Mercedes Lackey's Release Form

For many, many years, Mercedes Lackey required her fans to sign a release form for most fanworks set in her book universes. This release form was available starting in 1992.
This release form was posted at 
==Other Pro Writers Who Required Release Forms==
* Marion Zimmer Bradley, but only after 1992 In 2002, Lackey wrote: "[My] release form was copied wholesale from Marion Zimmer Bradley's fanfiction release form and covers the occasion when she used someone's idea (with their permission and signature) in one of her Darkover novels. -- , posted in 2002, accessed September 26, 2016 
* For writers in Jacqueline Lichtenberg's Sime~Gen universe -- apparently not originally for print zines. "A Copyright Release form must be signed by the contributing author and a representative of Sime~Gen Inc. before a work is published. This release assigns the copyright to Sime~Gen Inc. " -- See this form: , last updated July 1, 2013
==Some Context: 1992 Statement Regarding Fanworks (Fiction and Role-Playing Games)==
Fanfic and permissions were heavy on many fans' and professional writers mind in late 1992 and early 1993. Something that had just blown up and was certainly relevant to this post by Misty was the 1992 Marion Zimmer Bradley Fanfiction Controversy.
Confusion and speculations regarding online posts also contributed to the decision. From an April 1992 post in Mercedes Lackey's official newsletter: "To those of you who enjoy communicating via computer, are you aware that Prodigy calls itself a "publishing service" rather than an information network? Prodigy is owned by Sears and IBM. I've been told that everything on the network is censored. If they don't like something you post, they'll pull it out. Even private e-mail is read. Supposedly the Prodigy software accesses your hard drive for anything new and uploads it for Sears and IBM employees to investigate. Misty asks that you not discuss her universes on Prodigy. Because it is a publishing service, your writing about Valdemar and Heralds is probably a violation of Misty's copyrights." 
==The Open Letter==
The excerpt by Lackey below is from :
See the whole letter at I'm about to bring the cold, cruel, mundane world into our fun for a moment.
==A 1993 Addendum==
February 1993: 
==Lackey's Comments: 2006==
==Lackey's Attitudes Toward Fanworks Set in Her Own Universes==
Mercedes Lackey's position regarding fanworks set in her original literary universes has varied considerably over time.
* 1988(?) - Establishes guidelines allowing members of Queen's OwnQueen's Own FAQ Accessed March 15, 2010. (an authorized fan organization devoted to her Valdemar series) to create personae and write fanfic set in Valdemar -- specifically, in an AU branching from an alternate ending to Arrow's Fall)."Queen's Own Fan Fiction Guidelines (accessed 14 Mar 2010)
* 198? - Develops and circulates a legal release form Fanfic and permissions were heavy on many fans' and professional writers mind in late 1992 and early 1993. Something that had just blown up and was certainly relevant to this post by Misty was the 1992 Marion Zimmer Bradley Fanfiction Controversy. Accessed March 15, 2010. which prospective fan writers are asked to sign and return prior to circulating fanfic based on her published works.
* 198?-199? - Hosts and moderates an online community, Modems of the Queen, on GEnieQueen's Own Newsletter--April 1992 Accessed March 15, 2010. This appears to be the first reference to MotQ as a chapter of Queen's Own, but the GEnie community had been active for some time prior to the newsletter's cover date.. Participants who have submitted release forms create fanfic set both in Valdemar and in Lackey's "urban elves" universe.
* 1992 - Publishes a long statement in Queen's Own. Queen's Own Newsletter. See 1992 Statement Regarding Fanworks.
* 199?-200? - Citing advice from her agent, Russell Galen, withdraws support for most fanfiction based on her published works. Stories circulate indicating that she and/or Galen and/or her legal counsel aggressively discourage fanfiction brought to her attention during this period.
* 2002 - Releases a commentary via her Web site discussing the evolution of fanfiction from printzines to the online era.Worlds of Mercedes Lackey: Ask Misty Accessed March 15, 2010. See Copyright, fair use, and complications far beyond the ken of mortal man.....
* 2002 - Answers a question about fanfic based on Valdemar: 
* 2002 -- Answers a question about fanfic and webrings: 
* 2006 - Reveals on Making Light that she still writes fanfic and that she approves of not-for-profit fanfic , April 26, 2006 comments by Mercedes Lackey] on Making Light. Accessed October 1, 2008..
* 2008 - "No public posting of stories/fanfiction is allowed on the Internet. (This includes talking in character in chatrooms or sending stories via e-mail.) You can submit fanfiction to and read it in the various approved Mercedes Lackey fanzines." Queen's Own, updated statement, July 22, 2008 
* 2009 - Releases a statement via her Web site formally granting fanfic writers permission to create derivative works based on her stories, under a specified Creative Commons license.Worlds of Mercedes Lackey - News (bottom of page) Accessed March 14, 2010.
* 2010 - Mercedes Lackey's pep talk for NaNoWriMo advises: "try writing fanfiction. [...] It's fun, it's going to give you a giant kick-start, and you would be surprised at how many professionals started out that way (and still do it!)." See Mercedes Lackey's pep talk. Mercedes Lackey's pep talk 
*2011 - Lifts the ban of fan fiction, points to her agent as the source of the ban, and reminds fans that if they're writing anything other than PG-13, they need to take 'proper precautions.' She points to fan fiction as derivative work and states it will be licensed under the Creative Commons license. Selling hard copies of fan fiction is still forbidden: 
==Lackey's Attitudes Toward Role-Playing Games Set in Her Own Universe==
See Mercedes Lackey's Attitudes Toward Role-Playing Games Set in Her Own Universe.
==The Form==
==Fan Comments==
==References==
Category:Mercedes Lackey
Category:1990s