The idea that fanfic is a crime against the original writer (except, sometimes, in a very technical sense) is a load of crap. If someone cares about your characters or world enough to go to the effort of writing a fanfic, I'd say you achieved your goal as a writer! You've engaged those readers--and very strongly. Isn't that what you hoped to achieve? (Unless it's an anti-fanfic; I confess that I got my start as a fanfic writer doing those. Inconsistent characterizations, convenient bouts of amnesia and rampant stupidity often drove me to write something more palatable for my own amusement.)
As for fanfic sullying your identity...I am aware that paper zines exist, but I've seldom seen them. I read 99.9% of all the fanfic I read online, where it isn't about to be confused with an actual novel or--even more preposterously--confused with a tv show or movie. I very rarely see fics that don't bear prominent disclaimers identifying the source of the original works on which the fic is based.
I like crossover fic. I've (bought and) gotten hooked on original works that I never would have read/watched if I hadn't run into those characters in a fanfic. Fanfic gained the original writer/producers a customer; it emphatically did not COST them one.
no subject
The idea that fanfic is a crime against the original writer (except, sometimes, in a very technical sense) is a load of crap. If someone cares about your characters or world enough to go to the effort of writing a fanfic, I'd say you achieved your goal as a writer! You've engaged those readers--and very strongly. Isn't that what you hoped to achieve? (Unless it's an anti-fanfic; I confess that I got my start as a fanfic writer doing those. Inconsistent characterizations, convenient bouts of amnesia and rampant stupidity often drove me to write something more palatable for my own amusement.)
As for fanfic sullying your identity...I am aware that paper zines exist, but I've seldom seen them. I read 99.9% of all the fanfic I read online, where it isn't about to be confused with an actual novel or--even more preposterously--confused with a tv show or movie. I very rarely see fics that don't bear prominent disclaimers identifying the source of the original works on which the fic is based.
I like crossover fic. I've (bought and) gotten hooked on original works that I never would have read/watched if I hadn't run into those characters in a fanfic. Fanfic gained the original writer/producers a customer; it emphatically did not COST them one.