I'm pretty conflicted by this. When I get my comic up and running, to be honest I probably wouldn't mind the fan fiction. I probably wouldn't read most of it either, but that's me and the 90% crap rule. Same goes for fan art. Being in fandom and also reading your stuff, made me realize that fanfiction is an incredibly great marketing tool albeit an unintentional one, and it allows fans to get together and have fun with something they like. I think it would behoove authors to tolerate it enough in recognition that it's possibly more beneficial than they think. I think that Diana Gabaldon is actually doing a good job of alienating fans and potential readers by that article, which is pretty stupid tactics if you think about it. While I'm sympathetic, I think she really is missing the point of fan-fiction. Le Guin's reaction is by far more classy. She'll turn a blind eye on the playing in her sandbox, but does mind playing with her characters.
Honestly, using me as an example, I would feel the same way. Unless I absolutely trust the fan-fic writer (like you for example) I would feel very uncomfortable with someone else writing my characters. They don't know how that character is in my mind and I feel that I would be the person best able to portray them by virtue of being their creator. But you've always shown that you really understand and care about the characters and write them in a way that the author and me the reader feels is sincere to original. It's obvious favoritism, but that's humanity for you. XD I mean, say if someone saw my work and wanted to write fan-fiction of my characters, I wouldn't stop them or go after them, but I would chose not to read it. But that's where I draw the line: my characters. Personally, I would be really happy if people wanted to play in my world, because I'm one person with ideas and can't possibly explore them all. And I'm creating something to be shared anyway. I would definitely draw the line at someone profiting from my work or writing my characters in their own stories, but otherwise, I would welcome it.
Not to mention that if "fan-fiction" or derivative art works weren't allowed then how would Shakespeare have written Hamlet? Or his other plays? How about Chaucer, how about all of those myths? The problem is that what was originally meant to protect the monetary earnings of an author has now become an issue of whether or not something is "theirs". And they usually say this without realizing the history of literature and writing. I'm really conflicted about this, because while I agree and sympathize to a certain extent, I also recognize that every author is to some extent deriving their ideas from half-remembered and mis-remembered bits of things they read as well. Even if they think they aren't. At least the fan-fic writers are being honest and saying that's exactly what they're doing. While I'm sympathetic to authors because really I do understand, I also feel sympathetic to the fan-ficcers because a majority of them are people who simply want to share enjoyment of a work. I think that authors who go fascist on this issue will only lose. They will make themselves look like they're persecuting their own fans. Stupid business practice if you ask me and as much as artists hate business, you've got to at least understand enough that you're selling a product.
I mean, seriously, using a pedophile as an example? Way to put your foot in your mouth, author. For someone writing about people, that's quite insensitive.
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Honestly, using me as an example, I would feel the same way. Unless I absolutely trust the fan-fic writer (like you for example) I would feel very uncomfortable with someone else writing my characters. They don't know how that character is in my mind and I feel that I would be the person best able to portray them by virtue of being their creator. But you've always shown that you really understand and care about the characters and write them in a way that the author and me the reader feels is sincere to original. It's obvious favoritism, but that's humanity for you. XD I mean, say if someone saw my work and wanted to write fan-fiction of my characters, I wouldn't stop them or go after them, but I would chose not to read it. But that's where I draw the line: my characters. Personally, I would be really happy if people wanted to play in my world, because I'm one person with ideas and can't possibly explore them all. And I'm creating something to be shared anyway. I would definitely draw the line at someone profiting from my work or writing my characters in their own stories, but otherwise, I would welcome it.
Not to mention that if "fan-fiction" or derivative art works weren't allowed then how would Shakespeare have written Hamlet? Or his other plays? How about Chaucer, how about all of those myths? The problem is that what was originally meant to protect the monetary earnings of an author has now become an issue of whether or not something is "theirs". And they usually say this without realizing the history of literature and writing. I'm really conflicted about this, because while I agree and sympathize to a certain extent, I also recognize that every author is to some extent deriving their ideas from half-remembered and mis-remembered bits of things they read as well. Even if they think they aren't. At least the fan-fic writers are being honest and saying that's exactly what they're doing. While I'm sympathetic to authors because really I do understand, I also feel sympathetic to the fan-ficcers because a majority of them are people who simply want to share enjoyment of a work. I think that authors who go fascist on this issue will only lose. They will make themselves look like they're persecuting their own fans. Stupid business practice if you ask me and as much as artists hate business, you've got to at least understand enough that you're selling a product.
I mean, seriously, using a pedophile as an example? Way to put your foot in your mouth, author. For someone writing about people, that's quite insensitive.