Rewrite some ones story

[coreyc]

Just a quick question on rules and legality.

There is a story on here that I like, and feel that it could be something great. However, the author never finished it. They wrote it in 2008 and haven't written anything else since 2009.

I wanted to do a rewrite, add some more here and there throughout it, and add 1-2 more chapters. I have sent the author a couple of emails trying to find out if there is a plan to continue, and or if they minded if I continued it. It's been about a week now and I haven't heard anything from them.

So, how do or can I, go about taking this story and making it great? (hopefully)

 

[MrPixel]

This is almost a FAQ. And the answer is: "Don't." You have attempted to contact the author, and the absence of a response is not tacit permission, it's, "No, you do not have permission." Abandonment isn't permission, either.

Not to be harsh, but let it go. If you have a story in you, then work on that. Let the original that inspired you sit on the shelf and gather dust.

 

[Bramblethorn]

We had a thread about this two weeks ago: https://forum.literotica.com/threads/abandoned-series.1603479/

 

[onehitwanda]

So, how do or can I, go about taking this story and making it great? (hopefully)

Put it back on the shelf and step away from it.

 

[coreyc]

That's what I thought would be the answer, and I am kinda glad that it is the answer. I just read the link that was posted, sorry didn't find that in my searching.

I guess I will try and write an original inspired by the world created by XXX giving that author credit for the inspiration. Hopefully, this will be enough as theirs is the only story that I can find with this concept.
Thanks for the feedback.

 

[KachinaDoll]

Use the story as inspiration to write your own. Don't copy any part of the original story but use it as the basis for yours.

 

[8letters]

Ah, here we go again.

@coreyc, rewriting someone else's story appears to be within the site rules. I'd contact Laurel to make sure before I started writing it though. There are several authors out there who rewrite other Literotica author's stories:
https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=5193643&page=submissions
https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=5894537&page=submissions
https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=1589862&page=submissions

If the author comes back to the site, sees your version of it, and doesn't like it, they can have your version taken down. If they haven't published anything new since 2009, I would think that's very unlikely to happen. The original author could be very upset by your rewriting their story. Or they could be totally fine with it and appreciate the new traffic to a story buried under the hundreds of thousands of stories on Lit. But most likely, they'll never know.

So it's your decision. If you do rewrite it, put the name of the original story at the start of your story and say that you tried to contact the author.

Personally, I'd encourage you to write something of your own. But if this is the only story idea that excites you enough to sit down and write, then sit down and write it.

 

[jhealy55]

So it's your decision. If you do rewrite it, put the name of the original story at the start of your story and say that you tried to contact the author.

 

[VerbalAbuse]

how is your waif story coming along?

 

[coreyc]

how is your waif story coming along?

Hit a bit of a block. Can quite get the flow right. I am having a hard time getting them past their issues to a romantic couple. Also, have to figure out how to get them back into the real world from their hideaway during bad weather. I keep adding more, but it just feels bloated and forced.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Just a quick question on rules and legality.

There is a story on here that I like, and feel that it could be something great. However, the author never finished it. They wrote it in 2008 and haven't written anything else since 2009.

I wanted to do a rewrite, add some more here and there throughout it, and add 1-2 more chapters. I have sent the author a couple of emails trying to find out if there is a plan to continue, and or if they minded if I continued it. It's been about a week now and I haven't heard anything from them.

So, how do or can I, go about taking this story and making it great? (hopefully)

Hi,

Numbers don’t always guarantee the right opinion, crowdsourcing is pretty crap at most things, but…

The view that it is OK to take another author’s work and - without their explicit permission in writing - do any of: a) rewrite it, b) write direct sequels to it, c) use its characters in your own story without modification, is held only by a minority of authors here. Some think it’s OK, most don’t.

Personally, I own my stories and characters. No one can use them without me agreeing it.

But… the solution is easy. It’s been mentioned above. Write your own story which has been inspired by the other one. That’s a far more creative thing to do anyway.

Emily

 

[jhealy55]

yep

 

[VerbalAbuse]

Hit a bit of a block. Can quite get the flow right. I am having a hard time getting them past their issues to a romantic couple. Also, have to figure out how to get them back into the real world from their hideaway during bad weather. I keep adding more, but it just feels bloated and forced.

