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Randall Flagg
01-08-2008, 01:44 PM
The following letter was posted on Stephen King's message board:


This site cries out for a Fan Mail forum.

I came here because in one of HIS books, there was something directing me to this site as a way to "contact" King. That has proved to be a lie that keeps me up nights.

Here's how I'd administrate the forum:

1) A sticky at the top, from King, preferably. Something along the lines of how he doesn't have time to respond to all mail personally, but enjoys seeing people's responses to his work. He should also lay out the following two administrative rules for the forum.

The entire sticky can be a nice lie to Constant Reader as far as I am concerned. The point is to create the ILLUSION that people can in some way actually interact with King himself. We buy his lies in hardback, paperback, and on DVD and audiobook. We'll buy this one in cyberspace, too. Trust me on this.

2) EVERY post in this forum will be closed immediately upon posting. The Original Poster may edit their post if desired, but there should be NO discussion. Each thread will be treated as if it were an actual letter.

3) Posters are allowed no more than one post to that forum every 3 months.


----------

I came to this site hoping to "feel closer" to King and the people who love his work. Instead, I feel cheated and angry...angry enough that it HAS been keeping me up nights, thinking about how to say some of the things I want to say around here without being banned.

One thing I've definitely had confirmed by visiting King's site, though: I've long suspected him of fearing, resenting, and outright distaining his fanbase. I can *understand* his need for his own life, his privacy, and his time...really, I can. I don't think King "owes" me anything...his gifts to "me" and the rest of the Constant Readers are his works and worlds. For those, I am grateful. But this site makes me feel like something dirty, someone unwelcome, a child who has piddled down her leg once to many to be trusted in the ForSpecial Parlor.

Having a forum where fans can at least express their gratitude would go a LONG way toward alleviating those feelings.

I don't expect him to read it, for Pete's sake. But I sure would like to be able to at least write it with the illusion that he *might*.

My questions to you are:


What if any obligation does King have to respond to his fans?
What if any obligation does King have to his own message board?

Link (http://www.stephenking.com/forums/showthread.php?p=100510)

William50
01-08-2008, 01:47 PM
I think that SK should not feel obligated to read the message board, but he should respond to his fans.

jayson
01-08-2008, 01:56 PM
King [or any other writer/artist] has ZERO obligation to his fans. I for one am grateful he chooses to share his imagination with us. I expect nothing else from the man.

Matt
01-08-2008, 02:06 PM
I agree actually. I think he has 0 responsibility to this medium where fans are concerned. I would argue getting out to book stores would be something you wanted to do to sell books but that's his choice.

William50
01-08-2008, 02:07 PM
It would be so cool to see him at a bookstore. I would have him sign my DT tee-shirt!

ZoNeSeeK
01-08-2008, 02:35 PM
What a selfish irrational idiot.

If King responded to every fan who had something to say about his books then he would never have the time to write another book again. *whispers* he kind of has like millions of readers, i think

So, as logic dictates, you have people to handle your fanmail and they would probably select a certain amount to bring to your attention for whatever reason. And logic also dictates that the only definitive decision a writer of King's popularity can come to when considering interaction with his fanbase is having as little or no interaction as possible, because where would you draw the line?

And there's probably a whole stack of creative process reasons as to why you wouldnt interact with your online fanbase. Internet communities of fans are direct, present and immediate - it would distract or contaminate your thought processes when it comes to your work.

Writers stay writing and fans stay fanning, and leave it in peace.

Randall Flagg
01-08-2008, 02:36 PM
I think that his staff that runs the board has an obligation to point him towards posts he should be aware of-and they might already do so.
He really can't respond to someone, as it would create the expectation in others that their post should also be responded to.
Pretty soon he spends all day writing responses.
One day someone asks why he hasn't written a book in 2 years, and King would respond-"I've been here talking with you folks."

ZoNeSeeK
01-08-2008, 02:41 PM
I just love the audacity of some people - that they expect or think for some reason that just because theyve managed to read a fucking book that the author owes them some kind of kudos. Awesome, you loved the book. It moved you, or changed your world, or whatever. Go write one of your own. :)

TerribleT
01-08-2008, 02:43 PM
What a selfish irrational idiot.

If King responded to every fan who had something to say about his books then he would never have the time to write another book again. *whispers* he kind of has like millions of readers, i think

So, as logic dictates, you have people to handle your fanmail and they would probably select a certain amount to bring to your attention for whatever reason. And logic also dictates that the only definitive decision a writer of King's popularity can come to when considering interaction with his fanbase is having as little or no interaction as possible, because where would you draw the line?

And there's probably a whole stack of creative process reasons as to why you wouldnt interact with your online fanbase. Internet communities of fans are direct, present and immediate - it would distract or contaminate your thought processes when it comes to your work.

Writers stay writing and fans stay fanning, and leave it in peace.

Well put!!

TerribleT
01-08-2008, 02:45 PM
I just love the audacity of some people - that they expect or think for some reason that just because theyve managed to read a fucking book that the author owes them some kind of kudos. Awesome, you loved the book. It moved you, or changed your world, or whatever. Go write one of your own. :)

How does that reasoning apply to athletes? Music stars? Movie stars?

Ruthful
01-08-2008, 03:14 PM
What if any obligation does King have to his own message board?


Personally, I think the idea of creating an official message board was a blunder on his part. Maintaining a quasi-interactive Web forum with his imprimatur requires a level of scrutiny and oversight that, by definition, destroys the very purpose of creating an online community in the first place. I think this was just another concept he greenlighted after some crony floated it, but which probably should have been left on the cutting room floor.

ManOfWesternesse
01-08-2008, 03:16 PM
To answer Matt's question: SK has no obligation whatever to respond to fans in such a way - and even less than zero obligation to the cretin who penned that crap.

jhanic
01-08-2008, 03:21 PM
I agree. King has absolutely NO responsibilities toward his fans, except to continue to amuse us with his writings as long as HE wants to! One of his problems may be in the forewords and afterwords he includes in many of his works. This gives the illusion that he is talking to his fans individually (or at least, that's the way of the "less-intelligent" among his fans see it). He doesn't keep the distance between the author and his readers that a lot of other writers do.

John

Ruthful
01-08-2008, 03:22 PM
BTW, I happen to agree with her point that King does exhibit a certain disdain for his fans-although, I don't think it's something he tries to mask with a veil of insincerity, which I can appreciate. The only thing I would say in his defense is that he doesn't really have any obligation to his fans other than producing quality work-to me it's rather irrelevant whether or not he has a high opinion of me as an individual.

