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Originally Posted by spindlegirl
Well I do know my daughter was just doing it as a little hobby. I am thrilled on her behalf that she has something which gives her joy and makes her feel good about herself. She has no interest in "making money" (it's not even on her radar) - she likes films and books that make her think, and an online community that accepts her. Some of the fanfic she writes is boring and cliched to me, but she has a following of younger people who really like her efforts. It's a stepping stone rather than a stopping place.
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There is nothing wrong in *writing* fanfic, especially for personal enjoyment.
Where the risk comes in is in publishing it online. The broader the reach, the bigger the danger.
Yes, some (most?) authors/IP owners tend to look the other way but they don't *all* do so. (Has the copyright holder expressed an opinion on fanfic based on their projects?) A point to consider is that the issue goes deeper than just the *legality* of it. Just because an autor doesn't sue doesn't mean they're not annoyed or offended by what is done with/to their creations. It would be a poor reward to (inadventently) return offense for delight, no?
Another problem (with ongoing projects) is that the fanfic might end up anticipating/blocking future developments in the series. In the modern litigious society an author needs to be sensitive to claims of plagiarism. Especially the successful ones.
Care is required.
As for your daughter, it is great that she is writing and even better that she sees it as a stepping stone to creating her own worlds and narratives. The world needs all the creators it can get.
