Has a quaint little New England cooking magazine been ripping off stories from writers? Yep. Cooks Source has been stealing more than recipes, and their scandal is being dragged all over the internet and back today.
Long story short, student Monica Gaudio wrote a little something on her blog, and that little something was later discovered in Cooks Source, uncredited. She contacted the editor, Judith Griggs, asking for an apology and a $130 donation to Columbia School of Journalism. Here's what she got instead [sics included]:
Yes Monica, I have been doing this for 3 decades, having been an editor at The Voice, Housitonic Home and Connecticut Woman Magazine. I do know about copyright laws. It was "my bad" indeed, and, as the magazine is put together in long sessions, tired eyes and minds somethings forget to do these things.
But honestly Monica, the web is considered "public domain" and you should be happy we just didn't "lift" your whole article and put someone else's name on it! It happens a lot, clearly more than you are aware of, especially on college campuses, and the workplace. If you took offence and are unhappy, I am sorry, but you as a professional should know that the article we used written by you was in very bad need of editing, and is much better now than was originally. Now it will work well for your portfolio.
For that reason, I have a bit of a difficult time with your requests for monetary gain, albeit for such a fine (and very wealthy!) institution. We put some time into rewrites, you should compensate me! I never charge young writers for advice or rewriting poorly written pieces, and have many who write for me... ALWAYS for free!
Since the above has now hit every corner of the internet (after being posted on Gaudio's blog), a Facebook page has been created where even more writers are claiming Cooks Source has been lifting their stories—something Neil Gaiman even pointed to on his Twitter. The piece in question is still up on the magazine's website, but Gaudio is now credited—and we're guessing she'll also be compensated, one way or another. [via Boing Boing]