ZoNeSeeK
01-08-2008, 03:42 PM
I just love the audacity of some people - that they expect or think for some reason that just because theyve managed to read a fucking book that the author owes them some kind of kudos. Awesome, you loved the book. It moved you, or changed your world, or whatever. Go write one of your own. :)

How does that reasoning apply to athletes? Music stars? Movie stars?

Well, it doesn't entirely, because reading is an individual experience, whereas watching sports or a film involves multiple people, on either side of the creative line. People take reading a little more personally.

If you mean fame in general, its the perogative of the person who is famous as to how they interact with their fans and how they conduct themselves in the public eye - acting / sports / movies is much bigger business than writing overall so theres a higher public demand. People automatically assume that actors, for instance, are constantly interacting with the fans and public - this isn't true. There's a percentage who are definitely in the public eye so it seems like acting and celebritydom go hand in hand, when its really a minority of actors who are in the tabloids regularly. Famous people have choices to make when it comes to censoring themselves in public view, most manage this and maintain a level of privacy.

TerribleT
01-08-2008, 03:47 PM
If you mean fame in general, its the perogative of the person who is famous as to how they interact with their fans and how they conduct themselves in the public eye - acting / sports / movies is much bigger business than writing overall so theres a higher public demand. People automatically assume that actors, for instance, are constantly interacting with the fans and public - this isn't true. There's a percentage who are definitely in the public eye so it seems like acting and celebritydom go hand in hand, when its really a minority of actors who are in the tabloids regularly. Famous people have choices to make when it comes to censoring themselves in public view, most manage this and maintain a level of privacy.

The reason I posed the question is because I have a certain expectation of athletes that they'll make themselves available for autographs and what not. So, while I agree with you regarding King's obligation to his readers, I kind of think maybe I'm being a little hypocritical.

Daghain
01-08-2008, 03:50 PM
Well, being an actor/writer/musician/author is a LOT different than being a celebrity. You can be the first without being the second, provided you take the pains to keep your private life private. It has been done before. Look at Britany and Lindsey Lohan for instance - not much on the acting/singing skills, IMHO, but they sure are attention whores. And when's the last time you saw Robert Redford or Matt Damon out bar-hopping for attention? See, it can be done. :D

I don't think King, or any author, owes his public a thing. If he WANTS to interact with them, fine, but there's no reason he HAS to. That letter writer sounds like he's one self-centered little PITA - he believes he is owed something (although he tries to say he doesn't) and he wants to make sure we all know it.

Stupid should hurt. A LOT. :D

ZoNeSeeK
01-08-2008, 03:51 PM
BTW, I happen to agree with her point that King does exhibit a certain disdain for his fans-although, I don't think it's something he tries to mask with a veil of insincerity, which I can appreciate. The only thing I would say in his defense is that he doesn't really have any obligation to his fans other than producing quality work-to me it's rather irrelevant whether or not he has a high opinion of me as an individual.

I don't think its disdain - well, there would be disdain and irritation with demanding fans who expect things from him - but generally I think he loves his audience but just doesn't want to get personally involved with individuals. Its a form of self preservation that I think most people here would tend towards if they had a similar amount of attention from people they dont know.

TerribleT
01-08-2008, 03:52 PM
Stupid should hurt. A LOT. :D

This is one of my favorite sayings of yours..LOL!!!!!!

Daghain
01-08-2008, 03:53 PM
There are just far too many crazy people out there - if I were famous, I would be extremely careful as well. You never know if the next person you smile at is going to be your future stalker.

Just sayin'.

Randall Flagg
01-08-2008, 03:54 PM
Hardly relevant but the letter writer was a female.

Daghain
01-08-2008, 03:56 PM
Okay, SHE then. Still an idiot. :lol:

ZoNeSeeK
01-08-2008, 04:01 PM
If you mean fame in general, its the perogative of the person who is famous as to how they interact with their fans and how they conduct themselves in the public eye - acting / sports / movies is much bigger business than writing overall so theres a higher public demand. People automatically assume that actors, for instance, are constantly interacting with the fans and public - this isn't true. There's a percentage who are definitely in the public eye so it seems like acting and celebritydom go hand in hand, when its really a minority of actors who are in the tabloids regularly. Famous people have choices to make when it comes to censoring themselves in public view, most manage this and maintain a level of privacy.

The reason I posed the question is because I have a certain expectation of athletes that they'll make themselves available for autographs and what not. So, while I agree with you regarding King's obligation to his readers, I kind of think maybe I'm being a little hypocritical.

No, you're not being hypocritical - athletes and screen celebrities make their fame and fortune on camera in front of millions of fans. Their publicity is real and apparent as soon as any idiot knows who they are. The bulk of their income is not from their ability as actors or sportspeople (although this is what gets them there), its from their "star power" - their ability to be a brand name, to pull fans, to attract sponsorship, advertising, anything to make John Citizen spend a dollar because their face is attached to the label. Certain actors get paid $20,000,000 for a movie because having their name on the poster will automatically generate revenue.

Authors (like musicians, but even moreso) work in intense privacy. They probably dont write even in front of their families. Publicity will kind of creep in eventually but it probably starts off like that idiot who posted that note on the messageboard - letters sent directly to the author with "ME ME ME WHY WHY WHY YOU SUCK" in there. Without the publicity numbing that goes on with the other fame groups it'd be harder not to take it personally and get shat off.

Randall Flagg
01-08-2008, 04:03 PM
There are just far too many crazy people out there - if I were famous, I would be extremely careful as well. You never know if the next person you smile at is going to be your future stalker.

Just sayin'.

You are 100% correct. Years ago I spotted this van at the Berkely Marina. I asked the guy what was going on and he went into this incredibly detailed-but obviously psychotic ramble about King murdering John Lennon.



Contrary to all reports about a lone drifter named Mark David Chapman who allegedly shot John Lennon in the back December 8, 1980 you’ll find ample evidence in the back issues of Time, Newsweek, and US News and World Report magazines to suggest otherwise. Namely, that John Lennon was, not only politically assassinated, but that Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and, you’d better sit down, horror novelist Stephen King are the three people who can be proven guilty of the crime. King being the real murderer and Chapman but a look-alike, paid actor misleading you with an absolute hoax, the media in tow.


