On continuing where other authors left off...

[thisismessedup]

Concerning multi-chapter stories on this site that seem to have been abandoned (some for years, judging from how long ago readers have commented on them), supposing a writer has ideas on where to continue them and wants to add new chapters- is there an etiquette on how to approach this? Would one have to seek out the original writers and get their permission?

 

[Euphony]

Etiquette is get expressed permission from the original author.

It is bad form to steal an author's creative works (characters, locations, specific situations.) and viewed very negatively.

Amount of time lapsed, author not completing the original work, not responding to permission requests, etc., don't matter.

If you don't have their permission to use their creative works, don't use their stuff.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Concerning multi-chapter stories on this site that seem to have been abandoned (some for years, judging from how long ago readers have commented on them), supposing a writer has ideas on where to continue them and wants to add new chapters- is there an etiquette on how to approach this? Would one have to seek out the original writers and get their permission?

If you don't have the author's permission, don't even think about doing it.

 

[Cagivagurl]

There is an etiquette....

Don't do it, without the explicit permission of the original writer. If they do not respond to your request, consider them not interested, and move onto something else.
Plagiarism, is plagiarism by any name...
The laws of common decency apply.

Cagivagurl

 

[XerXesXu]

Submit it as fan-fiction.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Submit it as fan-fiction.

That's a dodgy work around, and you know it.

The OP is far better off "being original" and writing his own story. What is it with people who can't create their own story ideas? That's twice today.

 

[XerXesXu]

That's a dodgy work around, and you know it.

The OP is far better off "being original" and writing his own story. What is it with people who can't create their own story ideas? That's twice today.

It's a popular work around. You use others' lyrics, that seems popular as well.

 

[Cagivagurl]

That's a dodgy work around, and you know it.

The OP is far better off "being original" and writing his own story. What is it with people who can't create their own story ideas? That's twice today.

It's a popular work around. You use others' lyrics, that seems popular as well.

Plagiarism.... Call it what you will. It is still the same....
Theft is still theft...

 

[XerXesXu]

It's a popular work around. You use others' lyrics, that seems popular as well.

Plagiarism.... Call it what you will. It is still the same....
Theft is still theft...

Not theft, otherwise there'd be no need for the Law of Copyright. Plagiarism is situational, usually a concept in the academy. Without comparing what the OP wishes to write with the original series there's no way to know whether his story would be in any way objectionable.

 

[ElectricBlue]

It's a popular work around. You use others' lyrics, that seems popular as well.

Plagiarism.... Call it what you will. It is still the same....
Theft is still theft...

Plagiarism is a direct lift of text. What we're talking about here is the ethics of taking someone else's characters and story ideas (copyright content) and extending them for their own purposes. They're two different things. They're both intellectual theft, yes, but they are different matters.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

Yes, there is an etiquette associated with continuing another author's work, but it has some gray areas.

I recommend that you review FinishTheDamnStory's profile to see how they navigated the challenges and what others have found acceptable with their efforts. It mostly boils down to respect.

 

[onehitwanda]

Yes, there is an etiquette associated with continuing another author's work, but it has some gray areas.

I recommend that you review FinishTheDamnStory's profile to see how they navigated the challenges and what others have found acceptable with their efforts. It mostly boils down to respect.

From a comment on his explanatory post:

Good riddance to a pair of hacks one who didn’t know how to use a computer and the other who didn’t know how to write and the both who couldn’t muster an original story premise between the two of them and decided to latch onto other author’s popular works so they could derive some credit by stealing those concepts. Nothing but distaste for people like this and the absence of any output since one of the duo passed is just even more indication of the lack of talent.

wow. wow.

 

[Cagivagurl]

It is one of the things I dislike about Lit.
They allow people to steal writers hard work...
Writers pour themselves into writing stories, developing characters, plot lines. Thoughts and ideas.
Then somebody else comes along and uplifts all of that work, as if it was their own...
I'm sorry, but IMO, theft is theft.
If the original writer gives their permission, then fair enough.
But to steal their work under the premise that. "I tried to get in touch with them, but they never responded, so I took that as a yes."
That my friends, is not fair, and not right. IMO....

Cagivagurl

 

[Bazzle]

I got slated on here for doing that. Its not seen as good form.
I reached out for approval, and after 6 months received nothing, did it anyway.
But peeps did not like me doing it!

 

[MajorRewrite]

This happened to me. My “Office Wife” story has a bazillion reads and a red H in the LW category. The cheaters prosper in the story so two authors have taken it upon themselves to write sequels/reboots in which my main characters are punished. I didn’t give permission to either of them.

I wouldn’t care so much if their stories were good, but unfortunately they’re terrible. Grim, turgid stuff. Pathetic really.

 

[djrip]

This happened to me. My “Office Wife” story has a bazillion reads and a red H in the LW category. The cheaters prosper in the story so two authors have taken it upon themselves to write sequels/reboots in which my main characters are punished. I didn’t give permission to either of them.

