User blog comment:Mangetsu20/Where's the Plot Going? (FT - 492 & 493)/@comment-25402543-20160714213600/@comment-30807545-20160715200018

Mang, you'd be surprised. Most of the mangaka are very aware of the fanbase internationally instead of locally. They know that their manga is viewed online, which is available to all countries - thus widening their fanbase. What, you think that Fairy Tail would be extremely popular now if it was just local? No. The fact that most mangaka take advantage of the internet to boost their profits is very common, especially if they want to boost its ratings. Remember, manga are usually on sale depending on the ratings it gets and solely relying on local sources won't help much. They would have to appeal on a wider scale to get things rolling. It's the reason they go to conventions all over the world and promoting their work.

As for the other point, there have been some mangaka that openly stated that some of their ideas in their manga have been inspired by personal works of the fans of their series, though they don't admit where they got it and which one is used. Apparently, we're able to tell going by the material used in the latest chapter. Hiro had admitted in one of his latest interviews for Shonen Weekly that some of his ideas were based off of the works of some of his fans. So yeah, I wouldn't put it past him to use material from here since it technically falls under his domain. We're not called Fairy Tail Fanon for nothing.