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Some thoughts on the social media ATTACK being waged against me

11/28/2018

11 Comments

 
Around November 14th, 2018 I first heard of LitRPGPodcast and his review on my book and accusations of plagiarism from one of the Podcasters ex-fans. He’d read my book after hearing all of the controversy and then discovered that it didn’t match up to the review. The podcaster in question is a LitRPG author that runs a podcast where he gives his thoughts on the worth of new LitRPG titles entering the market. No conflicts of interests there, I’m sure he keeps a very fair perspective for his audience whenever he reviews new titles whether or not he allows any negative comments to stay on his videos. Anyway, I found out later that week that there was an actual breakdown of all of the types of ways my book was a copy of Ascend Online. While the podcaster makes it sound very dastardly, if you sit back and reflect on any other books within the LitRPG genre and how those same comments could be used almost across the board it makes you question his story. I will say he does bring up one point that did make me think. The term was Military Conditioning and the brief description of the racial skill is the same as in Ascend Online.
 
At first, I honestly couldn’t think of how that could be in any way similar. When I go back and look at when the book was written, it was October. When I look to see when I read Ascend Online, it was November. Both are documented in my blog from that time and now from a screenshot of my download history of Ascend Online. But, if that’s the case, then where could the term have come from? As soon as I heard the accusation, I changed the racial trait to something else. I didn’t want to have anything that could be misconstrued as taking someone else’s terminology.
 
Gaming terminology, it’s a funny thing. Character Sheets, Intelligence, Strength, Wisdom, Agility, Spirit, Luck, Leeching Weapons, Fire balls, Frost blasts, Goblins, Raiders, Orcs, Gnolls, Elves, the list goes on and on of what we are allowed to use. These terminology that we’ve taken from MMORPGs, from Dungeons and Dragons and other writers we use without a second thought. I sometimes wonder what the creators of D&D would say about that? I wonder what The Lord of the Rings author would say to the casual use of his fantasy creations? I wonder what Play to Win author, the Father of LitRPG, would say about his terms being used without his consent? Yes, I would have to say every LitRPG author has borrowed multiple terms from the Play to Win series whether they admit it or not. What would the numerous game developers say as we borrow their quest and mission formats? I’m sure it’s all okay. We twist those terms for our own use, right? Nothing wrong there. Also, they’ve been used so much, it’s hard to point the finger as to where they come from and each game has them.
 
I expect I had Physical Conditioning as the skill previously. A Military term you hear from soldiers in the morning chow hall line and is common in the Military. Coming back to my series to finish book three and do the corrections for the whole series two years later, I’m sure I saw the term Physical Conditioning and decided to change the trait to Military Conditioning. How could I come up with such a terminology? Good question, I mean I’ve only worked overseas for the Department of Defense for nearly a decade. I’m also an ex-soldier. Terms like Physical Conditioning, Military Standards, Military Regulations, Military Code of Conduct, Training Standards and yes Military Conditioning are not unknown to me. These are all common military jargon that I hear inside and outside of work on a regular basis.
 
Could it be possible that I’d read the term in Ascend Online and had used it two years later when I was going through making my corrections and tweaks? It’s quite possible. If so, there was no conscious intent to ‘borrow’ the term. More likely it comes from the normal day-to-day military jargon and I just was like, ‘hmm that sounds better’ and made the change without thinking it was a gaming term used in another person’s novel I’d read nearly two years earlier. Some might say the text is the same as the skill in Ascend Online, but having a low percent increase of defensive and hit points for a military culture is not uncommon in gaming. Similar to having an increase in intelligence and spell power/magic affinity is for a wizard culture or having bonuses in agility and concealment/stealth for a thieving society. Seriously there are so many across the board I could go on for quite a while. Not a new trope in any way.
 
My social media attackers would have you think that because I use the term, my entire book must be plagiarized from Ascend Online. It’s obvious, right? Not really. There is a difference between using a gaming term and plagiarizing another person’s book, world or characters. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be a LitRPG genre nor would there be so many people leaving reviews that the accusation of plagiarism are wrong or so greatly exaggerated as to hold no merit. Many of these readers have clearly stated that they have read both series. They say this because they do not have an agenda unlike the small group writers in the same genre attacking me. Theses reviewers say that the stories are quite different and are no more similar than any other LitRPG story is to one another. The use of a racial term is just that, a gaming / military term. A fopa of a new writer? Possibly. The witch hunt this has been turned into? Hardly.
 
