In The News
JKR/WB vs. RDR Books Trial: "Fan Feud", from The New Yorker
NewsTim Wu in an article for The New Yorker looks at the events leading up to the trial, speaks to Steve Vander Ark, and compares J.K. Rowling to the mythical Athena:
“Once upon a time, a talented weaver named Arachne declared herself superior in skill to Athena, the goddess of wisdom, who also invented weaving. Whether Arachne was actually better we’ll never know, for Athena, in a jealous rage, destroyed her rival’s tapestry and turned her into a spider. Last summer, at a “Harry Potter” convention in Toronto, a fan named Steve Vander Ark made a similar mistake when he dared to compare himself to Joanne (J. K.) Rowling.”
Wu describes what led Vander Ark to create the Lexicon website, and notes that Vander Ark has suffered “cruel fates” as a result of the lawsuit:
“In the late nineties, while working as a children’s librarian in Byron Center, Michigan (pop. 3,777), he discovered the “Potter” series. He began to take notes and, by his own estimate, has read each of the books forty or fifty times. “Something about these detailed imaginative worlds just captivated me,” he said during a court recess.
In 2000, Vander Ark, who considers himself a Ravenclaw, turned his obsessive notes into a Web site, The Harry Potter Lexicon. Soon, he was a celebrity in the “Potter” community. But when he decided to turn his Web site into a book Rowling sued his publisher, effectively exiling him from the wizard community.”
Wu also notes Leaky webmistress Melissa Anelli’s presence in the court room:
Anelli is writing her own “Potter” book, with Rowling’s blessing, and during a break in the trial Rowling sought her out and gave her a warm embrace, a moment that might have been as difficult for Vander Ark as any part of the legal proceedings.
“Melissa has done more to hurt me than Rowling,” Vander Ark said during a recess. “I can’t blame her for liking her status.” After all, he said, Rowling “is God and Melissa is her prophet.” He went on, “I am an outcast now. But I still consider myself a ‘Harry Potter’ fan.”
*
Editor’s Note: In the above-mentioned article, Mr. Wu attributed several statements made during a recent PotterCast (number 148) to Melissa Anelli (“He is vilified now”, “He has ruined his good standing.”). These remarks were instead made by Leaky Editor Sue Upton, who was commenting on the impact the decision to publish the book has made upon Vander Ark’s reputation.
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Well, I definitely would expect more than a fluff piece from The New Yorker. But, I’ve come to a conclusion: to most of the world it’s all fluff and entertainment. It’s like a celebrity mugshot or angry phone call. To treat it seriously ruins the fun and magazine sales and website clicks.
So, let’s ignore them. Let’s not give them the satisfaction of doing what they aimed to do: increase reads. Forget them. We know the facts and soon (hopefully) there will be a verdict.
As for SVA’s statements. Is anyone actually surprised?
Hmmm. I seem to remember the Leaky Cauldron turning on Steve first, so he has plenty of reason to be bitter. I also think the media has a clearer view on this issue than rabid JK/Leaky Cauldron fanboys and girls.
Turning On Steve first? newbis what are you talking about. TLC has tried to be nothing but neutral during this entire mess. Where do you see them “turning” on him? Just because they tried to stay Neutral and tell the truth isn’t turning on someone. It was Steve’s actions that have caused his rift with the Fandom, not TLC and most definitely not Melissa. This ‘old man’ is acting like a coward and baby and frankly has been acting like one since September.
Krisitn, and the entire Leaky Staff, thank you for keeping us so well informed. It is a shame this matter has gotten so personalized, and you have my sympathies!
Why doesn’t anyone at RDR or SVA himself seem to get the basic difference between paraphrasing and plagiarizing? Sorry, the materials we have seen go far beyond the Fair Use doctrines, it is flat out plagiarism…so why not just call it that and get this over? I flunk students that verbatim copy others, and send them to a dean to get chewed out a second time! They do it twice, then they are supposed to end up on academic probation… why is this even an issue?
Melissa, I await word that your work will be available soon!
Hey, newbis. When did Leaky turn on Steve? I don’t recall any betrayal of bias. Some Lexicon groupies were furious with Melissa because she didn’t buy Steve’s version hook, line and sinker without corroboration. Mmmmm. Isn’t that Journalism 101. It was Steve who kept his little book contract secret, who lied about the Lexicon’s expenses under oath and told Melissa he’d been lied to and misled by RDR at the same time that he was telling Dave Langford that he believed in the lawsuit and thought Jo was out of line. I think poor Steve has been kidnapped by Mean Girls.
re: “As for SVA’s statements. Is anyone actually surprised?”
Posted by mollywobbles23 on May 05, 2008 @ 11:12 PM
molly, yeah, i am…and very disappointed in SVA. Let’s hope this is over soon.
