Yes, copyright law has been around for 500 years, a fraction of the time that the written word has been here. Copyright, especially in its present form is by no means the be all end all solution to copying. In fact in its current incarnation in the United States, and other nations, copyright is directly hindering the dissemination of knowledge, i.e. the public good.
As for the quality of fiction and writing in general under no copyright, collaboration is the key, see here,
Collaborative Writing For the Benefit of All
The word, the mind in physical form. No law will ever be able to hinder its spread, nor should any law be enforced or adhered to that seeks to stop the spread.
Those who wish to lock the word behind barriers, technological or otherwise are the criminals. Every word has the potential to change the world, Any word anywhere can instill hope in the reader for a better way of being, perhaps you feel that your words do not hold this power, but the writer of words does not and cannot understand how their words will affect the reader.
There is nothing to be done except to let the word free.
