this breaks my heart and pisses me off, all at the same time

[mickeym]

You all know how much I love Diana Gabaldon's writing, and her Outlander series. I adore Jaimie and Claire. I've been reading her books for as long as she's been writing them, about 18 years, now. I have recced her to friends and family; I've given her books as gifts; I wrote her this long, rambly, gushing email and squealed like a little kid when she wrote me back.

Then today I see this:

Diana Gabaldon on fanfiction: "I think it’s immoral, I _know_ it’s illegal, and it makes me want to barf whenever I’ve inadvertently encountered some of it involving my characters."

It's not so much that she's against fanfic -- everyone is entitled to their own opinion/thoughts/feelings on stuff. But it's how she compares fanfic authors to thieves and rapists, or the creepy, stalkery, pervy neighbor who writes dirty emails of his fantasies with your daughter.

I really feel kind of betrayed here, which is all kinds of silly. I don't know the woman, she doesn't know me. But she's coloring all of us with the same crayon/paintbrush, equating us with plagiarists and worse, and it just really hurts.


Link by way of azephirin and gweneiriol.

Comments

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

Yeah. :( The worst thing about it, too, is if she doesn't people to write fanfic about her stuff is just SAY so. As many people noted in comments to her, the fannish community is pretty good about respecting authors' wishes

[manna]

And whatever her feelings about fanfic, you'd think that someone would have the sense not to insult their paying customers like that in public. Good Lord. Hate fanfic with a fiery burning passion if you like, woman, but be grateful for the sales and keep your mouth shut.