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

[Raye Johnsen]

>> 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.
From: Maciej Żenczykowski <maze at cela.pl>

> Ok, I'll bite.> Why do you think you need the permission of the original fanfiction author?> ...> 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.
Well, there are a few reasons.
First, professional authors do give permission.  Admittedly this is usually implicitly, but there has been more than one case where an author has specifically requested that fans refrain from fanficcing their works, or that we specifically set our works in a designated AU.  Professional authors all know about us (heck, some used to BE us) and if they don't consent they let us know.  On the Japanese side, the studios all know - the number of shows that feature Comiket is staggering, and if you want a long but still incomplete list of the professional mangaka who used to draw doujin, go to TV Tropes and read the 'Bleached Underpants' trope page.  And they have their 'don't fanfic us' mangaka too (and it's not hard to find the lists of them either).  So your first argument, that we're doing this without permission anyway, is inaccurate. 
My next argument is empathy.  Would you like it if someone just snitched your stuff without so much as a by-your-leave?  It's YOURS. You worked hard on it and you had a vision of where it was going and maybe you hit a brick wall or maybe you ran out of puff or maybe life blindsided you with fifteen different disasters in a week. Someone just taking it on themselves to write Chapter Nine for you isn't just rude, it's mean.
Which brings me to my next point.  It's flat-out rude to do that.  We aren't just individuals, we are a community.  What we say and what we do here has consequences.  Probably not "You're getting fired for that when the boss sees it tomorrow" consequences, but there are several long-term fans here with connections to many different groups, both in real life and online, conventions and so forth, and we do gossip.  You would be wise to remember that. 
Whether or not you consider these reasons constitute 'a strict requirement' is up to you, I suppose; but I know that I, and any author I respect, would abide by it.  And one that doesn't, I wouldn't consider worthy of respect.  They certainly haven't shown any.  If their name came up and I was asked to give an opinion, I would, and it wouldn't be positive.  They would doubtless survive my poor opinion, but if they didn't behave perfectly, it'd stick and build up.  So be careful.  Ask permission.  It works out best in the long run.
Raye
raye_j at yahoo.com I believe in dragons, unicorns, good men and other mythical creatures.
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