Allowing another writer to use your character(s)

[Rustyoznail]

I started editing stories for an Indian lady, Sweetdreamssss. We got talking about the differences and similarities between our countries, and the idea about a combined story bubbled up.

I wrote it, but I checked every critical element of her character with her to make sure I was staying true to her thoughts.

It wasn't easy, but four stories later, succesful. https://literotica.com/s/cricket-anyone-india-vs-australia , if you're interested.

 

[Bazzle]

Any of mine are available for improvement

 

[RachelPost]

I am pretty sure that my story friends would allow themselves to be "loaned out."

 

[Zootonius]

This all had me thinking. Some time back, you may recall, there was a discussion about characters driving a plot. I'd mentioned having a MFC that would be the type to go in for a MMF. So I gave her two bi-curious guys. Also as an exercise to see if I could write a sex scene that wasn't my taste. Now having done so, don't intent to try again. Of all the characters I've created this writer picked the two I'm happy to offload.

 

[MyBareTorso]

A new writer asked if he could use 2 characters from one of my stories. Their purpose in my story was for a one night MMF with my MFC. I don't intend to reintroduce them, so I have no objection to the writer using them. And I did imply more to their story.

Anyone else done this?

I would be VERY flattered, but I don't think I'd like it...unless I was being paid, in which case the situation would be very different.

 

[oneagainst]

A new writer asked if he could use 2 characters from one of my stories. Their purpose in my story was for a one night MMF with my MFC. I don't intend to reintroduce them, so I have no objection to the writer using them. And I did imply more to their story.

Anyone else done this?

I've done this, and explicitly in Building Wonderland I've put the rules of engagement for other writers to take up characters and locations. Through the Midnight at the Lost and Found story event and in other authors' works such as @flynn99 's story Damian's Tale or the @SamYork story A Place Beyond The Horizon I've seen nothing but good things from opening up the world, including first steps taken by new authors (who know who they are!).

You don't have to accept it as canon, and, as I found, you might just learn something new.

I'm launching a new project in the New Year, doubling down on this, with characters from my original story arcs let loose by permission on other authors' worlds. It'll be fun to turn the tables.

Because, that's what it's about... mixing it up, having fun. We're not playing for sheep stations.

 

[EmilyMiller]

A while ago I thought of a writing experiment: two writers both tell the same story, but from the POV of two different protagonists. A break-up between two partners, for example - or how they get together, to make it slightly less depressing.

It would be really interesting to see how the authors both handle the other's POV character.

That does sound interesting.

Em

 

[flynn99]

I've done this, and explicitly in Building Wonderland I've put the rules of engagement for other writers to take up characters and locations. Through the Midnight at the Lost and Found story event and in other authors' works such as @flynn99 's story Damian's Tale or the @SamYork story A Place Beyond The Horizon I've seen nothing but good things from opening up the world, including first steps taken by new authors (who know who they are!).

You don't have to accept it as canon, and, as I found, you might just learn something new.

I'm launching a new project in the New Year, doubling down on this, with characters from my original story arcs let loose by permission on other authors' worlds. It'll be fun to turn the tables.

Because, that's what it's about... mixing it up, having fun. We're not playing for sheep stations.

Flynn99 here. I really appreciate oneagainst loaning me the characters... The act of writing the ending I wanted to see for the characters was challenging; but working with @oneagainst and getting insight into his character construction by discussing my alternate universe taught me a lot about character development. It was independent, autonomous collaboration and had a few wonderful surprises for me. He claims he learned from the process too. How could that be bad?

Lit's a sandbox. If someone doesn't want me playing with their toys, I respect that. But friendships come from sharing.

 

[oneagainst]

Flynn99 here. I really appreciate oneagainst loaning me the characters... The act of writing the ending I wanted to see for the characters was challenging; but working with @oneagainst and getting insight into his character construction by discussing my alternate universe taught me a lot about character development. It was independent, autonomous collaboration and had a few wonderful surprises for me. He claims he learned from the process too. How could that be bad?

Lit's a sandbox. If someone doesn't want me playing with their toys, I respect that. But friendships come from sharing.

Sometimes it's good to play together. Otherwise writing can be a bit of a lonely road.

 

[TxRad]

Nope. My characters. Get your own.

 

[Jackie.Hikaru]

I would be flattered and opened to the idea. I honestly don't think I'd care if they end up being not 'canon' either. I might care if they put my characters in situations that'll violate some of the site rules (snuff, rape, bestiality), but otherwise, meh.

 

[StillStunned]

That does sound interesting.

Em

Feel free to steal the idea with one of your writing partners. I've decided on reflection that it's not something I'd be comfortable with, as a married man. Intellectually it would be very interesting, but even if it's non-erotic, I think it would bring a level of intimacy that comes a bit too close to a line I don't want to go anywhere near. Too much like roleplay, if you get what I mean.

But if someone else wants to experiment, I'd be interested to see how it turns out.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

I'm a big fan of Robert E. Howard's Conan, but never got into the pastiches by other writers. Robert Jordan wrote six Conan books, if I'm not mistaken, one of which was the novelisation of "Conan the Destroyer". But overall he was so untrue to the character that they felt just one step up from teenage fan-fiction. That put me off trying any of the attempts by other writers.

