How to gain acceptance to an Ivy League school!

And I bet she's in line for honors, too.

[www.nytimes.com] (4/24/06)

Young Author Admits She Copied Another Writer
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By DINITIA SMITH
Published: April 24, 2006
Kaavya Viswanathan, the Harvard sophomore accused of plagiarizing parts of her recently published "chick-lit" novel, acknowledged today that she had borrowed language from another writer's books, but called the copying "unintentional and unconscious."

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Jodi Hilton for The New York Times
Kaavya Viswanathan at Harvard, where she is now a 19-year-old sophomore.

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A 'How to Get Into College by Really, Really Trying' Novel (April 6, 2006)
Comparing Passages (Boston.com)The book, "How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life," was published by Little, Brown this spring to wide publicity. On Saturday, the Harvard Crimson reported that Ms. Viswanathan, who received $500,000 as part of a two-book deal for "Opal," had seemingly plagiarized language from two novels by Megan McCafferty, an author of popular young adult books.

In an e-mail message this afternoon, Ms. Viswanathan said that in high school she had read and loved the two books she is accused of borrowing from, 'Sloppy Firsts' and "Second Helpings," and that they "spoke to me in a way few other books did."

"Recently, I was very surprised and upset to learn that there are similarities between some passages in my novel, 'How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life,' and passages in these books," the message went on.

Calling herself a "huge fan" of Ms. McCafferty's work, Ms. Viswanathan added, "I wasn't aware of how much I may have internalized Ms. McCafferty's words." She also apologized to Ms. McCafferty and said that future printings of the novel would be revised to "eliminate any inappropriate similarities."

Michael Pietsch, publisher of Little, Brown, said Ms. Viswanathan planned to add an acknowledgment to Ms. McCafferty in future printings of the book.

In her e-mail, Ms. Viswanathan said that "the central stories of my book and hers are completely different." But Ms. McCafferty's books, published by Crown, a division of Random House, are, like Ms. Viswanathan's, about a young woman from New Jersey trying to get into an Ivy League college, in her case, Columbia. (Ms. Viswanathan's character has her sights set on Harvard.) Like the heroine of "Opal," Ms. McCafferty's character visits the campus, strives to earn good grades to get in and makes a triumphant high school graduation speech proclaiming her true values.

And the borrowings may be more extensive than have previously been reported. The Crimson cited 13 instances in which Ms. Viswanathan's book closely paralleled Ms. McCafferty's work. But there are at least 29 passages that are strikingly similar.

At one point in "Sloppy Firsts," for example, Ms. McCafferty's heroine unexpectedly encounters her love interest, Marcus. Ms. McCafferty writes:

"Though I used to see him sometimes at Hope's house, Marcus and I had never, ever acknowledged each other's existence before. So I froze, not knowing whether I should (a) laugh (b) say something (c) ignore him and keep on walking.

"I chose a brilliant combo of (a) and (b).

" 'Uh, yeah. Ha. Ha. Ha.'

"I turned around and saw that Marcus was smiling at me."

Similarly, Ms. Viswanathan's heroine, Opal, bumps into her love interest, a boy named Sean Whalen, and the two of them spy on one of the school's popular girls.

Ms. Viswanathan writes: "Though I had been to school with him for the last three years, Sean Whalen and I had never acknowledged each other's existence before. I froze, unsure of (a) what he was talking about and (b) what I was supposed to do about it. I stared at him.

" 'Flat irons,' he said. 'At least seven flat irons for that hair.'

" 'Ha, yeah. Uh, ha. Ha.' I looked at the floor and managed a pathetic combination of laughter and monosyllables, then remembered that the object of our mockery was his former best friend.

"I looked up and saw that Sean was grinning."

In a profile published in The New York Times earlier this month, Ms. Viswanathan said that while she was in high school, her parents hired Katherine Cohen, founder of IvyWise, a private counseling service, to help with the college application process. After reading some of Ms. Viswanathan's writing, Ms. Cohen put her in touch with the William Morris Agency, and Ms. Viswanathan eventually signed with Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, an agent there. Among Ms. Walsh's best-selling clients is Ann Brashares, author of the "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" novels.

