Mary-Lyn Dodds
asked
Elizabeth Hoyt:
Hello, my fellow Michiganian author. (I am unpublished) I was wondering if you have given permission to FFN (fanfiction.net) to post fanfiction a of your series?? I have read the first seven stories three times each, and these last four I have devoured in very short order, having just finished DOP this morning! I would LOVE to write some stories about side characters and/or futuretake on beloved mainstays.
Elizabeth Hoyt
Actually, I'm from Minnesota. ;-)
So here's the thing: sure, you can write stories with my characters if you feel the urge. I certainly don't mind. But if you're interested in becoming a professional writer one day I really highly recommend you start building stories--and more importantly CHARACTERS--in your own universe. I know that there are successful, published authors who have started with fanfiction. (*cough* one VERY famous & successful author, certainly.) I still think it might be either a) a crutch or b) something you can get lost in for the the writer who wants to go professional.
If you're just having fun, then it doesn't matter, of course. But if you want to go professional, the first thing you have to be able to do is build your own characters. World-building (in my own highly biased opinion) is secondary (at least in romance.) If you can't get your own characters down, you'll always be a big derivative. Plus! To me, the whole POINT of writing is making your own world with your own characters. The writer is the goddess of her world: she giveth life and she taketh away, boy howdy. ;-)
Anyhoodles, yes, permission granted, with the caveat that I don't intend to read any fanfiction of Maiden Lane or any of my characters or world and any similarities between said fanficiotn and my upcoming books are coincidence, etc. etc, blah, blah, blah.
So here's the thing: sure, you can write stories with my characters if you feel the urge. I certainly don't mind. But if you're interested in becoming a professional writer one day I really highly recommend you start building stories--and more importantly CHARACTERS--in your own universe. I know that there are successful, published authors who have started with fanfiction. (*cough* one VERY famous & successful author, certainly.) I still think it might be either a) a crutch or b) something you can get lost in for the the writer who wants to go professional.
If you're just having fun, then it doesn't matter, of course. But if you want to go professional, the first thing you have to be able to do is build your own characters. World-building (in my own highly biased opinion) is secondary (at least in romance.) If you can't get your own characters down, you'll always be a big derivative. Plus! To me, the whole POINT of writing is making your own world with your own characters. The writer is the goddess of her world: she giveth life and she taketh away, boy howdy. ;-)
Anyhoodles, yes, permission granted, with the caveat that I don't intend to read any fanfiction of Maiden Lane or any of my characters or world and any similarities between said fanficiotn and my upcoming books are coincidence, etc. etc, blah, blah, blah.
More Answered Questions
Reader (Show me, don't tell me)
asked
Elizabeth Hoyt:
Two questions for you Ms Hoyt. 1. Does the Maiden Lane series have to be read in order? Good Lord, it's at #14. I read #1 sometime ago and want to read #10 now. 2. I saw that you've read some of Jordon Hawk and KJ Charles' books. Would you consider writing MM historicals -that would be soooooo much fun!!! if you do.
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