Because nothing has EVER gone wrong with this kind of request: public opinion needed. · 5:26pm Feb 2nd, 2019
Well, since they put it on my userpage, I consider it to have been made public.
(I was going to sleep on it and answer later today. They're in a little more of a hurry. And AccurateBalance, if you're reading this, don't panic. We're just being silly Americans/Other and working this out via public debate.)
User Estee,
Greetings.
My name is Accurate Balance. I am a high schooler from PRChina, who does fanfic translation for amusement.
Recently, a new-found fanfic site, namely Fimtale, is holding a contest for both original fanfics of MLP:FiM and translation of non-Chinese fanfics of MLP:FiM. It has prizes* for out-standing contestants.
*The prizes contain a collection of entries, and a book from Ministry of Image.I wish to publish an entry, which is the translation of your work, Jury Duty II: Jury Harder. It is a nice work, with a genre to my interest. However, due to the the entry possessing a possibility of profitting from a contest and the impossibility of repaying you for it, I feel the need to ask for your permission first.
May I, Accurate Balance, translate your work, Jury Duty II: Jury Harder, into Chinese,
and possibly winning prizes for it, without repaying you?Please answer this, even if you refuse.
Your faithful reader,
Accurate Balance
So let's unpack this.
Best-case, the prize is for the translation itself: how closely it carries the wording and spirit of the original work. In that case, all I'm doing is providing the base material. As long as I get the credit as the original author, there's no real issue. Also, it sounds as if the main prize is a book. One book, so I can't exactly ask for a copy. (However, if someone creates original art for the story for that book, I think I'm well within fair exchange to ask for a quality scan of the image.) And in looking at the sender's userpage, they've done translation work before. It's certainly a chance to reach a new audience.
Worst-case... well, copyright laws and fanfic have a dubious relationship to begin with. Not that I expect the PRC to start producing knockoff Continuum pieces. That may be an entirely separate problem, and I was thinking about blogging that today. (Short version: someone is looking at Triptych as potential fuel for their crossover saga -- and didn't ask me. I found out when they added it to their labeled survey library.) But there may be other potential issues involved, things I'm not aware of.
I'm leaning towards saying yes. But I'm not sure. My nerves aren't exactly singing, but they have been trying out a few warm-up bars.
I could use a few second opinions.
Also, ideally, someone who can read Chinese kanji on Fimtale and tell me what the contest rules are.
Why am I lightly paranoid about this? Have you seen my life?
Sounds cool! I’d say yes.
Worst case scenario:
Hasbro finds out about this, freaks about copyright rights, sues them & shuts down this site for copyright infringement.
DJT hears of it & tweets that you are a traitor to America, mocking the American judicial system
How probable is this? No Clue Whatsoever.
Safest course is doubtless to refuse permission.
Do you want to be responsible for crushing the hopes & dreams of a total stranger?
Can't offer much input on the main issue beyond "ask more questions before deciding," but I can offer some insight if that crossover saga is the one I think it is. The author reached out to me when composing the first chapters, both for recommended further reading and to look over the chapter set in my work as a guest editor. If he writes anything in your settings without your input, I'll be deeply surprised.
If this was a democratic decision I'd vote Yes. Sounds like an interesting way to reach a new audience set.
5006814
If there is a fic next month titled An Interesting International Incident: The Curious Copyright Case, we will know what happened...
I'd be curious as to how the translation work turns out... but then, that'd require someone to explain any differences (good, bad, or just interesting) to me, 'cause I sure don't know Chinese.
As far as potential legal problems... I don't know about that part.
I would let him do it
5006829 "You're being sued."
"What was that, Spike?" Twilight Sparkle looked up from her book to where her faithful assistant was sorting the massive lump of mail they had been receiving every day. Some was trash, and got the dragonfire treatment. Some was misdirected to the wrong princess, and got the special dragonfire treatment. And some was of the unfortunate type that actually had to be opened.
