Special Help - The new Discworld story EXCLUSIVE!!!
Paul Graham
the name of a new discworld story, but not an official Terry P one.
I'm writing it in installments over e-mail, and the people who are on
my mailing list (Terry P fans and others) are impressed.
I don't claim to be of the master's quality, and my references may not
be rock solid (I don't know Disc Physics inside out), but I've kept to
the spirit of the thing.
If you want to be put on the list, mail me at the address below. Try
it, you might like it. Either way, it's better than a poke in the eye
with a sharp camel holding a bladder on a stick. Er...
I write the installments whenever I can get the time, and whenever I
get hit by an inspiration particle, really.
Paul Graham
zdl...@bay.cc.kcl.ac.uk
"You know, I think he actually looks like an Adam"
Terry Pratchett
zdl...@bay.cc.kcl.ac.uk "Paul Graham" writes:
> As THE AUTHOR of Special Help, I can confirm for you all that Terry
> says it's fine by him, as long as I make it clear that it is my own
> work, which I am doing, so just calm down.
I better say something here, since the word 'fine' didn't actually cross
my keyboard. I was a little more circumspect than that. Paul doesn't hve
anything so definite as 'permission' -- on the other hand...oh shit, I really
shouldn't need to have to spell out the ethics of fan activity, but it looks as
though it might be a good idea.
There is no question that using characters, backgrounds, plot threads, etc, etc
of an author in copyright *can* get you into serious legal trouble -- there
have been cases over this recently in the States. Try publishing a James Bond
novel without consulting the Fleming estate and see what happens. It's
amazing that people don't realise this. Publishers are used to getting stories
with a covering note saying 'Here's a story I've set in Harry Spiven's 'World
of Hurts' universe...' and the publishers say 'Did you get his permission?'
and the writer says 'I don't have to do that, do I?' and the publishers go white
and say 'Does the Pope shit in the woods?'
That's the REAL world. Now let's talk about FANDOM.
The law isn't any different. But there's people out there writing HHGTTG stuff,
Red Dwarf stuff, Star Trek stuff and Discworld stuff for the amusement of their
friends. Authors react on an individual basis. Some hate it and try to stop
it. Anne McCaffrey -- I think, although I'm open to correction here -- doesn't
mind so long as her main characters are not used. Douglas Adams seems to have
tolerated/given permision for a welter of Hitchhikers stuff in the ZZ9 fanzine.
It seems to me that if something is being done on an amateur basis by a fan
for fans, and is clearly their own work, and is done out of a shared regard
for the basic subject matter, then it would be kind of chilly for an author
to run around hammering people. It's fandom, for god's sake. I don't give
anyone *permission*, I just smile and think what the hell.
There a danger, of course, that some dumb bugger out there will interpret this
as an indication that Discworld is now in the public domain or open to
franchising. It is neither. If anyone tries a commercial rip-off -- not a
parody, not fanac, but a cynical attempt to cash in on my Discworld -- then
the sewage farm will hit the three megawatt aerogenerator.
Terry Pratchett
Terry Pratchett
I tried posting to this thread days ago, but it got black-holed...
I didn't exactly say things were 'fine' by me, but it's close...
In the real world there are things like trademark and copyright. It's amazing
how many people don't realise this. Publishers are used to getting MS and
letters which say 'I've set this book in Harry Spivens 'World of Hurts'
universe', and the publisher says 'Have you got his permission?' and the
writer says 'I didn't know I needed it' and the publisher says 'Does a Pope
shit in the woods?' There has been some trouble in the US when fans
blithely used writers' characters and settings in semi-professional mags (one
author I'm thinking of objected that her characters were acting, as it were,
out of character).
Messing with other people's creations -- apart from parody, thank god --
can get you into trouble. You'd better believe it.
But fandom is a huge grey area. Some authors are very soggy
about people using anything of theirs in stories. Anne McCaffrey (I understand)
doesn't mind fanfic set on Pern so long as it doesn't use her characters.
Douglas Adams, to judge from the Mostly Harmless magazine, doesn't worry one
way or the other. Nor do I. Everything works fine if people are sensible --
which means stuff is done on an amateur basis, circulated on the same basis,
and doesn't represent itself as being 'the original'. That way, everyone has
fun, and there is no need for the sewage farm to hit the aerogenerator.
Terry Pratchett
Paul Graham
>
> In article <3jlv5i$k...@tzlink.j51.com> lep...@j51.com "Louis Epstein" writes:
>
> > Paul Graham (zdl...@bay.cc.kcl.ac.uk) wrote:
> > : Well, now I've got your attention, I'll come clean. Special Help IS
> > : the name of a new discworld story, but not an official Terry P one.
> >
> >
> Does he need it?
>
> --
> Tony Sidaway
> to...@sidaway.demon.co.uk
> "The most horrible thing they have done is to put out hundreds of messages
> all over the net that say "free phone sex", with the scientologists'
> toll-free phone number on it: 1-800-367-8788" --an21...@anon.penet.fi
> "Poor little clams - snap! snap! snap!" --SubGenius Pope Charles of Houston
Well, yes I do, if I'm going to err on the safe side of matters [1]
and so as not to step on Pterry's toes. If at any point he told me to
stop then that would be the e...(snip - Pterry)
Paul Graham, author of Special Help, A Discworlde Trybute [2]
[1] Does this mean I have to wear a condom on my finger when I type
further installments of the story?
[2] All rights reserved. Discworld (TM) and all related characters
are the exclusive copyright of Mr. and Mrs. Practhett. Paul
Graham can not be held responsible for any injuries incurred
by readers during their Special Help experiance: all claims must
forwarded to Terry Pratchett, esq. Contents may settle during
transit. Remember to wear protective clothing at all times.