TV verse isn't owned by GRRM. He can't do shit about it.

 

He's also said that he doesn't have any control over fanfiction of the TV Show A Game of Thrones, and while this is probably him just not understanding how intellectual property works, he's said it, and that's why a Game of Thrones section exists on Fanfiction.net, when it didn't before this due to his longstanding and often-repeated statements on why Fanfiction-Is-Evil-And-Is-Totally-Why-Lovecraft-Died-Poor-And-Alone.

 

Any chance you could link some of those? Could use the laugh

 

He said something about it being bad exercise for writers.

Even though I would assume you would gain from writing anything in the start, really.
Creating your own universe can come when you have your writing in shape.

 

Or from writing AUs.

Most people who pronounce fanfic as being a bad writing exercise have no experience with fanfiction. When they think of it they likely think of 700 word slash smut ficlets. They don't really have any idea of what it can be.

 

Robin Hobb's reasoning was one of the rare non-retarded ones: one of the hardest and most important parts of writing is making the reader care about your characters, and fanfiction lets you mostly skip that. Obviously there's the rare stuff like Alexandra Quick that this doesn't apply to, but the overwhelming majority of fics simply coast off the work of others on this front. Even if nothing but the name is actually used, it makes a pretty big difference. How many people would have read HPBWL if Harry and Nathan's names weren't swapped?

 

What's interesting is that I see a lot of people actively discouraging, well, making a character your own. It's why I've never really levied the complaint "OoC" at any fic unless it's not internally consistent. Sure, a large part of fanfiction is that much of the universe comes pre-constructed, but if you make clear up front which basic outlines you're using and what you're discarding then it's far easier to you care for characters. Nobody wants to reread Harry's development through PS all over again, then want a new take on it. Hell, my only problem with OCs tends to come because they're poorly written, never because they're new.

That said, there are several stories I've found that could really benefit from just being their own unique worlds. Emperor is the first one that comes to mind; the amount of creative freedom you get from having your own universe dwarfs the amount you've cribbed anyways.

 

A thought: Does the flame-freezing charm protect against dragonfire? I'm not sure if it does in canon, and I'm not sure if the dragon's breath is magical in ASoIaF or just really freaking hot. It would be a game-changer when the Mother of Dragons sets foot on Westeros.

Also I was reading up on the whole 'Prince that was Promised' prophecy. Was Harry's birth heralded by Salt and Smoke and a Bleeding Star? Or is it just the surviving his mother's attempts at infanticide?

 

Google is your friend. Try "Grrm Fan fiction".

There's a nice long "Not A Blog" written by him explaining why he feels he has to defend his copyright as advised by his lawyer. Basically it's a "slippery slope" argument and supposedly he knows people in the business that have been burned badly back in the day.

I get the impression that he knows Fan Fic isn't what it used to be, but he still wants to stay on the safe side and not allow any. He also has specifically stated in numerous places (even his will) that if he dies he doesn't want anyone finishing the series ala Dune.

 

Martin's fanfiction criticism's are funny, because he's pretty much written a short fanfiction story of his own - albeit a fanfiction story crossed over with his own world. He wrote Trial of Seven in which Rand Al'thor battles Jaime and six other characters.

Writing fanfiction can improve some facets of writing, but as Robin Hobb said it does provide a crutch as readers usually care about your characters from the get go. Of course, if you want feedback on your writing that's not necessarily a bad thing. And not every fanfic writer aspires to be a professional writer, some just do as a hobby because they love the characters, the world, or storytelling.

PN Elrod is another professional writer that doesn't allow fanfiction. It's especially ironic because Elrod started as a fanfic writer and in fact charged for it way back when. She says she's contractually obligated with the publisher and thus doesn't have a choice, and that may be true.

 

I have no proof, but I think that charm affects all flame. Magical in nature, or not.

I wonder if Harry will be able to control the dragons. He can control his horse with magic right? What's the difference between horse and a dragon?

 

Dragons tend to have wings, and breathe fire.

Horses, on the other hand, don't.

 

Minor differences.

 

The major difference then is that dragons tend to have high magical resistance.

 

Isn't that just a resistance to spells?

Edit: Is what he doing to the horse considered a spell?

 

It's certainly considered magic.

 

If it was that serious of a threat FF.Net would have removed the entire section like they started removing those stupid "Reading" stories

Spirit Visage is alright on Shyvanna.

 

OP, the latest chapter was good, but I was slightly apprehensive if you will keep doing angst continuously or only until the timeskip.

And, how much timeskip is that? to the start of GoT?

 

Think less "Reading The Books Stories" and more "everything by Anne Rice."

 

Nope. There'll be three or so chapters in or around Casterly Rock. Then GoT starts.