"Says here, a translation of your friendship book in Zebrica uses the same copyrighted phrase as--" he squinted "a two-hundred year old pillar of their religious faith. Yadda, yadda, there it is. Huh. Friendship is magic translates out in Zebrican the same way, I guess."
"Can't they just change the Zebrican translation?" asked Twilight with her eyes drifting back to her place in the more important Book Of The Moment.
"Not without a change in the source material," said Spike as he read. "It turned up when the book was being translated for the West Windies, and since they have interlocking trade deals--"
"Wait a minute." Twilight put a bookmark where she had stopped reading. "They're translating my book into Windiean from the Zebrican translation?"
"Actually," said Spike with one claw on the letter. "They're translating it from the West Griffish Isles dialect, which translated it from Zebrican, which translated it from Tauren, who took it from your original book." He turned the letter sideways and squinted. "Apparently, it's a guide to dating now. Sweet."
Uh, I'm happy to learn there's a pony community in China. I was curious, turns out Google does a pretty good job of translating for once.
Here's my understanding of the rules if it helps any (to be taken with an unhealthy amount of salt):
It's a short story competition where both original and translated works are accepted (with permission from the original author).
A jury picked by site staff will announce several (8+) winning stories on March 1st along with their review.
A compilation of the winning stories — including comments from the jury — will be release online and in print! (And of course submitters of translations need agreement from the author again).
Then the prizes for each category (original and translated):
1st prize winners get a hardcover copy of the FimTale book, plus an existing English book from Ministry of Image.
The 2nd, 3rd and 4th get just a hardcover copy of the FimTale book, and honorable mentions get a paperback copy.
Not having looked it into more than the post above, I'd say go4it.
Hmm, it seems this guy already translated a few fics from other people, like Dustchu. Also, my Russian translators approached me in a kinda similar way, except without the contest part.
Well, they apparently have a history of translation, they enjoy the fandom, and they asked very very politely.
Also, Hasbro is unlikely to come down on a Chinese translation of a fanfic based on their intellectual property, unless it makes a huge amount of money that Hasbro can't tap, or is somehow seen as damaging to their copyright. Plus, you know, it's China—good luck to anyone in the Western world winning a copyright or patent infringement suit.
So unless Hasbro has a bug up their tail about a highly cynical/realist interpretation their default universe, you're probably safe.
Also I would LOVE to see the translation back into English from the Chinese translation. Just capturing that cynicism/realism and circumstance and putting it into the context of an significantly different culture would be fascinating.
On the one hand, you can’t really loose here. Even the worst case is pretty meh. On the other hoof, you don’t really have much rights as a fanfic author anyway. If Hasbro is cool with what you do, you should be cool with what he does. As long as everyone is credited and nobody makes serious money, nobody should get too uptight. And if you score a sweet book and prize out of it, so much the better!
5006859
This made me laugh aloud. Thanks for that.
Although, I'm more curious now how the maxim of friendship being magic could translate well into dating advice, and whether these various languages and dialects have a concept of the Friend Zone.
it seems to me like you're okay here, assuming you want to go along with this. As you say, fanfics are already on shaky ground where copyright is concerned. But, in this case, I think that would work to your benefit. After all, why file a lawsuit yourself when you just point Hasbro's legal team in their direction?.
If taking money for writing fanfiction isn't wrong, I can't see how entering a translation of someone else's fanfiction would be legally worse.
I'd say yes. It doesn't sound suspicious and the other person might only gain a book and perhaps a bit of noteriety. It's also a great opportunity to spread your work and the Magic of Friendship!
I contacted Accurate Balance and offered conditional permission, asking for the following.
We'll see where it goes.
5006859
As Dirk Gently put it, "translated from the Chinese via the Japanese and had enjoyed many adventures along the way."
Speaking of crossovers, Estee, how do you feel about others using concepts from your world building as baseline for their Equestrias? I'll be honest, some of the stuff you use like the way coronas work has become my default mental image of the setting because it is that good.
I’d say continue to be cautious. I had someone approach me a year or so ago asking permission to translate one of my tales to Russian. I said yes, but asked if I could see it once they’d finished. I never heard from them again.
