Can you get copyrighted for writing fanfiction?

One question they get often at the OTW is whether they, a fanfiction author, actually have a copyright to their work. Short answer: yes. “Fanfic writers and fan artists can register their works with the U.S. Copyright Office, or their nation’s copyright office.

Do fanfiction writers get sued?

Copyright goes into effect automatically, even if a work is not published. In the case where a copyright owner chooses to exercise their exclusive right to prepare derivative works against a work of fanfiction, they can sue the fanfiction writer for copyright infringement.

Is it legal to print fanfiction?

Presently, publishing fanfiction online is considered legal in the United States because it is “noncommercial distribution.” In other words, when you post fanfiction on AO3 or another ad-supported, free-to-use site, nobody is making any money from the actual intellectual property itself.

Can fanfiction be turned into fiction?

There was a new generation of authors who were leveraging their work in writing careers, and in some cases having their fanfiction work turned into published works of fiction. Famously, 50 Shades Of Grey began as Twilight fanfiction.

Do you ever feel ashamed of writing fan fiction?

For a long time I used to be ashamed of writing fan fiction, and that’s mostly because fanfiction sometimes has a bad name — which is ridiculous, since even some authors write fanfiction. I’ve heard just about everything that people who love fan fiction hear from others.

What is the legal situation for fan fiction writers?

This is a detailed legal situation, however for fan fiction writers, the chief concern is with derivative works. Copyright gives the author the sole right to create derivative works, basically works which use protected elements of the source material.

Who are some famous authors who have written fanfiction?

Naomi Novik. This bestselling author of the Temeraire series and Uprooted is well known for having written fanfiction in the past. It’s widely thought that her first novel, Her Majesty’s Dragon, began life as a Master and Commander fanfic, and she’s the founder of the Organization for Transformative Works,…