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In truth, I can’t control what people do with my work. I can, however, create serious problems for those who abuse my generosity (and I have).
Piracy is an issue in many consumer areas, not just digital media. The first book I ever published professionally was pirated a mere week after it was published, and I remember being so hurt by it. I couldn’t believe that someone would steal my work and sell it for their own profit.
I was incredibly naïve.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize that some people are just greedy, selfish, awful people who do not respect the rights of others. Full stop. It doesn’t matter what those rights are. Some people actually find intellectual property rights offensive, as if a maker doesn’t have the right to own the product of their own creativity. Those people are disgusting.
For the record, no one has permission to distribute my fan works through eBooks, print on demand, or so-called nonprofit “binding”. This is a decision I have the right to make because it is my intellectual property. My work is transformative, and it is protected under copyright law. Just because I can’t sell it for a profit legally doesn’t mean that I don’t own it. Every single word I write belongs to me. I have the exclusive rights to the reproduction, adaption, publication, performance, and display per 17 U.S. Code § 106.
My work will belong to me for a full seventy years after I fucking die.
As to why I won’t delete my work.
- My published works and the metadata attached are but one of several methods by which I have to prove ownership of my transformative works.
- Deleting my work won’t remove my work from the Internet. It’ll just make it more difficult to find and more likely to be pirated and used inappropriately.
- I write and publish fan fiction to entertain myself, and I’m not going to let some jackhole thief ruin it for me.
- I’m fully prepared (and loaded for bear) to work hard to remove any POD or “bindings” of my fan works for sale. So, I need proof of ownership. Proof I can display for any service stupid enough to actually sell fan fiction.
And for the record, it is monumentally stupid to sell fan fiction. It’s illegal, and you’d be subject to being sued not only by the fan fic author but by the owner of the canon material. Moreover, you can be fined upwards of 150,000 per infraction for violating intellectual property rights.
Plus, you could spend upwards of ten years in jail.
Now, as a fan fiction writer, I wouldn’t be able to financially ruin you and put you in jail. But you know who could? The publishers, production companies, and authors of the canon content.
Now tell me this, would you risk putting my Mandalorian fan fic in a POD and facing a lawsuit by Disney?
I wouldn’t, and that’s one very real reason why I don’t fucking sell my fan fiction. The other? It’s just fucking rude to make money off the intellectual property of others.
Fan fiction is a labor of love, not a profit engine.
So to my readers who are worried that I’m going take all of my toys and go home. I’m already home, darlings, and this is my spot on the Internet. I will defend it.
-KM
PS- I made this post because of an ongoing incident in fandom where idiots are creating “bindings” of fan fiction and selling them. I’ve not been a victim of this dumbass behavior so far. But I’m vigilant.
Glad to hear your work isn’t going anywhere <3
Thank you! Both for allowing us to have ebooks of your work for personal use and for fighting against these utter dickwads.
Seconding the gratitude from @Rivkaesque, regarding both keeping your work up, and allowing us to have eBooks of it.
I’m trying to be more sociable as of late, so less time inside reading; meaning that it’s very handy for me to have fics I like available to make MOBIs of, and stick them on my Kindle.
AO3 is especially good for this, while at the same time cracking down on jerks who outright plagiarise stuff.
I adore you. Here, here I say. Those if us who support you are grateful you share what inspired you.
Good on you for protecting your work. It’s bonkers to me that people go out of their way to steal and sell fanfiction.
Side question- how do you feel about those who download your work so they can put it on their kindle and read it there?
Your personal use is fine.
*Mic Drop*
Yay! Love your stance.
Love your work I reread the Harry Potter fics often :).
You deserve so much more respect than that. I can’t believe the sheer audacity of some people. I’m so glad you’re not letting it affect your interaction with fanfiction. I just about had a heart attack thinking about it. All the love to you and your work! <3 It honestly brings such joy to my life, every time you post.
Ah Keira I’m so sorry you have to deal with this issue. You grace us with your creative brilliance and are abused for it. Some people are truly a waste of blood, bone and pollute our planet. Go after those MF’s and destroy them legally.
We love you and are so grateful to you. Your work has helped me many times during the hardest parts of my life (taking care of my elderly parents, watching them pass, COVID lock down with my Dad as dementia gets the better of him, etc). I wish I could help you with this struggle. I’m not a lawyer with experience in this but I’d willingly take this pro bono to help you nor do I know of any such lawyers.