Even my attackers will say it’s probably a new writer’s fopa. For a group that is supposed to be accepting of new writers and one I was invited into to post my first LitRPG novel, it seems like their reaction wasn’t one of acceptance and helping a new writer traverse the rapids of being an indie writer. There was ‘no, hey you need to do such and such or this will be an issues.’ There was no path available for a simple, ‘Wow I didn’t notice that, sorry. I’ll change that to not cause any problems and thanks for the heads up.’ It was simply, you used this term with some additional fluff added and said I plagiarized someone else’s entire story which was then spammed out onto every possible media channel available to them. 
 
I am not a social media expert. I rarely go on Facebook unless I get a message that someone is trying to contact me. I don’t have my own podcast. I do write my blog off and on and it gets uploaded to Facebook, but it’s mainly as a way to document my own experiences as an Indie Writer that will hopefully help others. Also, it’s a way now that I hear from new fans. That’s a new experience for me that has only truly began with the release of my new series.
 
Now that the other methods that have been tried to block my books have failed, I am being attacked by the same people on the LitRPG community sites. Why did those other methods fail? Because a gaming term is not plagiarizing someone else’s entire story no matter what my attackers would have you believe. Now though anything I say in the LitRPG groups is immediately laughed at and twisted around to change its meaning. Any defenders are immediately shouted down. Do I go hunting each different thread down to expound upon my innocents? Would it matter what I say to a group of people who are bullying me online or IRL even if what I say is true? Is there a chance to lose your temper and say something stupid that will just make the situation worse? I’m sure there is. I’ve already did it once and had to apologize to the man from Alternate Realities.
 
To be honest, I can’t stomach drama or flame wars. It’s not my thing. I just want to write, do my 9 to 5 job and take care of my family. For those of you who are on the outside of the drama, I only ask that you keep an open mind and make your own decision. Lastly, I’m not a fan of bullies which is a major focus of my series. I doubt that most of you are either. Judge for yourself at how this is being handle and ask yourself is this something that seems right to you? Is this how you want your LitRPG community to act towards new writers entering the genre? Or is this reminiscent of what you’d see in High School with a bunch of seniors bullying a skinny freshman entering High School for the first time who makes a social blunder that is then blown out of proportion?

This will my last blog on the topic. 
11 Comments
David Sims
11/30/2018 02:03:39 pm

Thank you for the insight and for your series. I naively thought that since Amazon said that there was no plagiarism that it would stop all of the other attacks. If I had known I would have tried to get on to those sites and try to set things right. But it would probably only make them spout their idiotic beliefs even more.

I also have to agree that ALL the Litrpg books borrow the same basic terminology. The same as you can find in any D&D books and such. I would think that once it hit mainstream use in society that it would be acceptable to use in a book. If so then any words used would be plagiarized. The only one that I know that is not used by the media or radio station is the name of the biggest football of the year that makes on team the best.

As one veteran to another hang in their while it might seem that there "bullies" running the rampant we can only have faith that sensible people will com to their senses. I have read that podcast guys books and it was totally not inspiring enough for me to continue to read. Now I read at least 2 - 3 books in the litrpg genre each week , so does that make me certified to post a review about a book. Or to even host a show. Probably not but at least I realize that.

No onto brighter and happier things. When can we expect book 4 to come out?
Thank you for having the courage to write and publish your stories. Keep plugging ahead and don't let the jackals have the final say.

Reply
Jason Cheek link
11/30/2018 10:32:37 pm

Thanks David, but the group of friends who have been running this narrative from day one was pouncing on anyone that dared to say anything positive. Just like a group of bullies you'd run into in High School, they start just ridiculing everything you said and drowning out or twisting your points. Hopefully having it on the blog will help new Indie Writers not run into the same issue. Seriously, beware any invites to post your book in a Facebook forum.

