any problem using another writer's work if fully acknowledge?

[AlinaX]

Y'all are so literal. It's like you're authors or summat.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

As a matter of copyright, that's not necessarily clear cut, so it's beyond the level of advice I can give you (i.e., I'm not sure that could be reasonably gleaned by reading the relevant statutes).
As far as I know, brief references to unrelated media in stories that are otherwise wholly original probably wouldn't be enough to trigger a legitimate case for a copyright lawyer to pursue. Mentioning that the MC is a veteran of the Battle of Endor, for example, in a story that otherwise involves no characters and settings from Star Wars, would probably not be enough to litigate over successfully.
But more relevantly, since it's a question that would only realistically be answered in legal proceedings, the site might well find it safer and easier for themselves to just take the content down if anyone complains, rather than consult a lawyer.

As to Star Wars, and leaving aside that there is a huge fanfic community that even Disney hasn't sued out of existence, sci-fi and fantasy has historically gotten the strongest protections in court. If someone is a veteran of the Battle of Endor you are defacto setting your story in that fictional universe. Whereas if your character lives next door to Miss Moneypenny, you might run into James Bond but he "lives" in the same world we do. That whole world isn't fictional.

 

[EmilysRopes]

I had a similar problem with a brilliant writer, in my view, who only wrote two stories, the last almost a decade ago. I tried to contact him without success, mainly to ask him to write more.

My solution (still not finished) was to have my two new characters read his story (with a link supplied in a disclaimer of course), discuss what they did and didn't like about it, followed by them re-enacting similar but altered events to his story, briefly described in my own words, and then moving onto a new scenario.

That passes the ethics test for me but I can't speak for others.

 

[KeithD]

Suggestion: When this question comes up, look for the first polite and complete response, "like" it, and then just move on without creating another one of these irritating wheels-spinner threads.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Someone wrote a story for this site in 2015. It's their one and only work. I read it, liked it, and thought it needed a sequel. I tried to contact the author to get permission but had no luck.

I'd like to write the next chapter. I will list the author and suggest people read the original story. I plan on incorporating his/her work in my story as background. A character will have a flashback. The memory will be in italics to set it apart from my words.

Before I produce the second chapter, I want to know if I'm running afoul of any rules.

Thanks, r

I've had a couple like that - just steal the plot and write your own story based on that - win win, and nothing plagiaristic about stealing the plot. Heck, even Shakespeare did that.

 

[Gamblnluck]

Thanks for the input. It seems weird that if I steal the plot, change the names and dates, I'm golden. I wanted to pay homage to the person who brought the idea to my attention, but that seems problematic. So...

Okay to close this thread by me. I have my answer.

Not just change the name and dates. Make it substantially different. Then give the previous author full credit as the inspiration for your story. I'd even mention you tried to get his approval. You will likely get more mileage doing that.

 

[KeithD]

Then give the previous author full credit as the inspiration for your story. I'd even mention you tried to get his approval. You will likely get more mileage doing that.

That's going way too far. If you feel you need to do this, you haven't separated yourself from the previous work enough. Go look in published fiction. Only rarely does "I got the inspiration for this" come up. And never "I stole this because I tried to get approval and it never came." That's just putting a target on your back.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

That's going way too far. If you feel you need to do this, you haven't separated yourself from the previous work enough. Go look in published fiction. Only rarely does "I got the inspiration for this" come up. And never "I stole this because I tried to get approval and it never came." That's just putting a target on your back.

Agreed. The whole getting approval thing is something that is a huge deal in the AH and is utterly irrelevant to 99% of the people who will read the story. We aren't exactly a representative population.

 

[lovecraft68]

We should turn this into a drinking game.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

We should turn this into a drinking game.

My liver couldn't handle it.

 

[Plathfan]

Thanks for the input. It seems weird that if I steal the plot, change the names and dates, I'm golden. I wanted to pay homage to the person who brought the idea to my attention, but that seems problematic. So...

Okay to close this thread by me. I have my answer.

My take is that sequels by others rarely continue the original story in a true sense. Characters, even when they retain the same external traits, ultimately reflect the new creator's personality and have a different voice. Thus, it is essentially an original work, despite the title suggesting otherwise.

So, wouldn't it be better to drop the thin veneer of the original and rewrite everything from scratch?

 

[lovecraft68]

My liver couldn't handle it.

The forum name would have to change from AH to AA