Ms. Brashares started writing her books when she was co-owner of a book packaging company, 17th Street Productions. In an earlier interview Ms. Walsh said that she put Ms. Viswanathan in touch with the company (now called Alloy Entertainment), but that the plot and writing of "Opal" were "1,000 percent hers."

But Alloy, which referred questions to Little, Brown, holds the copyright to "Opal" with Ms. Viswanathan.

In the profile, Ms. Viswanathan said the idea for "Opal" came from her own experiences applying to college. "I was surrounded by the stereotype of high-pressure Asian and Indian families trying to get their children into Ivy League schools," she said.

Tina Constable, a spokeswoman for Crown, said a reader had first noticed the similarities between the books. That person "told Megan," she said. "Megan alerted us. We've alerted the Little, Brown legal department. We are waiting to hear from them."

It was unclear whether Harvard would take any action against Ms. Viswanathan. "Our policies apply to work submitted to courses," said Robert Mitchell, the director of communications for Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences. "Nevertheless, we expect Harvard students to conduct themselves with integrity and honesty at all times."

Ms. Walsh, the agent, said that "obviously, I was shocked," to learn of the copying. "But knowing what a fine person Kaavya is, I believe any similarities were unintentional," she added. "Teenagers tend to adapt each others' language."

This is why crappy undergraduate work shouldn't get #*$(ing published. In Cornell writing courses, we're taught not to write tripe.

Section A Banshee
This is why crappy undergraduate work shouldn't get #*$(ing published. In Cornell writing courses, we're taught not to write tripe.

They must have improved quite a lot, then. We were taught to dredge up positive observations after each poor shlub in turn made their daily diffusion of dull, derivative drivel.

Nobody under 35* should write fiction; they're fetuses. There's plenty of time to share your uniquely world-shattering perspective, once you have developed one.

(* this rule is relaxed to 25, provided you dropped out of high school)

I dunno if I buy that, Trotsky. Zadie Smith is pretty damned good (and yes, I am jealous of her talent).

Last I checked (which would be 2003), we didn't necessarily have to say positive things in workshop, but they did have to be constructive. This was quite intellectually taxing when dealing with some schmuck who fancied himself a wunderkind whose 90 page chunk of manuscript was worth pounding through and critiquing in a week.

Unfortunately this profit-driven world likes its authors young-n-pretty, because that sells books. (See: Lauren Weisberger and the borderline unreadable Devil Wears Prada. Ok, dishing on Anna Wintour helped too.) Of course, since I'm reasonably attractive and personable when I want to be, I'll count on using this system to my advantage should I ever publish. But it will be a GOOD book, dammit. Not plagiarized, of course.

Jerseygirl
(See: Lauren Weisberger and the borderline unreadable Devil Wears Prada. Ok, dishing on Anna Wintour helped too.)

Also, Lauren Weisberger didn't use an entirely original name for the main character's boyfriend in that book. Now when you Google me, you get a bunch of hits for The Devil Wears Prada.

cornelldavy

Jerseygirl
(See: Lauren Weisberger and the borderline unreadable Devil Wears Prada. Ok, dishing on Anna Wintour helped too.)

Also, Lauren Weisberger didn't use an entirely original name for the main character's boyfriend in that book. Now when you Google me, you get a bunch of hits for The Devil Wears Prada.

Right, didn't she add a suffix to the name of a friend's boyfriend or something?

I use my friends' (and enemies') names and traits all the time. Most fiction has at least some grounding in real life*, which I think speaks to Trotsky's point above: it's silly for young writers to attempt to write prose containing earth shattering revelations when they have not yet personally experienced said revelations and therefore know how to properly construct prose around them.

