing and adding some of your own words to it. Nor can you merely rearrange or swap a few words with synonyms. That is plagiarism, unless you give credit where credit's due. Anything of common knowledge need not be cited and not considered plagiarism. Common knowledge being well known factual information.
         So why bother including someone else's words and ideas in your own writing? The only reason I can see for this is to exactly quote someone for a specific purpose, as in a non-fiction article. My suggestion is: do not paraphrase to avoid confusion, especially in your fiction writing.
         Can you borrow another's idea? I say yes, but first, as if it's your neighbor's rug, shake it vigorously to rid it of all his words before giving it your own style. Build your own characters, set your own scenes and take it in a whole new direction with your own creative mind.