![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dreamflowerApparently Amazon has decided that fanfiction can be profitable.
I don't like the sound of this. I REALLY don't. Here's my comment to the article:
This is the worst idea I have ever heard of in regards to fan fiction.
I don't write my fic to get paid money; I write my fic as a gift to the fandom, and my pay is the thanks, comments and reviews of my fellow fans. Getting paid turns it into work and drudgery.
Fanfiction and other fanworks are part of a very special gift economy. Money will just gum up the works and allowing the amount of control being demanded to participate in these corporate sponsored schemes are going to put shackles on the creativity that is inherent in fanfiction.
After all, you don't think they are going to allow you to write crossovers with properties they don't own, or allow you to come up with an AU that's not approved by the rightsholders, do you?
And what will this do to archives filled with the free fanfiction of the rightsholders who've bought into this scheme? For example, would they be able to demand that ffn or Ao3 take down all the Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, and Vampire Diaries fanfic? (Is there any fic for those fandoms? I don't know as they are not my fandoms, but I'd bet dollars to donuts there is.)
Rotten, rotten, rotten idea. I knew as soon as the story broke about 50 Shades of Grey being such a hit that everyone would want on board the supposed fanfic gravy train...
ETAThank you to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ramblin_rosie for this link, where you can find this VERY OMINOUS quote:
“We will also give the World Licensor a license to use your new elements and incorporate them into other works without further compensation to you.”
and this:
"“Amazon Publishing will acquire all rights to your new stories, including global publication rights, for the term of copyright.”
Which means your special AU or your awesome OC is no longer yours. And you only get paid for your story once
I don't like the sound of this. I REALLY don't. Here's my comment to the article:
This is the worst idea I have ever heard of in regards to fan fiction.
I don't write my fic to get paid money; I write my fic as a gift to the fandom, and my pay is the thanks, comments and reviews of my fellow fans. Getting paid turns it into work and drudgery.
Fanfiction and other fanworks are part of a very special gift economy. Money will just gum up the works and allowing the amount of control being demanded to participate in these corporate sponsored schemes are going to put shackles on the creativity that is inherent in fanfiction.
After all, you don't think they are going to allow you to write crossovers with properties they don't own, or allow you to come up with an AU that's not approved by the rightsholders, do you?
And what will this do to archives filled with the free fanfiction of the rightsholders who've bought into this scheme? For example, would they be able to demand that ffn or Ao3 take down all the Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, and Vampire Diaries fanfic? (Is there any fic for those fandoms? I don't know as they are not my fandoms, but I'd bet dollars to donuts there is.)
Rotten, rotten, rotten idea. I knew as soon as the story broke about 50 Shades of Grey being such a hit that everyone would want on board the supposed fanfic gravy train...
ETAThank you to
ramblin_rosie for this link, where you can find this VERY OMINOUS quote:“We will also give the World Licensor a license to use your new elements and incorporate them into other works without further compensation to you.”
and this:
"“Amazon Publishing will acquire all rights to your new stories, including global publication rights, for the term of copyright.”
Which means your special AU or your awesome OC is no longer yours. And you only get paid for your story once