Fan entitlement, my ass.

[author_by_night]

Disclaimer: This essay is an opinion. If you don't like it, keep in mind that man is entitled to freedom of

speech and expression, (i.e. can say whatever he or she damn well wants about any damn thing), and

shut up.

JK Rowling is thought of as a brilliant writer, and many of her dittoheaded fangirls take every word as gospel truth. I have seen them trolling about, daring to suggest that JKR writing the books means she knows everything and can say what she wants.

I happen to disagree. JK Rowling owes her fans to keep the same decisions she made in 1997, to tell us a limited amount of information about everything, and to ship what she realizes the fans want shipped.

Let us first discuss decisions about her characters and plotlines. A few years ago, I realized that things in that department were far worse than I feared! You see, as a writer, she should have had a plotline that never changed in seventeen years, much less seven. Icicle should have remained a a canon character, despite her potential to be unrealistic, and even a Mary Sue (like Ginny Weasley.) True writers always stick to one plot throughout, never changing things due to a deluded belief such and such won't work.

Second, JK Rowling should provide us with a minimal amount of information about everything. She should hint at things about the characters so we can get fanfic ideas and all, but like, not too much. For instance, a better response to the Dumbledore question would have been:

"Yes, Dumbledore had a lover. I can't say who, though. It will hinder the right to creative expression."

JK Rowling also needs to stop saying she is writing about morality. If JK Rowling were a truly moral

person, Voldemort would be portrayed as the person he really is: a misunderstood loner. He had very

good reasons for killing muggles - they were all horrible to him, as proven in many wonderful fanfics that

JK Rowling, of course, snubbed. Also, it is very obvious that Ron and Harry are the real evil ones - after all,

Ron, as a mere eleven year old boy, laughed at Draco's name. This is uncharacteristic of an innocent

eleven year old boy, and a warning sign of a hateful, destructive life.

Finally, JK Rowling has an obligation to stick to ships her readers want. After all, the most important

theme in the books is romance, and how are the majority of fans going to be able to enjoy said

theme if none of the approvedships are in the books? What she should do is browse every website, LJ

group, and blog, and base her ships on the largest group. Sort of like Survivor. It is the democratic

thing to do. Plus, this would have assuaged flame wars, as the minority would have had no

arguments about it whatsoever – after all, fandom possesses a strong, noble “may the best shipper

win” mentality.

JK Rowling, of course, does not do this. She has no ability to see that in the writing of her books,

the fans count the most, not the story she wants to write. And this makes her a travesty to the world

of literature.

Thank you.

Comments

[haro.livejournal.com]

I LOLed. Hard.

[midnitemaraud-r.livejournal.com]

*snickers*

[proudofthefish.livejournal.com]

^ that is possibly the best icon ever

[camillo1978.livejournal.com]

Hey there. You can see my default icon - due to a brief cameo by the Count in a fic I wrote.

Would you mind if I pinched yours?

[midnitemaraud-r.livejournal.com]

Sure, go ahead - but please make sure you credit greenspine! :-P

[camillo1978.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Happy Christmas!

[midnitemaraud-r.livejournal.com]

And to you! :)

[proudofthefish.livejournal.com]

For the first 2 sentences I thought you were serious and I was like "Who switched brains with Amy?" and then it clicked. Nicely done

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

Never fear, I have not changed over the summer. ;)

[maexle.livejournal.com]

I'm just a bit busy, so I didn't manage to read the entire thing, but I friended you (I thought it was high time) and I added this to my memories for later reading.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[zoepaleologa.livejournal.com]

*worships*

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

... why thank you. ^__^

[darth-firefly.livejournal.com]

+chuckles+

[locked-door998.livejournal.com]

a;dfsljk;jksflad;kd ♥

[turangaleela.livejournal.com]

Fantastic. Of course, it makes me want to hit something, but that's only natural, IMHO.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

:P

[melusinahp.livejournal.com]

Awesome. :D

[julian-black.livejournal.com]

[gigglesnort]

[j-a-lie.livejournal.com]

I'm glad there are people like you who can keep reminding me that fandom's not all bad (or maybe even so bad someone needs to satire them...)

What do you think of the newest interview with Pottercast? I haven't listened, but there seems to be some bad reactions and generally they start calling on her inconsistency again.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

Well, the interview's only at it's first part (the next part's Tuesday). And for some reason, I can't remember what exactly the kerfluffle was - I think part of it was that JKR said that "Horcri" could be accepted as a plural for "Horcrux" after all. It came across to me as a bit of a joke. But mostly, I'm spoofing fandom's general reaction since OoTP. (There have actually been serious essays and messageboard posts like mine.)

[snorkackcatcher]

*snort* Nice one. :)

[princessdot.livejournal.com]

You obviously don't have a good grasp of things if you mention democracy and freedom of speech in the same tome. You can't seriously be equating them? Sure, you get an opinion, but we all know those are like, well, yea and I just learned this week some people have TWO! Did you forget? freedom of speech is only guaranteed by the United States Government; um, unless there is a Republican majority endorsing the Patriot Act but again I digress. LJ and fandom do not owe you any such freedom of speech!

Must I educate you again about democracy? You are talking about the tyranny of the minority! You want the opinions of the minority of fans [not just fandom!] of the Harry Potter series to supersede not only reason, but betray the central message.

Morality. Pft, take some philosophy courses, please. Morality is individual. You have yours, JKR has hers. Let her. I let you. Really, you can have whichever one you want!






Luv ya chica, happy chrissy!

[laurus-nobilis.livejournal.com]

Here via metafandom, and I have to say that was great. :D

If you don't like it, keep in mind that man is entitled to freedom of speech and expression, (i.e. can say whatever he or she damn well wants about any damn thing), and shut up.

... it's sad that so many people say that and mean it.