Addressing the Concerns on our Editorial Changes
Hello.
We are here to discuss a serious issue that was raised yesterday. We are talking about Danna Colman and her alleged plagiarism.
We’re consciously using the word alleged, as there have been some doubts in the general public about it after she was removed as an editor. To make it clear, this was in no way a personal attack or vendetta. We had great respect for Danna as a writer and later as an editor, but her conduct hasn’t been exemplary.
Before I get into more detail, below you’ll find the links for the original piece and the one called out as plagiarized.
Original —
Danna’s piece —
(This is a unlisted version. Danna has taken down her story.)
We’ll let you be the judge. Our decision is made.
Over the course of her editor-ship, we’ve received several intimations from several of our writers about Danna favoritisms. We never paid any heed to them believing them to be rejected writers lashing out.
But our own observations of her publishing of stories from select writers and also giving higher priority to her own stories was an abuse to her powers as an editor.
We have decided now of removing her as a writer and an editor. You can read our letter here —
The letter sent out was hasty, but we needed to have some swift action taken against what we feel is not a professional act. We respect all our writers and their words and copying/attempting to steal another’s work is a crime in our eyes.
Medium is a community. The Coffeelicious is a community. We are a bunch of writers and readers out here in the scared white halls doing what we like best — reading, writing and encouraging more people to do the same. If one of our writers steals the words of another, we will not stand by and watch idly. We’ve had past issues of plagiarism from our writers and those writers have been promptly removed .
But when one of our own editors does it, it’s a mark on The Coffeelicious.
We had an uproar on our social media pages when this story went out. We cannot allow a single writer’s or editor’s action stain the name of The Coffeelicious.
The public denouncement was made simply because Medium is a community and we share — that is how we grow. Many may not agree to this, many may want us to take care of these things behind the scenes, but The Coffeelicious has always been an open community and we are known for our transparency.
You may or may not accept this decision, but we stand by it, and we feel it is best for our readers, writers and publication at large.
Hope you have a good day,
Editors of The Coffeelicious.