I wouldn’t care so much if their stories were good, but unfortunately they’re terrible. Grim, turgid stuff. Pathetic really.

Can an author report an unauthorized spinoff and get it taken down, or does that only work for actual word for word plagiarism?

 

[onehitwanda]

Can an author report an unauthorized spinoff and get it taken down, or does that only work for actual word for word plagiarism?

pretty sure Laurel would respond to reports of unauthorised use of work.

 

[Voboy]

I'll echo the replies you're getting from most others, OP.

No bueno. Write your own stuff unless the writer gives you express permission to do otherwise.

 

[alohadave]

It is one of the things I dislike about Lit.
They allow people to steal writers hard work...
Writers pour themselves into writing stories, developing characters, plot lines. Thoughts and ideas.
Then somebody else comes along and uplifts all of that work, as if it was their own...
I'm sorry, but IMO, theft is theft.
If the original writer gives their permission, then fair enough.
But to steal their work under the premise that. "I tried to get in touch with them, but they never responded, so I took that as a yes."
That my friends, is not fair, and not right. IMO....

Cagivagurl

How is Lit enabling that?

 

[ElectricBlue]

Can an author report an unauthorized spinoff and get it taken down, or does that only work for actual word for word plagiarism?

I reckon it would come down to how well you demonstrate the rip-off, which would need a detailed deconstruction of both stories. Plagiarism is easier to demonstrate, because you could easily find identical sentences with only minor changes. Find enough of them, case closed.

 

[XerXesXu]

This happened to me. My “Office Wife” story has a bazillion reads and a red H in the LW category. The cheaters prosper in the story so two authors have taken it upon themselves to write sequels/reboots in which my main characters are punished. I didn’t give permission to either of them.

Sounds transformative.

 

[Pureotica]

I'm thinking about the Fallout video game series. I loved the original titles, and the collapse of Black Isle Studio was one of the great disappointments of my (comparative) youth.

But I have mixed feelings about Bioware's iterations of the series, and I haven't played the last several entries. Bioware is a decent company, and Fallout 3 was entertaining in its own right, but it didn't authentically capture what drew me to the original. I'm in the same boat regarding most IPs picked up by new creators. Its almost impossible to recreate the original's intent and tone, with new writers. Completely apart from the ethical questions, I don't think its a great idea creatively.

I sometimes find inspiration in the work of others, but I wouldn't use their characters, settings, or plot elements directly (except collaboratively in the right circumstance). Usually there's something about the work that could be explored further. Spun in a new direction. I'd use the inspiration to spur my own creativity. Even then, I'd contact the original creator, ask permission, and highlight the inspiration in an author's note. And if they said no, or didn't respond, that would end the project without question.

People come and go for reasons. I had no internet access at home for three years, because I moved to the prehistoric hinterlands of rural nowhere. I was sporadically active during that time. I wrote a lot, experimentally. I worked on projects, but wasn't motivated to finish them because I couldn't easily upload them. Now I'm sifting through the archives, sorting the wheat from the chaff. I'll complete the projects that excite me most, and hopefully build more of a catalog in the near future. But if someone stumbled across my profile during that time, It might have given the impression I'd abandoned it.

I don't know. I don't see much positive in finishing another creator's work. A few successful instances exist. Brandon Sanderson's completion of the Wheel of Time series seems well regarded. But he had Robert Jordan's extensive notes to work from. The original author died, and the series had devoted fanbase who wanted closure for the series. He was specifically commissioned for the project.

I wouldn't want to do it even with permission, unless I'd had a collaborative relationship with the writer previously.

Why not just write your own stuff, and build your own creative legacy? My current half-cooked premises will probably outlive me. I hope to knock a bunch of them out, but who knows? I tend to be flooded with ideas when I'm writing, and writing well. The creative to-do list never gets shorter, and I'm a slow-ish writer to begin with. I'll never finish my own workload, let alone find time for other peoples'. I don't understand the impulse, I guess. Not criticizing the OP. Just offering my unsolicited $.02 worth.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Concerning multi-chapter stories on this site that seem to have been abandoned (some for years, judging from how long ago readers have commented on them), supposing a writer has ideas on where to continue them and wants to add new chapters- is there an etiquette on how to approach this? Would one have to seek out the original writers and get their permission?

Some scumbag here took one of my FMCs and turned her into a virginal nun, FFS.

Some people have no shame.

Em

 

[onehitwanda]

Some people have no shame.

The nun certainly didn't!

 

[Cagivagurl]

How is Lit enabling that?

By allowing people to post rewrites of writers work. There is a story in Lit. "February sucks" It has 107 alternate versions. The first few at least sought permission. 90% didn't.
Lit allows posts of alternate versions that clearly state in the preamble, that they did not receive permission.

A version of one of my stories was targeted by a plagiarist. Thankfully, once I complained. Lit removed the story immediately. For that I am grateful. I didn't see the alternate version. If one of my friends hadn't seen it. I would be none the wiser.

Cagivagurl.