Apology Letter, (Mad Love Readers)

 

Hello, this is Unniesone, author of Mad Love.

 

I know I've hurt many people who followed me and my story for such a long time, over one year writing this story, to in the end being taken down.

 

I want to truly apologize for all the trouble I caused and the wrong things I've done. I know plagiarism is a crime and should not be tolerated/accepted. Even knowing so, I let myself to not follow this ethic and ended up copying some bits of another authors' works onto mine without taking any consideration for the writers' work, approval and consent.

 

What I did was inappropriate, disrespectful and selfish. Not only that, illegal of all forms. I understand the struggles to write a story, being a writer myself, and how writing is supposed to be about your genuine feelings. When writing a fan fiction, it is all about celebrating the love you have for that particular fandom, in my case, SNSD. Yet I wasn't being genuine, as there were instances in chapters that didn't fully belong to my original work.

 

Mad Love is important for me, it was my first fanfiction and one of few things I felt committed to in my life. Writing this fanfiction was the way I've found to keep in touch with a fandom I truly adored (got into SNSD in 2015) and improve my writing skills. It was easy to spot grammar mistakes and wrong punctuation, right? However, I felt overwhelmed by the response of this story from so many readers and this affected my judgment. I love writing dialogues and build things around them, but I'm not good in writing descriptive scenes. Many of my chapters lacked a lot of full pictures and I felt like the way I was writing wasn't good enough for all the positive remarks I was receiving from so many wonderful people. Trying to make my story more impressive in this regard, I took bits of other author's works, mainly descriptive paragraphs, and put into mine. This is a terrible thing for me to have done to all of you after so many warmly reactions about Mad Love. You have accepted me as a good writer yet I managed to hurt you guys in this way. It's an insult. And I'm really sorry.

 

I'm hurt that now I won't fully have your trust and all you'll be thinking is that I'll do it again. People were saying that there are pieces of several fics in here and that nothing is original but a bunch of cropped fics. It hurts to see this because all the characters in this story, although based on real people, really developed in my head. All their relations and their stories and their past. They all came from my heart. It may have a common place with other stories, prison/medical theme, but my story has its own uniqueness and set up and development and characteristics. However, even if I state this, some still won't believe me. And I understand it is anyone's but my own fault. I need to take responsibility for my actions and the pain I've caused you all.

 

So I need to clear everything up and be honest with everyone.

 

Since the beginning, I have stated that the based environment of my story was the background of Harley and The Joker from Batman Comics. Many times I said this fic has references to this particular universe and those characters. I stated that in my foreword and in many replies that commented about it. I never hid this as it was the point which my story, especially the first few chapters, could be developed. In fact, my story isn't the only one, as there are lots of fanfics out there inspired/based on this background story – with the exactly same name.

 

However, even though the main characters – Tiffany and Taeyeon – were based on Harley and Joker, this was true to only a certain number of chapters. After then, the characters were getting more complex and developing themselves, gaining a life of their own. When I first started writing it, it was just a way to write a story about a setting that I truly like. Then, the story progressed and it became a story of redemption and much more than just a Taeny fanfiction. I got many praises from so many readers excited how my story wasn't entirely focus on their relationship as a romantic pair, but how truth they were to real life. And if there's a thing in this whole thing that I can truly call it mine, it is this journey. I didn't took their journey from anywhere else other than my own heart. This development between the characters and their relationships are genuine and they are true to my head and soul. I didn't copy and paste from anywhere else.

 

 

Some people are comparing my story to another Taeny fanfiction called The Inmate. And I understand why comparisons are being made as both stories happen to be around a prison and it's written by Tiffany's perspective. And given what I've done to itsakyo's stories, it's only natural to think that I did the same with that particular story as well. So I'll speak the truth (even though, some won't believe me).

 

I honestly didn't know about that fanfiction until I've written chapter 16. And I found out about that story when a reader left a comment saying how those two stories were his/her favorite. By this point, all the events of my story have already been developed and I had a full image of how my story would end and its closure. I knew who characters were meant to appear and their roles in my story. That said fanfiction, when I found it, was already complete with 24 chapters. I won't lie and say I didn't read it, I did. But my story was different, all my characters were different and my ideas were different. I did not take the author's characters and ideas and shoved them to mine. And if you go read that story, you'll notice that. My characters and their relations are not the same. That being said, I would like to point that after reading the story – that took me a couple of days – I let its writing influence in mine for a couple of chapters following chapter 16. That's when Tiffany's inner thoughts and turmoils happened to be more frequent than before and I believe it was when some readers could feel the similarities between the two stories and then started drawing comparisons.

