Are the stories here copyrighted?

[Paintchips43]

If an author here has written a story or a long story with lots of parts, and it has kind of fizzled out, is it ok to add to it? I have an idea to complete an unfinished story here

 

[StillStunned]

If you want to "complete" a story posted on Literotica by another author, referencing their characters and other copyright protected content, you're creating a derivative work which would require obtaining permission from the author as the copyright holder.

Just adding here that this is also Lit's very explicit policy. If you don't have permission, your story will be rejected, or else removed if it's reported.

And it has to be express permission: you can't say "unless I hear otherwise, I'll assume I'm allowed to go ahead."

 

[ElectricBlue]

If an author here has written a story or a long story with lots of parts, and it has kind of fizzled out, is it ok to add to it? I have an idea to complete an unfinished story here

Not unless you have permission from the author. It's a hard rule here on Lit - don't even think about it unless you have permission.

 

[dutifulrose]

In an attempt to be thorough:

An author may specify how the public can use their work via Creative Common licenses. However, the author must explicitly identify which CC license applies to the work on the work itself; it cannot be inferred by someone wanting to use the work.

That said, I haven't seen CC licensing integrated on Literotica, although it is commonly incorporated on other sites (e.g., I typically provide a CC BY-NC license on my visual and written works posted elsewhere).

I suppose an author could specify on their profile if CC licensing applied to their works; however, not every work would necessarily (or could) have the same license apply to it. If it was a derivative work, the CC licensing could only apply to the adaption and not the entire work - unless the original author granted a similar CC license.

Confused yet?

 

[dutifulrose]

Just adding here that this is also Lit's very explicit policy.

I was editing my CC post and needed to refresh to complete, but when I did, I overwrote my original post and not the CC post

Thankfully, you had already copied the important part! I removed the original because I had already saved the incorrect edit and couldn't undo it.

A reason on why late night/early morning posting should only proceed with caution.

 

[Paintchips43]

Just adding here that this is also Lit's very explicit policy. If you don't have permission, your story will be rejected, or else removed if it's reported.

And it has to be express permission: you can't say "unless I hear otherwise, I'll assume I'm allowed to go ahead."

If an author here has written a story or a long story with lots of parts, and it has kind of fizzled out, is it ok to add to it? I have an idea to complete an unfinished story here

If an author here has written a story or a long story with lots of parts, and it has kind of fizzled out, is it ok to add to it? I have an idea to complete an unfinished story here

 

[Paintchips43]

Thanks everyone

 

[bawdybloke]

Just to add to this, on a couple of my stories I will add permission. Rage Against The Latrine had:

So that's it. Almost 150,000 words of the crazed Natasha and her wild band. The musical hedonists took the innocent ex of Samantha and turned him into a piss-loving, anal-adoring, bisexual, polyamorous nymphomaniac! I have thought about writing a short to do with the stag party, hen party and wedding as I have a skeleton story idea, but I also have other stories I want to explore first.

If anyone wants to take my characters and write their own tales, then you have my permission to do so. I can't promise that I will incorporate your story arcs in any future pieces, but I have no objection to people expanding on my work. Please add the tag "bitches against" if you write in this universe and upload it to Literotica.

I'd like to thank everyone for their wonderful feedback, positive comments, and for reading the output from my perverted imagination.

If you don't have this, then it's likely to be rejected.

Alas nobody else wanted to add to a group of female rockers who had a penchant for dishing out golden showers!

 

[darwin1859]

@Paintchips43, you've gotten your answer, but you asked a legal question and I'll bet none of us are lawyers (including me).

My experience with lawyers is that what the laity see as black-and-white, lawyers often see as debatable. AFAIK, copyright is automatic under US law, but I was always taught to include a copyright statement on anything that was published to avoid losing the copyright. I glanced at a story and I only see a generic copyright statement in the corner of the footer. I wonder if that satisfies this requirement for the story author? It looks to me like it only protects the website as a whole. I also notice that Laurel (or whomever posted one of my stories) seems to have removed my own copyright statement from at least one of my stories. That strikes me as dubious.

I also wonder if a lawyer would agree that creating a new work with the same characters is automatically a violation of the original author's copyright? And if so, how are there stories here like "Gandalf butt-fucks Frodo"? Or any fanfic?

Anyway, even should legal minds debate, the practical issue is that if you did this and anyone complained, then Laurel would decide your story's fate, and I'd bet that she'd probably take down your story. I believe (remember, IANAL) that she/Literotica is protected by a safe harbor provisions so long as she has a process for resolving IP disputes. The easiest thing for her to do when she gets a credible complaint is to unpublish your story, and I think that's what would happen (if someone complained).

 

[Paintchips43]

How about if I pdf'd it, but never actually published?

 

[alohadave]

How about if I pdf'd it, but never actually published?

Poor man's copyrights are pointless and have no legal bearing.

You have copyright the moment the work is created. If you need to pursue infringements in the US, you must register with the USPTO. There are no shortcuts or workarounds to this.

 

[darwin1859]

How about if I pdf'd it, but never actually published?

Well, no one would ever know if you never published it, but many authors here would feel violated (if they found out). Larry Niven created a setting that came to be called "Known Space" including a feline alien race, the Kzinti. He lost his cookies when someone wrote a free fanfic story about Kzinti's fucking. He felt very violated.

But if that guy had saved it on his computer and never published it, Niven would never have known.

BTW, a lot of authors might respond favorably if you asked politely, so that's definitely a route (but we know some authors cannot respond; RIP, lost their emails, etc.).

Also, there's this guy: https://www.literotica.com/authors/FinishTheDamnStory ... I believe lawyers call that "precedent" (JK; even though IANAL, I know that's not true).

 

[Aussieguy8]

In Australia, which I know isn't where the site is based but it is where I am based, a writer (or any artist) has immediate and automatic copywrite as they create the work.

Personally, if someone want to add to one of my stories, I'd like a fair attempt to get in contact with me and ask for permission and with at least a rough idea of what direction you'd want to take the story in. Like, I wouldn't have a problem with someone continuing the only story I have up.... but as its loosely based on a real person and real events I don't want things that are too out of character.

 

[Britva415]

I also wonder if a lawyer would agree that creating a new work with the same characters is automatically a violation of the original author's copyright? And if so, how are there stories here like "Gandalf butt-fucks Frodo"? Or any fanfic?

The copyright holder might not bother to pursue it, or might not be aware of it, but that doesn't mean it isn't a violation. It doesn't mean they don't have rights.

 

[Britva415]

How about if I pdf'd it, but never actually published?

What does "I pdf'd it" even mean? No idea what you're saying here.

And yes of course I know what a pdf is. That isn't what I'm asking about.

 

[ElectricBlue]

What does "I pdf'd it" even mean? No idea what you're saying here.

And yes of course I know what a pdf is. That isn't what I'm asking about.

I think they're saying, "Make my own private copy," in which case the answer is, who cares?

 

[SkyBubble]

BTW, a lot of authors might respond favorably if you asked politely

Wasn't there a thread here a few months back about "lending" your characters to a "Literotica convention"?