I think there are degrees, where it becomes something more than just being inspired by something and more like theft. Like if a story has A-G plot/character points and you get inspired by B and D and write a fic, that's entirely cool and well within the spirit of fanfic-dom. However, if a story (though entirely re-written in new words) is written and they used A, B, D, F, E, G points -- that starts to get ridiculous without some kind of authorial dialogue or credit.
Of course, every fandom has tropes or cliches or what-have-you and no one owns those ideas and there's nothing I love better than to rework them myself or see them reworked. But I don't think it's hypocritical to get propertiary over our fics even if we have no legal reason for it. We still wrote/created much of it and everyone who reads it knows we didn't create the world we're playing in -- not necessarily the case if someone reads a "remixed" fic that isn't properly credited.
That said, I've been accused of copying fic because I wrote a story long ago where Quistis is kidnapped and so did this other girl (she was the one who accused me) even though my fic was a Quistis/Seifer story whereas she had her Seifer rape Quistis, and I thought she was out of her mind for even thinking it, let alone harassing me over it.
I've also never turned down anyone's request to borrow an idea from me and I've never gotten too out-of-shape if I see a fic eeriely similar to something I've written and I've certainly never emailed an author or called foul. It has made me cranky on occasion but never as cranky as when my fics have been stolen word-for-word and both has happened several times.
And, one more thing before I shut up, lol -- I think, in some ways, there can be a sense of "I'm better and I can do this better" when you take someone's ideas for remixing and that can feel arrogant and superior to the original author and it probably smarts, no matter who nicely the request is made. I'm sure no one wants to hear "This is a great idea but you didn't do it right, so I'm gonna do it better."
no subject
Of course, every fandom has tropes or cliches or what-have-you and no one owns those ideas and there's nothing I love better than to rework them myself or see them reworked. But I don't think it's hypocritical to get propertiary over our fics even if we have no legal reason for it. We still wrote/created much of it and everyone who reads it knows we didn't create the world we're playing in -- not necessarily the case if someone reads a "remixed" fic that isn't properly credited.
That said, I've been accused of copying fic because I wrote a story long ago where Quistis is kidnapped and so did this other girl (she was the one who accused me) even though my fic was a Quistis/Seifer story whereas she had her Seifer rape Quistis, and I thought she was out of her mind for even thinking it, let alone harassing me over it.
I've also never turned down anyone's request to borrow an idea from me and I've never gotten too out-of-shape if I see a fic eeriely similar to something I've written and I've certainly never emailed an author or called foul. It has made me cranky on occasion but never as cranky as when my fics have been stolen word-for-word and both has happened several times.
And, one more thing before I shut up, lol -- I think, in some ways, there can be a sense of "I'm better and I can do this better" when you take someone's ideas for remixing and that can feel arrogant and superior to the original author and it probably smarts, no matter who nicely the request is made. I'm sure no one wants to hear "This is a great idea but you didn't do it right, so I'm gonna do it better."