Oh, okay, tell me how that works out.

[apocalypsos]

Diana Gabaldon, regarding fanfic: "OK, my position on fan-fic is pretty clear: I think it’s immoral, I _know_ it’s illegal, and it makes me want to barf whenever I’ve inadvertently encountered some of it involving my characters."

Three things:

1. See subject line.
2. I'm more turned off than I should be by an adult woman using the word "barf."
3. Immoral? Really?

I will admit that it always amuses me when published authors come out of the woodwork to state plainly that they think fanfic writers are evil and stupid. It's not like she doesn't have the right to say it, but she's complaining about it in regards to a "Support Stacie" auction item, which is kind of skeevy.

It's a futile statement that doesn't do anything but make you look like an ass to a lot of your fans and turn off a large enthusiastic readership, and it always comes off to me like they don't actually deign to talk to "the little people," such as it is. (Contrast the attitudes towards their fanbases between, say, Stan Lee who's pro-fanfic and Anne Rice who isn't.)

So, yeah, see subject line again.

EDIT: I have to go to work in forty minutes. Why has no one started any wank in her comments yet? *pokes with a stick*

(I'm not saying you guys should go start wank. I'm just saying I'm going to go to work, and when I get home and turn on my computer at eight the only thing left after fandom piles on is a dissipating mushroom cloud.)

Comments

[anoel.livejournal.com]

Also, totally legal so good luck making it not exist.

[xaara.livejournal.com]

Heh, I always love when authors try to take the "illegal" tack, since it's not, y'know, illegal. You're free to think it's immoral or barf-inducing, but do your research before calling it illegal.

Plus, how do you "inadvertently encounter" fic? *is skeptical*

[torificus.livejournal.com]

I agree entirely with you. Plus, the extra part where being anti-fanfiction makes me want to go out of my way NOT to give the author my money.

I love Robin Hobb's books, but after finding out about her complete NUTCASE attitude about fanfic, I have decided that any of her books that I ever own, I will only buy second-hand.

If anything, I would think it would be ENTIRELY flattering! The idea that there are characters that I have created that inspire people to want to elaborate on their situations or whatever, that would be AMAZING.

Really, all it does is end up making them sound like control freaks who have zero respect for their fanbase. Great way to get me to buy your books, guys!

[penknife.livejournal.com]

I enjoy her books, but this makes me less likely to buy them, and a lot less likely to rec them to other people. Which I'm not sure is the result she wants.

[lallybroch.livejournal.com]

I wonder what she'd say if I commented (with my username--HA!) to say "But your books are INSANE! I love Outlander and Jamie Fraser is a delicious hero, but the rest of your books are filled with pirates, ABSOLUTE NUTSO character arcs and too many animal attacks to count. Please climb down from your high-throne of CRAZYLAND, because at this point your books are basically fanfiction of the first book."

Hm. I wonder if that makes my username "immoral".

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

I'm waiting for the wank in the comments. It's not there yet, just Gabaldon fans who've never even heard of fanfic before (... how long have you people been on the internet?) falling all over themselves to tell Gabaldon she should have Stacie horsewhipped or something.

[random-serious.livejournal.com]

Immoral, fanfic is immoral? Wow, what an entitled obnoxious clown. I get that she sells her writing, but fanfic is not like music downloads and what have you. Fanfic is not digging into her income, on the contrary it may even increase it. This is truly a position I do not get.

[andraste]

You know what amuses me about all the 'ewwww, porn!' stuff in that post? That my mother eventually gave up on her series because of what she regarded as the endless, unnecessary sex scenes.

Now, I haven't read them myself and have no idea how many of these scenes there are or if I'd agree with my mother that they're tacked on, but it did make laugh *g*.

[tripoli8.livejournal.com]

I've never heard of this person and don't think I'd enjoy her books, but all else aside, once you're putting it in terms of not wanting to *seem* heartless, without apparent consideration of whether it might be, jeez, kind of heartless, it pretty much kills any desire I might ever have to shed too many tears for her.

[myniamh.livejournal.com]

Write anything you want, using Jamie Fraser, Edward Cullen, Harry Potter _and_ Dr. Who….and then change the characters’ names before you post it. Simple.

So ... Fan Fic with the serial numbers filed off is OK?

[wtfbrain.livejournal.com]

Have you heard about Jim Butcher's new policy on fanfic? If more authors did it this way, there would be so much less butthurt in the world.

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

And that's why Jim Butcher is awesome.

[wtfbrain.livejournal.com]

I'm reading the whole babbling mess right now, and oh my god, what is wrong with this woman? I used to love her books, I really did, but this just puts her firmly in the LKH territory with how she regards her characters. /o\

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

I swear, nobody just says, "I'd really just rather you not write my characters, is all." It's always, "Oh, my GOD, how DARE you RAPE my VISION, you HORRID vile COMMUNISTS!!!"

[regala-electra.livejournal.com]

Well, Gabaldon's continued use of rape as a plot device makes me barf so I guess we're even. (Seriously, almost every single character, male and female, have been raped in her Outlander series.)

[svilleficrecs.livejournal.com]

Possibility re: wank, is there a chance she's heavily moderating comments and not publishing the pro-fanfic or wanky ones?

[wtfbrain.livejournal.com]

I left a comment pointing out that she could do a noncommercial/derivative Creative Commons policy, like Jim Butcher did, so we'll see if it shows up.

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

Dunno just yet. If so, that'll certainly come out in the wash soon enough.

[wtfbrain.livejournal.com]

I left a comment mentioning the Creative Commons policy she *could institute and get herself more fans and a reputation for being cool, so we'll see if the comment shows up and how many of her fans dogpile on me for DARING to suggest something like that.

[allthelivesofme.livejournal.com]

Have I mentioned that I love Jim Butcher?

Diana Gabaldon, however . . . the name sounds familiar, but I'm not going to search out any of her books (though you never know, I might 'inadvertently encounter' fanfic of her stuff somewhere! Never know when it will just pop up unwanted on your computer).

Generally, I'd have to agree with torificus up there; that people would find your world/characters interesting enough to play with for a while is flattering; why insult your own fanbase?

[wtfbrain.livejournal.com]

Because nothing that doesn't come from her ~*~*~SPESHUL SPARKLY BRAIN~*~*~ could possibly measure up? *hands* I really don't understand authors who throw shitfits like this and are then surprised that they get negative reactions.

[silveraspen]

This. I'm very disappointed.

[wrenlet.livejournal.com]

IIRC Hobb called fanfic writers "soulless," didn't she? Ugh.

[torificus.livejournal.com]

Among other things, I believe.

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

Your comment just popped up when I refreshed. Now let's see if it stays up.