I don't know where your story is at.
In one of my stories, the guy is trying to get the both of them from being very sexually involved to being a couple by sharing meaningful experiences and by socializing.

 

[ElectricBlue]

The view that it is OK to take another author’s work and - without their explicit permission in writing - do any of: a) rewrite it, b) write direct sequels to it, c) use its characters in your own story without modification, is held only by a minority of authors here. Some think it’s OK, most don’t.

The chief proponent of that view, that it's okay to rework someone else's story, also thinks it's okay to plagiarise someone else's content, change a name or too, whenever he wants to. Let's not forget that.

 

[EmilyMiller]

The chief proponent of that view, that it's okay to rework someone else's story, also thinks it's okay to plagiarise someone else's content, change a name or too, whenever he wants to. Let's not forget that.

I don’t know any of the history. And some others hold that minority opinion. Just trying to be even-handed.

I stated my own view clearly.

Emily

 

[M_K_Babalon]

We had a thread about this two weeks ago: https://forum.literotica.com/threads/abandoned-series.1603479/

They say things come in threes. For years it was; "why can't I write under 18", "why's it take so long for stories to publish", and "why was my story rejected(for obvious reasons)". Now we have AI rejections, finishing other peoples stories, and I'm curious what the third horse to beat past death will be.

 

[MyBareTorso]

They say things come in threes. For years it was; "why can't I write under 18", "why's it take so long for stories to publish", and "why was my story rejected(for obvious reasons)". Now we have AI rejections, finishing other peoples stories, and I'm curious what the third horse to beat past death will be.

Something about categories?

 

[M_K_Babalon]

Just a quick question on rules and legality.

There is a story on here that I like, and feel that it could be something great. However, the author never finished it. They wrote it in 2008 and haven't written anything else since 2009.

I wanted to do a rewrite, add some more here and there throughout it, and add 1-2 more chapters. I have sent the author a couple of emails trying to find out if there is a plan to continue, and or if they minded if I continued it. It's been about a week now and I haven't heard anything from them.

So, how do or can I, go about taking this story and making it great? (hopefully)

I have stories I haven't touched in years for a few reasons, that I plan on finishing at some point. One of them I already got back into. There's always a chance that a writer might get back at it.

 

[8letters]

The chief proponent of that view, that it's okay to rework someone else's story

A newbie to the AH asked a question, and I answered it truthfully. I tried to give the pros and cons of such a decision. I am a proponent of the view that I won't criticize any author who does something that is within the site rules. I am not a proponent of misleading/lying to newbies as to the site rules.

also thinks it's okay to plagiarise someone else's content, change a name or too, whenever he wants to. Let's not forget that.

What are you talking about? I have never said that it's okay to take someone's story, change a name or two, and publish it. That is an instant ban.

Why do my posts upset you so? Is it jealousy? Bitterness?

 

[AchtungNight]

Personally, as an author who has published a bit of fanfiction, I am fine with fans continuing my abandoned stories, with certain caveats. I often have emotion and time constraints making my writing difficult, so if a writer wants to try something and it's interesting enough to me, I might allow it. BUT-

1. They need to ask and get an affirmative answer before publication.

2. They need to let me guide the story as a "head writer" with veto power if they expect it to be canon.

3. If they want to do something seriously radical, like make my most frequent male main character gay (he isn't- though he is capable of finding men attractive, he does not desire them sexually- he is cool with MFM threesomes though), turn him or any other of the leading good characters evil, or something else equally crazy, I have the right to insist their story is set in an alternate universe from mine and refuse to consider it related to mine. I also may stop reading their story. I've seen this sort of thing with comic books and Star Trek many times, as well as fanfic. Any fanfic writer should be ready to deal with it. A clear disclaimer illustrating this must be featured in the story upon request.

4. I will want credit for establishing the universe they are featuring.

5. I reserve the right to review all their stories before publication and invoke rule three at any point.

6. If any of the above rules are not followed, the story is not canon with my universe. Period. Hope you won't take that personally. I am a fan of the works of Erika Christensen and Stephen King, but not of the psycho fans they have featured. Their victim characters are my guides if I ever have to deal with a fan of that caliber. Let that be your warning. I also change my handwriting every time I sign a document (thank you, child abuse, for giving me a lifelong printing issue), so that will make it a bit hard to prove in court you have the right to profit from my work.