The guy-Steven Lightfoot is a psycho who truly believes King murdered John Lennon. He drove this van to Maine, and paraded around Bangor searching for King and King had to get a restraining order against him.
Fortunately he lives in Santa Cruz-not far from Patrick.:ninja:

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/89/kingshotlennoncolsmte9.jpg

Psycho website (http://www.lennonmurdertruth.com/)

ZoNeSeeK
01-08-2008, 04:05 PM
Maybe Lightfoot should look up "Ockam's Razor"

Daghain
01-08-2008, 04:05 PM
*sigh*

You sure don't have to shake the tree very hard for the nuts to fall out. :lol:

Ruthful
01-08-2008, 04:08 PM
I would love my audience too if it had made me into a multimillionaire.

I'm not saying he despises all of his fans, but the disdain is pretty self-evident. Again, I'm not blaming him-I don't think he really owes his fans anything other than coming up with somewhat compelling fiction, which he's been able to do for most of his professional career.

Personally, I'd be a little leery of getting to close to some Stephen King fans myself, but aside from that weirdo who brought an ax to one of his book-signings-which he just wanted signed-I don't think he's been preyed upon by any Lettermanesque Jodie Foster-type stalkers, thankfully.

Ruthful
01-08-2008, 04:15 PM
The guy-Steven Lightfoot is a psycho who truly believes King murdered John Lennon. He drove this van to Maine, and paraded around Bangor searching for King and King had to get a restraining order against him.
Fortunately he lives in Santa Cruz-not far from Patrick.:ninja:

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/89/kingshotlennoncolsmte9.jpg

Psycho website (http://www.lennonmurdertruth.com/)

Yeah, I can see why you would want to steer clear of that nutbar. I don't think he's done anything more injurious than call in to countless radio programs and spew his delusional conspiracy theories. Although, you can never be too cautious in cases like that, because you don't know when these folks are going to snap.

It should be noted that he's not a Stephen King fan so much as a random psycho who's fixated-for some inexplicable reason-on Stephen King.

Odetta
01-08-2008, 04:33 PM
I would be a little worried about the person who wrote that "comment" on the board... has the potential for stalker material.

Telynn
01-08-2008, 07:59 PM
I agree with you O (and not just because your my Messiah :wub: )

I worry about someone who would actually losing sleep because he was so disappointed in a message board. And not because someone was harrassing him or bullying him. Just because he didn't like how it was set up. Scary.

Mike Beck
01-08-2008, 08:35 PM
people are absolutely out of their minds, sometimes.

but as an observer, they're wildly entertaining. :)

ATG
01-08-2008, 08:48 PM
lol, what a dipshit.


I once sent a SASE to sai King and he responded with a 3" X 5" hand written note as well as pages of " how to write " stuff.

He certainly will not respond to everything, and in fact mostly nothing, but he will if it is crafted properly and sent with love. Sometimes, maybe.
That guy on his message board shouldn't be expecting anything.

Erin
01-08-2008, 08:58 PM
SASE?

Ruthful
01-08-2008, 09:22 PM
SASE?

Self-addressed stamped envelope.

OchrisO
01-08-2008, 09:53 PM
I don't think he has a responability to read all of the forum and respond to everything, but I think that he could do better than he does. Neil Gaiman and Chuck Palahniuk are two authors that I think do amazing fan interaction. Granted, they both have smaller fanbases than King, I am sure, but neither of their fanbases are small by any means.

Neil Gaiman doesn't have a forum on his website, but he has a journal that he writes in very regularly, usually multiple times a week, unless he gets really busy around movie premieres and book signings. When he is going signing tours, he generally takes his laptop with him and posts something on the journal from whatever hotel he stays in. He also has a "Ask Neil" section when there is a form that you can basically send him a question. He answers a lot of questions on his journal where other people can see it in case they had the same question. I was once looking for a faux leather bound copy of Neil Gaiman's Season of Mists that I had when I was younger and lost it. I was having trouble finding a copy and sent him a question asking if he knew anywhere that I could still get it. He replied to it via the journal the next day and was very helpful in my locating a copy. It made me appreciate him so much more than I already did.(His journal is here btw, if anyone was wondering: http://journal.neilgaiman.com/ and the Ask Neil link is under the FAQ section).

Authors who engage in a lot of interaction with their fanbase get a lot of respect from me, and with the internet being what it is these days, there's no really good reason for an author to not at least pop in ocassionally to say a few words to the people who dedicate so much time to their work and livlihood. *shrug*

Ruthful
01-08-2008, 10:06 PM
I can see where you're coming from.

I just don't think it's obligatory on the author's part to interact with his or her fans, or even an athlete for that matter. Yes, ones that don't bother signing autographs are probably self-important dicks, but I don't think that has any impact on how I view them, since the only thing I expect from them is performance.

To me the content-based critiques of King's (recent) fiction have more validity, because that's a question of job performance, which he is answerable for. Paul Newman replied once to some reporter, when asked why he doesn't sign any autographs, that his only responsibility as an actor was turning in a good performance.

That anecdote might be apocrphyal, I'm not sure, but it illustrates a good point, IMO.

Old Man Splitfoot
01-09-2008, 02:54 AM
You know, I'd kind of like to visit a forum where King was a regular poster. As long as people weren't just cock-riding the whole time and bothereing him for stupid shit, it could be fun. Do I blame him for not doing so? Not at all. Forums just aren't for everyone. I also don't think King owes me a damn thing but a bookshelf full of books, but he already delivered on that one, so he's off the hook. And honestly, he doesn't even owe us that; he was just kind enough to deliver anyway.

Brice
01-09-2008, 04:12 AM
Maybe Lightfoot should look up "Ockam's Razor"

Or maybe just realize he took a few too many doses. :lol:



Stephen King owes NOTHING to his fans (especially this loser) including another story. He does perhaps owe it to himself though to just once log onto his forum and make one special post for this person and others like her:


PLEASE stop buying my books. Don't watch my movies. I neither want nor need your money. Deranged self obsessed people like yourself are a big part of why I don't want to interact with my "fans". Fuck off! :huglove:.

I really don't think it's disdain he feels for his fans. He's likely just ran into a few too many people like this...and he does have a family and a life outside of being "Stephen King".

jhanic
01-09-2008, 04:17 AM
I'd rather have King write new works than to spend time and effort on ANY bulletin board.

John

Jean
01-09-2008, 04:27 AM
... obligation???? I like it. The only obligation a writer has to other people, himself. or God, is to write books while he can. No message board doesn't even come into the picture, in my opinion.

