"It's what I would call a derivative fiction not a fan fiction, something that makes you say, that could be its own thing if it wanted to." - Mjax Majoran
Dear World,
In the same way that Math is a science, but Science is not math, or more crudely how Peanut butter is a condiment but condiments are not peanut butter. Derivative fiction as pretentious as the term is... and thats coming from the person whom (to my knowledge) coined it (myself) refers to the idea of what can be considered derivative work versus that which is commonplace in the fan art community. For sure all derivative works can be considered fan works, but not all fan works can from a legal sense or artistic one... call themselves derivative work.
To better explain it may be necessary to explain the basic rules of "copyright law" in regards to Derivative works, and by extension how creativity is viewed by yours truly.
"a derivative work is an expressive creation that includes major copyright-protected elements of an original, previously created first work (the underlying work). The derivative work becomes a second, separate work independent in form from the first. The transformation, modification or adaptation of the work must be substantial and bear its author's personality to be original and thus protected by copyright. Translations, cinematic adaptations and musical arrangements are common types of derivative works." -Wikipedia on Derivative works
Indeed I think wikipedia best sums it up from a legal standpoint. Creativity is something of hot debate and many mistake the concept of innovation, immitation and creation. Often times You will see something and realise you have seen this before, the style, the ideals, even the format. But this is not into of itself Complete Copying. Because the basis of creation itself is to take inspiration, and create something out of something else. Immitation is not the same as copying, or knocking off. Where a knock off seeks only to profit off of another's idea with little to no effort, Imitators often do so while adding their own personality and twist to the idea. This is how genres are created, and how Tropes are established. As unlimited as the universe is, inspiration is not. Its in these cases where those who understand the ideas behind a concept may seek to innovate it, make it anew. This is creativity all the same.
So then what separates derivative work, derivative fiction and fanfiction? The concept behind them.
You can think of it as a tent with the derivative work being the top, fanfiction the poles, and the sleeping bags derivative fiction. among it though are also old bags of chips, or tears in the plastic... this is what seperates things.
For while fanfiction in and of itself is a derivative work, it is not always done so with the intent to create something new, or to innovate; inspiration may be limited or the ideas dare I say cliched. Where as anyone and their dog could write an erotic slashfiction, or ShipFic. It would take someone of express talent to do so in such a way that makes it their own, to set it apart from everything else like it.
Fallout: Equestria is at its most basic, a Crossover Fanfiction. The concept itself ludicrous, the premise ridiculous, and the chosen works of which it derives its core elements... as polar opposite as one can get. So why then did it recieve such a huge following so as to recieve two runs of hardcover printings, spawn a wiki of its own, and in an odd turn of events create a genre all on its own.
The answer has already been given to you. It is because it's author was not only a fan of these works, but had a talent that they expressed with passion, it did not matter how ludicrous the idea was because via the knowledge, and personality the 48 Chapter Novel gave, by the way it seamlessly combined two worlds that were so opposite in such a unique way so as to have just enough elements of both it's parent works and retain its own uniquities. Its characters and its story were its own, its world was its own with only echoes of the world it came from, It innovated. The author created something new, unexpected and critically acclaimed. Was it any surprise then that one of the owners of said properties noticed, amd even praised the work? This is Derivative Fiction, It is the essence of taking something old and making it your own, making something new and exciting. But I am repeating myself.
What else could it take to seperate these two... well for one, concept. While almost universally hated for their existence in fanfiction Original Characters or OCs can be done well as seen in FO:E, the problem is that when you do so, you have to make a case. You need to be able to do something that has not been done before, at least not in the way youve done it. You need to create or expand upon what you have rather than stagnate with everything already present.
A Fanfiction may incorporate the daily life of John OC, in main town, but if it never goes anywhere else... then what exactly is the point for the reader? Why should they care about John OC when they know that their favorite characters exist just around the corner. In some aspects you could make John OC interact with these characters, but your mistake would be to have them interact without truly interacting. John OC should not be best friends with The Main Cast, because this leads down a path pf mary sue and "that background isnt important" mentalities. Conversely if John OC were to wish to get to know the main cast, and had a reason beyond the typical "fan" ideology, an entire story could feasibly be set around this.
The biggest issue between a fanfiction and a derivative fiction is where one seeks only to immitate with added personality, the other wishes to innovate and tell a unique story. This same concept can be pulled off brilliantly with the central cast of characters already established as well... the slippery slope here however is ensuring you know these characters at a broad enough level that you can appeal to all fans of said character and not just yourself. It is to know a character as the original creator knows them and not as a fan. While it is generally good to innovate and make unique changes... at the end of a day, people are reading the derivative because they want more of what they love. This is often reffered to in criticism as Out Of Character moments, and not even the original works are immune to it.
Fanfictions are broad from slice of life, to adventure, from dark horror, to Comedic randomness but derivative fiction is not tied down to one genre... idealy it should incorporate most if not all of it in some way. Where as a story book can tell a story, a derivative fiction should spin a chronicle, a tale which leaves the reader satisfied, In general Derivative fiction can be broadly just be said to apply as a term in which enough is changed, and enough is kept the same, to sepparate itself from the similar things around it, to leave many people saying this was a story they wouldn't mind paying for. A derrivative fiction should feel professional, but warm, it should invest, and keep the person wanting more.
In the end it's not enough to simply want to tell a story, but moreso to have the passion to create one.
But hey, That's just my rough explanation, know any good derivative fictions or works, send em my way.
Sincerely,
Mjax Majoran