Now, given that I am a man of limited legal authority and dislike getting involved in legal action, in particular when it comes to erotic stories that are of questionable legal content already, you may not face consequences for violating the above guidelines. BUT the courtesy is still expected. I hope you will not violate it. If you do, as someone already has by selling my stories on Amazon without credit to me, may appropriate karmic consequences rain down on you.

Most authors here feel the same way- the vocal ones at least.

 

[dadadadiox]

I could not give you a harder hell no on this question. Never take another author's creation and make it your own.

 

[ElectricBlue]

What are you talking about? I have never said that it's okay to take someone's story, change a name or two, and publish it. That is an instant ban.

Why do my posts upset you so? Is it jealousy? Bitterness?

That is EXACTLY what you did. You ripped (your word) hundreds of words from at least two other writers - you bragged about it yourself - and put them into a story. Is your memory so bad you don't recall doing that?

Jealousy of you, bitterness? I don't think so. You reek of hypocrisy, coming here with your views on the ethics of writing. You committed the worst acts of plagiarism I've ever seen, yet you still continue to pretend it never happened.

I cannot believe you wrote those two sentences. You're trying to airbrush your plagiarism from history, just like Trotsky was airbrushed from photographs of the praesidium. You are unbelievable.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

That's what I thought would be the answer, and I am kinda glad that it is the answer. I just read the link that was posted, sorry didn't find that in my searching.

I guess I will try and write an original inspired by the world created by XXX giving that author credit for the inspiration. Hopefully, this will be enough as theirs is the only story that I can find with this concept.
Thanks for the feedback.

Yes, many many stories have been based on previous classic works. How many stories have been (and have been praised for being) adaptations of Casablanca? Television episodes are rampant with classic adaptations. "We need 24 episodes, come on we need plots!" "Well, let's take Mean Girls and Saving Private Ryan and The Handmaid's Tale as templates, plunk our characters in and see if it works." Perhaps the greatest adaptation of them all, Heart of Darkness was transported a century forward and thousands of miles from the African Ivory trade to the Vietnam War and was adapted into Apocalypse Now. They even kept Kurtz' name and some of his dialogue (although Heart of Darkness by then was in public domain - so be careful there).

So my advice is, write an adaptation. Just because your original template isn't widely renowned as classic doesn't mean that you can't do this. Change the setting, change the characters' names, keep the dynamic and significant chunks of plot and make it something fresh and new.

 

[AchtungNight]

Update- I just submitted a report to Amazon asking that Elara Wolfe's stolen story from me be taken down. I hope they will comply. If I ever find out who Elara Wolfe is and where they live, they better be prepared to give me an apology and have donated or be ready to donate to charity a sum equal to all their financial profits from my story. Or they should expect a partial re-enactment of a pivotal scene from the View Askew film "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back".

 

[gunhilltrain]

Yes, many many stories have been based on previous classic works. How many stories have been (and have been praised for being) adaptations of Casablanca? Television episodes are rampant with classic adaptations. "We need 24 episodes, come on we need plots!" "Well, let's take Mean Girls and Saving Private Ryan and The Handmaid's Tale as templates, plunk our characters in and see if it works." Perhaps the greatest adaptation of them all, Heart of Darkness was transported a century forward and thousands of miles from the African Ivory trade to the Vietnam War and was adapted into Apocalypse Now. They even kept Kurtz' name and some of his dialogue (although Heart of Darkness by then was in public domain - so be careful there).

So my advice is, write an adaptation. Just because your original template isn't widely renowned as classic doesn't mean that you can't do this. Change the setting, change the characters' names, keep the dynamic and significant chunks of plot and make it something fresh and new.

Coreyc, you're read some stuff here in the last eleven years, but yet you want this as your first submission? So you've hit a block with your other story. In another post you said you had 52,000 words. That's more than every series I've ever written. You probably can break it into chapters and start publishing those. I know, the rule of thumb is to finish it all first, but consider it at least. Or see if you can write a 7,000 word story. That's plenty of room to tell a tale.

I think Heart of Darkness was in the public domain. People can create movies or TV shows about Omaha Beach, but they can't simply lift Saving Private Ryan and redo or expand it.

It's a bit of a stretch, but I think the analogy holds. If you want to write fiction about D-Day, say, there are plenty of angles by which to approach it.