Fan Fiction: Against

[rolanni]

Robin Hobb has posted a cogent rant here. Link from pegkerr

I know that some folks on my friends list write fan fic, and may thus not agree with Robin's points. If you feel compelled to disagree with them here, please be polite and rational. Posts deemed impolite, irrational, or both, by Eagles Over the Kennebec Management will be deleted.

In the service of Full Disclosure and Fair Warning, I do agree with Robin's points. Scott Lynch (link also from pegkerr) does not.

Comments

[papersky.livejournal.com]

I'm entirely with her about most of that, but I do think it can be used as "training wheels" for new writers, I think there's evidence of that. You can't say Eurides or Shakespeare suck because they stole plots and characters from existing work.

I also don't see any harm in it in cases where the original creator has given permission -- as for example apparently Rowling and Gaiman and Whedon have.

Her other arguments, I'm right behind.

I'd never give permission for my work, because I also feel very much what Hobb says there about the photoshopping of the family photograph.