Amazon Jumps Into the Fanfic Business

[jimhines]

Amazon announced Kindle Worlds today, describing it as “the first commercial publishing platform that will enable any writer to create fan fiction based on a range of original stories and characters and earn royalties for doing so.”

I didn’t know this was coming, but I’m not surprised, exactly. Amazon has been a very successful business, and if

Comments

[jimhines]

At one point, I was actually thinking about writing it as a short story. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), other writing obligations popped up and I've not had the time to actually do it.

[cissa]

My brain also derailed at that.

WRITE IT, Jim!

[tanyareed]

Hmmnn...Interesting...So, this would be like the Darkover publications that Marion Zimmer Bradley produced in the ... um...I think it was either the 70s or the 80s? That's about the closest thing I can think that this would compare to. Still, MZB's interest was always the story, and Amazon's interest is the money, so I can't see them doing it nearly as well.

[beccastareyes]

I've wondered why this hasn't happened before, to be honest. All I hope is that it doesn't bring the lawyers down on people who want to keep writing fanfiction for free. One of the aspects of fan culture I enjoy is the interaction between writers and readers (which are fuzzy categories since many people do both), and I worry that charging for fanfiction would limit that, especially given the number of shorter works that aren't worth the dollar that tends to be a minimum on eBook sales. (You could collect them, I suppose.)

And the element of pseudo-anonymous posting; I am consistent in using Becca Stareyes (or sometimes Stareyes) as my fannish handle so I can establish an identity as a fan, but I try not to link it to my real name, mostly so people looking for my work-related things can find those (and people looking for fiction don't run into scientific papers on Saturn's rings). I wouldn't mind signing a contract under my real name, but I'd rather publish using the name I interact with fandom with.

Does this mean fanfic could

[naomikritzer]

Sherlock Holmes is a REALLY INTERESTING EXAMPLE, actually

[beccastareyes]

Oh, neat. Thanks for telling me that.

[sylviamcivers]

Licensing for Sherlock Holmes, really?

I've been reading Laurie R King's Holmes-got-married series, and now I wonder if she had to pay for the right to use his name.

[l_o_lostshadows]

Not sure if its so much a "strong value on not profiting", so much as a, "these are the rules that allow us to be able to do this, don't screw it up for the rest of us." (My understanding as a fanfic writer.)

I think the "no porn" rule may sink this endeavor.

[sylviamcivers]

Why do you think the entire internet was invented?
:)

[l_o_lostshadows]

To disseminate funny cat pictures and videos. :)

[naomikritzer]

The potential ramifications of this make my head spin

[sylviamcivers]

Diane Duane. All the love.
(Must... resist... urge to re-read all her books on my shelf... nah.)