First off, I see no difference between fanart and fanfic when it comes to commissions. Both are fair game. The fact there are spots where you can offer prompts and possibly get them filled, or events where you're almost assured to get a prompt filled, perhaps gives people the impression that actually paying for a fill is thumbing your nose at the spirit of fandom.
Generally, I will not pay for fanfic or fanart I don't commission. (T-shirts are the one exception. I will buy SPN t-shirts if they're super-cute and original, like the ones offered by unicornempire.com.) I do think a large part of the joy of fandom is the free and easy exchange of ideas and the love of the property, but if someone is offering commissions (be they art or fic) and I enjoy the work of the writer/artist, I'll probably bite if there's mad money in my Paypal. I don't care why they're offering commissions. If they need the money, they need the money: for a charity, for school debt, for vacation ... it's irrelevant to me. AS LONG AS IT'S A ONE-OFF COMMISSION CREATED JUST FOR ME.
When folks open stores chock full of someone else's intellectual property or try to publish fanfic for profit (with the exception of Amazon Worlds), then it can get dicey in terms of copyright.
Regarding original fiction from fanfic authors, well, it depends. I usually divide the fanfic authors I read into three categories: those who tickle my id, those who are brilliant wordsmiths, and that slender intersection of the two groups.
I will surely buy original fic from the Slender Intersection.
I will look at original fic by my favorite wordsmiths, and more than likely buy their work if it is in a genre I enjoy reading.
I will almost certainly not buy original fic from the id ticklers. I don't pay for porn-for-porn's sake. Just don't. *shrug*
Oh, and I may or may not buy "original" fic if it is fanfic that's been stripped of its serial number. I just haven't seen many instances of this succeeding. The RPF stuff could conceivably fly, but the thing with writing in a shared universe is that sometimes the world building and characterization falls by the wayside. If the RPF is solidly AU and can stand on its own, hey, that just might work! Or ... without the benefit of that shared love of the universe, its flaws may become painfully obvious and it'll flop. (Also, it would totally suck to buy a book, only to discover you've read it before in fanfic.)
Generally, I will not pay for fanfic or fanart I don't commission. (T-shirts are the one exception. I will buy SPN t-shirts if they're super-cute and original, like the ones offered by unicornempire.com.) I do think a large part of the joy of fandom is the free and easy exchange of ideas and the love of the property, but if someone is offering commissions (be they art or fic) and I enjoy the work of the writer/artist, I'll probably bite if there's mad money in my Paypal. I don't care why they're offering commissions. If they need the money, they need the money: for a charity, for school debt, for vacation ... it's irrelevant to me. AS LONG AS IT'S A ONE-OFF COMMISSION CREATED JUST FOR ME.
When folks open stores chock full of someone else's intellectual property or try to publish fanfic for profit (with the exception of Amazon Worlds), then it can get dicey in terms of copyright.
Regarding original fiction from fanfic authors, well, it depends. I usually divide the fanfic authors I read into three categories: those who tickle my id, those who are brilliant wordsmiths, and that slender intersection of the two groups.
I will surely buy original fic from the Slender Intersection.
I will look at original fic by my favorite wordsmiths, and more than likely buy their work if it is in a genre I enjoy reading.
I will almost certainly not buy original fic from the id ticklers. I don't pay for porn-for-porn's sake. Just don't. *shrug*
Oh, and I may or may not buy "original" fic if it is fanfic that's been stripped of its serial number. I just haven't seen many instances of this succeeding. The RPF stuff could conceivably fly, but the thing with writing in a shared universe is that sometimes the world building and characterization falls by the wayside. If the RPF is solidly AU and can stand on its own, hey, that just might work! Or ... without the benefit of that shared love of the universe, its flaws may become painfully obvious and it'll flop. (Also, it would totally suck to buy a book, only to discover you've read it before in fanfic.)
Yes, I have feeeeeeelings about this.