*A professor of mine dated a Cornell MFA student who wrote a very commercially successful and critically acclaimed novel/collection of short stories. Said former MFA student based one of the main characters love interests on the professor. The relationship must have ended badly, though, since the professor's character (a reknowned editor) was impotent. The professor was not happy.

Also, the same book has charming details that are unfortunately repeated in the author's sophomore effort -- a standard poodle, a character named Rob, etc.

Trotsky

Section A Banshee
This is why crappy undergraduate work shouldn't get #*$(ing published. In Cornell writing courses, we're taught not to write tripe.

They must have improved quite a lot, then. We were taught to dredge up positive observations after each poor shlub in turn made their daily diffusion of dull, derivative drivel.

Nobody under 35* should write fiction; they're fetuses. There's plenty of time to share your uniquely world-shattering perspective, once you have developed one.

(* this rule is relaxed to 25, provided you dropped out of high school)

Despite being 22, I agree completely. The college experience is so artificial that it's all but impossible to harvest anything compelling out of it while you're still there.

Trotsky

Nobody under 35* should write fiction; they're fetuses. There's plenty of time to share your uniquely world-shattering perspective, once you have developed one.

(* this rule is relaxed to 25, provided you dropped out of high school)

I just finished the novel "Sometimes A Great Notion." I think it's probably the best work of fiction I've ever read. Kesey was 28-29 when he wrote it. Sometimes the "genius" in people peaks in their twenties or early thirties (Sonny Rollins, Alexis de Tocqueville, Ken Kesey, etc.).

Jerseygirl

cornelldavy

Jerseygirl
(See: Lauren Weisberger and the borderline unreadable Devil Wears Prada. Ok, dishing on Anna Wintour helped too.)

Also, Lauren Weisberger didn't use an entirely original name for the main character's boyfriend in that book. Now when you Google me, you get a bunch of hits for The Devil Wears Prada.

Right, didn't she add a suffix to the name of a friend's boyfriend or something?

I know that's what she said, but I still have my suspicions that she might have just taken a name she liked from a byline in the Daily Sun. It must have been his excellent writing that she admired, or perhaps his mug shot by his column.

redhair34

Trotsky

Nobody under 35* should write fiction; they're fetuses. There's plenty of time to share your uniquely world-shattering perspective, once you have developed one.

(* this rule is relaxed to 25, provided you dropped out of high school)

I just finished the novel "Sometimes A Great Notion." I think it's probably the best work of fiction I've ever read. Kesey was 28-29 when he wrote it. Sometimes the "genius" in people peaks in their twenties or early thirties (Sonny Rollins, Alexis de Tocqueville, Ken Kesey, etc.).

On the one hand, Kesey is a very poor example -- a proto-example of media-induced hysteria. A talentless hack.

But, on the other hand, there are great examples of sub-30 authors. Fitzgerald, frinstance. The 35/25 rule applies to today, where we and our children have riden a safety-belt conveyence which renders us incapable of any actual life experience. For most of us, in fact, that is postponed forever -- we never face any situation in which we are actually at real risk, and in which we Finally Learn Something. A couple generations ago, you could still gain those experiences in your 20's. Right now, there are barely literate rednecks getting their asses shot at who will create the next serious American literature.

It just sure as shit won't come from Ithaca. Nothing will, but another consist of MBAs, PhDs, and JDs.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Trotsky
For most of us, in fact, that is postponed forever -- we never face any situation in which we are actually at real risk, and in which we Finally Learn Something. A couple generations ago, you could still gain those experiences in your 20's. Right now, there are barely literate rednecks getting their asses shot at who will create the next serious American literature.

It just sure as shit won't come from Ithaca.

I'm not going to disagree that a lot of the serious American lit will come from the people getting their asses shot at, and that a lot of them are barely literate rednecks, BUT there are some who graduated from Cornell and the other Ivies. I know there's a recent book written by a Penn grad who went to Iraq - when I figure out what it is, I'll edit this post to add the title. Granted, academic pedigree and war stories do not necessarily a good book make, but Ithaca may just have a good philosopher-warrior come out of it.

