I may as well say this here, now, and in plain sight so as not to leave room for any confusion present or future.
Fanfiction of my work is okay. Write it.
I neither endorse, approve of, nor disapprove. The simple fact is, I’m a realist and know I can do nothing to stop fanfic from being written and shared. So I won’t pretend I can.
I am not a fan of fanfic, usually. I’ve read good stories that I sincerely enjoyed, I’ve read many … allow me to rephrase that: I’ve found and tried to read many many many more that were terrible. This isn’t to say that fanfiction is bad, just that it confirms Sturgeon’s Law: 90% of everything, apparently, is crap.
I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings by saying that, mostly because I’m sorry to hear that you feel you’re in that 90%. Keep improving your technique, learn from your mistakes and from the intelligent feedback and you’ll get there (or … you know, maybe find a good therapist for your self-esteem issues).
This does not mean I’d like to be sent samples of your fanfiction. Not because I’m afraid I might accidentally be inspired and get sued, but because I’m not terribly interested. Suffice to say, I rarely go looking on fanfic sites. But, from time to time I do and I’ve friends who often look – I’ll likely find it one day on my own, thank you.
Please don’t feel I’m being preemptively critical, or even that I’m trying to say that I wish I could do something to prevent fanfiction. I’m sure, really, your story is brilliant and if I take an interest in finding out I know how to find it. And if I could stop fanfic from happening I wouldn’t bother – I think it’s hypocritical for an author to reject fanfiction since we all borrow and steal from that which we love to read and watch. I’ve seen it argued that all literature, even The Holy Bible, is fanfic of Gilgamesh.
So, go, enjoy. If you write fanfic, I’m flattered but uninterested – not really my cuppa.
Love to all
Jaye
Jaye Em Edgecliff 