Okay, it was inevitable. Normally I'm a fairly mellow person, but there are a few things that set me off. Authors shutting down fanfiction sites is one of them.
I don't even read Rice's or McCaffrey's work anymore because of it. I think their writing is too rambling and self-involved for them to even dare show the arrogance to try to ban fanfiction about their creations.
I'm a writer and am currently working on a novel and several short stories. I would be ecstatic if I found fanfiction about them. Even if it was a bad fic or they warped the characters beyond belief it showed that they enjoyed them or the world I created enough to write about them. They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery and I strongly believe that.
I think writers who try to ban it are selfish and unappreciative of fans and it would serve them right if people stopped buying their books.
No one's doing any harm by writing fanfiction. If it's not to your taste, don't read it. Not only that but it's free advertising. I firmly believe no author has the right to tell people to not write fan-fiction.
Also something to think about... nothing's truly original anymore. It's just something with a new twist. Do you have any idea how many red-haired girls named Jade there are?
Well, that was a little longer than it started out being... It's one of my pet peeves though.
Here's what I would say to all those authors out there who are trying to ban fanfiction: You're getting credit, we aren't making money, it's free advertising, NOW LEAVE US THE FUCK ALONE!!!!!
Also, here's a link to a damn fine article about "fair use" in copyright and how technically fan fic is NOT infringement entitled Fanfic and Copyright by Judith Gran. You go girl!
