Allowing Fan Fiction

[Listener]

I think I would be absolutely flattered that someone took the time to write a fic based on any of my own original material.

Second.

Seeing what others come up with based on your work is always cool.

Of course, then you run the risk of someone saying "hey, I came up with that in my fanfic!" (bill/fleur, anyone?)

As long as no money is being made on the fanfic, I'm cool with it. And not just because I write a little fanfic myself.

[DarkCabaret]

I definitely encourage fan fiction. I mean if someone is inspired enough by something I wrote then I'd have no problem and like everyone else as long as no money was being made from it.

Everyone's got to start somewhere!

[Guest DarkAvenger]

Yes, I would. And I'd read it too and leave comments as myself... and people would never believe it was actually me. *cackles evilly*

[Entrisic]

I say 'yes' and add that I'd be the type of author that would read fanfiction gleefully with a can of Pepsi in hand, Cheetos in the other and be in total heaven.

That is, after I finished the series/whatever. I recall vaguely that many authors don't read fanfiction because if they write something similar to a fanfic in their fandom and get called up on it, and it's found out they do in fact read fanfics...

I'd just finish it. Then bask in the fanfiction afterwards. I also wouldn't read it during the WIP because a good fic author could probably change my opinion towards one of my characters. Against or towards, whatever. I'd rather that not happen because I consider the relationship between myself and my characters to be extremely personal and private.

After the story was finished however? Hell yes, bring it on. I'd read everything even if the pairings were ridiculous within canon context. I wouldn't care. I'm the sort of person who looks at her own stories when she's bored and randomly starts making crack pairings, just to see how they'd go together with someone else. (and oddly enough, sometimes the results are even better, and so I'd probably have varied 'ships within my own created fandom.)

However;

- I'd never mention fanfiction based on my fandom, particularly that I read it. It's not because I'd be ashamed or... whatever, so much as I wouldn't want to get anyone's hopes up that I'd review. (If asked I would be polite and deflective, agree that I have no problem with it. etc.)

- I wouldn't mind someone continuying my series after my death or after I was done with it, as long as it became very common knowledge that I had no creative control over anything extra published and that they may as well consider any extension an AU.

- I wouldn't let people make money off fanfiction because fanfiction is a delicate gray area as it is. I wouldn't intervene because they're making money off something I created, but because I'd feel they were being a danger to the 'fic community.

Ah, it's nice to imagine.

[bookworm51485]

I know that fanworks play a huge role in keeping fans and attracting more fans.

I'd say that's true, at least in my case. There have been series that I've made it a point to seek out because I happened to read an interesting story based on it. One series being Kyou Kara Maoh.

Speaking to the original question, I have to say yes. Personally, I don't see the issue. As long as credit is given to the original, I don't see the problem.

Edit:

It seems that everyone sees it as evil to profit with fanfiction, why? Honestly, where's the harm?

Personally, I don't see the harm. I can see that it might be annoying if someone takes an idea you came up with and does better profit-wise than you did. But then I'd say, it sucks for you that they just write better. I dunno. But I think the Japanese have the best view of it, allowing doujinshis to be published for a moderate profit.

I wouldn't let people make money off fanfiction because fanfiction is a delicate gray area as it is. I wouldn't intervene because they're making money off something I created, but because I'd feel they were being a danger to the 'fic community.

I would agree with that. You never know when one person's choice might trigger a reaction in the wrong person and end up ruining it for us all.

[Jadwin]

Yes, I would. I've even had people ask recently if they could take something I've written or drawn, and play with my ideas, and I thought that was totally rad, to be honest. The fact that someone thinks my stuff is cool enough to want to take it out to the sand box for the weekend and play with it actually gives me an incredible sense of accomplishment.

I think the only thing that would make me NOT okay with it would be if someone said "look at this meerkat with funny stripes on his face and wayfarers. This is my character, and his name is Alan."

In other words, playing with my toys is fine. Taking them to your bedroom and repainting over the flaky bits and claiming it your own creation is not.

[Solaris]

I have a story that I wrote in 85 and finally totally finished it with all the edits done to it in 2005. Would I let someone write a fanfiction story on it? I'm sorry but I would have to say no.

I spent a very, very long time working on said story and for someone to write fanfiction about it would be hard as I would see my characters changed from what I wrote them as to something else.

I wouldn't let it be done for that story but if I wrote another one, maybe I would be open to fanfiction on that.

