Winter is Coming
Fansided

Approve or Disapprove: What 8 famous authors think of fanfiction

By Monique Jacobs

SAN DIEGO, CA - JULY 25: Writer George R.R. Martin of "Game of Thrones" signs autographs during the 2014 Comic-Con International Convention-Day 3 at the San Diego Convention Center on July 25, 2014 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Tiffany Rose/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA - JULY 25: Writer George R.R. Martin of "Game of Thrones" signs autographs during the 2014 Comic-Con International Convention-Day 3 at the San Diego Convention Center on July 25, 2014 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Tiffany Rose/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 8
Next
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA – DECEMBER 06: Anne Rice attends the book signing and in conversation with Christopher Rice for “Prince Lestat and The Realms of Atlantis” at Barnes & Noble on December 6, 2016 in Huntington Beach, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images)
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA – DECEMBER 06: Anne Rice attends the book signing and in conversation with Christopher Rice for “Prince Lestat and The Realms of Atlantis” at Barnes & Noble on December 6, 2016 in Huntington Beach, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images) /

Anne Rice will take legal action against any fanfiction

Interview with the Vampire, based on Anne Rice’s novel of the same name, is the movie that sparked my vampire obsession and I’m absolutely guilty of creating fanciful Louis-centric storylines in my head. Had I made an effort to write them out, however, Rice’s lawyers would’ve been breathing down my neck.

The author of The Vampire Chronicles, which include Interview with the Vampire and Queen of the Damned, has gone to great lengths to keep fanfiction based on her novels and characters off the web. In 2001, she issued a statement on her website clarifying that she does not allow fanfiction and that her characters are copyrighted. “It upsets me terribly to even think about fan fiction with my characters,” she wrote. “I advise my readers to write your own original stories with your own characters. It is absolutely essential that you respect my wishes.”

Her lawyers then got down to the business of purging Vampire Chronicles fanfiction from the web. The most notable instance was the formal request sent to FanFiction.net in May 2001. An excerpt from the request read:

"It has come to our attention that your website fanfiction.net makes available over the Internet numerous stories and other literary material which contain the above-listed characters and other material from the Property. Even when done on a nonprofit and/or amateur basis, such use of such characters and material without Ms. Rice’s permission constitutes copyright infringement. While Ms. Rice greatly appreciates the interest of her fans in her characters and material, it is her and our responsibility to make sure that her rights are not infringed."

Any fanfiction involving her characters and works was to be removed and the site was to refrain from ever making it available again. If they didn’t comply, legal action would be taken. The website acquiesced and stated that all content in the Anne Rice: Vampire Chronicles category had been removed at the author’s request.

Today, you’re unlikely to find any Vampire Chronicles fanfiction floating around online. Fearing lawsuits or harassment from her lawyers — it was alleged that for years, they sent threatening messages to fanfiction writers — many fans removed their works while others hid them on obscure sites that only those in the know could find.

Others warned of the consequences of writing these fanfictions and listed a number of ways to avoid detection if writers still wanted to proceed: strategies included everything from sharing stories privately via email and using pen names to only using web pages from free servers. It looks as though even the threat of legal action couldn’t hold these writers/rebels down.

Home/Editorial