We've all been in situations where we don't feel like writing something, whether it's an essay for school or even a short speech to be given, there are times when we simply feel a lack of energy or have a shortage of creativity. It's happened to the best of us, but it doesn't excuse copying even a few words in order to meet a deadline or just spruce up your piece. I know it's something that has been taught to us all in and out of school, but from a writer's perspective, plagiarizing is more than something that goes against the rules.
Writing is no easy task for anyone, even the best authors face writer's block now and then. Thinking of the best way to word a sentence or a creative way to describe a certain scene takes time and effort, and unfortunately there are people who simply do not feel like working at it and coming up with their own unique piece of writing. I'm not saying that I or other authors are perfect, everyone makes mistakes now and then, but the feeling of working so hard on something, only to have another person claim it as their own is crushing.
Seeing someone else get credit and praise for something you wrote feels like nothing else. At times, it can make you feel as if you are not good enough; what you worked at isn't as valuable because it's yours. You feel like your own skills mean nothing because they belong to you and your name, maybe if you were the person who used your work, you would get the praise you truly deserved. More than anything, however, it makes you feel unnoticed.
It is completely okay to not be the best writer, but it is better to admit to someone else, such as a teacher, that you struggle instead of completely taking advantage of someone else's work in order to succeed. When you blatantly copy someone's piece of writing, or even change a single word or two to make it "your own," you are essentially stealing. Stealing the result of someone's dedication, creativity, and unique perspective. When you copy someone's writing, you are completely disregarding your own knowledge and originality to use that person's.
The next time you're tempted to copy and paste into your essay, really think about not only the trouble you'll face with your school or organization, but what it actually means for the original writer. Plagiarizing is not only dishonest, it shows a person's true character. Everyone in this world has their own set of skills that bring something different to the table when it comes to writing. Different perspective is highly valued by everyone reading a certain piece of work, so instead of claiming someone else's perspective as your own, show off your unique point of view to the world. Who knows, maybe doing so will produce something better than what is already written out there.