Trotsky
It just sure as shit won't come from Ithaca. Nothing will, but another consist of MBAs, PhDs, and JDs.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I disagree. There's some pretty interesting talent coming from Goldwin Smith, that is, if the people with whom I went to class keep at it and get published. Then again, I also don't believe that Good Literature is exclusively borne of Earth Shattering Experience. It's my personal opinion that that view is rather male, but whatdoIknow. I tend to think that literary talent and craftiness with words is more impressive when it concerns the mundane.

Yeah, I'm a little into this subject of late. Kinda sorta maybe gearing up for an MFA/Ph.D gets you thinking about your position on literature.

Trotsky

On the one hand, Kesey is a very poor example -- a proto-example of media-induced hysteria. A talentless hack.

That's total bullshit. You just lost all credibility.

redhair34

Trotsky

On the one hand, Kesey is a very poor example -- a proto-example of media-induced hysteria. A talentless hack.

That's total bullshit. You just lost all credibility.

*points to gathering of twigs*

Cuckoo's Nest!

*points to Jack Nicholson*

Idiot!

*repeats until throat is sore*

Trotsky

Section A Banshee
This is why crappy undergraduate work shouldn't get #*$(ing published. In Cornell writing courses, we're taught not to write tripe.

They must have improved quite a lot, then. We were taught to dredge up positive observations after each poor shlub in turn made their daily diffusion of dull, derivative drivel.

Nobody under 35* should write fiction; they're fetuses. There's plenty of time to share your uniquely world-shattering perspective, once you have developed one.

(* this rule is relaxed to 25, provided you dropped out of high school)

How old was Richard Farina when he wrote Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me? This is still one of the all-time great Cornell books. It seems to me that he developed his world-shattering perspective mainly by smoking dope somewhere in C-Town.

Swampy

Trotsky

Section A Banshee
This is why crappy undergraduate work shouldn't get #*$(ing published. In Cornell writing courses, we're taught not to write tripe.

They must have improved quite a lot, then. We were taught to dredge up positive observations after each poor shlub in turn made their daily diffusion of dull, derivative drivel.

Nobody under 35* should write fiction; they're fetuses. There's plenty of time to share your uniquely world-shattering perspective, once you have developed one.

(* this rule is relaxed to 25, provided you dropped out of high school)

How old was Richard Farina when he wrote Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me? This is still one of the all-time great Cornell books. It seems to me that he developed his world-shattering perspective mainly by smoking dope somewhere in C-Town.

Then there's the British concept of doing all your good work young and retiring to the country at 40.

Britney's artistry will not improve by attaining the age of 35. Good solid code is written by people in the teens and twenties. The prime age for athletes is around 28. (The International Olympic Committee, around 78.) Young writers ought to have the chance to be good, or bad, early on. The fault lies not with the writers so much as the stupid over-35 publishers who buy the crap of writers of every age ... and people of all ages who consume it. The Amazon self-publish model (you can set up a book that's printed, and shipped, one at a time, for less than $1,000 one-time fee) is a true test of an author's abilities. I have a friend of a Cornell roommate who's convinced he's a great writer and has a story to tell the world about the inner workings of sellling cars, as if you're need 200 pages to say "pond scum." Okay, this isn't creative writing literature that's being discussed here, but this way the guy won't go to his grave thinking he's a great writer who got screwed by a publisher -- he finds the $500 setup fee and later finds out how much the world wants to know about selling cars.

Blogs, also eLynah, even this post, show how low are the barriers to entry. DeToqueville was right about the middling influence of democracy. He foresaw American Idol. And Cheaper by the Dozen 3.

billhoward
Britney's artistry will not improve by attaining the age of 35.

Britney's artistry is best admired with the sound turned off.

KeithK

billhoward
Britney's artistry will not improve by attaining the age of 35.

Britney's artistry is best admired with the sound turned off.

And with photo from 2003.