This crew lost the Amazon battle, they weren't able to stop people from enjoying my story and arguing against their narrative in reviews, so now it's this media assault. While they control the narrative in their LitRPG groups, I think readers who are interested in the controversy are going and reading my books and then thinking, "What's the big deal about this whole thing? The two stories are nothing alike than any other LitRPG series would be to one another." That simple truth and that most of the LitRPG readers have no trouble making up their own minds is the only thing that has stopped these guys media storm from being effective.

The whole experience has left a bad taste in my mouth as I am once again shown that I am still quite naive about the ways of the world at times. Like I said earlier in a blog post, if it wasn't for readers like you saying I really like this please keep the series going, I would have left LitRPG. Instead, I have a bunch of books planned. At least all the way up to book six. I've already purchased the cover for book five. I'm not saying the series is going to stop at book six, only that I have a general story already planned out.

While I've easily lost two to three weeks due to these attacks, book four is nearing completion and with the help of Eric the corrections are coming along nicely. Eric is a fan who offered to help with the corrections. I'm adding him into book five as a major character as a thank you for his hard work.

I usually don't talk a bunch about my current job or my vet status since I still work overseas and it's not good OPSEC, if you know what I mean. I never want to put my family in jeopardy for anyone looking for people like us as targets. Fortunately or unfortunately, it came out during this whole controversy. A salute to you my friend.

The whole LitRPGPodcast is another story altogether. How can you be a writer in the genre and bash on new authors coming out? Isn't that a conflict in interest? Looking at the reviews he left for most of the books he reviewed, it seemed like everyone was 5 or a 6 tops. No agenda there, I'm sure.

Hopefully, book four will be out soon. Might be the eighth or the fifteen now due to all the drama. All I can say though, is thank you for the kind words. It removes that tension and allows me to write once again.

Jason

Reply
Andrew Davidson
12/4/2018 05:42:06 am

Jason

Having only stumbled into LitRPG books about 4 - 5 months ago I've jumped in with both feet. First off let me just say that I love your series. I love it for how it hits me, an old school gamer, right in the feels when you talk about some of the titles of games, raiding end game content, camping PKers and the like. Did it, loved it, would do it again if a game like that you've brought to life was out there.

Having read all your books, plus many others, I'm saddened to hear that there was this underhanded series of attacks against you, mainly because I don't see the similarities. Yes, online pro gamers. Ok. Virtual reality pods. Ok. But story, characters, character development is all different and unique.

Please don't stop writing or fighting the good fight. Solider on good sir

Reply
Jason Cheek link
12/4/2018 10:10:36 am

Hey Andrew, Just a quick side note, Jason A Cheek stands for Andrew :) Just thought that was cool when I read your name.

Thanks for the good word. I've been putting a lot of thought into the whole 'Is the MMOG genre dying' thing and one thing I've decided is that what people call MMOGs are not really MMOGs. They should have a new name for these games that people don't spend any time learning /exploring the world and jumping to end game content asap without creating any relationships with other gamers. That's not what a Massively Multiplayer Online Game is really about. Those things you mentioned above is what MMOGs are all about. Unfortunately even the assholes, since you love to hate them and fighting them usually brings some good stories and memories later on.

Yea, the attacks really sucked and it has taken a good three weeks out of my life. It's unfortunate that I can't just play in another area, because they did their best like a typical PKer to hunt you down wherever you go to grief you. I guess my innate writing ability just pissed them off ;) The lack of any true plagiarism is what has stopped the community from condemning me and has caused their attacks to fail. You're not the first person who have said that to me, that they just don't see the plagiarism. The sad truth is that anyone can paint a pretty lie and dress it up to look real, but if people are willing to look at the truth for themselves, the truth of the matter is discovered quickly enough.

Book four will be out soon. It would have already been out if not for the attacks, but I'm back on track and the story is nearly finished. I think you'll like it a lot. On a side note, please leave a review for book one. https://www.amazon.com/First-Login-World-Book-1-ebook/dp/B07H35XRLZ/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_sims?ie=UTF8

It's those reviews against the trolls that stopped their attack and every little bit helps.

Also, I'm slowly starting up a Sci-Fi LitRPG outline for a future series that I'll be writing in-between the other. I probably won't start it until book five is released, but I just wanted to let you know that it's in development :)

Thanks again for the support.

Jason

Reply
Brandy Avery
12/6/2018 10:22:13 am

Jason,
I don't often write authors although I have been an avid fantasy/sci finally reader for about 29 years. Sorry to hear you are being bullied, especially by authors I have enjoyed reading.

