d.

More on me being really uncomfortable with (read: dislikes strongly) fanfic on Goodreads

helens78:

theletteraesc:

stoney321:

stoney321:

I went on record when I first found Kindred Spirits uploaded to GR back in April, and with artwork added that belonged to sinyhale, that I wasn’t okay with it. She wasn’t notified that her artwork was being used as a faux cover, either. So that’s a strike one and two.

I also went on record earlier this week— building on ingberry’s post—why I think this is a terrible idea: fanfic on Goodreads. Fanfic is for FANDOM. It is nuanced and specific, and it’s written TO BE nuanced and specific, with shortcuts and placeholders that we’re all familiar with. (Which is why fanfic can’t just be turned into a straight-up novel. You have to explain the shorthand that we all know. We all KNOW Derek’s past, for example, why he might flinch at a campfire. A published novel?  You have to explain why.) And wow, if I didn’t see red when I noticed one particular “reviewer” has stated that  they’ve never even watched the show. And they proceeded to comment on my “poor” characterization AHEM MOVING ON.

So I asked myself, “Self? How the hell did these even GET on GR?” Oho! By the “Goodreads Librarians,” which a few of my reviewers seem to be. So they’re reading me, uploading me, and then dumping all over my fanfic. *eye roll*

As an actual-fact published novelist (ha! I love that I get to say that!) who has been reviewed by mainstream news media (oho! I  really love that I get to say that!), I would like to point out that  this isn’t how professional reviews work. So.

And these “librarians” are quite busy. Take, for instance, “ Tony (redgrave),” who in the month of December (this is just within 10 days, mind) has added the following AO3 exclusive Titles and Authors to Goodreads:

• Welcome To Your Life - KilledTheQueen
• Once Bitten - Minkscantsew
• Melt Me Slowly Down - the_deep_magic
• Simple Math - Lizzstomania
• Manhattan Alpha - Leaderofthepack
• The Epic Tale of Jorts And Joseph The Turkey - WhoNatural
• Space Jam (#1) - Pangea
• In Shadow And Silence - Yahtzee
• Plus - SushiOwl
• Reflexes (Armed & Dangerous #2) - AlchemyAlice
• General Works of kellifer_fics
• Disconnect - Grimm
• Last Call - Grimm
• Your Baby And Me - tearsandholdme
• Warm Shadow - StilinskiSparkles
• It’s Free (And Always Will Be) - kellifer_fic
• Hunger For Your Touch - WhoNatural
• All Times Are Now - 1001Cranes
• EVERYTHING by DiraSudis 
• ( devildoll, he’s uploaded almost ALL of your fics, too)

JUST FOR STARTERS. There are 3000 + more entries for this guy alone.

So… what’s to be done? First, if you’re like me and NOT okay with your fanworks being put on other sites without your permission (jfc, this is so old school fandom rule #1, I just don’t even UNDERSTAND), and your name is on this list, go to Tony’s Librarian Edits page. (Click the link above, then find it under his username). Find your story. Click FLAG.  In the explanation window, perhaps enter this:

Per Goodreads’ ToS #10, b. You have the written consent of each and every identifiable natural person in the User Content to use such person’s name or likeness in the manner contemplated by the Service and this Agreement, and each such person has released you from any liability that may arise in relation to such use.

I was NOT contacted and did NOT give permission for this data to be added to GR Services. 

Just an idea. Because I remember fan-writers getting sued for infringement of trademark, etc. THAT IS WHY THE AO3 WAS CREATED, KIDS. We were being SUED. And maybe this will open that wound again, you never know!

And hey, if you’re a fan of being on here, if you think it’s a great idea, Mazel. Then you can be in charge of EXACTLY ONE THING ONLY: your works.

Once again, let me state that I absolutely DO NOT give permission to any person, entity, animal, religious construct, corporation or talking dog to add my fanworks to any site —ANY SITE— without my express permission, including but not limited to GR.

Feel free to share this post, reblog it, ask me questions, whatever. I bet most of the authors I’ve listed here had no idea they were on GR in the first place. I strongly believe they should be made aware so they can take action, if they so choose. That’s the important bit: THEY CHOOSE.

I’ve messaged the site to tell them to remove the “Stoney” profile and all 6 works listed under that moniker. 

I wonder if this is something that needs to be brought up to AO3? These “librarians” are  literally uploading everything from popular ‘ships to Goodreads without author’s permission. 

ADDING: I’m a GR Author, so the “flag” option is available to me, but most likely ISN’T if you’re not signed in with the site. IN THAT CASE, go to the  Goodreads Librarian Group page HERE and state explicitly that you wish for [Title, by Author Listed] to be removed for violation of 10.b of ToS. Or for whatever reason you choose, should you choose.

Tagging transformativeworks in case they want to jump in on this.

Oh my god THANK YOU for this. I found Below Skyscrapers on GR and while I was bemused by it at the time, the more I thought about it, the more it bothered me that it was there. And I wondered vaguely if there was some way to get it off, but never really pursued it. But now I know and I’m heading over there right now.

If someone doesn’t mind helping me out here, I Swear It’s The Price Of Love was added without my permission, and I’d like to have it removed.  I don’t see a “flag” option, and the only way to see his edits is something like 20 at a time (for 11,000+ edits) so I don’t have a good way of finding a way to flag the work itself.  It was also added by another user.

I love GoodReads, and I’m happy to have my original fic works there, but fanfic is a separate world and I’d prefer it to stay that way!

Thank you for this! Two of my stories are also up here … this is not awesome. I’ll be contacting them to take mine down as well.

However I don’t think that TOS section mentioned above has anything to do with this.  One’s fanfiction handle is not “identifiable content.”  Not sure what a better mode would be to go about this, though.