I received a strange request today...

[sinera]

Apparently one of my readers didn't like the ending to one of my stories (Best Served Cold, http://www.literotica.com/stories/showstory.php?id=419378 ), and wrote a new ending for it. He/she wants to post it on Literotica, giving me full credit for the original story.

While I'm flattered that they liked the story, part of me is horrified that they changed it. Not that I liked the ending myself, but it's MY story! I have trouble letting anyone edit my stories, much less make wholesale changes to it... yet I find myself intrigued.

Has anyone else received requests of this sort, and how did you handle it?

Thanks,
sinera

 

[fifty5]

I was once on the other side of that (though the alternative was to change POV to see the same events through different eyes). Permission was refused, very courteously, and we parted on good terms.

Having declared an interest, I'd gently recommend that you let the other version go up. As you are probably well aware, the number of views drops off by a massive factor when stories are no longer on the NEW page. Asking the other author to include a link to your original in his credit could get you a big surge in extra views.

And don't we all post in order to get readers?

It's still your call. If you don't feel comfortable, say no, but be polite, not outraged; the other author could just have done it without asking!

 

[Darkniciad]

Have you read the alternate version?

That's step one. If you read it and don't believe that it detracts from your original story in any way, it's always something you can consider.

You have to be comfortable with it, but it could very well be a means for your story to get a bunch of new reads, if the author links the original in the alternate version when it posts.

( Links to Literotica pages are the only type of link allowed in a Lit story, BTW )

Let the author know you have reservations, and ask to read it first before you give a blessing for it to post. You never know -- you might like it

 

[DG Hear]

I started out my writing this way. The author said if anyone didn't like his ending they could write their own. The alt. endings can not include parts from the original authors story. It has to start it's ending from scratch. My first two submissions were rejected because I posted paragraphs from the original story, even with the authors permission.

Don't feel you have to say yes but it will give you a lot more new reads and a few repeat reads also.
Hope this helps.
DG

 

[voluptuary_manque]

I also did that in the hazardous Loving Wives section. I asked the original writers' permission, referenced it in the preface and only mentioned the original characters as friends of the new protagonist. The original writer got a whole bunch of new reads, I got dozens of comments (and of course this being the LW, some were really hostile but most thoroughly approved) and it actually rates fairly high. I think such a action can be a win/win all the way around. I never got any flack from the first author after it was posted so I guess he wasn't the least upset.

 

[sinera]

Tbh, I really don't like the way the story ends, myself - but the story was originally written for a contest about revenge with a happy ending. I probably should have rewritten it, but I hate doing that - it's like trying to remold one of my children after he's been born, you know?


My knee-jerk reaction is to pull the story. It's gotten nothing but negative reviews anyway.

 

[Stella_Omega]

You should be pleased-- you've inspired fan fiction!
ETA: and yes to what 3113 says just below me. Editing is more than merely copy-proofing.

 

[3113]

Tbh, I really don't like the way the story ends, myself - but the story was originally written for a contest about revenge with a happy ending. I probably should have rewritten it, but I hate doing that - it's like trying to remold one of my children after he's been born, you know?

Um, no. I don't know. When I see a story that needs a rewrite, I rewrite it. It's called "editing." And many of us do it all the time.

I recently rewrote a lot of changes to a big story that wasn't working in order to make it work. It was painful and frustrating and I bitched and moaned. But I did it. Know why? Because my "baby" wasn't right and I knew it, and it was my fault. And I could fix it. This isn't a pregnancy that you can't do over. This is a story, and an internet one at that. You can re-write it. And why not? Why should your story be unable to succeed when a few changes could make it soar to new heights and make it a better read a well as a better story?

Making your story the best story it can be is what matters, not how hard or long it took you to give birth to it. And because it is a story and not a child, it can be made better. So don't pull that metaphor on us. We understand your feelings, but we also know that a story is not a child. And if you treat it as one instead of a story, you just end up hurting yourself because all those bad stories you wrote that could be fixed remain bad. And readers think less of your writing because of it. And less of you as a writer.

 

[DG Hear]

Tbh, I really don't like the way the story ends, myself - but the story was originally written for a contest about revenge with a happy ending. I probably should have rewritten it, but I hate doing that - it's like trying to remold one of my children after he's been born, you know?


My knee-jerk reaction is to pull the story. It's gotten nothing but negative reviews anyway.

Instead of a rewrite you can also write it with an altrnative ending and post it as such. "My story ( of course the story name), Alterate ending" You can back up a little also and use a little bit of the story. After all it's your story.
DG