Reply
Jason Cheek link
12/6/2018 12:11:21 pm

Yeah Brandy, I know what you mean. I typically do my best to promote authors I like. I don't really get the whole competition thing, I just want to read and write good stories. To find out two of the authors I really liked were not what I expected was a huge let down for me. It's funny, I've had a lot of people contact me since the release of The World and the whole controversy. Some in email, some on the phone and even one man who works in a similar DOD organization here in Germany that I met up with last Sunday at the PX. There is always that moment of surprise when people realize I'm that same person as in the stories I write. Maybe I'm nave, but I expect other authors to be the same.

I was really excited to be a part of the LitRPG community and was invited to post my story after emailing with Kong and thanking him for such a good series. It was there when I need that mental distraction with everything going on in my life at the time. Then to have that whole experience turn into what it did really hit me hard and was a super let down.

It nice that the LitRPG community has been standing up for me once they've read my books and found out the truth for themselves. If not for them, I expect I wouldn't be writing more LitRPG. Because of that support, Book 4 is nearly finished.

Jason

Reply
Austin Walts
10/8/2019 10:49:57 am

i felt the same way i actually read ascend online first and then the world i liked the world so much i went to facebook to ask about the next only to get attacked by others when i said i enjoyed the world more then i did ascend online. its just sad to see people attack others.

Reply
Jason A Cheek link
10/8/2019 12:20:59 pm

Thanks Austin. Hearing from readers who love the series is a huge motivation for me to keep writing the series. Also, I now ask everyone to leave reviews on Amazon for the authors they like. Only in that way will it stop this kind of online bullying from certain author groups trying to block new writers from entering the genre. If you're interested in concept art for the series and pictures of our LAN parties, you can check that out here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007596607095

Thanks,

Jason

Jason A Cheek link
10/8/2019 01:28:58 pm

PS: Makes you think twice about those authors don't it? There is a group of about fifteen that are authors, editors, and moderators who control the Gamelit facebook group and attack new writers that aren't a part of their click. If you dare call them out on it, they really focus on bashing you and your series as much as possible. I know that from first hand. Sorry you had to go through that. You'd think at some point in time they'd get smart and realize it hurts them and makes them lose fans, but so far that hasn't stopped them from bashing anyone who openly says they like my series.

Jason

Jean Pretorius
12/7/2018 08:46:34 am

Hi

Firstly I want to apologies as a fan for the unnecessary hassle you have gone through. I am a bookworm of note and have read all your novels in the world series as well as most of those who caused the mess. It is sad that instead of growing the community and supporting each others, individuals are out to only build their own rep. To be honest I do not think your novel should be compared with each other. Although they share similar themes but there are 100 that do that. The world series is rather about an individual that builds groups around himself for growth while Ascend is the group and its success. Also World to me is more mature.

You have spoken in your previous posts about how everyone use similar term in their novels. You focussed on litrpg novels but to be honest there are a lot of similar terms used across most fantasy novels. I think you would find it interesting that there was a article out about a guy that wanted to trademark the term dragons. Interesting read but it comes down to narrow minded individuals not able to be successful so they try any means to leach of others success.

I know it is difficult but keep going. Looking forward to your next novel.

Reply
Jason Cheek link
12/7/2018 10:04:21 am

Thanks for the kind words Jean. The support means a lot to me. I'm a super bookworm myself and enjoy reading and have for my entire life. I do my best to support and promote the authors I like. I mean why not? I want more good stories coming out!

Running into this mess really put a bad taste in my mouth, but the fans of my series that have contacted me made a world of difference. Steven, Jeff and Eric are just a few of the new people I've met from all of this drama and they spent a lot of time helping me to calm down and think clearly. Steven would say just so I'd get back to finishing book four :)

I'm currently writing the last day err chapter, but my chapters are quite large. I hope to have the book out shortly and am keeping my nose to the grindstone while Eric and Jeff are helping to correct what I write.

I just ask that if you can to please leave a review on book one https://www.amazon.com/First-Login-World-Book-1-ebook/dp/B07H35XRLZ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Every little bit helps to get the word out, if you know what I mean.

Jason

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