Jimmy
01-09-2008, 04:32 AM
This site cries out for a Fan Mail forum.

I came here because in one of HIS books, there was something directing me to this site as a way to "contact" King. That has proved to be a lie that keeps me up nights.

Here's how I'd administrate the forum:

1) A sticky at the top, from King, preferably. Something along the lines of how he doesn't have time to respond to all mail personally, but enjoys seeing people's responses to his work. He should also lay out the following two administrative rules for the forum.

The entire sticky can be a nice lie to Constant Reader as far as I am concerned. The point is to create the ILLUSION that people can in some way actually interact with King himself. We buy his lies in hardback, paperback, and on DVD and audiobook. We'll buy this one in cyberspace, too. Trust me on this.

2) EVERY post in this forum will be closed immediately upon posting. The Original Poster may edit their post if desired, but there should be NO discussion. Each thread will be treated as if it were an actual letter.

3) Posters are allowed no more than one post to that forum every 3 months.


----------

I came to this site hoping to "feel closer" to King and the people who love his work. Instead, I feel cheated and angry...angry enough that it HAS been keeping me up nights, thinking about how to say some of the things I want to say around here without being banned.

One thing I've definitely had confirmed by visiting King's site, though: I've long suspected him of fearing, resenting, and outright distaining his fanbase. I can *understand* his need for his own life, his privacy, and his time...really, I can. I don't think King "owes" me anything...his gifts to "me" and the rest of the Constant Readers are his works and worlds. For those, I am grateful. But this site makes me feel like something dirty, someone unwelcome, a child who has piddled down her leg once to many to be trusted in the ForSpecial Parlor.

Having a forum where fans can at least express their gratitude would go a LONG way toward alleviating those feelings.

I don't expect him to read it, for Pete's sake. But I sure would like to be able to at least write it with the illusion that he *might*.

Wilkes, Annie Wilkes? You have a telephone call at the front desk. That's Annie Wilkes. You have a telephone call at the frost desk. Thank you.

OchrisO
01-09-2008, 04:41 AM
If I ever manage to be lucky enough to have something published and build a fan base, I will be so grateful for people reading my stuff and allowing me to get paid to write that I will take every chance I have to interact with my fanbase. I bet if the internet had been around in 1974 when Stephen King was a struggling writer, he would have been all up in some forums wanting to talk to his readers about what they thought about Carrie. *shrug* Being famous makes it easy to not be interested in fan interaction, I suppose. I think, in a lot of cases, it is tied to humility, and with that level of fame, humility probably isn't all that easy.

I don't know about King's obligation to fans, but if there were to be published and people were dropping money on my books, I'd very much feel a personal obligation to my fanbase, especially if I were a professional writer, and didn't have some other job to make sure the bills were paid. *shrug*

I can certainly understand a very famous author not wanting to do a lot of book signings, especially later in life when it would get very tiresome and, depending on your level of popularity, rather dangerous, but a little messageboard interaction never killed an author that I know of. :)

If I ever sit down long enough to finish a book and somehow manage to trick some company into publishing it, you can guarantee that I will be all up in my forums, annoying the shit out of everyone who posts. haha.

Brice
01-09-2008, 04:49 AM
If I ever manage to be lucky enough to have something published and build a fan base, I will be so grateful for people reading my stuff and allowing me to get paid to write that I will take every chance I have to interact with my fanbase. I bet if the internet had been around in 1974 when Stephen King was a struggling writer, he would have been all up in some forums wanting to talk to his readers about what they thought about Carrie. *shrug* Being famous makes it easy to not be interested in fan interaction, I suppose. I think, in a lot of cases, it is tied to humility, and with that level of fame, humility probably isn't all that easy.

I don't know about King's obligation to fans, but if there were to be published and people were dropping money on my books, I'd very much feel a personal obligation to my fanbase, especially if I were a professional writer, and didn't have some other job to make sure the bills were paid. *shrug*

I can certainly understand a very famous author not wanting to do a lot of book signings, especially later in life when it would get very tiresome and, depending on your level of popularity, rather dangerous, but a little messageboard interaction never killed an author that I know of. :)

If I ever sit down long enough to finish a book and somehow manage to trick some company into publishing it, you can guarantee that I will be all up in my forums, annoying the shit out of everyone who posts. haha.

While I agree with you in some respects I think a few too many crazies might make you less likely to want to deal with these people.

OchrisO
01-09-2008, 04:52 AM
Crazy people are my bread and butter. If I could write a really amazing novel, a few pretty solid ones, maybe a short story collection and then be killed by a rabid fan in some very creative manner at a book signing somewhere in the Midwest, I'd high-5 the first person I saw in the afterlife and yell "BEAT THAT MOTHERFUCKERS!"

Jean
01-09-2008, 04:58 AM
personally, emotionally I agree with OchrisO, - but it would be your/my free choice, our honor and pleasure... but not an obligation.

Brice
01-09-2008, 04:59 AM
:rofl:

I agree with Jimmy the girl who posted that is Annie Wilkes.

Jimmy
01-09-2008, 05:03 AM
If I ever manage to be lucky enough to have something published and build a fan base, I will be so grateful for people reading my stuff and allowing me to get paid to write that I will take every chance I have to interact with my fanbase. I bet if the internet had been around in 1974 when Stephen King was a struggling writer, he would have been all up in some forums wanting to talk to his readers about what they thought about Carrie. *shrug* Being famous makes it easy to not be interested in fan interaction, I suppose. I think, in a lot of cases, it is tied to humility, and with that level of fame, humility probably isn't all that easy.

I don't know about King's obligation to fans, but if there were to be published and people were dropping money on my books, I'd very much feel a personal obligation to my fanbase, especially if I were a professional writer, and didn't have some other job to make sure the bills were paid. *shrug*

I can certainly understand a very famous author not wanting to do a lot of book signings, especially later in life when it would get very tiresome and, depending on your level of popularity, rather dangerous, but a little messageboard interaction never killed an author that I know of. :)

If I ever sit down long enough to finish a book and somehow manage to trick some company into publishing it, you can guarantee that I will be all up in my forums, annoying the shit out of everyone who posts. haha.

Would you be so inclined to do so if one night your wife found a knife wielding man in your kitchen claiming that you'd stolen the idea for one of your books from his life? That happened to Tabitha King back in the 80's or early 90's.

