I won't write fanfic in active franchises out of respect for other authors -- it is entirely possible (and it has happened) for fanfic to damage the original work -- destroy the original author's ability to explore certain avenues. Mercedes Lackey (or her lawyers, or her agent, or any combination thereof) is so paranoid about this, that she forbids almost any electronic version of fanfic in her worlds -- even emailing is verboten. She grudgingly allows fanfic in paper 'zines, probably only because she came out of the fan tradition and she'd look like an absolute ogre and hypocrite if she turned on it that far.
While she has good reason to feel this way (a lawsuit by a fan author took part of Darkover away from Marian Zimmer Bradley), I think her (or her staff's) reactionary response is way over the top. Still, it is her right to dictate the terms under which fanfiction is allowable in her worlds. I just find those terms to be obscenely onerous and in fact actively hostile to the fan author. And since I cannot write DWI and abide by her terms, I won't be writing DWI.
Anyway, I got sidetracked into yet another rant about Lackey's position. But before I stop ranting , let me just say this: Misty, if for some reason you're reading this page, take it from one SFWA member to another, your terms are really over the top and excessive. You're completely within your rights, but sometimes you have to strike a balance between protecting what is yours and antagonizing your fans. Don't make the mistakes the RIAA is making.
Now, back to the question at hand.
As Zojojojo notes, Eva is done. Finished. Kaput. There will be no more official Eva material. Gainaz/Anno has finished with Eva and moved on to other projects. Therefore, fics set in the Eva world cannot affect the further output of "official" Eva material.
"Oh! My Goddess" is a good question. To the best of my knowledge it is also a dead franchise. If anyone can disabuse me of this, say by pointing me to new chapters in a manga (not a tankoubon or other collection, but in a weekly like Shonen Jump), then DW5 will go into "hold" mode until that changes.
American republication of the manga doesn't count for this purpose -- those are licensed reprints, not new material.
Does that help at all?
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.
While she has good reason to feel this way (a lawsuit by a fan author took part of Darkover away from Marian Zimmer Bradley), I think her (or her staff's) reactionary response is way over the top. Still, it is her right to dictate the terms under which fanfiction is allowable in her worlds. I just find those terms to be obscenely onerous and in fact actively hostile to the fan author. And since I cannot write DWI and abide by her terms, I won't be writing DWI.
Anyway, I got sidetracked into yet another rant about Lackey's position. But before I stop ranting , let me just say this: Misty, if for some reason you're reading this page, take it from one SFWA member to another, your terms are really over the top and excessive. You're completely within your rights, but sometimes you have to strike a balance between protecting what is yours and antagonizing your fans. Don't make the mistakes the RIAA is making.
Now, back to the question at hand.
As Zojojojo notes, Eva is done. Finished. Kaput. There will be no more official Eva material. Gainaz/Anno has finished with Eva and moved on to other projects. Therefore, fics set in the Eva world cannot affect the further output of "official" Eva material.
"Oh! My Goddess" is a good question. To the best of my knowledge it is also a dead franchise. If anyone can disabuse me of this, say by pointing me to new chapters in a manga (not a tankoubon or other collection, but in a weekly like Shonen Jump), then DW5 will go into "hold" mode until that changes.
American republication of the manga doesn't count for this purpose -- those are licensed reprints, not new material.
Does that help at all?
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.