Hello, this is a PSA after learning that my fic was on an AI website behind a paywall. The site in question was down for a while, after I assume the influx of angry authors in their inbox, and my work has since been removed (as far as I can tell) as have other fics I searched that were there before.
So, in light of this, I'd just like to say:
I do not give my permission for any of my works to be replicated, translated, and/or posted anywhere without my express consent. I have now locked all of my works and will be locking my most recent fic once it's complete. It pains me to do this. I really want everyone to be able to read what I'm putting out there, but I feel violated. I'm taking the only action I know how to that will at least make it a little harder for my work to be stolen.
Us fic authors are giving you our blood sweat and tears for free. We cannot make money off of our works. Each fic you read is hours of time that we cannot get back; hours of agonizing over what things to keep and what to throw away. It's frustrated keyboard smashes that later get deleted; it's late nights and early mornings; tired smiles and pinched brows. It's all the things you don't see because you're the ones reading the finished product.
We may be borrowing characters from our favorite shows/movies/books etc, but they become very much our own when we're the ones behind the pen. We each shape them in our own special ways, molded to fit the story we want to tell. And those stories are our original ideas. No two fics are exactly the same. Our works are still written in our specific writing styles with so much more put into them than just a few borrowed characters.
I write because it's a passion of mine, and each thing I create is still, in fact, mine. No matter what. My fics are my babies. I love them all dearly and I want them to be accessible to as many people as possible, but I am also going to protect them as much as I can.
I promise you I will not stop writing and posting what I have to offer. I hope I don't feel the need to keep my fics locked forever, but for now it feels necessary.
If anyone ever sees anything like this in the future regarding any fanworks please notify the author. AI is a scary thing for those of us out here writing fanfic which cannot be protected by standard copyright. Please respect transformative fiction.
I love and appreciate all of my readers so much and I hope you will continue to keep up with my future works.
