Ordover Wars
Event | |
---|---|
Event: | |
Participants: | John Ordover |
Date(s): | 1997-1998 |
Type: | flame wars |
Fandom: | |
URL: | |
Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
The Ordover Wars were a result of the 1997-1998 activity of John Ordover on several fan discussion groups.
On alt.tv.x-files.creative, it was a long-running series of flamewars, known as the Ordover Wars .[1] For many participants, this constituted their first flamewar, their first encounter with a professional editor, and possibly their first direct exposure to disapproval of fanfic as not worthwhile. Ordover managed to sockpuppet himself (perhaps unintentionally, signing in from different accounts at work vs. at home), and generally caused ire and fannish solidarity, and despite its flameyness many old X-Philes recall the Ordover Wars with great fondness.
He did the same on alt.startrek.creative, where he also trumpeted his plan to get fans to write 'real', published work, by publishing an anthology of Star Trek short fiction. Several ASC fans were, in fact, published in the resultant anthology, Strange New Worlds.
Some Fanworks Inspired by The Ordover Wars
Fiction
- The Bridges of Ordover County, an X-Files parody fusion with The Bridges of Madison County (1999)
A Poem
- If I knew from whence this fic doth come
- I'd want a copy on CD-ROM
- Interactive, don't you see
- And like fanfic, it'd be free
- I'd ask a question of the Master
- And his nastiness would come faster
- Every answer would simply be
- "You have no capacity"
- I could learn a lot and be a pro
- If only I knew how to blow
- off fanfic with a Purple passion
- my pro fic'd be all the fashion
- I so need him to show me the way
- How can I go another day
- With mere fun and friends and snark and fic?
- I must go pro or I'll be sick
- I must say goodbye to Skinner
- That surly, sexy, love-to-sinner
- Goodbye Scully and Goodbye Fox!
- Only profic truly rocks.
- But how to go pro, there's the rub
- I don't want the slush pile tub
- Sales are the bottom line, you see
- Does insurance cover lobotomy?
- Emily Bronte would not sell
- She'd be in target market Hell
- Peter Hoeg would make John broke
- Michael Ondaatje- silly bloke!
- Make me just like Danielle Steele
- So I can buy my next big meal
- Fashion me to be like Grisham
- Your little feet - why I'd kiss 'em
- Teach me, Ordover, because I know
- Without you I'll never grow
- I'll be like Waller or even Greater
- If I but follow the Master Baiter.[2]
A Filk
(ttto Leslie Fish's "Toast to Unknown Heroes") by Maureen O'Brien
- "One newcomer posts a challenge, and he hears a trumpet call:
- "Come share your work with all the world, oh, come and join us all!"
- But others hear derision that could make their visions stall:
- "The best that you have done, and do, is just a belly-crawl!"
- Honeyed words will catch more flies -- no surprise -- just be wise.
- Honey taste makes learning sweet -- dug-in feet cause defeat.
- Honey makes the medicine go down more pleasantly;
- Sour's killfiled presently -- Filter Thread -- Mark Thread Read.
- Some young and fledgling writer pokes her head out, posting loud:
- "My life and work's not worthless! This is my art, and I'm proud!"
- The newcomer hears stubbornness, and the mob act of a crowd.
- With equal stubbornness he posts...the rest, I'll kindly cloud.
- Honeyed words will catch more flies -- no surprise -- just be wise.
- Honey taste makes learning sweet -- dug-in feet cause defeat.
- Honey makes the medicine go down more pleasantly;
- Sour's killfiled presently -- Filter Thread -- Mark Thread Read.
- Oh, the real point is a point with which no one would disagree --
- That noone will turn pro merely by posts in this ng.
- All the rest is mess and haughtiness, off-topic as can be...
- Just let us write. What goal we cite's _our_ business, seems to me.
- Now this thread is at an end. No more. Send no more, friend.
- Now the New Year comes around. Joy abounds -- futures found --
- Now it's time to party like it is 1999!
- ('Cause it almost is....)
- Leave threads for champagne and wine -- Auld lang syne! Auld lang syne!"
Some alt.startrek.creative Posts Containing Comments
Fans are strongly urged to delve into the many, many comments on these Usenet groups! Be aware that some of these links go to posts that have multiple pages.
1998
- Captain's Table/KILL NEW FRONTIER! (fwd), Archived version, August 8, 1998 (NOTE: this has 396 comments over 15 pages)
- Question of Copyright..., Archived version, August 10, 1998
- Annoying Crit Behaviour, Archived version, September 28, 1998
- Fanzines and the Internet or "Whither Thou Goest, Orion Press?", October 20, 1998
- Stupid question re: John Ordover, Archived version, December 2, 1998
- Well, Mr. Ordover?: Archive, December 6, 1998
- Why not be a leader?, Archived version, December 6, 1998
- To Mr. Ordover, Archived version, December 7, 1998
- How long have you been in fanfic?, Archived version, December 12, 1998
1999
- fanfiction: web or zine?, June 7, 1999 (NOTE: this has 284 posts over 12 pages)
- POCKET BOOKS PRESS RELEASE, Archived version, June 25, 1999
- In support of Ordover, written as a response to The Bridges of Ordover County (October 11, 1999)
- For Ordover, from a lurker, Archived version, December 10, 1999
Some alt.tv.x-files.creative Posts Containing Comments
1998
- EW Article (Usenet post), Archived version; another archive link, December 10, 1998
- The Ordover Files, December 18, 1998
1998
- Article on print erotica, Archived version, October 10, 1999 (one of seven pages)
- To Mr. Ordover, with heartfelt thanks , October 10, 1999
- In support of Ordover, Archived version, October 11, 1999
- To Mr. Ordover and The Pro Writers, Archived version, October 11, 1999
- hey, john ordover, Archived version, October 15, 1999
Some rec.arts.sf.written Posts Containing Comments
- Mr. Ordover, I disagree, Archived version, April 27, 2000 (includes comments by Patrick Nielsen Hayden)
Further Reading and Context
- Black Fire, book and fan commentary (1983)
- Association for Readable TREK, a fan-proposed boycott by Julia Ecklar and Lisa Wahl (1983)
- Pocket Book's Star Trek Pro Novel Guidelines (1985)
- Writing Star Trek Fiction: Advice from A.C. Crispin, essay by Ann Miller (1985)
- Killing Time, book and fan commentary (1985)
- Some Notes on Writing for Publication, essay by A.C. Crispin (1985)
- How to Write a Star Trek Story, essay by Brian Wilkes (1986)
- Pocket Book's Star Trek Pro Novel Guidelines (1995)
- Ordover Wars, event and commentary (1997-1998)
- The Ordover Files, essay and commentary (1998)
- In support of Ordover, essay and discussion (1999)
- What is the problem you have with PocketBooks, essay by Randall Landers (early 2000s)
- Queens of Sci-Fi: The Star Trek Novels, Archived version (2000)
- Trek goes back to the fans, essay by Ron Moore (2005)
- 10 Reasons to Read a Star Trek Novel, Archived version, essay by Ellen Cheeseman-Meyer at Tor.com (December 2012)
References
- ^ The Woodwards. The Ordover Files, 01 January 1999. (Accessed 30 October 2010)
- ^ a poem by Kim, Archived version