All I can do is let you know how special of a person you are and send you virtual hugs. You are not alone in this. LOVE AND HUGS!
Thank you, for saying what I couldn’t find the words for
yes!!! you rock!!!!! ❤️
Glad to know though i had as of yet seen someone doing this with your work. I however have seen it of ones of mine unfinished works ones that will remain unfinished due to losing the will for the fandom it is in. Sadly finding the want to write in a fandom i used to love isn’t easy for me due to why i lost interest in it. i am glad to see you will not find that hard for yours. Ever watching for your content ~ Midnight
I don’t normally comment, but I was a little concerned based on a recent article I read. Thank you for easing my my mind as I was afraid to ask. You are hands down one of my favorite writers, be it original or fanfic. Your writing has brought me so much joy, comfort, and inspiration it’s hard to express. Let’s just say I’m a little in love which is a problem as I am deeply in love with my husband and kids. Lol. Thank you for all you do and bring to fandom.
Love makes the world go around and it’s an infinite resource 😉
I cannot tell you how angry I am for you and all other authors who are being impacted by the selfishness of a few, I was furious about AO3 but I’ll be honest, I hadn’t put 2 & 2 together further afield and for my naivety I apologise.
My eyes are peeled, if I get a sniff of any KM works being out there like this you’ll be the first to know. BTW, is there an easy way to download for personal use, I’m not brilliantly tech savvy but would love to add some Keira perfection to my carefully guarded hoard?
I don’t offer downloads. If you want your own ebook (for exclusive personal use) you’ll have copy/paste your little heart out. :-p
No worries, not quite as easy on a tablet but where there’s a will…….
Wait, what did ao3 do? I have never been able to keep up with fandom stuff since fandom left livejournal.
There is an actual fool stealing your work!!! Burn that mofo …but like legally or figuratively. Love you always!! Professionally
I have to admit I was a tad worried! I reread your HP fanfics (literally all of them) at least every 6 months!!! SOOO GOOD!!!!!! Many kudos
I can’t describe the sheer relief I felt when I read this. I’m so glad you’re never going anywhere. Your bad experience is infuriating, though not surprising at all. Unfortunately, idiots and assholes will always exist. It’s a problem.
Some people are just a**holes. A few years ago I made audio recordings of one of your stories (with your permission) for a fellow blind chemo patient. Recently, she passed away and her son refused to return the recordings so I could destroy them. I had to have my lawyer write and threaten to sue to get them back. Why?!? Rest assured the tapes have been burnt.
I’m sorry that your friend passed and that her son was a bag of dicks about it.
Hi Keira, I’m out of the loop on this so thanks for putting the problem out there. I’m a trained bookbinder and letterpress printer, currently on hiatus due to family stuff and no studio. At some point I would like to typeset and letterpress one of my own fanfiction works. It would be just for me though, for personal enjoyment and perhaps exhibition as an art piece. Any extra copies or printer proofs from the letterpress process I would think hard about gifting to close friends and never for sale. I would never offer letterpress and bookbinding services to produce a physical fanfiction work for anyone else even if it is the author requesting it.
Best, The Nut.
I’ve been in fandom one way or another for over 40 years, and I remember the early days of online fandom. I also remember the C&D (Cease and Desist) letters certain fans received from LucasFilm re: selling Star Wars fic. That was bad enough, but to go up against *The Mouse* today? That’s just dumb.
Personally, I’m sorry this is even an issue in fandom again – but as a fan of *yours* I’m glad you’re not going anywhere and you’ve covered yourself legally. I’m still in the middle of my annual “re-read everything on Keira’s site” binge. Right now I’m on ‘The Absence of War’. Glad to know I can read everything again next year too. Thanks for writing such wonderful works – they’ve gotten me through some seriously rough times.
I’m glad your not going anywhere. 🙂
I love reading your fic.
I feel the same way about my photos. Most people dont realize that the person who clicked the shutter owns the copyright. I use to work printing photo. Refused several times to sell prints without copyright release. Which alot of people were not able to provide. 10,000 fine per image sold without one. ” I paid the photographer, they are my photo”, did not seem to understand they did not own copyright, SMH
Don’t let anyone chase you away from the awesome writing you do. You will always have loyal fans!!!
