Utilizing characters from other authors

[Airmandan]

So I’ve had this annoying idea for a story for years that I’m going to try to finally put onto paper. But my main question is would it be all right to use characters that appear in other authors works that are on here? I was specifically thinking of using some from the “Gibraltar” series and “The tales of the Bluefin”. They wouldn’t be main characters, just kind of cameo’s.

 

[Timewalker]

Obviously fanfic is a different legal situation from pro fiction.

But it would be the courteous, ethical thing to do if you contacted the authors of these works and asked their permission and abide by any conditions they put on it such as acknowledging that you borrowed the characters, from whom, and linked to the story(ies) they appear in.

 

[Mysterion]

But it would be the courteous, ethical thing to do if you contacted the authors of these works and asked their permission and abide by any conditions they put on it such as acknowledging that you borrowed the characters, from whom, and linked to the story(ies) they appear in.

This.

Also: probably would be a good thing not to make wholesale changes to someone's character(s) (for example, killing them), without discussing it with the person who created that character.

 

[WarpTenLizard]

You should probably get the author's permission first, before using their OCs. If you can't get a hold of him or her, you can always hint at the OC in all but name, like a movie hinting at a character they don't have the rights to yet.

For instance, say the character you want to use is a Vulcan female, and one of her main traits is being really good at Kadis-Kot. If you can't get the writer's permission to have her character appear or mention that character by name, you could just have someone mention "Ugh, I got beat in Kadis-Kot by that Vulcan ensign again..."

 

[DarKush]

I agree with the advice offered here. Another thing you could do is create a similar character to the one you want to use.

 

[Timewalker]

This.

Also: probably would be a good thing to make wholesale changes to someone's character(s) (for example, killing them), without discussing it with the person who created that character.

Did you forget to put the word "not" in your second paragraph above?

 

[Mysterion]

Did you forget to put the word "not" in your second paragraph above?

Yup.

 

[Gibraltar]

I can't speak for TLR, but as 50% of the equation, I say 'go for it' as far as my characters are concerned.

I'd love to read what you come up with.

 

[Airmandan]

I can't speak for TLR, but as 50% of the equation, I say 'go for it' as far as my characters are concerned.

I'd love to read what you come up with.

Well I appreciate the sentiment and support, though I doubt it would be anything up to your level. Though if you have an idea for how your crew would defeat a borg cube as depicted in the Destiny novels that would certainly help.

 

[Gibraltar]

Well I appreciate the sentiment and support, though I doubt it would be anything up to your level. Though if you have an idea for how your crew would defeat a borg cube as depicted in the Destiny novels that would certainly help.

Well, for starters, Gibraltar's crew would only fight the Borg if they had no other choice. Their first instinct, correctly, would be to run away. And as I haven't read the Destiny novels, I can't address that.

 

[DarKush]

Well, for starters, Gibraltar's crew would only fight the Borg if they had no other choice. Their first instinct, correctly, would be to run away. And as I haven't read the Destiny novels, I can't address that.

I don't presume to speak for Airmandan, though I have read the Destiny trilogy, and running away might not be an option because the Borg invaded the Federation with lots of cubes. Even if Gibraltar did run, they might wind up running into yet another Borg cube.

Even though my interest in Trek Lit. has waned over the years (When looking for information on the series on Memory Beta, I didn't realize the trilogy was over a decade old now), I do recommend Destiny. It wasn't everything I wanted to see, but it was pretty epic.

https://memory-beta.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Trek:_Destiny
https://memory-beta.fandom.com/wiki/Gods_of_Night
https://memory-beta.fandom.com/wiki/Mere_Mortals
https://memory-beta.fandom.com/wiki/Lost_Souls