I've always heard the yarn spun about how King is always gracious to his fans when he meets them. After his accident he had physical therapy in Boston, and the story was, when he'd go for walks, people would recognize him and he'd speak to them for a few minutes and then continue on his way.
He doesn't have to take time out of his life to talk to us, but when he can, he does.

Jimmy
01-09-2008, 05:06 AM
Crazy people are my bread and butter. If I could write a really amazing novel, a few pretty solid ones, maybe a short story collection and then be killed by a rabid fan in some very creative manner at a book signing somewhere in the Midwest, I'd high-5 the first person I saw in the afterlife and yell "BEAT THAT MOTHERFUCKERS!"

You'd better hope that that motherfucker in question isn't Socrates, cause you'd have been beaten.

GREAT post by the way. :lol: :thumbsup:

OchrisO
01-09-2008, 05:10 AM
If I ever manage to be lucky enough to have something published and build a fan base, I will be so grateful for people reading my stuff and allowing me to get paid to write that I will take every chance I have to interact with my fanbase. I bet if the internet had been around in 1974 when Stephen King was a struggling writer, he would have been all up in some forums wanting to talk to his readers about what they thought about Carrie. *shrug* Being famous makes it easy to not be interested in fan interaction, I suppose. I think, in a lot of cases, it is tied to humility, and with that level of fame, humility probably isn't all that easy.

I don't know about King's obligation to fans, but if there were to be published and people were dropping money on my books, I'd very much feel a personal obligation to my fanbase, especially if I were a professional writer, and didn't have some other job to make sure the bills were paid. *shrug*

I can certainly understand a very famous author not wanting to do a lot of book signings, especially later in life when it would get very tiresome and, depending on your level of popularity, rather dangerous, but a little messageboard interaction never killed an author that I know of. :)

If I ever sit down long enough to finish a book and somehow manage to trick some company into publishing it, you can guarantee that I will be all up in my forums, annoying the shit out of everyone who posts. haha.

Would you be so inclined to do so if one night your wife found a knife wielding man in your kitchen claiming that you'd stolen the idea for one of your books from his life? That happened to Tabitha King back in the 80's or early 90's.

I've always heard the yarn spun about how King is always gracious to his fans when he meets them. After his accident he had physical therapy in Boston, and the story was, when he'd go for walks, people would recognize him and he'd speak to them for a few minutes and then continue on his way.
He doesn't have to take time out of his life to talk to us, but when he can, he does.



Well, for one, I will never, ever have a wife or kids. However, were I successful writer and for some crazy reason, decided to actually marry someone, the wife would have to know that it would make me super happy to go out in some crazy manner at a book signing, and if she were a writer like Tabitha King is, she'd have to be pretty into it as well, if the marriage and our writing careers were going to work out. Plus, if I were to ever actually marry someone, chances are that she would be completely, bat-shit insane. So, the short answer is yes, I'd still feel that way. I'd probably be pretty pissed if my wife were killed first and I were left alive to deal with it, though.

Jimmy
01-09-2008, 05:13 AM
Well, for one, I will never, ever have a wife or kids. However, were I successful writer and for some crazy reason, decided to actually marry someone, the wife would have to know that it would make me super happy to go out in some crazy manner at a book signing, and if she were a writer like Tabitha King is, she'd have to be pretty into it as well, if the marriage and our writing careers were going to work out. Plus, if I were to ever actually marry someone, chances are taht they would be completely, bat-shit insane. So, the short answer is yes, I'd still feel that way. I'd probably be pretty pissed if my wife were killed first and I were left alive to deal with it, though.

http://www.eharmony.com/

Just put "bat-shit insane writer/martial artist" in your list of wants and you'll be good to go.

OchrisO
01-09-2008, 05:15 AM
:rofl:

I don't want to get married, though. I feel much more comfortable cooking up these life goals and trying to execute them without someone to bog me down. :)

Jimmy
01-09-2008, 05:19 AM
:rofl:

I don't want to get married, though. I feel much more comfortable cooking up these life goals and trying to execute them without someone to bog me down. :)

King once wrote a book about a young girl that he didn't like so he threw it away. Luckily Tabitha pulled it out of the trash, read it and had him submit it. Without Tabitha King, we would've never had "Carrie" and we might never have gotten Stephen King.

Sometimes, wives don't bog writers down, they raise them up. ;)

OchrisO
01-09-2008, 05:23 AM
It wouldn't bog down my writing. I might end up getting complacent with living a long life of a normal writer and end up not wanting to go out in a blaze of glory, though. Then I'd probably feel some sort of obligation to said wife and stop drinking and doing drugs as well. Then, it would be no time before I became a crankypants like Stephen King and stopped wanting to interact with my fans(aaaaaaaaaand back on topic). :) :) :)

Darkthoughts
01-09-2008, 06:48 AM
Let me pick up that "back on topic" baton and run with it :lol:

The letter wasn't psychotic imo, obsessive yes, but not Annie Wilkes material - I thought it was more taking umbrage at what they percieved to be misinformation.

I don't know in which book they'd got the impression that you could interact with King on the site from, but obviously that misunderstanding was the source of their frustration.

I found the site to be really frustrating, but only because I'd been a member for two weeks and still couldn't post for some reason - but I simply chose not to carry on there instead of ranting :lol:

I agree with Chris, authors can interact on the net with fans, without letting it overrun their priorities - like Gaiman, JK Rowling has a fan questions section that make it more interactive than King's site. They basically pick from submitted questions/polled questions and answer on a monthly basis. Authors like Darren Shan or say director Kevin Smith, go one step further and are on their sites on a daily basis.

But as far as SK is concerned, chatting on forums might just not be his bag.
I do however think that anyone who has a fan base and earns their wage because of their fan base does have an obligation to their fans. But I think SK meets that obligation brilliantly - he's given us new books, he does signings, he gives interviews, he has a site where information is easily available - thats all it entails to me :)

jhanic
01-09-2008, 07:04 AM
Very well said, Darkthoughts!

John

Darkthoughts
01-09-2008, 07:05 AM
Say thank ya ;)

Wuducynn
01-09-2008, 09:34 AM
My questions to you are:


What if any obligation does King have to respond to his fans?
What if any obligation does King have to his own message board?

Link (http://www.stephenking.com/forums/showthread.php?p=100510)

The answers are "None" and "None". This person is a typical, "entitlement mentality" bitch, who desperately needs to get themselves a life.