I totally understand your stance on intellectual property. My daughter is an artist and had to get a lawyer involved to get her paintings back from what was supposed to be a reputable gallery. She also has an ongoing skirmish with the internet. She has her own site and like you will NOT remove her images from it. Anyway, go you and all the luck going forward. I enjoy your writing very much and read each story multiple times.
I agree with your comments 100%. It is amazing how self centered, or stupid, some people are about works of fan fiction. They either do not care, or do not understand, that at a certain point, the original owner may decide that people are no longer allowed to play in their sandbox (so to speak). If someone has constructive suggestions, or catches a spelling error, fine. But after that, if you don’t like it, stop reading. No need to bash. It’s kind of like saying, “Wow your baby is ugly”.
100% behind all content creators! Those slimy bastards that steal and try to profit from the hard work of the creator need to be drawn, quartered and then fed to various critters.
I LOVE your fiction (I will be honest that I don’t understand the Mandalorian as I’ve never followed the show). It will absolutely devastate me to lose the best fan fiction I’ve been reading because of some crooked douchebag.
There are some seriously DUMB asshats out there. Their greed and outrageous sense of entitlement boggles my mind.
They do not care who they hurt or what rules they break in their race for “glory” and money. Yet they always seem surprised when the consequence of their actions falls on their head like a boulder from on high.
Thank you Keira for sharing your work with us. I will never be able to express how much I enjoy the worlds you create.
There are some unbelievably awful people in the world, but then we have people like you who share their work so generously to offset them.
Your stories are captivating, no matter how many times I read them, and that is a rare skill which deserves recognition and accolades and deep appreciation for letting others read them. I am so relieved that you will not let those greedy, selfish people win.
I’m very glad your creations are staying put. I immensely enjoy reading all your work and would be truly sad to see it disappear. I’m hoping many people see your post above and come to understand it. I am a government employee who protects IPR and IPR holder rights every day. I have come to realize that most every day people do not realize the negative connotations with buying/selling any kind of merchandise that infringes a copyright/trademark. It is a known fact that the first 2 bombings that occurred at the WTC was funded by counterfeit DVDs. Maybe if they had, 9/11 would not have happened. You do not want me to even get into people who buy pharmaceuticals over the internet – it is scary. This is a long convoluted way to say thank you for your statement and if you enlighten at least 1 person then I will be very happy. I am a true fan and can’t wait to read more of your work.
I feel like I’ve completely missed something, but I’m so glad that your work will always be here for us. So, thank you for that.
I love your fic, your attitude and your passion in all aspects of everything.
As someone who comes back to your work over and over again as a way to find calm and comfort in stories that allow me to insulate myself from the drama of the “real world”, I am so appreciative of this stance. Some of your stories, a warm blanket, and a cup of tea have seen me through some tough times. I hope you know how much your work is appreciated.
I appreciate your comments. A few try to ruin everything. Money is not the end all. Being a decent person will get you further.
Good on you, ma’am.
I think pirating work is despicable; it’s one of the reasons I don’t download “free” typefaces but pay for them (although I DO take advantage of any discounts offered) as I feel the designers sunk a lot of time and a lot of themselves into their work. Cheers from Virginia’s Southern border.
I can’t believe how rude these people are! I adore your stuff I reread it constantly like it’s almost embarrassing how often I reread it!
Estoy muy feliz de poder continuar disfrutando de tus trabajos, tus escritos nos hacen volar nuestra himaginación, tomas universos literarios queridos por todos, que a veces por sus creadores nos dan tristeza y les vuelvez a dar luz y retomas la alegria que nos causaron en su primer encuentro, loras que nos volvamos a enamorar de personajes queridos o nos llevas a nuevas alturas de creatividad con tus personajes originales.
En tus creaciones nos muestras una lunueva ilusión, una nueva oprtunidad de disfrutar los universos de palabras, Gracias mil por tus obras. Me parece muy triste que en este hermoso mundo del fanfictino siempre personas sin sensibilidad que quieran apoderarse de la creatividad e imaginación de otros, es bastante duro que no reconozcan los esfuerzos ajenos y quieran lucrar con la creatividad de otros,.
Google Translation
I am very happy to be able to continue enjoying your works, your writings make our imagination fly, you take literary universes loved by all, which sometimes make us sad because of their creators and give them light again and you resume the joy that they caused us in their first meeting, you make us fall in love again with beloved characters or you take us to new heights of creativity with your original characters.
