Rowling sues fan over book
By ersmommy1
@ersmommy1 (12588)
United States
April 14, 2008 9:05am CST
J.K. Rowling seeking to prevent publication of a "Harry Potter" encyclopedia
Author unhappy that a fan's Lexicon Web site may be published in book form
British writer says the book will violate her copyrights on the popular series
Encyclopedia's publisher says it will serve greater purpose, such as scholarly
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/books/04/14/rowling.trial.ap/index.html
3 people like this
8 responses
@DaddyOfTheRose (2934)
• United States
14 Apr 08
Well, she did write the series and it seems unfair for someone else to go making money off her ideas. One would think that a fan would respect the author more. However, it also seems that this person has a body of work they have done which the Author doesn't want to have put up as a free website or printed as a book. What about the effort he put in and respect for that?
1 person likes this
@bradhart (659)
• United States
17 Apr 08
She actually enjoys a lot of the fan fiction, though she won't say which or on which sites specifically. For a while she did talk about releasing second version with a lot more back story to them but that was around book five and she said it wouldn't be for a couple of years after the last movie was out.
@DotDashDot (13)
•
14 Apr 08
exaculty didn;t rowling once say tghat she was tempted to kill off harry so that no one could cash in on the stories after they were finished.
tbh though jk rowling couldproab;y write a bertter ersion then some fansite.
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
14 Apr 08
In reading over this I can understand why she brought suit. Even Vander Ark, the author, of the encyclopedia, was afraid they were breaking copyright with doing it. The article stated:
[i][b]He said he initially declined proposals to convert the Web site into an encyclopedia, in part because he believed until last August that in book form, it would represent a copyright violation.
After Rowling released the final chapter in the Harry Potter series that same month, Vander Ark was contacted by an RDR Books employee, who told him that publication of the lexicon would not violate copyright law, he said. [/b] [/i]
He made sure that if this hit the fan he wouldn't be blowing in the wind and not have a leg to stand on. The thing is when he ran the website he did so without profit and for educational purposes, which does not defy copyright. Once he did up the book without adding any unique information he had to have her permission to do so. There in lies the difference. The book is for profit and is just a rewording of the Harry Potter books. If it was his insight only into the books that would be unique information but he's not doing that. He just took what was in the books already and that she had the right to defend against.
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
20 Apr 08
Thank you for best response. That was nice to get in my email. I agree with you on the fact that the publisher is at fault and like most businesses try to shift the blame. I wonder if they thought since it's an American company that she wouldn't try to sue being over seas. Playing the odds on it that she might not but if they were they found out differently.
@bradhart (659)
• United States
17 Apr 08
They did try and work this out, but she actually has an approved book which is a couple of years out of date now, but what this one did was not only infringe on her copyright, but basically steal a lot from the the other fans posting on the blog he runs. The publisher didn't think she would notice, but the author basically got flippant about the whole thing on his blog which J.K. is a regular contributor too. She is fairly active in a lot of the popular sites either under her name or under some pseudonyms, which she admits to using to keep an ear out for feedback and to make sure no one is doing anything inappropriate.
@icy_ice82000 (205)
• India
15 Apr 08
I feel JK is right in sueing them..they cannot publish any book regarding the contents of some copywrited book ..anyway y they want to mess with the contents wen JK herself is writing an encyclopedia herself..its natural anybody will get upset over such a violation of one's own book's rights...
@Al_Bobid (88)
• Philippines
17 Apr 08
J.K. Rowling has every right to sue...
And she have to, as to protect her interest and ideas. This also will affect the other authors on the issue copyright.
Anyway the Internet is a better source of information as compared to a paperback lexicon....
@DotDashDot (13)
•
14 Apr 08
isn't harry potter trademarked or copyrighted to her? so even if they did release the book they would not be able to use the name anyway.
ui personally would not buy the book if it was ever releawsed but that maybe because i'm not a hardcore harry potter fan.
@stormeetigress (487)
• United States
14 Apr 08
I read about this before it actually ended up in the courts. Apparently Rowling was already planning on writing her own Encyclopedia pertaining to the Harry Potter series. And I do believe in just using the name Harry Potter they are infringing on her copyright.
@Jezebella (1446)
• United States
14 Apr 08
Well first off the fan should have gotten permission from Rowling before doing the website because it does take from her copyright. Anything he uses the is from her books is her copyrights. Secondly she should be flattered that someone wanted to do an encyclopedia type of website for her novels.
