[FFML] Continue dead or abandon fics by other authors.

[Maciej Żenczykowski]

>> Time and time again, I have been thinking if another author could continue
>> dead fics with the permission of the original author.
>
> Of course.  Getting that permission may be difficult, but once obtained,
> the only party whose consent matters has given it.

Ok, I'll bite.

Why do you think you need the permission of the original fanfiction author?

People write fanfiction all the time without asking for permission
from the original author(s) of fiction/manga/anime.

Some of that fanfiction is continuation fanfiction (say Ranma 1/2
fanfics set post volume 38).
Fanfic authors put a disclaimer, say someone else owns the
character(s), and that they're borrowing them, etc...
and then proceed to write fanfiction.  And many of those disclaimers
are pretty poor.

fanfanfiction is just more meta, but I see no reason why you would
*need* the original fanfiction authors permission.

I'm not saying you shouldn't ask for permission, if you can reach the
author, and if you get a categorical 'no' then maybe you should think
thrice about it....  but it doesn't seem like this is in any way a
strict requirement of any kind or we'd have no fanfiction of any kind
in the first place.

After all, these fanfiction authors can't rely complain about others
writing fanfic of their stories, when they themselves did it to some
other author.

- M.