In your creations you show us a new illusion, a new opportunity to enjoy the universes of words. Thank you so much for your works.
I find it very sad that in this beautiful world of fanfiction there are always people without sensitivity who want to take over the creativity and imagination of others, it is quite hard that they do not recognize the efforts of others and want to profit from the creativity of others.
Kudos and keep it up. I make no money from fan fiction I write it to get better at writitng. And I like your work and your prose style. I also like many of the plot whol;e fillers you podt for your head cannon.
May the muses be kind and the words flow.
So…I just got home from work after a truly FTP kinda day. I haul my ass into bed, and open up your Revenant HP series to finish part 3. I close that, refresh and see that you’ve posted. I’m all, cool, what’s going on in KeiraWorld? And then, I read your pot.
I just…I mean…
WHY would anyone think it’s okay to bind and sell someone else’s fic!?! WHY???
And why do I have to share my oxygen with them!???
Jesus H Christ in a chariot driven sidecar.
PS – FTP = “Fuck This Place”.
Love you, bye!
I’m so sorry to hear that this is an issue right now. It’s amazing to my how people can’t leave a good thing alone and have to try and ruin it. I remember (as I’m sure some others do) back before creative commons and transformative work details were worked out and what a mess it was. The last thing anyone needs is for publishers/copyright owners to decide that this is an issue to raise again.
As someone who has truly enjoyed everything you have written, thank you for all that you have made available to us. The same goes for all the other writers out there.
As ever, the brouhaha of the moment has passed me by. However, I would probably have tripped over it at some point, so thanks Keira for pre-emptively setting my mind at rest. I find your work SO enjoyable and re-read all the time. I would be pretty much bereft without you. Thanks also for confirming it would be OK to copy/paste to save stories for my own use. I wasn’t actually sure where you stood on it this, though I had gathered it was possible (mostly from when I start nodding off, reading late at night and my finger hits the tablet and highlights a whole para!)
Thanks again for being a lovely human and creating such great tales for us to enjoy.
I am so sorry Keira that you are going through this shit, and there are some very horrible and selfish people in this world.
You are so kind and thoughtful that your stories aren’t going anywhere considering what you are going through. Thank you.
What ebooks are you working on?
I’m not working on any ebooks currently.
Thank you for allowing us to still read and enjoy your works. Seeing some of your favourite fics go the way of the dodo just because of some selfish twits is heartbreaking. Understandable, but still heartbreaking
Go get ’em. Kick their asses hard.
anyone trying to subvert the fandom economy into capitalism deserves not just wrath but a sneer of pity. they just don’t freaking get it.
thanks, btw, for leaving your works up. I know it’s temping to tear it all down when people have abused your trust, as awful people have in the past. but for all the reasons you listed that make it smarter to leave them up, I’d also add that you are a real mensch and know how devastated we’d all be.
Look at you making me google Yiddish. 🙂
Those who steal and try to profit off of others work deserve all the karma coming their way and are assholes.
Thank to you and all the people who put out their intellectual labor for people to enjoy.
Plus I hope you are feeling better.
Why is it that there are always greedy idiots who ruin the fun?
And they’re becoming more and more common no matter where you go or what you do
I’m so glad to read this, I love fan fiction and I’ve reread hundreds of stories dozens of times (I love going back and rereading favorites on bad days). And I’m more than willing to tell the authors if I think their work is being pirated, but, sadly I’ve seen some truly great works removed because someone else has stolen it. So I can assure you, if I see one of your stories posted somewhere and your name isn’t on it, I will most definitely tell you, cause great work shouldn’t be removed because of greedy idiots.
I want to think these people do this to save stories from being lost, but then they try to sell them. Selling other peoples work is bad enough but selling other people’s work that they don’t even sell? Come on? Between these jerks and the ones who flame and even threaten authors it’s a miracle any of you continue. Honestly, stupid people are just so exhausting. Thanks for not taking your lovely stories away.
Thankful you aren’t going anywhere. You are your work of art is amazing and it brightens my day. I basically live on your site to get through my days.
Very well said Keira. Those who have a problem with this are more than likely suffering from a major sense of entitlement and are probably grandiose narcissists. Of course they will deny these titles, but from what I continue to read from many writers, artists, etc. and observe on my own, this is exactly what it is.
