[Feanorsdoom]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë
A - nobody can understand it like he could. That's a fact. When he said he was 'finding out what happened' it didn't mean that Middle-earth actually existed at some mysterious point beyond platform 9 and three-quarters, he was talking about the creation which existed within his mind, as many creations exist within many minds. I have my own and find out new things about it daily - it doesn't mean it is real. It's like the explanation that Father Ted had to give Father Dougal about Dreams and Reality.

B. First off, if you don't want money or fame then what's wrong with writing fan-fic as you can right now? What possible reason could there be for you to want to publish a book when the internet already offers you the chance for your fan-fic to be well loved by fans? If, of course, you are prepared to make the effort that is...

And anyone may well be a good writer, they may well be the best writer, but they are not nor ever will be Tolkien - many nuances go into creating a writer and their unique style, from their early education and influences to where they live, their specific social class, their gender, race, even what technical methods they use to write - pen or word processor. Nobody could ever hope to replicate those circumstances. And look at the controversy over how much and if his religion influenced him - how could anyone hope to get over that?

C. I'm neither interested in anything written in Tolkien's name by anyone so utterly pretentious as to call themselves a 'Tolkien Scholar' nor by some 15 year old Christopher Paolini clone. Hmmm, funny how that 500 years down the line Shakespeare's work has not been 'expanded' by the ponderings of ghost writers - you know, there is no Midsummer Nights Dream Part VIII (in the manner of Police Academy's many interminable parts). Why would Tolkien be any different? Only if he's to be considered not as a serious writer but as a producer of mere entertaining pap of course.

D. Legally, it is I'm afraid. And is likely to remain so due to use of Trade Marks. We're privileged enough to be allowed to write and independently publish on the net our fan-fics, which is very generous of the Estate as it is. Wanting more for ourselves is just submitting to Greed and likely, Pride too.

If you will forgive me for staying slightly off topic in this manner...

A) My point here is that, as an objection to new M-e fiction, merely acknowledging that JRRT had a unique voice, etc. does not mean that M-e should be given in only one voice, or that JRRT himself would not have allowed it.

B) Here, I have not meant that fanfic is not allowed in some fashion or that the Estate isn't being generous in this, but that the overwhelming opinion here seems to be that such writing (regardless if it might be done by members here) is frivolous by nature and should never be considered otherwise. The assumption is made that to wish for official recognition is always vain or in hopes for (undeserved) money. Can you not see how such assumptions are, at best, overly all-consuming and, at worst, insulting to the fanbase in general?

C) I'm not particularly interested in "Tolkien scholars" myself, although I think it would be prudent to consider CT to be the preeminent specimen; however, it wasn't I who first mentioned these scholars, hence the quotes. The presumption, again, was that only JRRT's writings constitute scholarship in M-e in general, thus "Tolkien scholar", as opposed to "student of the mythology and stories of Middle-earth", which need not include only JRRT.

Always, the replies come with cute remarks like "not as a serious writer but as a producer of mere entertaining pap". Unfounded assumptions that all "serious" writers can't possibly wish to, or be able to, contribute to M-e. Shakespeare also rewrote older stories by other writers, you know, beside expanding upon histories of kings. In fact, the Wiki states-"Romeo and Juliet is a dramatization of Arthur Brooke's narrative poem 'The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet.'" Shakespeare, what a "producer of mere entertaining pap".

D) Legally, M-e is the property of the Estate, indeed. That's not what is being argued. The question is whether JRRT discouraged new stories and, my tangential angle, that the idea shouldn't be shrugged off so contemptuously. JRRT could argue up and down while alive that no one but he should be allowed to write in his world (although at least one story written by a family member was reportedly accepted happily, if not canonically), but did he ever say that no one should be allowed to write in it after he was gone? And the fact remains that he is gone. There will be no more decisions on the matter coming from his pen, so it is up to the living to decide. I welcome the Estate's authority in the matter, especially because of the conservative nature they have shown in the past, but I simply don't believe JRRT wanted the matter to be closed forever. He didn't write the stories for himself only, why be so adamant that he wanted no one else to write them also?