Copying another writer’s work is called plagiarism. Besides the practice being illegal, a violation of copyright law, it’s impractical, because it presents you as someone other than who you really are.
A quotation that cites the source isn’t plagiarism, but its value comes from the audience recognizing the author and readily accepting its truth. Quoting someone the audience doesn’t know is like asking a homeless man what is most important in building a thriving business. The audience will respect the message only if they already believe it.
If you want to really irritate readers, include lots of quotes in what you write. Why is that a problem? Readers want to know what you think, how you feel. They don’t need your help in gathering information about what others have said. With Internet accessibility, this is even more true than ever before.
Even quoting Scripture can be a problem today, because more people are reluctant to accept Bible verses as absolute truth. Connected to your logic and story examples, your paraphrase might be more effective.
Copyright applies to the words, not the concepts. You’re free to do your research, learning what others are thinking. Make note of different authors whose words resonate with you. Let the ideas incubate for a while. Then write your message using your own words, your own examples, your own logic.
Your readers will thank you for taking the extra effort.