Your work is amazing and the worlds you build are brilliant, but they are yours and yours alone. No one else has the right to it unless you deem it so. I’m grateful for your stories as well as other authors who choose to share their gifts with us. Each and everyone one of you have helped me just relax for awhile, escape from the craziness that is the world around us. And I cannot thank you enough for that.
I’m going to point my daughter and her group of artists from all over the world to this post. Many of them have had their works of art pirated, whole IG accounts stolen and their work reproduced on t-shirts, ads, , etc. and even held for ransom.
It is certainly a sad world in which we live.
So glad to hear that. I’m going through a really tough time that’s only going to get worse and your stories are like a warm hug. Thank you for your forthrightness and dedication to fandom in all its messiness.
Thank you for all the wondrous work you do. I am one of those who frequently rereads your work. Thank you again.
I feel the need to say ‘oohra’!!!
No sure why anyone would risk the lawsuit from one of the big IP owners. They can literally ruin your life and get you sent to jail.
I am so glad you have this creative outlet and the confidence to post. You bring joy to a lot of people with your transformative works.
RIGHTEOUS!
Been a devoted reader of your work for Years!
I adore you, and your clearly articulated boundaries.
✨✨
Still doing the geriatric fangirl chairdance of glee….
So sing it! I adore all of the work that you put into not only your fictional works, but in posts like this where you take the time to write out all of your thoughts professionally and politely to inform others of your stand. I want to say that the only reason I think I would ever download someone’s works is if I really wanted to enjoy them in a book format by having them printed. But I’ve never done that because my tablet is always available. Also let me just say, you have RUINED every other Harry Potter fanfic for me. I have gone through your entire collected works of Harry Potter fanfiction at least 16 times and I never get tired of them. Thank you so much for being such an amazing Creator and writer. I always look forward to your new post.
It’s my personal opinion that a lot of people are selfish and toxic, and they live to take other people’s hard work and creativity to monetize it. It’s sad and idiotic, and it started long before the Internet, which just made things easier for the criminals.
Thanks for your post, it was very interesting and thoughtful. I like the line you’ve drawn in the sand, I’m just sorry that you have to protect your writing because people are grasping fools.
Thank you also for your works, particularly NCIS, 911 and Harry Potter. I’ve read some of them many times, wherever I need to relax or be distracted from this occasionally stressful world. I love that your works are full of strong, intelligent characters being ethical and falling in love.
I’m especially grateful as I just found you and I’m working my way through your Harry/Hermione fanfictions. So, Thank you. I also have A Prince Saved and ready to read so…
I love a lot of your stories, not all of them but that’s personal taste. I reread all of those tha I enjoy. So I was wondering if you will ever republish “Phoenix “ that was on the Wild Hare website? It was one of my first favourites and I constantly enjoyed rereading it.
Thank you for sharing your work with us, it is massively appreciated.
I have no plans at this time to finish or republish what was done.
A pity, but I appreciate you responding to me.
I’ll just have to go back to rereading your other stories. I’ll reread them again. And follow you to other worlds you write about, that I never would’ve been introduced to.
All the way back to star trek and star gate up to 911.. not something that I would usually be involved in and interested in but you tend to just allow me to be swept away in the story no matter if I know it or not.
As I said before I love most of your work but I’m not that impressed about the star gate bondage stories, though I’ve read some of them and they are good enough for me to read once against how uncomfortable I am with them. These are among the few I don’t reread. But you are still a great writer even when I am uncomfortable.
Well done.
Please keep enjoying your writing, I know hoe hard it is to get up in the morning and then try to get through the day in some way. The fact that you can still write as well as you do in that situation as I find it hard enough to do usual tasks and other bland things without having to actually use my imagination and rhe get it down on paper. You are doing so much better than you think and although you may not believe it, but it does get better. And if you have friends and a support group (dr, therapist etc) you can lean on them to help you out of rhe pit you’ve fallen into.
Best wishes.
Angela
Thank you for the hundreds of hours of great stories you have shared with us.
I agree with your post 100% on people using the ideas of writers without giving them credit and even worse attempting to sell their intellectual property.
I hate it when I see somebody using an idea that I know was created by a different author who is not given credit for the idea or character.
Thank you for the thoughtful post explaining how transformative works are protected.