What is count as Fanfiction?

Nakakure

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So what element of the story to consider as fanfiction? Using the character, using item name or just using the system.
 

lnv

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So what element of the story to consider as fanfiction? Using the character, using item name or just using the system.

Usually fan fiction would be taking place in the same universe (not to be confused with similar universe), or the reuse of one of the characters in another story as a main character.

Use of same items or having characters from other works show up is more of a crossover than a fan fiction.
 

Nakakure

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Usually fan fiction would be taking place in the same universe (not to be confused with similar universe), or the reuse of one of the characters in another story as a main character.

Use of same items or having characters from other works show up is more of a crossover than a fan fiction.
Thanks you then
 
D

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Sigh, okay. This isn't really a simple question, and there's no simple answer.

Any piece of fiction created by a fan of a piece of work, that features characters, items, or systems, etc. of that work. Having characters from Naruto show up in your story would make it, for that window of time when they are in the story, fanfiction. Even if the rest of your story is wholly original, if Cloud Strife's Buster Sword is found by a character, it is fanfic.

The reason this is fanfiction is for legal reasons. If you write an original piece of fiction and then have the trademarked property of another piece of copyrighted media show up in your original fiction, but you are presenting it as your own work, that'd be a legal problem.

A crossover, contrary to what Inv said, traditionally needs to be a mutual exchange. Because it's a CROSS, it's an intersection of two things. Inv might be more referring to a cameo, as this can range from a whole character from one TV show showing up for an episode of another TV show as a special guest appearance, or something as small as the xenomorph skull in Predator 2 that kicked off the worst franchise ever. The snafu here is that while just having the skull of an alien from another property in a seconds long shot and then never seeing it again can just be a nod to a beloved property, having an entire character show up and interact with the story, even as a cameo, still needs legal permission.

Unless it's fanfiction, which is basically a murky legal grey area, but the gist of it is Big Corporation Warner Bros agrees not to sue Mary Lou from Texas for writing writing her Harry Potter fanfiction because she's writing it under the title of it being a non-profit fanwork with no claim to ownership over the property. I realise "I don't own this" feels so obvious it doesn't need to be stated when writing fanfiction, but it's that rule that basically allows fanfiction to go on. Fanfiction is illegal. But it's just better for everyone (at the moment) to let it go on.

So, is it fanfiction if a sword from a video game shows up in your story? If you're not profiting from the work, then yes, it's fanfiction, for the extent that the sword appears the work is fanfiction, and when the sword is no longer in the story it is no longer fanfiction.
If the work is commercial, then no, it's not fanfiction, it's property theft and you could face anything ranging from a C+D to being sued.
 

CupcakeNinja

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Usually fan fiction would be taking place in the same universe (not to be confused with similar universe), or the reuse of one of the characters in another story as a main character.

Use of same items or having characters from other works show up is more of a crossover than a fan fiction.
i would call it more of an easter egg, a tribute, or a reference. Assuming its an item or beast. If it were a character or something specific to that story;s universe though then yeah it would be a crossover.
 

Nakakure

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Sigh, okay. This isn't really a simple question, and there's no simple answer.

Any piece of fiction created by a fan of a piece of work, that features characters, items, or systems, etc. of that work. Having characters from Naruto show up in your story would make it, for that window of time when they are in the story, fanfiction. Even if the rest of your story is wholly original, if Cloud Strife's Buster Sword is found by a character, it is fanfic.

The reason this is fanfiction is for legal reasons. If you write an original piece of fiction and then have the trademarked property of another piece of copyrighted media show up in your original fiction, but you are presenting it as your own work, that'd be a legal problem.

A crossover, contrary to what Inv said, traditionally needs to be a mutual exchange. Because it's a CROSS, it's an intersection of two things. Inv might be more referring to a cameo, as this can range from a whole character from one TV show showing up for an episode of another TV show as a special guest appearance, or something as small as the xenomorph skull in Predator 2 that kicked off the worst franchise ever. The snafu here is that while just having the skull of an alien from another property in a seconds long shot and then never seeing it again can just be a nod to a beloved property, having an entire character show up and interact with the story, even as a cameo, still needs legal permission.

Unless it's fanfiction, which is basically a murky legal grey area, but the gist of it is Big Corporation Warner Bros agrees not to sue Mary Lou from Texas for writing writing her Harry Potter fanfiction because she's writing it under the title of it being a non-profit fanwork with no claim to ownership over the property. I realise "I don't own this" feels so obvious it doesn't need to be stated when writing fanfiction, but it's that rule that basically allows fanfiction to go on. Fanfiction is illegal. But it's just better for everyone (at the moment) to let it go on.

So, is it fanfiction if a sword from a video game shows up in your story? If you're not profiting from the work, then yes, it's fanfiction, for the extent that the sword appears the work is fanfiction, and when the sword is no longer in the story it is no longer fanfiction.
If the work is commercial, then no, it's not fanfiction, it's property theft and you could face anything ranging from a C+D to being sued.
The character in my novel joke about the similiarty between 'The Arc' with Infinite Strator (IS) and Drag-ride from Saijaku Bahamut. I still not write it in case i can get sued:blob_hide:
 

Arkus86

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The character in my novel joke about the similiarty between 'The Arc' with Infinite Strator (IS) and Drag-ride from Saijaku Bahamut. I still not write it in case i can get sued:blob_hide:
If I understand it corectly then, it's just a reference to those stories, which many Jap. authors solve by censoring out parts of the names?
 

Ai-chan

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The character in my novel joke about the similiarty between 'The Arc' with Infinite Strator (IS) and Drag-ride from Saijaku Bahamut. I still not write it in case i can get sued:blob_hide:
There's nothing wrong with that. It's when you use characters, magic system or other elements from Infinite Stratos and Saijaku Bahamut together in your novel that it becomes fanfiction of both. If it's just referencing, it's not a big deal. Actually it's illegal, but nobody wants to make a fuss as long as you're not making money from it. In the case of Japanese work referencing other items from other works with censorship is because those are trademarks, not copyright.

Doraemon, Infinite Stratos, Unlimited Fafnir and their merchandise (which include character figurines) are trademarked items. They shouldn't get into trouble with the law from just referencing them, but court case in Japan is really troublesome, and some companies can be very protective of their trademarks. So to avoid complications, they censor them beforehand.

If your character Abel talks about how much he loves Doraemon, it won't cause any problem outside Japan. If Abel talks with Doraemon, that's fanfiction. If you make a story about Abel replacing Nobita as Doraemon's best friend and selling that story, whether as a novel on Amazon or through Patreon or Paypal without written permission of the copyright owner, then you have committed property theft.
 

Nakakure

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There's nothing wrong with that. It's when you use characters, magic system or other elements from Infinite Stratos and Saijaku Bahamut together in your novel that it becomes fanfiction of both. If it's just referencing, it's not a big deal. Actually it's illegal, but nobody wants to make a fuss as long as you're not making money from it. In the case of Japanese work referencing other items from other works with censorship is because those are trademarks, not copyright.

Doraemon, Infinite Stratos, Unlimited Fafnir and their merchandise (which include character figurines) are trademarked items. They shouldn't get into trouble with the law from just referencing them, but court case in Japan is really troublesome, and some companies can be very protective of their trademarks. So to avoid complications, they censor them beforehand.

If your character Abel talks about how much he loves Doraemon, it won't cause any problem outside Japan. If Abel talks with Doraemon, that's fanfiction. If you make a story about Abel replacing Nobita as Doraemon's best friend and selling that story, whether as a novel on Amazon or through Patreon or Paypal without written permission of the copyright owner, then you have committed property theft.
Thanks Ai-chan
 
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