Ruthful
01-09-2008, 11:19 AM
Authors like Darren Shan or say director Kevin Smith, go one step further and are on their sites on a daily basis.


I think Smith is exceptional in this way though. He's obsessive when it comes to monitoring public opinion, re: his projects, which I don't think is a problem for most directors. Plus, he's a computer nerd.

If I were into comics I could imagine getting into an argument about whether it would be easier for The Silver Surfer to beat Thanos or Magneto on some comic-themed message board, and Smith, posting under some online pseudonym, telling me what an asshole I was because I thought Thanos would be able to defeat him, and me replying that he's a total douchebag if he thinks that's the case.

Daghain
01-09-2008, 01:13 PM
This site cries out for a Fan Mail forum.

I came here because in one of HIS books, there was something directing me to this site as a way to "contact" King. That has proved to be a lie that keeps me up nights.

Here's how I'd administrate the forum:

1) A sticky at the top, from King, preferably. Something along the lines of how he doesn't have time to respond to all mail personally, but enjoys seeing people's responses to his work. He should also lay out the following two administrative rules for the forum.

The entire sticky can be a nice lie to Constant Reader as far as I am concerned. The point is to create the ILLUSION that people can in some way actually interact with King himself. We buy his lies in hardback, paperback, and on DVD and audiobook. We'll buy this one in cyberspace, too. Trust me on this.

2) EVERY post in this forum will be closed immediately upon posting. The Original Poster may edit their post if desired, but there should be NO discussion. Each thread will be treated as if it were an actual letter.

3) Posters are allowed no more than one post to that forum every 3 months.


----------

I came to this site hoping to "feel closer" to King and the people who love his work. Instead, I feel cheated and angry...angry enough that it HAS been keeping me up nights, thinking about how to say some of the things I want to say around here without being banned.

One thing I've definitely had confirmed by visiting King's site, though: I've long suspected him of fearing, resenting, and outright distaining his fanbase. I can *understand* his need for his own life, his privacy, and his time...really, I can. I don't think King "owes" me anything...his gifts to "me" and the rest of the Constant Readers are his works and worlds. For those, I am grateful. But this site makes me feel like something dirty, someone unwelcome, a child who has piddled down her leg once to many to be trusted in the ForSpecial Parlor.

Having a forum where fans can at least express their gratitude would go a LONG way toward alleviating those feelings.

I don't expect him to read it, for Pete's sake. But I sure would like to be able to at least write it with the illusion that he *might*.

Wilkes, Annie Wilkes? You have a telephone call at the front desk. That's Annie Wilkes. You have a telephone call at the frost desk. Thank you.

I just snorted Guinness out of my nose at this. :lol:

Bethany
01-09-2008, 02:48 PM
he owes me nothing. his job is to write the books, our job is to read them. if there's some interaction, great. if not, great.

Sai Joshua
01-09-2008, 03:43 PM
I agree that King should not have any responsibility to his readers as far as daily interaction goes, unless it is his choosing. It would be NICE however to see him maybe put a thread on here every now and then when he is in the mood to do so. It would certainly be a nice way of saying, " Hey thanks for taking interest in my books!" I am not looking for this to happen anytime in the near future.

Heather19
01-09-2008, 04:50 PM
I do however think that anyone who has a fan base and earns their wage because of their fan base does have an obligation to their fans. But I think SK meets that obligation brilliantly - he's given us new books, he does signings, he gives interviews, he has a site where information is easily available - thats all it entails to me :)

I agree. They wouldn't be where they are without their fans, and therefore I think they need to respect their fans. I'm not saying they need to go out of their way and start posting on a message board or anything, but to just be polite and respectful were they to meet a fan somewhere. And I think King does a fine job at that.

jayson
01-09-2008, 05:03 PM
I'd say he owes me my money back for Lisey's Story but I don't want to make Lisa cry. ;)

ATG
01-10-2008, 07:15 AM
Well, for one, I will never, ever have a wife or kids. However, were I successful writer and for some crazy reason, decided to actually marry someone, the wife would have to know that it would make me super happy to go out in some crazy manner at a book signing, and if she were a writer like Tabitha King is, she'd have to be pretty into it as well, if the marriage and our writing careers were going to work out. Plus, if I were to ever actually marry someone, chances are taht they would be completely, bat-shit insane. So, the short answer is yes, I'd still feel that way. I'd probably be pretty pissed if my wife were killed first and I were left alive to deal with it, though.

http://www.eharmony.com/

Just put "bat-shit insane writer/martial artist" in your list of wants and you'll be good to go.


That made me laugh. But I suspect it may be an interest thing with him.

Wuducynn
01-10-2008, 07:21 AM
I do however think that anyone who has a fan base and earns their wage because of their fan base does have an obligation to their fans

What obligation does King have?

Darkthoughts
01-10-2008, 01:22 PM
Read my whole post, I've said what I think can be reasonably expected by fans, and also that I think SK forfills said obligation ;)

Darkthoughts
01-10-2008, 01:27 PM
If I were into comics I could imagine getting into an argument about whether it would be easier for The Silver Surfer to beat Thanos or Magneto on some comic-themed message board, and Smith, posting under some online pseudonym, telling me what an asshole I was because I thought Thanos would be able to defeat him, and me replying that he's a total douchebag if he thinks that's the case.

:rofl: Yep, he is overly fond of verbally bitch slapping people. But he's cleverly surrounded himself with people who consider him and his every word to be god like, so you suffer anihilation by the entire board if you challenge him.

I was a member of the old View Askew board for about 5 years, it was cool, he did alot for his fans (hell, he gave Smalls a job!!) but I got fed up with the sycophantic nature of the general fanbase after time.

jayson
01-10-2008, 01:39 PM
...but I got fed up with the sycophantic nature of the general fanbase after time.

I've had similar feelings about Mr. Smith's fans and I never even experienced the ViewAskew forum. Then again, I spent many many years in NJ where he is viewed as some form of the Man Jesus.

On another Kevin Smith note, I went to High School with Brian O'Halloran, who played Dante in the Clerks films. He was a year ahead of me, though his senior year and my junior year we were pretty good friends. I lost contact with him when he went to college, and when I first saw Clerks in the theatre I blurted out "holy shit! I know that guy." I also attended a community college in NJ once upon a time and took a creative writing class with both Kevin and his friend Bryan [who grew up to be Steve-Dave in Kevin's movies]. I wasn't "friends" with either of them, but we were friendly in class [prob because we were the only two people who could write].

