It's been mentioned that some authors have issues with fanfic because somebody uses their characters that they own (paraphrased from different place
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Sorry, was the most weird stuff I could come up with. Hey, I was at work. :)
I think many of them are pale copies because they don't get invested with energy. The real magic happens when you put your energy in there. I can always tell if a character *is* alive, and so can the reader. Hence I OWE THEM to put my energy/blood/sweat/tears into it. The process is nothing short of magical. So, yes, when I wrote Frank Castle, I made him mine. It's not Stan Lee's Punisher, it's my copy which I invested with energy, and the bastard did come alive.
But 95% of everything comes from inside, rather than outside.
I understand this. An author knows huge amounts about their characters that the reader doesn't need to know. One just couldn't put all the information into a book, not without the book being very exposition heavy and probably somewhat boring. Therefore any fan fic about that character is going to be without all that wealth of background and, therefore, it won't be the same person. The fan ficcer might come close but won't hit the mark.
The other thing the silly woman doesn't seem to appreciate is that people generally fan fic about things they adore. Doesn't she like to be adored? I find the notion that she is quite disturbing because I've read one of her books *sporks eyes out* and it was quite quite dreadful for oh so many reasons, not least blantant author insertion. Maybe that's what she's objecting to? As she reads fan fic people are writing pr0n about HER.
I'm 100% with you. Instead of writing "my" Vadim, people would add layers that I know are there but not even hinted at in the story. I'd still respect "their" Vadim, especially when he comes alive on somebody else's page. That means they are really emotionally and mentally engaged with the "impulse" that Vadim/me gave them - and it has created something else.
Incredibly wonderful. The very best compliments I've ever received for my writing have been along the lines of "Damn you, my mascara's all runny now" but for someone to 'feel' your character so much that they want to have a piece of him for themselves is all kinds of complimentary.
Of course, when it comes right down to it, what they actually write might make me wince or go OMG and hit the back button but that's more my problem than theirs.
It makes sense to me. People always want more stories about characters they love. And they create those stories themselves, even from when they're kids playing at being whoever it is they like to watch on TV! Actually writing stories about them comes later, but they create stories long before they write them.
It's nothing especially new or remarkable either. People don't seem to be getting tired of stories about King Arthur, Robin Hood, Sherlock Holmes, Greek and Roman gods and legends etc. It's even done in an official way when an old property is "reimagined" like with the new Star Trek movie and the new Battlestar Galactica. People who really like those characters and their world want to create a new version of it for the new generation, perhaps tell stories they couldn't have told back in the original version. How many different versions and writers do comic book characters go through and people still want to keep on reading and Superman and Batman. Fanfic comes from just the same motivation in my opinion.
Yes. I made up Zorro stuff as a kid. I'd love to revisit him in fanfiction - or derivative work. Some characters just resonate, provide an impulse to create, and there I go. GIVING that impulse is like a gift. All writing is a gift, but it's one-sided, very often - fiction/fanfiction is a dialogue, not quite round-robin, but action/reaction.
Yes. I think fanfiction as a technique is totally valid. And if it was illegal and prosecuted heavily, I'd simply write it anonymous and host it on torrents.
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I think many of them are pale copies because they don't get invested with energy. The real magic happens when you put your energy in there. I can always tell if a character *is* alive, and so can the reader. Hence I OWE THEM to put my energy/blood/sweat/tears into it. The process is nothing short of magical. So, yes, when I wrote Frank Castle, I made him mine. It's not Stan Lee's Punisher, it's my copy which I invested with energy, and the bastard did come alive.
But 95% of everything comes from inside, rather than outside.
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The other thing the silly woman doesn't seem to appreciate is that people generally fan fic about things they adore. Doesn't she like to be adored? I find the notion that she is quite disturbing because I've read one of her books *sporks eyes out* and it was quite quite dreadful for oh so many reasons, not least blantant author insertion. Maybe that's what she's objecting to? As she reads fan fic people are writing pr0n about HER.
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I mean, how wonderful is that?
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Of course, when it comes right down to it, what they actually write might make me wince or go OMG and hit the back button but that's more my problem than theirs.
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(The comment has been removed)
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It's nothing especially new or remarkable either. People don't seem to be getting tired of stories about King Arthur, Robin Hood, Sherlock Holmes, Greek and Roman gods and legends etc. It's even done in an official way when an old property is "reimagined" like with the new Star Trek movie and the new Battlestar Galactica. People who really like those characters and their world want to create a new version of it for the new generation, perhaps tell stories they couldn't have told back in the original version. How many different versions and writers do comic book characters go through and people still want to keep on reading and Superman and Batman. Fanfic comes from just the same motivation in my opinion.
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Yes. I think fanfiction as a technique is totally valid. And if it was illegal and prosecuted heavily, I'd simply write it anonymous and host it on torrents.
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