What is Fan Fiction?

Very interesting response Maggiepie. That explains things. I wonder if the powers-to-be will get tired of it though and go after somebody. Hope not.

Few have, & with small success. Usually it's only done as a warning to really egregious cases, to warn others not to push the pros too far. Not for money, MP

Yes, it does seem you're using someone else's creations, characters and whatnot. Still, maybe fan fiction writers have actually written better works than the original author. It's a thought.

Ehh... it's a subjective thought. That I largely disagree with. The majority of fan-fiction is shoddy. A large number of mainstream fiction writers oppose fan-fiction. George R.R. Martin, author of Song of Ice and Fire, has written a number of great arguments against it.

It does sound like a very interesting genre to tackle. Just for the fun of it, I guess. Can't be a very lucrative career though.

Ah, nice explanation. I always have my own version of which direction a character should go. And if a favored show went off the air I would love to keep writing new episodes. As long as I didn't get sued over it.

That's one drawback of the fanfic experience..fan writers could be coming too close to a story arc that the paid writers are working on,and legal wrangles end up taking place as a result! (from both sides-) I think as long as there's a disclaimer that no copyright infringement was intended in writing the story,and giving credit where due to the franchise and Series creator,no harm is being done... My own Mylot ID itself refers to a fanfic concept within Joss Whedon's Firefly/Serenity story that got cut short by the series cancellation..there's a lot of stories still to be told in that particular 'verse..and some are being written now.. Thanks for BR!

And it seems like it would not be legal. I suppose it would be fun if you get an instant following to read your stuff but it's still based on someone else's work. Even so ... very interesting.

It really is illegal if published and claimed to be another person's characters and settings instead of the original author/creator of the actual plot. If you had read fan-fictions, those fans really disclaim their work before or after the story itself. It really is interesting reading stuff of what could have happened if the characters of a certain story had really took another course of action instead of the one they took on the original story. Or been in a situation that a fan/writer projected. Honestly, sometimes, the fans' works are way better than the original author's. You could say that I am a fan of fan-fictions as well.

That is very interesting. What even qualifies for fan fiction? I have not seen 'Wicked' but that indeed is a great question. I would say if fan fiction is taking an already existing story, then take a few characters and write your own version of who they are and what they wind up doing in life ... well then, that would be fan fiction. Never even considered something like 'Wicked.'

I agree. There are so many good writers. Do these people actually get paid writing fan fiction?

Thanks for the links webgirl. I had a suspicion that's what fan fiction was but I always thought it would be illegal to use other people's work in any form. Very fascinating.