Ruthful
01-10-2008, 02:14 PM
He does bear a striking resemblance to Emmanuel.

http://www.utilitarianism.com/jesus-christ.jpg

http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2006-07-20/cover_story-1.jpg

If you can get past the rolls of belly-fat and glasses.

Darkthoughts
01-10-2008, 02:16 PM
*guffaws*

Wuducynn
01-10-2008, 02:32 PM
Read my whole post, I've said what I think can be reasonably expected by fans, and also that I think SK forfills said obligation ;)

So, you feel he's obliged to write new books, and do signings and have a website available because folk have bought his books? I don't buy into that idea, that he is obliged to do anything.

Darkthoughts
01-10-2008, 02:57 PM
I don't feel there's a set of obligations written in stone, but they were examples of ways I think someone with a fan base could consider themselves obligated, as opposed to fans demanding one on one attention which is just unrealistic.

But yes, I do feel anyone earning a wage from their fan base has a basic obligation of respect to their fans...don't you?

jhanic
01-10-2008, 03:14 PM
No. I think his only obligation to his fans is to keep producing works as long as he wants to. Anything more than that is icing on the cake.

John

Darkthoughts
01-10-2008, 03:27 PM
Well, if I put it in a different context perhaps my point might be better understood.
If you had an author who ignored his/her fans in public, never signed anything, didn't give interviews etc - wouldn't you think they were rude?

Ruthful
01-10-2008, 03:47 PM
I'd think he was J.D Salinger.

jhanic
01-10-2008, 04:11 PM
Or Harper Lee.

John

Heather19
01-10-2008, 04:14 PM
Well, if I put it in a different context perhaps my point might be better understood.
If you had an author who ignored his/her fans in public, never signed anything, didn't give interviews etc - wouldn't you think they were rude?

Don't worry, I completely agree with you and feel the same way. You have to respect your fanbase, because they're the ones that are letting you continue to write your stories and do what you enjoy doing.
If an author was to go out and publicly put down his fans or be rude to them, I can't imagine the fans would continue to pick up that person's work and buy their stories knowing how that person really is.

sarah
01-10-2008, 04:22 PM
BTW, I happen to agree with her point that King does exhibit a certain disdain for his fans-although, I don't think it's something he tries to mask with a veil of insincerity, which I can appreciate. The only thing I would say in his defense is that he doesn't really have any obligation to his fans other than producing quality work-to me it's rather irrelevant whether or not he has a high opinion of me as an individual.



yeah, I agree. I mean he did pretty much tell all his fans to "fuck off" at the end of The Dark Tower and here we all sit discussing endlessly. Why? Because we fucking love it. We the fans love his work. Thank you for writing it but he did his "job", imo. He wrote it and sent it to be published. The Publishers have him do signings and readings and appearances as part of his contract. I'm sure he likes or even loves that part of it. But he really doesn't owe any of us gratitude over and over again for reading his material.

jhanic
01-10-2008, 04:26 PM
Heather, I really have to disagree with you. What means most to me (and I think to most readers) is the quality of the story being told, not the person telling it. (Don't forget, King said it himself: "It's the story, not who's telling it".) From everything I've heard, most authors (although NOT King!) are fairly self-involved asses, who care only about their writings. This of course is a generality, and there are plenty of exceptions, but, I think that in the literary world in general, it's true. Not everyone wants to be liked by everyone. I think the entire fantasy/horror/sf world is NOT like this, for the most part. But in the other realms, it's true.

John

Heather19
01-10-2008, 05:03 PM
I agree that the story definately does matter. I probably didn't use a very good example, but all that I was trying to get across was that I feel the authors should appreciate their fans, because they're the ones that allow them to do what they want to do.
For any type of celebrity, I think they should treat the fans well, they can only gain from that. Do they all? I doubt it, and I think that could sway some away from them.

jayson
01-10-2008, 05:23 PM
yeah, I agree. I mean he did pretty much tell all his fans to "fuck off" at the end of The Dark Tower

Oh thank Gan somebody else sees it like that! Not only did he tell us to fuck off, but in his doing so he made a reference to the Grey Havens from Lord of the Rings and his reference was WRONG!!!! Nobody sailed FOR the Grey Havens from Middle Earth, the Grey Havens were in Middle Earth and that is where the ships sailed FROM. I got a kick out of that because it was my fuck you back to Sai King. He got it wrong so I figured I could ignore his warning and keep reading after he said to stop.

ATG
01-10-2008, 10:07 PM
Well, if I put it in a different context perhaps my point might be better understood.
If you had an author who ignored his/her fans in public, never signed anything, didn't give interviews etc - wouldn't you think they were rude?


Just because they become famous the lose their right to privacy?

Dean Koontz lives in Orange County, I've had the pleasure of going to several of his signings.

I also have seen him at his favorite place to eat out several times and I would never consider bothering him, and would think anyone who did as rude.

People should expect a good read for their dollar and not a thing more.

OchrisO
01-10-2008, 10:09 PM
That'd be true if humans weren't a social creature and we were just robots reading and cataloging information.

Darkthoughts
01-11-2008, 07:49 AM
I agree that the story definately does matter. I probably didn't use a very good example, but all that I was trying to get across was that I feel the authors should appreciate their fans, because they're the ones that allow them to do what they want to do.
For any type of celebrity, I think they should treat the fans well, they can only gain from that. Do they all? I doubt it, and I think that could sway some away from them.
Agreed!! I think Heather and I are struggling to put across our point because its easily misconstrued.
Neither of us are saying authors/artists/actors should devote their existence to their fans - I've highlighted part of Heather's quote and I think perhaps appreciation is a better word than obligation, the word obligation can be construed to mean too many other things ;)


Just because they become famous the lose their right to privacy?
I don't feel I implied that in anything I said. Nor do I believe it, everyone has a right to privacy :)

Also, like Chris said, we're people - if another person affects us with something they've said or written, we usually feel the need to convey that to the other person. Thats what fans are doing to the object of their fandom. Yeah I'm pretty sure it gets annoying after a while, but I think a small degree of it is to be expected...a small degree of it needs to be tolerated in the right situation (premieres, signings, general public events).
I would be too embarassed to approach someone famous if I saw them out enjoying some private time too, but not everyone is and it isn't disrespectful in its intention - quite the opposite.

