Ha! Okay well that’s a tough one. I mean, I would always try to get the original authors permission first. Just because they aren’t active on wattpad doesn’t mean they aren’t active elsewhere. Try searching their name on AO3 or Fanfiction.net or even tumblr. If they are truly inactive in all those spaces then yes, I think it’s okay to write a story based of their story. The caveat is that you absolutely do not copy and paste their work - that would be plagiarism. Nobody likes a plagiarist. Don’t go line by line and reword it either. Take their concept, the major plot points in the story, and rewrite it completely. It may be harder than you think. Finishing a story is a lot of work. I have WIPs that have been waiting a few years for me to update too. But I am going to update them - life kind of just got in the way. Also, it’s good to remember that you can love a story and support the writer, but at the end of the day fanfiction is a labor of love. These writers are not getting paid for their time and work. They’re doing it for the love of the characters and the feedback from their readers. You also never know what’s going on in the author’s life. A death in the family? A new baby that’s keeping them up all night? Depression? Hospitalized? Or it could be as simple as falling out of the fandom. They could have moved on. But yes, I would ask them permission first before finishing their work. ❤️
