Getting copied, sucks. It's also (unfortunately) inevitable. If you're creating great work, it's going to be knocked off. That's just how the Internet works. I wish someone had given me a heads up, because when it started happening to me, I was totally blindsided. Unfortunately this module is not going to tell you how to avoid getting copied, but how to deal with it when it does happen. Before I dive into that, let me just take 2 minutes to lay the groundwork for how to make sure our own work is original. A post shared by DeBrosse™ (@debrosse_nyc) on Mar 5, 2018 at 10:46am PST How not to Copy Oddly enough, it's harder than it sounds because it can happen subconsciously. With inspiration constantly surrounding us, it's important to make sure we are getting inspired from the right places. And not just so that our work is original, but because original work is more fulfilling, and allows you to take your business to the next level. Let's pretend you want to design a new blanket. Here's a couple examples of how to best inspire your next idea. Maybe you're already doing most or all of these, if so, bravo. If not, consider implementing these into your workflow: Do Not Do ✖️Google “crochet blanket” ✔️Pinterest search “cozy mountain log cabin” or “minimal New York apartment." Get inspired by the tones, textures, and vibes, then channel that into your project. ✖️Visit your favorite shop in your niche for ideas. ✔️Visit your favorite shop in a completely different niche (carpentry, ceramics, illustration), and figure out how to translate what you love about their brand, into yours. ✖️Type in your insta hero's handle. ✔️Regularly follow artists in other maker industries, and non-makers at all. Follow Halo Top ice cream, a fitness guru, Ikea, a chef, your city, the city you wish you lived in, that account that always makes you laugh, and that clever account that always inspires you to step up your game. Take mental notes as you follow, and translate those into your brand. ✖️Jump on the current bandwagon. ✔️Start your own trend. First-to-market ideas return the best results (both financially, and in brand credibility), so resist the urge to follow, and put in the extra effort to lead. ✖️Pull your color palette from a successful shop in your niche. ✔️Grab your color palette from that trip you just went on. ✖️Create your product by making alterations to an existing one. ✔️Take the fringe from your favorite Gap scarf, the fabric from your favorite throw, and the feel of your go-to sweater, and combine them to make your dream blanket. ✖️Design your project based on what worked for him/her. ✔️Design your project based on your highs and lows of last year. Did your audience love yellow? Hate gray? Love chunky? Hate worsted weight? Build from those cues. I was copied. What are my rights? *Ouch* You spotted your work...on someone else's feed/shop/blog. Sure they adjusted the color, changed the yarn weight, and renamed it, but damn. You know your work when you see it. And this my friend, is it. Truth be told, in the creative field the law can only protect you so much. We don't quite own as much as we think we do (our color palette, that interesting instagram concept, our style, etc.). The silver lining is that no one can copyright garter stitch or the infinity scarf, which would seriously inhibit our design freedom. I'm not a lawyer, and should never actually be quoted on this stuff. Vogue Knitting did a great article on it, but have since taken it down (luckily I had already jotted down some solid takeaways for you). I'll leave it linked just in case they unarchive it. Read: Ask a Lawyer! Knitting and Copyright Vogue Knitting Takeaways: "Copyright is automatically secured under current U.S. law when an eligible work is created. Copyright protects the pattern itself (referring only to the literal PDF document) but does not speak to the article made from the pattern." "A community-based, good faith approach to the work of other crafters respects these kinds of disclaimers, regardless of legal enforceability." "There is no shortage of critics who will argue, vehemently, that a publisher's statement forbidding sale of the resulting garment is unenforceable. More difficult is locating precedent on this point." "There is a legitimate argument to be made that borrowing a unique, albeit small, portion of a copyrighted work pulls the borrower more closely into the orbit of infringement." It stings tho. How do I deal? Getting copied often feels personal, and strikes at the core of who we are as makers. Personally, it has made me question my desire to be in this space and angered me to the point of tears. When you feel that your creative efforts will be stolen from you without remorse, it can quickly demotivate you from creating new work. Why create if someone else is just going to take credit for it? *Sigh* But here's the thing. That negativity can only fester if you let it. People who want to copy, will copy. And if your work is good, it will be copied. And more than likely, you have few to no legal rights, which means the single variable in your control is your reaction. It may sound small and meaningless, but it is the difference between closing your shop in bitterness or letting the copying fuel you to come up with your next great idea. Rather than confronting someone (pro tip: it never ends well), keep these mantras in your proverbial back pocket. This is quite literally my go-to list of reminders and articles. Read: What To Do When Someone Copies Your BusinessTalented Ladies Club 5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Worry About CopycatsWhat The Craft Takeaways: "Often, competition can be healthy as it stops you falling into the complacency trap and forces you to stay sharp – building a stronger, more resilient business in the long term." "But beware of being so caught up in what your competitor is up to, that you take your focus off your own business. Acknowledge they’re there, and then ignore them. Instead get even better at understanding your customers and what they need, and delivering more of that as brilliantly as you can." "So if someone does rip your business idea off, turn it into something positive, and use your indignation to fuel you into creating the best business you possibly can – and leave your copycat competitor far behind." "Copycats don’t last. They’ll make quick buck off your idea and then move on to someone else’s idea. Copycats are driven by money. And sooner or later most of them will realize what all of us handmakers already know- if you’re in this for the money, you’re going to be sorely disappointed." "Publicly talking about people copying you makes you look petty. And unprofessional. And full of yourself. It didn’t occur to me until later, when I heard other people complaining about this or that person that copied them that I realized it. Even at times when I thought, “Yeah, that really does look like someone copied you,” the overall feeling I had was negative." Getting copied is never easy, but if we prepare ourselves to see it with the right perspective, we can channel it into something positive for our business. There is also always chocolate, Netflix, and good friends.
