Converting a Fanfic to an Original Work?

[Luxuria]

I am wondering HOW I can do this, well. Because I have a REALLY old Fanfic that is dead, but I adore the setting and the 'technically' Original characters I made. The fic was about the lives of the fandom characters before they became demons? So, the story was about their former human lives? The characters had human names and some of the manga character's personality? So, what I am struggling with is finding WHERE the human version begins and the anime character ends? Because I want to make this into an original story set in the Victorian Era. (At the moment. Time era setting might change.) But I wanted your thoughts and advice on how to do this? Because in my head, the main character is always going to have SOME things in common with the manga character. But also these are semi-general things like:

MC is gay and has a brother. Is kinda a jerk. Might be crazy?

But, like in my Sci-fi works, I had to google if Bounty Hunter was just a Star Wars term. So, I would love some advice on how to salvage these characters? I am very cautious about doing this right.

So, I would like some thoughts and ideas of how to split the character from its fanfiction version. Also, I am tempted to keep the human names I found, but I am going to have to rename them.

 

[Homer Potvin]

If they're original characters and all the names and settings have been changed, what's the problem?

 

[buttercream]

Came here to use the fancy "shave off the serial numbers" phrase I've seen thrown around, but you already did that?

It sounds to me like this is all in your head, honestly. You've changed everything you need to about the characters except the way you view them. The story's going to feel like a former fanfiction as long as you see it as a former fanfiction. The characters won't feel unique until you see them as unique.

The semi-general things don't sound nearly specific enough to be attributed to only one character from only one fandom. There are countless kinda-a-jerk MCs out there. From here, it doesn't seem necessary to go through and change every small detail just to get them as far from the source material as possible. You might as well just write a whole new story at that rate. Switch up a couple things if you're really that worried, make him full-out crazy, but I really don't think you have to.

 

[Naomasa298]

Legally, or narratively? Like Homer said, remove all the intellectual property of the original creators, and you'd be fine, legally.

 

[Qvortable]

At the risk of being obtuse: did anyone remember 50 shades? Trad pub done that just fine.

 

[Luxuria]

Legally, or narratively? Like Homer said, remove all the intellectual property of the original creators, and you'd be fine, legally.

That’s true. And I think narratively, I am trying to figure out how to salvage things. It’s really easy to remove the fanfic things that are not general things. Like this character is interested in science or is prone to pick a fight.

 

[Luxuria]

At the risk of being obtuse: did anyone remember 50 shades? Trad pub done that just fine.

Yeah. But I want people to view it as original work. Not fanfic turned original.

 

[Trish]

I thought I knew what you were asking, but then your follow-ups have muddied the waters a little. Like Homer said - if they're original characters and everything that identifies it as a fan fiction is gone, what is the issue that's left? I had the same question.

But now, I don't think that's what you're asking? I think you're asking how to make these "technically" original characters and their environment not originate as a fanfic. If that is what you're asking - the simplest answer is - you can't. You created them as a fanfic, and in your head, they're always going to be that. That's the bad news.

The good news is - you don't have to. All you have to do is make sure the serial numbers are fully filed (like we're gonna need some acid and a lab to figure out what those numbers were) and then just stop telling people it's a fanfic. That's it. Your new line (if anyone notices similarities, and I doubt they will based on what you've said) is "Oh, I didn't realize that," and then move the fuck on with your day. You don't owe anyone an explanation of every thought you ever had while creating something. You don't owe them the breakdown of your inspiration. And you certainly don't owe them any old versions.

You're overthinking this (said with love and kindness).

 

[Naomasa298]

That’s true. And I think narratively, I am trying to figure out how to salvage things. It’s really easy to remove the fanfic things that are not general things. Like this character is interested in science or is prone to pick a fight.

By putting the character into unique situations, they'll become original characters, even if their personalities are similar to the original. I've written a few stories where the characters are virtually identical to the ones they are based on, both from regular fiction, and from anime and manga. But when I take those characters, and put them into my own stories, they become their own thing. They develop differently, they are shaped by the experiences they go through differently. Don't think "how would the original character react", but "how would *my* character, who is based on the original, react?".

In the story in the workshop. "Rufin's Tale", my main character Rufin was identical to Jack Vance's Cugel. He's even in a world that is almost identical to Vance's Dying Earth. But he ended up being more likeable, less cruel, a little bit more comedic, while remaining entirely overconfident and self-serving.

You borrow the basic devices that made the original characters into them, and then put them into your own situations.