- Fanfic Bingo!

Dec 21, 2007 10:51

Inspired by the discussion of OTW at John Scalzi's blog, Ithiliana, Half Elf Lost, Kitsune13, and Cofax7 created the Anti-Fanfic Bingo card ( Read more... )

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twistedchick December 21 2007, 19:06:04 UTC
Nobody can say anything about my characters but me, the original writer.

Once you've published, your story is open for people to think about it. Their thoughts may not be the same as yours. Their view of the characters may not be the same as yours. This is the way the world works. No two people have exactly the same thoughts, viewpoint, or story.

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woodburner December 21 2007, 20:17:29 UTC
This is one of the things that boggle me. It's like, do these authors think that if people aren't writing horrible misinterpretations of their characters, that they won't still be misinterpreting their characters? People are going to misinterpret what you've tried to say, whether they write stories based on their misinterpretations or not.

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timwb December 29 2007, 02:12:37 UTC
For the sake of arguement,

Think all you want, but if you make money off of someone else's characters that is a problem.

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helsmeta December 29 2007, 02:18:55 UTC
Rebutting,

Making money is a non sequitur/red herring. That's a completely different argument from the act of writing or even talking about characters.

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timwb December 29 2007, 02:35:14 UTC
Then you distribute the stories without paying?

I ask only because I do not know much about slash writing.

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helsmeta December 29 2007, 02:43:42 UTC
Fanfiction in general is written for no pay, and distributed for free. The only times this is not the case are (to my knowledge):

* zines, which charge just enough money to recoup the cost of printing them (paper costs money), and
* "authorized" fanworks (the Star Trek novels, etc.), which are published by the owners of the copyright, but take place in a different medium from the original work

Things that are generally classified as "fanfiction" are emphatically not done to make money or for profit.

All that aside, my original point stands. No one was talking about making money from fanfiction; therefore, the argument that Think all you want, but if you make money off of someone else's characters that is a problem. really has nothing to do with the question of whether anyone can or should be allowed to "say anything" (ie, discuss, review, recommend, summarize, quote, or... write fanfiction) about a work, outside the original author. Totally different arguments.

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timwb December 29 2007, 04:36:10 UTC
Okay, yeah, your point is taken. No "buts" about it.

It all seems to come down to philosophical arguements. As in not "can you do writer fanfic" but "is it best for all to write fanfic."

I've seen very imaginative fanfic. I imagine some writers also write their own characters as well, is that the case?

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twistedchick December 29 2007, 02:31:41 UTC
Not necessarily.

Fair comment works are not affected. Criticism is not affected. Shared-universe works are not affected -- some authors welcome other authors to write about their characters. There are no universal truths here, only habits, practices and certain legal issues.

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timwb December 29 2007, 02:37:41 UTC
Which leads to the purpose of the "Bingo" card: to illustrate that the objections are subjective?

I'm just asking because this subject is new to me.

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