Beth

[Melissia]

Yes.... although, I would ask them to try and keep it in character and not deviate too much from the personalities of the characters I had alread established.

Guess that's why I usually find OC stories more interesting.

[bookworm51485]

I have a story that I wrote in 85 and finally totally finished it with all the edits done to it in 2005. Would I let someone write a fanfiction story on it? I'm sorry but I would have to say no.

I spent a very, very long time working on said story and for someone to write fanfiction about it would be hard as I would see my characters changed from what I wrote them as to something else.

I wouldn't let it be done for that story but if I wrote another one, maybe I would be open to fanfiction on that.

Beth

I dunno, somehow that seems vaguely hypocritical coming from someone who's part of running a site that promotes/showcases/allows/facilitates fanfiction.

[Solaris]

I dunno, somehow that seems vaguely hypocritical coming from someone who's part of running a site that promotes/showcases/allows/facilitates fanfiction.

Not really.

I just don't want any fanfiction dealt with my first story, the other stories that I may publish, yeah, I could go for allowing them to be written by fans. But the first one, nope.

Beth

[Guest Knorg]

One of the things Terry Pratchett raised about fanfiction on his work is that he is quite unable to read it, because if he did and someone had a plot similar to what he was working on for a book he was opened up to lawsuits. He had the same problem if people speculate about plots on things like a.f.p although I think that they stopped any of that there.

The impression I got (and I may be wrong) was that he's quite happy for fanfiction to exist as long as nobody tells him about it or shows him. I think if I was professionally published I'd be the same way for the same reason.

[Acal]

Yeah if you read fanfiction that you really like and your a professional author you may sub-conciously violate copyright and get it trouble for it.

I see no problem with fanfiction but there is always the people who write really bad ones and also ones where the cannon characters are made very very un-cannon those ones are quite unreadable.

[EveKnight75]

I think I understand where Solaris is coming from. When you work on a book for 20 years AND it's your first book, you develop a strong sentimental attachment to it.

You can't bear the thought of it being changed in any way, no matter how loyal a fan the fanfic writer or how good the fanfic. You're just that attached to it.

The Terry Pratchett approach is the best one. It'd be harder if you have a regular habit of reading fanfiction, but it's possible by working hard at disciplining yourself.

I think I'd be able to do it - but I probably wouldn't want to because I'm slightly masochistic.

It's not quite as bad with any following books. You can distance yourself enough to be comfortable with fanfiction of it. The emotional distance is what it comes down to - it's hardest to let go of your first child but it becomes easier with each following child.

Honestly though, I'd say watch out for the movie renditions. When it comes to butchering a book, they can be worse than fanfic authors at times - especially due to the monetary profit and larger audience.

[xax]

I think I'd be disappointed if there wasn't fanfiction written about my original works, but maybe I'm just kind of egotistical that way. I probably wouldn't want to read any of it, though. I'd say ultimately the highest praise you can get when you create something is to have other people want to add on to or rewrite it.

[Ginevra]

Realistically, I don't think I could stop anyone from writing fan fics based on my work (theoretically speaking). Though I could make websites like this one afraid to host them. If I wanted to spend all that money on lawyers.

Reading them myself would get a bit sticky though...I would wind up questioning whether I came up with ideas myself or if I had lifted them from a fan fic. Or if I had reacted so strongly against a fan fic that I chose to do the direct opposite.

I'm too curious to leave things alone...So I probably would read them, but not admit to it. If I found someone who really shared my vision I might even attempt to contact them and offer to collaborate in some way. Or I might allow an author approved sort of fan fiction like MZB did with the "Friends of Darkover." That, of course, assumes that I could ever become that popular.

But, I do understand that for a writer, their works are their living. While it may seem very abstract to own ideas, if they didn't get paid for them, we'd have a lot fewer books on our shelves. Unless it is some author approved arrangement, fan fic authors should make no profit from their fan works.

I hope one day to actually take a stab at going pro. Probably when I retire and start drawing off my 401K. That's one of the main reasons I haven't posted any original work of my own. For now, I use fan fiction as a means of honing my skills, exploring ideas, and just plain having fun.

If I don't enjoy writing it, how could anyone enjoy reading it?

[Iron Dog]

I've actually had someone email me and ask if they could fanfic my fanfic. That was a little surprising. I'm writing an Ai no Kusabi AU called The Lost Cadre that has the majority of characters as originals of mine. The person who emailed me wanted to take my characters out for a spin.