 

When I was writing chapter 21, (that was mid July-August) it was supposed to happen M-rated scenes, and I got stuck at that because I didn't know how to write them properly. And because the scene needed good description, I started looking for references, in here and another website - wattpad, because there's some mature content there. I stumbled across an account in wattpad who had many kpop stories under his/her profile. That's when I read the story Losing To The Heat and a one-shot called Catch Me If You Can. I didn't know those stories belonged to another author and that this wattpad account was posting stories that didn't belong to him/her without permission. I read the stories and liked how everything was written. Especially the description of M-rated scenes. So I incorporated bits and sentences of some of those scenes in my own story without looking for any permission or allowance from the author. And I did the same thing from The Inmate; I took bits and sentences of some scenes there and mashed them up into mine. Especially into chapters 21 and 23. Aside from some lines and passages, I did not copy any idea from The Inmate.

 

And that was true for Losing To The Heat as well, I only looked that story up for M-rated scenes descriptions. And I used them for chapters, 23, 29 and 37. When I was beginning to write chapter 41, that was in mid January, I couldn't grasp my writing to describe what I wanted from my character. So, as I did with the M-rated scenes, I took lines and paragraphs from a specific scene from that story and put into mine due to a common-like situation that happened in both stories. That wattpad author I mentioned earlier had other fics under his/her belt and I started reading other stories to look for more descriptions in this regard. And that was when I found a paragraph from the first chapter of a story called Fifty Shades of Pink. I thought it fit well in that particular scene and I mindlessly I put into my chapter. That specific paragraph was the only one from that story that I really copied into mine. After setting down those paragraphs, I got back at writing my own words on the chapter.

 

I know what I did for all those chapters was wrong and disrespectful, not only for the writers, but for all readers and even myself, as those words and lines didn't fully belong to me.

 

People are disappointed with me and I can't really blame then. I tried to look away from the problem and lied about my posture, making everything worse. And I let a lot of people down.

 

The stories which I took lines and paragraphs from are called The Inmate, Catch Me If You Can, Losing To The Heat and Fifty Shades of Pink. The former is a co-author story written by Gutugutu and Taeny_Lovers. As stated earlier, the latter stories belong to itsakyo and they all can be found here. The one-shot Catch me If You Can, I don't really know whom belongs to as I'm now aware all those stories I've read belonged to different authors and such. I took the wrong path when I found their works in and used it to my advantage without their consent. (As of now, that wattpad account no longer has those stories available and I believe the user was reported.)

 

Just being sorry, however, isn't enough and you deserve better. I'll rewrite my story and put my own voice onto it instead of another author. I fully commit from this day on, that all my chapters will be written by me using my own words, even if it's full of grammar and spelling mistakes. I won't read fanfiction anymore so my head will be only focused in writing my own story.

 

I can't expect for forgiveness, as I know lots of readers will not follow me anymore nor will read this story again, but I hope some will. I want the things to be okay between all of us. I want to have back the relationship we had. I loved reading all your comments and how this fic is/was important to you as well it is to me. I want to truly apologize for my behavior and attitude and how bluntly I lied to everyone else.

 

I also would like to invite itsakyo (or her readers) as well as The Inmate's to read my revamped story as it gets published to proof check that I'm not copying their words any more in any other way. I sincerely hope all those authors can forgive me for my wrongdoings and the illegal act I've done.

 

I also would like to thank all readers who, despite everything, still are good-hearted enough to forgive me and support me in continue writing the story. You deserve to know the ending and the development of my story. I'll fully edit all parts that aren't mine and come up with my own words and make everything right.

 

I am truly ashamed by what I have done and I promise not to do it again. I've should known better and be faithful to you all along. I know these words aren't enough to mitigate the problem and all the trouble I caused, but it is the least I could do after everything.

 

Once again, I apologize for all stolen lines and paragraphs I took without permission from those authors and their stories and mashed them up into mine. I took a shortcut to fill my chapters that shouldn't have been done and I immensely regret it. I'm sorry I wasn't being completely honest in my formal address as I was taken by my own cowardice and selfishness.

 

Thank you in advance for everyone who will keep reading my story. The ones who won't, I understand your position and the reasons behind it.

 

I hope with this apology letter everything can be finally explained and cleaned up. In addition, I hope that my heart to change can be felt through my words and the shame I'm feeling. I also hope that we can grow past this wrongdoing of mine and have happier times together.