That's different than my references. Craise and Connelly simply integrated each other's characters in cameo appearances without contributing anything to or altering the original characterizations.

 

[StillStunned]

That's different than my references. Craise and Connelly simply integrated each other's characters in cameo appearances without contributing anything to or altering the original characterizations.

I was agreeing with the first sentence of your post, about one author taking another author's MC and using them as the MC for their own stories.

 

[DustofFallenStars]

If @oneagainst hadn't opened up Wonderland as a chance to stretch long-unused creative writing muscles, I wouldn't be writing here now. That said, my initial piece for his crossover event was a wholly original work with little other than location in common (although I'm totally open to the idea that something as central and iconic as the Lost and Found club is a character in its own right).

Having rediscovered my enjoyment for writing, I started another tale of my own. It wasn't until I was a week or two into plotting and sketching that I realised some of the characters were similar to existing characters in Wonderland, and realised I could potentially use some established characters in supporting roles to my own story. This work is a draft in-progress, but I'm enormously indebted and grateful to @oneagainst for his help and support.

It's an interesting thing to try and integrate your own story into fitting with someone else's world and vision. Trying to stretch your own perspective and style to think about how this would work in someone else's garden.

It is, in one sense, a form of fanfiction, taken at one end of the extreme. But it's a spectrum, and there's a lot of latitude where people can find their own voice and story, just maybe with a few borrowed bits and pieces to tie it through to someone else work. Call it an homage, or a nod; a cameo or an Easter Egg,

I will say this: when you're writing your own thing, you have no boundaries to what you can do or say or depict; everything is yours. But when someone trusts you with something precious of theirs, it means you have to play within constraints; you have been given a gift, and you should try and respect it. This adds a layer of challenge to the act of writing, an extra thought process that increases the difficulty level of creative writing. Some may find this challenge stimulating, some may find it stifling; both and neither are perfectly reasonable.

So far, for me, I think my draft is going well, and I'm relishing the act of writing my own thing adjacent to someone else's world, but I've really only gotten through drafting the introductory act. We'll have to see where we get to once I start having to take a scalpel and rewrites to my whole affair.

 

[oneagainst]

Glad it was a help to get you (re)started @DustofFallenStars - that was part of the reason for trying it. As you point out, it's a spectrum, where borrowing just a few bits is often enough to get the bunnies rolling. By which, it's very much up to the author whether it's stimulating or stifling to share a universe for a while. It does become a thing that is larger than the sum of its parts. What I'm going to try next should extend this concept a long way further. It's going to be a lot of fun to write.

 

[EmilyMiller]

This just came up in the list of threads below something else.

It occurred to me that I just did this very thing with @Bazzle - we obviously know each other, but not massively well and not for long.

He was one of the six people who provided pointers for me with Bouncing Back Ch. 01. He had an idea about writing the basic story in his own style and then continuing it in his own way. I was like, sure, OK. That became Just Keep Swinging.

Maybe he should do a WIWAW about it .

Emily

 

[TheRedChamber]

Speaking of @Bazzle, he apparently liked the beach peeing aspects of my recent story Wet but didn't like creepy mind control aspects so much. Thus he produced Wet Tamara, a much more consensual version of the same scenario.

I didn't have any problems handing over the characters as a) I was very flattered b) it was always going to be a parallel universe style retelling c) it was just a silly tale I jotted down in a morning to have a shot at the Mind Control category.

For what it's worth our stories have ended floating around about the same score - 4.5

I guess this means I'm an easy question when playing Seven Degrees of Emily Miller.

 

[oneagainst]

@joy_of_cooking all yours with Hong again. thanks for the borrow. looking forward to what happens to her next.

 

[AlexBailey]

I'd be delighted to see what someone else was inspired to do with my characters.

 

[SimonDoom]

No one has asked me yet, but if they did I probably would consent. I'd want to know something about the story they intended to write.

 

[Bazzle]

No one has asked me yet, but if they did I probably would consent. I'd want to know something about the story they intended to write.

With both Red and Emily, they had the first read, and of course the option to refuse me publishing it.

I do not want to be labelled as a pincher of stories...maybe more a pincher of ideas

 

[Bazzle]

This just came up in the list of threads below something else.

It occurred to me that I just did this very thing with @Bazzle - we obviously know each other, but not massively well and not for long.

He was one of the six people who provided pointers for me with Bouncing Back Ch. 01. He had an idea about writing the basic story in his own style and then continuing it in his own way. I was like, sure, OK. That became Just Keep Swinging.

Maybe he should do a WIWAW about it .

Emily

What I find interesting is that my version follows a very similar theme, yet didn't get the emotional buy in that Emily seems to have achieved in her comments.

I need to work better on non lesbian sex!

 

[StillStunned]

I need to work better on non lesbian sex!

My wife keeps telling me the same...

 

[EmilyMiller]

What I find interesting is that my version follows a very similar theme, yet didn't get the emotional buy in that Emily seems to have achieved in her comments.

I need to work better on non lesbian sex!

It’s just the luminous talent of the author, darling