5006970
A number of other authors have used Sizzler
5006940
That seems pretty reasonable.
The gray Valley where fanfiction exists lays in the words "not for profit". If you aren't profiting, you are cool. Commissions for one-offs are a little darker, but usually not worth the hassle of pursuing. Only crap like setting up a service of non-autorized works (like if NECA and We Love Fine didn't have permission and didn't pay royalties) tens to either receive a Cease & Desist and/or a lawsuit.
The deal kinda sounds like the Nigerian prince con, except in proper English.
Realistically, though, what could actually happen, outside of the catastrophic scenarios that only ever play out in our heads?
Also hey, I'm not one to talk about people from unexpected places reading your stuff. (You're just that good.)
5006859
There were a few moments of silence as Twilight considered the implications. Finally, with the cautious air of someone who has just found something very suspicious on their plate and hasn't yet worked out whether to be violently ill or not, she asked "What exactly is that dating guide advising people to do?"
"The letter doesn't say," said Spike, reading it again to make sure.
"Then we're going to need to get a copy of that book," said Twilight. "And a competent translator. If it's got my name on it, then I need to at least make sure that the advice is right. Or issue a correction. One of the two."
5007632 Spike rested his head in his hands for a long, long time before saying the obvious. "So exactly what experience do you have with dating, Twilight?"
"Shut up, Spike."
5006877
They've been getting better about that sort of thing, especially if someone takes the time to cover their bases by registering their patent/IP in China.
Tuning in late, but I have trouble seeing how you could possibly stand to lose in this. I can read Chinese some and wouldn't mind going over the contest rules later if you still want that.
5007634
There was another long silence, Spike doing little more than raising an eyebrow and keeping it there.
"Look," said Twilight eventually, "I'm not planning on vetting the advice myself. I could ask Cadance to look over the translation. Or, or Rarity, she knows a lot about romance."
"You know as well as I do what Cadance will say if you ask her for her advice," points out Spike. "She'll tell you that you should try the advice from the book yourself and then decide. And then she'll start telling you about this nice young stallion that she'd like to introduce you to, and then -"
"Yes, yes. I'll ask Rarity, then. I'm sure she'll give me something useful."
5007836
Spike bristled slightly at the thought of Rarity’s rather dragonless love-life. Swallowing his youthful envy, he again attempted logic.
“Trenderhoof.”
Twilight raised a hoof in objection, then put it to her chin, looking skyward as she considered the implications behind that one word. Finally, she scowled and rolled her eyes. “Fine. Who do you suggest?”
5007861 "Well, there's that cute magic tutor with the wagon..."
5006862
5007759
If you're willing, I think I need that reading help now. See current blog.
5007881
"The one that Rarity keeps trying to introduce me to?" Twilight considered. "Do you think he knows a lot about romance?"
Spike picked his words very carefully. "I think you could learn a lot about romance by talking with him."
Given how this was published on Feb 2nd and the League of Sweetie Belles started Feb 1st, that was PROBABLY me. Don't remember when exactly I added Triptych to the list, but it was definitely early.
I'm gonna be honest here: I haven't even read Triptych yet. I'm literally putting anything anyone suggests to me in that folder, which is... admittedly huge already. (You can find the official list here with a bit more explanation about it). My process (as much as there can be said to be a process when I'm three chapters in) is that I'll read the story, decide if I want to use it, and THEN contact the author. Since I have dozens of stories on that list I'm not going to contact every author I'm considering, especially if I end up denying a story.
All stories I write about in LSB are explicitly non-canon to their source materials unless the original authors say so. And when I have decided to include a story, authors have the ability to be as involved as they want with the project, and will get access to drafts and outlines before I even start writing. (Granted, I've still only done it twice, but it's still a process). You can talk to FanofMostEverything if you want to hear about it from someone who's... less biased than me. (The other author is Horizon Runner and he's stupid busy.)
-GM, master of notes.