Mini-Reviews Round 11

Thanks for the comments on Wednesday's post--I haven't added anything because, as I already mentioned, I don't have a lot to add.  The whole "the rights holder takes control of your story and everything in it" sounds pretty ominous, though; does that mean that if you write a story with an OC and then later try to write a sequel to said story, you could be sued for copyright infringement for using your own character?  I don't really know what the ramifications (both practical and, as in my example, somewhat fanciful) are; I took a class that covered copyright law back in college, but 1) that was mostly in regards to music, and 2) virtually the only thing I got out of that class is that, if you bring a piece of sheet music within twenty yards of a photocopier, FBI agents will burst down your door, throw you in an old-timey dungeon without even so much as a phone call, sell everything you own, and make a gift of your wife to the original rights holder.  Or something like that.

Anyhoo, all the stories and my impressions of them, after the break.  Well, not all the stories, but... look, you know what I mean.  Onward!

Discussion: Commercial Fanfiction

You've all probably already heard, but Amazon announced several days ago that they were preparing to start publishing fanfiction for the Kindle.  Although the current plans include only fanfics for Gossip Girls, The Vampire Diaries and Pretty Little Liars, and although it seems unlikely in the extreme that this is a bandwagon Hasbro would want to jump on (Amazon needs to make arrangements with the rights holders to publish fanfics commercially), this is pretty big news in the fanfic world.  I've been sitting on it for a few days myself, trying to decide what I wanted to say about the whole thing.

Only... I'm not really sure what to think.  Is this good for fanfiction?  Is this bad?  What are the legal ramifications of the boundary between commercial fiction and explicitly "for-fun" writing being (even further) blurred?  How would the ponyfiction community be different if there were a pay-to-read alternative through which authors could attempt to go?

Having opinions about things is something I'm pretty good at, but I just don't think I know enough to... well, to know how I feel about this.  So I'd like to open up the comments: what do you think about commercial fanfiction in principal?  What do you think about Amazon's plan specifically?  And, if this were (for the sake of argument) ever to spread to the ponyfiction world, how would that alter the landscape, for better or for worse?

Drop your thoughts in the comments section; I'd love to hear from some folks who do have strong opinions about this.  Or at least, from people with a better idea of what the implications of this are than I have.

For a Change, Let's Talk About Actual Books (Part 8)

Happy Memorial Day to all you folks who live in Memorial Day-celebrating regions!  I intend to mark the occasion by not having a review done.  Instead, here's a look at some of the non-fanfic reading that I'm engaged in at the moment.  Click below the break to see what books have drawn my eye.

6-Star Reviews Part 143: Heart of Gold, Feathers of Steel

To read the story, click the image or follow this link

You know, it's funny.  Whenever I'm out and about, I'll constantly have inane revelations or tidbits of which I'll think to myself, "Hey, that would be a great for an above-the-break bit!"  But then, when I actually sit down at the keyboard... I got nothin'.

Below the break, my review of NickNack's Heart of Gold, Feathers of Steel.

Mini-Reviews Round 10

Just a few fics this go-round; the things in my life which aren't pony have been keeping me busy lately, and they have a disappointing tendency to demand precedence over my fanfic reading.  A few thoughts on some casually-read stories, below the break as always.

The Worlds We Build

Guest post!  Getcher guest post, right here!

Today's installment of One Man's Pony Ramblings (Except when it's Not) is brought to you courtesy of The Descendant, that inimitable fanfic bastion of Victorian prose and occasional potty jokes.  He also has some has some thoughts about the vitally important yet easy-to-do-poorly execution of worldbuilding within one's writing.  He also also has some exceptionally interesting hobbies besides writing ponyfiction, as you'll find if you click below the break.  So... do that.