Inspiration and 'Ownership' · 7:19am Apr 26th, 2014
I've had a few PM's from authors asking to use the 'adult in foal' idea for their own stories. I find this to be very strange - I do not 'own' this idea. Hell, I'm writing My Little Pony fanfiction, can I really say I own anything beyond Bruce? Though Bruce is a lot less like myself now than he was (exaggerated as he may be), that character is the only thing I can even remotely claim as my own. Everything else is either Hasbro's or an idea. And mine wasn't even the very first 'adult in foal body' story, though I hadn't read anything similar when I began this little thing two three (?) years ago.
The thing is, despite claims to the contrary from certain ligation-happy corporations and industries, no one can 'own' an idea. At least, not in the world of art and not for very long. And writing is an art and all art inspires others with similar thoughts. Inspiration is always free. No matter how many lawsuits are drafted and courts contacted, art will inspire derivatives and this is as it should be. Art ought to inspire for all art is derivative in some way. Whether that inspiration be for something banal such as monetary gain or something ... more, all art will inspire. Who am I to deny the will of another's muse?
So let this be a blanket 'go ahead' from me to use this idea of 'mine.' Write as your muse directs you.
As a side note and a question, is this a 'thing' now? If I were to be so moved by a piece to write something similar myself, should I be sending PM's willy nilly begging for permission to ... let my expression free? On a website whose very purpose is to showcase derivative art of a television show, is this really something we should be concerned about? Credit where it is due and all (or infamy as the case may be for some of the works produced) - but what if I was inspired by revulsion? Should I credit the author then without explanation on how they inspired me?
Obligatory Oh to be Old Again Update
Not story-tagged because it's such a small part of the reason for this post but yes, I'm still doing it and yes there will be a chapter at some point in time in the future. Insert the normal excuses for lateness here: work, family, writers block and the like. Nothing major just things taking up my mind more than the norm.
Do people really think that because someone writes a popular story on this site that they own that particular idea? That... that is very sad
I swear Bronies are the oddest bunch. I hope it doesn't become a thing, we already have fights over headcanons, we don't need more for stuff like this
.
See, if someone sent me a message like that I'd say:
"Of course you can use it, but you're a fucking retard for asking."
Because seriously. That's fucking retarded.
Well said dude. I always found this kind of mentality to be pretty funny/quirky too. I think it stems from the old attitudes and silliness of being called a "copy cat" by less cerebral folks as we grow up. In truth, almost every story and work of art is derivative of some other older idea and just being altered and revamped with a new inspired touch (for better or worse... "Bruce in Space! The adventures of Woona and a foul mouthed colt unfold across the lunar craters!"). Go go cultural diffusion and all that
Very well spoken. Now go apply that beautifully composed verbiage to Oh to be Old Again!
i don't know, i don't think it's to odd... i don't think the question is so much about "ownership" but it is just a sign of respect. the acknowledgement that you were indeed inspied by it. that you don't just want to copy it but add something to it.
i don't know, i'm not a writer, i draw things but i tend to become quite "attached" to pictures i draw inspiration from. In an attamed to understand how the picture works, how the other person do certain things i tend to deal with it quite intensive. it's like you try to understand a person through their art... sometimes you become even emotional attached to it... maybe put it's importance out of proportion?
i argue that most bronies have similar feelings in someway... how else is it to explain that we love our cartoon horses so much? to the extend to use great amounts of time to create art for it...
so bronies maaaaybe have the tendensy to attach themself emotionaly with art? probably the reason why there are so many pieces of art from this fandom in the first place...
in an afford to understand what makes a good pice of art "good" we also try to understand the creator of it, as a piece of art always refects the artist... so maybe we feel emotinal "connected" to the artist even though we never spoke with him or her... what does someone do who asks you if they can use "your" idea? they seek acceptance, something truly human... something we all seek with friends, family, lovers...
so i don't think it's a bad thing or odd... maybe... just maybe inspiration is for some of us more that "just" inspiration... and i think that's a beautiful idea
i digressing...maybe i'm over thinking things here or i'm just beeing to positiv or sappy ... so i better stop
They just want to be polite, and it should only really matter if they want to use Bruce, the personality and original character, in their story. Adult in a child's body isn't a copyright-able idea, but were this not fan fiction and they cloned your character, then some cigar-smoking lawyer would be able to make his next mortgage payment.
2048157 Yeah, I see people saying all the time, "Oh, I was going to write a story about X, but I see you just did the same thing, so I guess I can't." Some people just have some weird ideas about intellectual property.
But, I don't think it's a brony thing - just an overly polite people thing.
2050122 No I think (most of the time) they think if they do the same idea that people will call them on it, even if their idea could still be their own idea.
As for being polite, uh maybe if they thought the original person would feel mad instead of flattered (like they should), sure.
Couldn't agree more with this statement. I've read good stories before, but it was after coming to FiMfiction that I really appreciated that notion with some of the quality stories that I read here.