My initial reaction was to clutch my characters tightly to my chest and say no. I didn't know them. I had no idea what they planned to do with m'boys. I also had serious misgivings as Cadre is a WIP and only roughly 1/2 way done. I didn't want to have anybody confused as to what was going on in Cadre should they happen to read this other person's work.

I spoke with my betas and some friends and they rightly pointed out that saying no would be rather hypocritical considering I wrote fanfic. So, I gave permission and suggested that the person get a good beta to make sure all the P's and Q's were in good shape before posting. I haven't seen anything posted yet and I never did manage to get an author name out of them so....

I've also had a writer friend fanfic another fanfic of mine (Saiyuki Serial: Beautifully Broken Evolution). I think it's really good and I was blown away that she was moved enough by what I wrote to want to write something herself. I keep bugging her to post it but she says it's not polished enough *rolls eyes*.

I'd be quite nervous about people fanficing my original work but I think I'd be less nervous about it if the story was completed. I see it as a form of advertising. And one of the things about getting published is getting known. I got into a number of my fandoms through fanfics so I see it as one way of expanding my reader base.

[Madilayn]

What I find most amusing is that what we do (for no profit) is fan fiction, yet when it's paid for (eg: all the Star Trek based novellas out there..) it's called "spin off" or "tie in" and is somehow thought to be superior to our writings.

I can name a few authors whose income is derived from such things that started writing fanfic and were lucky enough to find a publisher for it!

As for me - I voted yes. After all, you can't stop them. My only caveat would be, like many of you, no publishing on paid sites. If you're going to use my world, then share it for free.

It's funny that some of the nicest authors are opposed to fanfiction - Anne Bishop is a lovely lady who genuinely loves talking to her fans, but is totally and absolutely opposed to all sorts of fanfiction (even though she has used some ideas given by fans).

Anne McCaffrey got around it quite well, by saying please use my world, but keep out of the era & characters that I'm playing with. She's also another one who loves talking to her fans (and post evil snippets of new novels on her bulletin boards...) and actively enourages them to give her ideas

[Guest Knorg]

Surprise butt sex appears to be a popular choice.

[Guest Rosemarius]

Definitely yes.

I know how it feels to want to write fanfictions. And what's more advertising and flattering than fan works?

I won't give limits such as "no, I don't like that couple" or "eww, a yaoi between brothers?" or "omg this is just plain sick!!". Fanfictioning is a free art.

That's the only limit I'd put: it should be free, or else I'd stop allowing fanfictions.

Also, the funniest thing about having a story published: writing fanfictions without the others knowing about that! I'd love to see how they review me saying things like "naah, you get it wrong dude, her charachter isn't like this at all" or "no way, the writer would never allow that". Lol

[bookworm51485]

Honestly though, I'd say watch out for the movie renditions. When it comes to butchering a book, they can be worse than fanfic authors at times - especially due to the monetary profit and larger audience.

Can we say Transformers? Or pretty much any of the superhero movies

[shinigamiinochi]

I would consider it a great honor to have someone write a fanfic based on my work, it wouldn't even matter what the fanfic is about, just the fact that author had read my work and had been influenced enough to write a fanfic on it would make me all warm and fuzzy inside. I mean, sure there are things I wouldn't want to see written, but I'm a huge advocate of freedom of speech, so I wouldn't be offended all that much and if i was i wouldn't try to get it removed. Since I'm a fanfic writer myself and hate it when people flame me on content alone, I would consider that to be hypocritical of me.

[Guest Monsterking]

this is how i feel about the subject

why would the author/publisher/whatever wish for people not to express thier views on his stuff via fanfiction since he is essencialy getting free advertisements from the fics

peace out and may the furs be with you "WOOOOOO!"

[bitBlackmage]

Hell yeah.

Of course I thought it'd be fun to take my stories and stuff in different directions, but why do that when I could let fans do it? People are going to interpret events and characters differently form me what I intended or didn't intend and differently from others. Characters grow and change--just like in real life.

[shinigamiinochi]

naturally, I think its biased to ask people on a fanfiction site if fanfiction is a bad thing, since a majority of people are going to say yes, but mostly I think that if you take away our fanfiction, both readers and writers would shrivel up into little prunes and blow away in the wind. Do you want THAT on your conscience????