What you are about to read might sound negative and maybe hostile, but it’s my honest opinion… Articles like this are deceiving and they frustrate me so much! Mr. Wu wouldn’t mention that Melissa’s book is not a bunch of plagiarized ripped-off quotes from JK Rowling! He doesn’t mention her book actually is a product of her creative mind for which reason she has Jo’s blessing! And of course Jo would hug her supporters, Melissa and any other supporter! She would hug Steve VA as well if he wasn’t acting like such a greedy git and having a law suit against her! This article is a bunch of crap yellow journalism! It’s deceiving and disgusting. Also, if SVA made that remark, I guess it’s his own opinion… An opinion based on God knows what, because I would bet ANYTHING that Melissa has done nothing to hurt him. And, if he is hurt by the dissolution of the Floo Network or people having negative feelings towards his stand, then he should know he brought that upon himself; it’s all consequences of his actions and he’s a coward for pinpointing anything on Melissa. He could have done the right thing, re-write the book abiding to the copyright laws and Jo’s rights, but no, he decided be stubborn and fight for what? I thought he had an analytical mind and he would be more intelligent than this. It disgusts me… I think this book is motivated by greed and I think that RDR Books and SVA are using the trial in (unlikely) hopes of winning and using it as marketing for his unlawful and corrupted piece of literature. That’s SAD!!! Why can’t he rely on his own creative work like the great example of Jo who CREATED Harry Potter herself, or Melissa who CREATED the narrative of her experience of the Harry Potter fandom and make rightful profit off that? What SVA wants to do is parasitical; he took Jo’s creation, chopped it up, put it in alphabetical order, repackaged it and expects to sell it. He did not give the due credit to Jo and he did not produce much creative literature of his own, so to sell it would be immoral and unfair to Jo. We’ll see if it is considered illegal in a court of law, but it’s definitely dishonest. Melissa: HUGE props to you for doing your book the right way because YES, the right way is almost always the harder way, but it’s the one that in the end tastes the sweetest. You better do a tour! and I want a big hug and your autograph on my copy of your book. Leaky staff: THANKS for the professionalism and the hard work! I have huge respect for this site and the staff. You all have my full loyalty. Just thought you ought to know =D Good Night now!
then again… these reporters are @#$^x%x*()! this is so unfair for Melissa…
@diaperchangingdaddy:”The atlas maker didn’t create the world, but he can still describe it and catalog everything in it.” That’s all well and fine. However, this suit is not about “describing and cataloging” it is about SVA taking JKR’s work [WORD FOR WORD] and adding NOTHING to it….that is not “describing” it…that is plagerism!!!! Plain and simple. JMO
This is the media. Lie, lie, lie. It’s a rare and special thing when a journalist actually reports without bias. So far I haven’t seen one. Mr. Wu is supporting my theory that respected journalists are going extinct.
Lol @ comparing SVA to an atlas maker. The world is real, the HP-verse is fictional. It’s not the same.
This whole ordeal is getting very childish and immature, at least on the side of RDR and Mr. Vander Ark. I’ve said it before and I’ll reiterate my gratitude toward The Leaky Cauldron for offering fair and balanced reporting. As a dedicated fan who has taken to reading every article about the case (unfortunately, instead of finishing my finals) it is refreshing to find a news source who is reporting the full story, not twisted interpretations of the story crafted for grabbing the headline. Sure, the mass media loves to root for the underdog but in this case the underdog is diseased and is biting at anyone close. I cannot feel sympathy for someone who attacks the only person in sight dedicated to accurate reporting. As for Leaky turning on Steve, I cannot think of a single instance where TLC has denounced Mr. Vander Ark. My hope is that we can put this hugely divisive case behind us and enjoy each other’s company again.
Arachne was weaving disrespectful scenes of the gods as well as being quite verbally abusive of them; when Athena ordered Arachne to stop, the weaver boasted that she was a better weaver than Athena, thus the weaving contest.
Usually when the truth is distorted, it becomes mythology. So now that Wu has mythology wrong, do we call it fact?
Arachne was weaving disrespectful scenes of the gods as well as being quite verbally abusive of them; when Athena ordered Arachne to stop, the weaver boasted that she was a better weaver than Athena, thus the weaving contest.
Usually when the truth is distorted, it becomes mythology. So now that Wu has mythology wrong, do we call it fact?
The only reason he’s saying this (other than because he’s an idiot who has his facts completely wrong!) is because news negative about JK Rowling gets more publicity, and thus, more profits. It may suck, but that’s journalism for you.
My sister almost walked out of his presentation when he started talking smack about the epilouge and I was seething. Steve’s always sort of rubbed me the wrong way and now I know why. It seems that he’s always been an arrogant, coniving little pretender and now the rest of the fandom sees him for who and what he is. I just wish the press could see that side too, It does feel as though he’s “courting” journalists; feeding them this David and goliath line. Pulling Mellisa into this was increadibly low.
I just can not believe that so many people have bought into it. And if he wins...this could have massive repricussions for the fandom as a whole. So, when fansites are shut down, fanfiction is disbanded and companion books are no longer aloud to be published because JK Rowling can't afford to take anymore chances, we'll know who to thank!Sorry, comments are closed for this article.
Leaky Poll
Since DH was published, your interest in Potter fandom has:
- Increased! I'm more involved now than I ever was!904 (22%)
- It's stayed at the same level of fun it always has!1487 (37%)
- Decreased slightly: I only check sites a few times a week now.1022 (25%)
- Severely lowered. Without new canon, I'm bored.407 (10%)
- It's gone. In fact, I can't even answer this poll because I'm not really visting a Potter site.130 (3%)
I just thought that I might post up a few quotes from a wise old man to help point out the difference between how Steve handled things and how Melissa did, words that I know Steve knows…
“Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy…”
“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”