Etiquette around creating "fanworks of fanworks" has been subject of decades of debate in fandom. Examples of fanworks of fanworks include making artwork based on a work of fanfiction, recording a story as a podfic, or "remixing" a fanwork to change an element of the story.
Please note that this is different than plagiarism, which is the word-for-word copying of another creator's work and never acceptable. Our policy on plagiarism can be found here.
Fanworks of fanworks, on the other hand, can be acceptable, even welcomed or celebrated by the original creator. Traditionally, fandom communities have tended to regard the use of amateur work (such as fanfiction) differently than professional work in terms of seeking permission. Typically, it is seen as good etiquette to ask a fanworks creator before posting a fanwork that uses their work. On the SWG, we recommend doing the following:
- Some creators have a blanket statement regarding whether they allow their works to be used or may include this information on the individual work itself. If this information exists, you should use it and not contact the creator for permission.
- If a creator doesn't state their policy on using their work, it is considered good etiquette to contact them before posting a work that is based on their work. If posting a "fanwork of a fanwork" on our archive, please make sure you have permission, either in the form of a blanket statement or through communication with that creator.
- Credit the creator according to their wishes and in a prominent place, such as the Fanwork Notes. Again, this information may be covered in a blanket statement, or you can ask the creator directly. In some situations, it may be appropriate to list the original creator as a co-creator. If they are an SWG member, you can do so and even extend various levels of access to your fanwork if you wish to do so.
If a work on our site inappropriately uses your work, contact the moderators for assistance. If you post a work on our site using the work of another creator, and that creator contacts us that it has been used without permission or appropriate credit, we will unpublish your fanwork while we investigate the issue.
