Is it legal to sell your own FanFic?

[almozayaf 72]

is these legal

http://www.equestriapublications.org/index.html

 

if you know about Past Sins (great FanFic i didn't read)

 

now they plan on Print it on Paper

That great and all but it still a FanFic something not original

 

i hope HuB don't go crazy and sue them

but it don't look legal to me

 

if any one know do equestriapublications ask for permission

[NavelColt 22,880]

People can forfeit the exclusive rights to post their fanfics on websites. For example if I wrote a fanfic, only I can repost it. If someone else reposts it without my permission, then I can hunt down the owner of the site where that person reposted it, and they will remove the repost immediately if I can prove I'm the owner. You can forfeit that right, so that anyone, anywhere can repost your fanfic where they like.

 

As for publishing, I'm not sure on any of that, because yes, it is already trademarked by Hasbro.

[Winona the Dog 1,984]

I'm sure it's illegal because the fic is using trademark characters like Twilight and Luna which are owned by Hasbro. The only reason they don't do anything is because the community is a non-profit organization so doing something like that may start some conflict between themm and Hasbro/The HUB. Unless of course they get permission from the creators themselves it will be perfectly legal.

Edited December 21, 2012 by ~Chaotic Harmony~

[Vicke 3,189]

If you are using characters without Hasbo's permission you may not charge money for your fanfic.

You can charge money for anything you want, aslong as therw are no copyright material in your fic.

[SrFrog 927]

That really is one of those murky point in fair use, isn't? it's technically illegal since it uses copyrighted characters for profit, but it's also technically a derivative work. So who knows...

[~Master~ Button Mash 2,307]

I haven't read Past Sins, but I'm going to assume it uses the Mane 6? If that's the case, then it is not legal to sell that work for profit because it uses characters from the original work. Parody law does not protect the use of content directly from the piece being parodied. However, if a fanfic uses OCs, a place other than Equestria, and avoids anything properly named from MLP:FiM, then it can be sold for profit. However, if it uses anything properly named or copyright by Hasbro, it cannot be sold for profit.

[morethanicecream 116]

Basically, the Hub said that they would leave the fandom alone so, that makes wonder. I think it is illegal if it includes copyrighted characters. And also, why are so many bronies getting away with selling there material at bronycon. Can somepony explain?

[Archi the Atmomancer 564]

And also, why are so many bronies getting away with selling there material at bronycon. Can somepony explain?

 

Maybe Hasbro just doesn't care? Maybe they see it as free publicity? 

 

And I'm pretty sure its illegal if you're using a copyrighted setting, although they might have reached an understanding with Hasbro. Doubtful though.

[Silverhoof 2,844]

Hasbro owns the rights to all the cannon names and places in the story. They pretty much shoots down any published story as you will be using copyrighted material without permission or compensation. When Hasbro said they will leave fandom alone they were saying sites like this that post fan fics for free won't be bothered.

 

Hasbro is only in this for the money. Once you start making money off of their stuff-yeah, they be coming after you.

[Zygen 6,066]

I would assume that because of the fact that a fanfic written on MLP is still using characters from MLP then it would be considered illegal because that is a trademark to hasbro.

But I guess its up to them in the end if they want to compromise on it.

 

I think technically its not legal though.

[Shanks 10,816]

In most cases no, if you were somehow able to get permission to do that then it would legal but the odds of that are pretty slim even though Hasbro is a bit more lenient than most other companies when it comes to copywrite I doubt they will let someone cut into their profits like that.

Edited December 23, 2012 by EarthbendingProdigy