I had a few questions about the rules and etiquette concerning sequels to public stories. For context I have been writing in a branch for a public story. Breeding Day at the Mall (https://chyoa.com/chapter/Introduction.268094) The story as a whole (not just my bit) has a lot of branches and some are very deep. The story also has a focus on a particular kink, on a particular day and a particular place. My Chapters are rapidly getting to a point where both myself and some of my readers are interested in expanding it out waaay beyond the original scope. While I could just keep posting in the same story, maybe I am flattering myself but I think if I created a new (public) story I would be able to introduce a whole new cohort of readers to the world that has been built. My questions are First off is it ok to post a sequel to a public story that is set in the same universe but with a distinctly different focus? (Giving appropriate credit and links etc). Second and more importantly, although I know where the story would pick up from there is a whole bunch of backstory. Now all of the Chapters and branches in the section I created are completly from me, including 99% of the characters (there are a couple of minor cameo characters that are cameo characters that aren't mine that I'd be happy to leave out) so I wouldn't be copying anyone else. But am I allowed to repost them in a new story? (Again with appropriate credit to the original story). I was thinking of having a branch off the Intro Chapter of the new story labelled 'The Story So Far' which would be for new comers. Anyway it just he helpful to get guidance about the rules and etiquette of what is the done thing.
This falls under the broad heading of moral rights. While there is nothing to stop you from doing an unofficial sequel or riff off of an existing story without the original author(s) permission, it is generally good form to either get such permission or to change the work sufficiently so that it stands on its own. Of course, given that we're publishing this stuff for free on the internet, it's a bit optional in most cases. None of us fanfic writers ask DC or Marvel or Disney or whatnot if we can use their characters or set stories in their shared universes, but for stories here, it is good manners to ask permission before using someone else's character or starting a new story directly connected to someone else's material. In public stories, that is relaxed - the authors have already given implicit or explicit permission to use those characters and settings, at least within the remit of the story - but it can still be good form to ask, and acknowledge. While no one on CHYOA is likely to bitch about copyright it is best practice to ask permission before copying a chapter wholesale. The admins may or may not take kindly to someone copying entire chapters from someone else without permission, but if everyone's cool with it, then there's no problem.
To be clear here the only Chapters I'd be copying are ones I had written. The branches I have written are entirely self contained.
