Why You Gotta Be Pullin' That Fic?

This is totally the author's prerogative. They have every right to take down their stories from the internet. 

It's saddens me initially, if it's someone whose stories I've enjoyed. And the reason I find it sad is that other people in the fandom won't be able to enjoy them. 

But I get over it by the next day. Other great stories come along that fill that void.

So this is not to criticize the decision to take down stories. And it's definitely not even touching the issue of pulling to publish. I'm writing this because I don't understand why pulling stories is becoming so common. 

Here's why:

1. Copies of the stories are already out there. That's part of what happens when you post something online. Especially now, as people are needing to download stories to read on eReaders. Once you post a story, you no longer have control over where it goes.

Not to mention the Twific Databases that have sprung up in response to the rise of fic pulling. They are a warehouse of PDFs of stories that have been pulled for one reason or another. Anyone can get in there and download. Known authors will forever be attached to the work they wrote. But this should be seen as a positive thing because...

2. When an author pulls her fic, the possibility of plagiarism shoots through the roof. There's no original text to compare it to and no proof that she wrote it first (EDIT: a la FFnet date stamp of when initially published and when updated last -- a crucial way to prove that your fic was put out before someone else's copycat work). Also, new groups of people crop up as old ones leave the fandom so an author's fanbase will not always be around to police for plagiarism of her work.

3. You lose all cultural relativity in the fandom. This might be one of the main reasons for taking down stories - wanting to divorce oneself and move on. 

My point is this: the author becomes a blip. Their stories could have been left up for people to enjoy and love on, even as the authors & their circles of friends filter out of the fandom. They would remain talked about, read and enjoyed. 

Instead, the authors are sitting at home, hoarding these stories they put their blood and guts into, and for what? So it can sit on their harddrive? So they can show their friends and family this story they wrote once? Why not share it with the people who will actually appreciate it for what it is? The Twific fandom.

Just my thoughts. Not being critical of authors who pull stories, just voicing my opinion regarding a phenomenon that baffles me.


Let me know what you think!