The Harry Potter Lexicon and JK Rowling - the full story.
Wow. In the last couple of days, there has been a LOT of interesting news regarding the upcoming “Harry Potter Lexicon” and the reaction from JK Rowling. I’m going to round up a few different perspectives here so you can get a bigger picture of what’s going on.
First: the short version.
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is trying to stop a fan of the books from publishing an unauthorized reference work, called the “Harry Potter Lexicon.”
It’s being put together by Steven Vander Ark, the editor of a Web site containing essays and other material created by fans. It includes a list of spells and potions found in the Potter books, along with a catalog of magical creatures and a who’s-who in the wizarding world.
Rowling’s seven-book saga has yielded blockbuster sales worldwide and spawned a hit film series starring Daniel Radcliffe as the boy wizard.
In the past, Rowling has singled out the Web site and its creator for praise.
But now, she’s filing a lawsuit in New York, saying she feels betrayed by her fan.
“I am deeply troubled by the portrayal of my efforts to protect and preserve the copyrights I have been granted in the Harry Potter books,” she said in court papers.
And she said that she’s especially troubled by the claim that because Rowling has accepted free, fan-based Web sites in the past, this effort should be allowed.
Rowling said that if the Lexicon is published, other authors will have to protect their work more vigorously against Internet material that’s based on that work.
Rowling also said that she’s planning to publish her own, definitive Harry Potter encyclopedia.
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More on why JK Rowling is contesting this book:
Rowling said she intends to publish her own guide including materials that did not make it to her novels. She expressed her concern regarding the negative publicity for her efforts to protect the “Harry Potter” books.
“If RDR’s position is accepted, it will undoubtedly have a significant, negative impact on the freedoms enjoyed by genuine fans on the Internet,” says Rowling. “Authors everywhere will be forced to protect their creations much more rigorously, which could mean denying well-meaning fans permission to pursue legitimate creative activities.”
On the other hand lawyer for RDR, Lizbeth Hasse said that Rowling is seeking a monopoly over the work which is not included in the copyright law. However, the publisher also agreed to delay the publication of the book in lieu of the injunction filed by Rowling in October. The “Harry Potter Lexicon” was due for publication November last year.
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More from Rowling and a response from the author:
“I believe that RDR’s book constitutes a Harry Potter rip-off of the type I have spent years trying to prevent, and that both I, as the creator of this world, and fans of Harry Potter would be exploited by its publication.”
She added: “I feel intensely protective, firstly of the literary world I spent so long creating, and secondly, of the fans who bought my books in such large numbers.”
Though Rowling has supported unpublished fan-fiction, she added that the publication of the ‘Harry Potter Lexicon’ could damage relations between authors and their fans, and cause authors to impose greater protection on their work.
An RDR statement on its website said it was “determined to publish this book for the benefit of Harry Potter fans everywhere”.
The publisher said it “believes Ms Rowling, who has championed the ‘Lexicon’ for years, will love reading the book just as much as she does the website on which it is based”.
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What do you think?
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1 opinion for The Harry Potter Lexicon and JK Rowling - the full story.
Green
Mar 7, 2008 at 05:50
Jk Rowlings just seems greedy its so obvious its all about the money thats going to be made here. It’s always about the money. I know its her pride and work, but whats the harm in allowing a fan to publish their own little add on to the HP phenomenon. I doubt her motives if she wants her share than just ask for it instead of making up a pathetic excuse to evade bad publicity.
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