 

Thank you.

 

And once again, I'm sorry.

 


If someone could link those authors to this letter, I would highly appreciate. 

Comments

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sringlesxx
#1
Hey, I've been a reader of Mad Love since 2017 and I had no idea you wrote an apology letter for us, readers, until now (didn't even know the story revived). Mad Love has been a story that I really really loved. And I just really want to applaud you for admitting your mistakes, I really appreciate it. So I sincerely hope you won't get pressured and think of yourself lowly because damn, you're a great writer. I know that your actions in the past are not wise, but hey, you learned.

Thank you for ressurecting the story although I'm almost two years late hdhd My god, I didn't know why I didn't stumbled upon this earlier. Here's a heart so you'll feel better: ♡
Softaengsic
#2
Hiiii! I meet your history on wattpad, from a girl who's translating it for portuguese, my idiom. So i decided to read it from the original one, you.

I need to tell you who in love i am for your history, it's fantastic!!!!!!! I love how you express the feelings and the situations, it's facinating.

I am truly sorry for my english, i speak english very well, but vocabulary is quite limited. Someone needs a dictionary rs ("rs" is a laugh in brazil).

Maybe you don't know, but there is a girlgroup called Berry Good, they are extremely talented and now they are at risk of disbanding. I started a project on Social Spirit, another plataform for fanfics, where i adapt famous histories for some couple from berry good so people can get to know them better. I would love to do this with mad love. I would really appreciate if you let me do it. So that is what i am asking. If you dind't like this idea, i'm thankfull for you reading this message, but if you agree about me doing the translation and adaptation, please answer this comment. I would be really happy.
Pikacu256
#3
Ayyy~ No biggie, unniesone-ssi. :) Since you've read other comments here, I guess I don't have anything to say but really and deeply appreciate your letter[blog] of apology. Tell ya what? That was a bloody wise decision you made. :) You stepped up out of the shadow and bravely scribbling down your confession. That was an adequate mannerism and disciplined attitude you have. :) And of course! Your apology would be unacceptable unless you continue your bloody damn magnificently mind-blowing stories you have! :D So HWAITAENG!!!! <3 <3 Forever TaeNy! You might lost some of your readers, but I believe that there are MORE readers who are willing to take a long queue and mercilessly would spend their bucks just to purchase the tickets to your stories concert! ;) And, I'm one of em' too. xD Hahahah!!!! Cheer up, yaasss?
Annoyingreader #4
I dont know about the others. But im just craving for mad love. Whatever i dont know and i dont know
sleepingprince
#5
To be able to admit your mistake shows that you have reflected on your actions. I think you deserved a second chanced for sincerity . People make mistakes but as long as you dont repeat it again and learn from it , I think its fair for a second chance.
taenystan
#6
Yaaayyy! Thank you for continuing Mad Love. I love the way how your story goes since the beginning. Can't wait to read it soon. Hwaitaeng! ☺✊
taeny2403 #7
I still love your writing... and nobody's perfect...atleast you know your mistakes...

And wc back... i really want to know the ending..
Fighting author nim
Pezbjerl #8
Thank you for continuing the story.. mad Love is still my number one taeny fanfic❤️️❤️️❤️️❤️️❤️️
TaeNyYoonSic
#9
My english is bad..so bad, sorry, but I understand and I believe in you, your story is beautiful, you don't need to copy anything^^ I still love your story and future caps ever if you don't know how to explain some scenes or something else don't be afraid :) hwaiting!!!! <3
VanillaChocoHoney
#10
Mad Love is still my favorite story ♡ :')
taeyeongg309 #11
I appreciate your apology,i'm really proud of your braveness. Not all people could do the same like you do right now. and i knoe people do mistakes and you are the one who want to change to better. Thankyou for not leaving, i know its hard for you. But, i believe you won't do the same mistakes after this thing happened:)) to cheer you up,i'm still here!
queweaoniichan
#12
i can't help but find this situation similar to tiffany's when she gave taeyeon the candies lol anyways, i'm glad you're being honest this time and i'm even more glad to read you will continue with this amazing story
Ainbuston
#13
i am still your reader <3
meloveamber
#14
I believe in giving people second chances, and I can see your genuine feelings about what happened. If you can start anew, I can do that too. We're only human, we make mistakes... I've been a fan of your story from the beginning, and I think it's only fair I be your fan til the end. :)
Kudos to you author-nim, for being this brave. I hope we all learn somehing from this. I am looking forward to your updates. Thank for not leaving hanging. <3