Writing Tip - Holding Fanfiction Hostage For Money Is Wrong
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This is going to be a bit different from my usual tips. Some might disagree with what I’m about to say, and that’s absolutely fine—everyone is allowed to have their own opinions. I might come across as a bit aggressive here, but I feel strongly about this.
A friend of mine recently told me about an author she used to follow. I’m not going to name names because this isn’t about targeting someone. She told me about a fanfiction author she followed years ago, who used to write for the love of it—just like the rest of us. But recently, this author decided to lock her fics behind a paywall, essentially demanding $1,000 per chapter. That’s right—one thousand dollars per chapter for a story based on characters she didn’t create. She’s profiting off of Marvel’s property and using the fandom as a personal ATM.
To me, this is completely wrong. It’s not just about the fact that she’s making thousands of dollars from something she doesn’t own—it goes against everything fandom stands for.
I love fanfiction. It has survived for decades because it’s about storytelling, not business. Turning a story into a pay-to-read product is exploiting the community I’ve adored for years. Fanfiction is supposed to be inclusive, not a luxury for those who can afford it.
And beyond that, it makes the rest of us look bad. If this gets out of control, big companies like Marvel might decide they’ve had enough and start trying to shut down fanfiction altogether.
Is It Illegal to Profit Off Fanfiction?
From what I’ve researched, this seems to be a legal gray area. Apparently, you can profit from derivative material if it falls under fair use, meaning it's transformative—like turning a cartoon into a unique written story with major changes. But I could be wrong, so feel free to correct me in the comments.
At the end of the day, fanfiction is meant to be shared, not sold. Please don’t monetize fanfiction. To me, fanfiction is about passion, creativity, and community—not about holding stories hostage for cash.
