A bit of backstory- On deviantart I've been a part of a RP group for over two years now. Through it I've made some good friends, including one of my best friends. However, recently its popularity with people outside the group has gotten out of hand, and we have to deal with stuff like this now on a regular basis.

I'm sure the majority of you haven't been in my position, but I feel you should have second thoughts next time you post that crack or sexually explicit fanfiction. For, despite how wildly popular a character may get, they were originally someone's idea, and mean a great deal to that particular person.

I by no means condemn the act of fanfiction all together, and I know that there will always be fanfictions out there where Clifford the Big Red Dog and Danny Phantom are a couple or whatever-the internet cannot be changed. Nor going out of your way to condemn every fanfiction about a major cannon character or something, as chances are if you end up offending someone, it'll be the fans and not the creator themselves, as they most likely have other things to do than look at fanfictions on the internet.

However, if its someone small and just starting out, who doesn't work for a large company or is an independent artist, I feel you should ask permission to write a fanfiction about their characters. Most of the time they will probably say yes, but sometimes they may not, and as the creator of your admired character its best to respect their wishes and the characters' influence and background.

As while fanfiction is a wonderful way to express yourself and your love for characters, words can unintentionally hurt, and having those words be about your beloved OC can hurt even more.