I taught a class this past semester, feature writing. It was great to see all the ideas that students came up with and watch them learn as they grappled with them. One student had an idea that I really liked. I told her that if I was less ethical I’d steal her idea but I would never do this. But some weeks later I sat at my desk one morning and poured out a very personal story relating to the same topic. The student inspired me. But I felt guilty, and worried the student might feel I had stolen their idea.
I’ve have seen my work be plagiarised and it’s not nice.It’s theft. I also have a friend who was working on a novel and sharing her work at a writing class. The story was inspired by a unique set of circumstances from her childhood. Not so long after the teacher entered a competition and won with a story about a similar situation. The teacher confessed at one point a vague inspiration from the student’s story. But the classroom should offer a place of trust.
What to do about my student? Before I sent the story to the editor I had in mind I wrote to my student attaching a copy of my story, and asked her to honestly tell me if it she thought it violated the trust between a teacher and student. She responded that she was thrilled about it, that it was different to anything she would ever have done. I still believe that her story, with a few modifications, would make a feature that many people would be fascinated to read. I will not be writing that story but the one I shared with her has been accepted by a magazine and will run next year.
Another student wrote a good feature containing many facets, each of which could be developed into a feature on their own. I asked her if she would mind me editing a version of her story, and then I would share with her a publication where she could pitch it. I did this shortening the story, and then sent it to the same magazine introducing my student. With a little liaison and work carried out between the editor and my student, her story is also awaiting publication. I am truly thrilled about this, about helping someone see the possibilities.
