Plagiarism in Fiction/Quotes

"If you copy from one author, it's plagiarism; if you copy from many, it's research."

—Wilson Mizner

Cropper: "In short, sir, Mrs Ogg seems to believe that writing a book largely involves copying things out of other books and pasting them onto any bits of plain paper she can find, then signing them "G. Ogg" in crayon."
Goatberger: "You're telling me that Mrs Ogg has simply recycled bits of more than a dozen books?"
Cropper: "In a word, yes."

Goatberger: "The cunning old biddy! Then it counts as research and is perfectly OK. Don't worry about it."

—The publishers of Nanny Ogg's Cookbook

Para Ventura: Wait... The Kevyn Andreyasn? Inventor of the teraport?
Kevyn: I see my brilliance has preceded me.
Para Ventura: Brilliance? Your work was all derivative. You combined Nguyen's research on wormhole properties, threw in some off-the-shelf nanotech, and then got really, really lucky when the whole mess didn't explode in your face.
Para Ventura: Oh, wait... It did explode in your face. You started the first pan-galactic war, and now I hear we're at war with Andromeda over your Terror-port.

Kevyn: You're certainly a cute kid. Is this what they're teaching in school now?

Para Ventura: You're an arrogant generalist who plagiarized other people's work and made the biggest mess in history.

(beat panel)

Kevyn: (turns back to his work) If I pee far, it's because I stand on the shoulders of giants.

—Schlock Mercenary April 6, 2008