But just incase you missed my original point, I think King gives his time very generously to his fans and I don't personally see fault with him :D

jayson
01-11-2008, 07:58 AM
I get what you're saying Lisa and I think "appreciation" does fit it better than "obligation." I still want my money back for Lisey's Story though ;)

Darkthoughts
01-11-2008, 07:59 AM
*sobs into pillow* :P

sarah
01-11-2008, 08:25 AM
I agree to a point about appreciation vs obligation.


Not to compare but, Cormac McCarthy doesn't give interviews or does book signings and he is a successful author.

Stephen King does like his fans to a point but he just moved on years ago. I truly believe that his accident and getting older and quitting drinking changed how he feels about his fans. I believe his likes them but just from a far. lol

alinda
01-11-2008, 08:26 AM
While all (or most ) of your comments are great, I'd like to say that
quite frequently SK shows up in my dreams. Besides the fact that I have a library where his books predominate in my home, and that I frequnt this place
(and others) dedicated to SK...I cant imagine asking for more!!

In fact I have thought that he has been on our sites annonimously and that
just makes me smile....I agree that writing/reading his books is as far as it should go. ( besides my dreams of course, I do enjoy the interaction w/him.)

Darkthoughts
01-11-2008, 08:30 AM
I appreciate wanting privacy, thats cool. If someone was rude to me though, and I was a fan of theirs for whatever reason - I'd be pissed (as long as I'd been courteous and unintrusive) because the appreciation/respect should be mutual between a fan and a *insert relevant word* :lol:

Wuducynn
01-11-2008, 05:19 PM
I don't feel there's a set of obligations written in stone, but they were examples of ways I think someone with a fan base could consider themselves obligated, as opposed to fans demanding one on one attention which is just unrealistic.

But yes, I do feel anyone earning a wage from their fan base has a basic obligation of respect to their fans...don't you?

No, I don't. You choose to buy his books and either like them or not, but this doesn't create any obligation on his part. He is not obliged to write books from now on, provide a message board, or to do signings or to reply to letters to him. Any of this from him is nice, great even and a real privalege but that is what it is, not from obligation.

Matt
01-11-2008, 06:49 PM
To me, its all based on selling the book, which is obviously the point.

A writer that is struggling will probably jump at the chance to be out in the public, get their name known. I bet King has done many a signing in his long career. Its like a rock band, you make all the money at the concert where people can actually see you and buy your stuff outright.

That grows by word of mouth until you are wildly famous like King.

Passed the money, its pretty much up to you. A person does the best they can to balance their writing with their family (which is very important to him) and find as much time as they can to interact with fans.

Who are, every now and then, raving lunatics. :ninja: Like the scary, creepy kind man...

I believe the man earned his privacy--but I would wait all night in the rain to catch him at a signing and try not to blush when he talked to me :blush:

Randall Flagg
01-11-2008, 07:46 PM
He is not obliged to write books from now on, provide a message board, or to do signings or to reply to letters to him. Any of this from him is nice, great even and a real privalege but that is what it is, not from obligation.

He was never obliged to have a message board, and he could discontinue the board at any time. I think it was/is/and will be disingenuous to operate the site (certainly at some cost-although you would be suprised at the amount of "free" effort that goes into it) without having a modicum of participation.
Christ! He writes for Entertainment Weekly. I presume he does so for two primary reasons-Exposure (advertsing vehicle to keep the King name in current culture) and remuneration!
Don't ever forget that King came from a VERY very (money wise) poor upbringing.
King is going to get; and I don't blame him, ever dollar he can.
All that being said, if any individual-whether it be Matt, AAron. Hannah, Dora etc. builds a website and allows contributions from readers/fans, thay have de-facto (IMO) comitted to a "reasonable" level of interaction and participation on their part.
Otherwise, just spend a few hundred bucks a year to own the domain, and rely on your publicist and publisher to provide publicity for your upcoming project.

An aside:

(Most every poster at the fully moderated King board is an annoying "hen").
I sometimes wonder if these people get out at night.
The subsequent responses were rarely intelligent (Other than Brice's) and mostly smileys.)
I think i will stop for now. Too many paranthetical statements.

Wuducynn
01-11-2008, 07:52 PM
He was never obliged to have a message board, and he could discontinue the board at any time. I think it was/is/and will be disingenuous to operate the site (certainly at some cost-although you would be suprised at the amount of "free" effort that goes into it) without having a modicum of participation.
Christ! He writes for Entertainment Weekly. I presume he does so for two primary reasons-Exposure (advertsing vehicle to keep the King name in current culture) and remuneration!
Don't ever forget that King came from a VERY very (money wise) poor upbringing.
King is going to get; and I don't blame him, ever dollar he can.
All that being said, if any individual-whether it be Matt, AAron. Hannah, Dora etc. builds a website and allows contributions from readers/fans, thay have de-facto (IMO) comitted to a "reasonable" level of interaction and participation on their part.
Otherwise, just spend a few hundred bucks a year to own the domain, and rely on your publicist and publisher to provide publicity for your upcoming project.

An aside:

(Most every poster at the fully moderated King board is an annoying "hen").
I sometimes wonder if these people get out at night.
The subsequent responses were rarely intelligent (Other than Brice's) and mostly smileys.)
I think i will stop for now. Too many paranthetical statements.


So, having a website or message board obligates him in someway? I'm a little unclear at what you're saying in this post Jerome.

ATG
01-11-2008, 07:59 PM
All that being said, if any individual-whether it be Matt, AAron. Hannah, Dora etc. builds a website and allows contributions from readers/fans, thay have de-facto (IMO) comitted to a "reasonable" level of interaction and participation on their part.
Otherwise, just spend a few hundred bucks a year to own the domain, and rely on your publicist and publisher to provide publicity for your upcoming project.




Baldy, owner of www.advrider.com never posts. I think he is sort of embarrassed by the thing it has become.

Randall Flagg
01-11-2008, 08:12 PM
If you (I), Stephen King, anyone creates an interactive site, you certainly have "created" an obligation.
That obligation could be to the hosting company (monetary), it could be to the person(s) who in the case of King's site moderate the board (free?, paid)?.
It certainly is to the people you anticipate will participate.
If you wish not to interact at all, then create a website that advertises-promotes your work, but is NOT interactive.
If you create something that not only allows, but by design encourages (certainly at a snails pace) fans to generate and participate in discussion about YOU, and YOUR works, then you have-IMO an obligation to "show up".
Does that mean you answer even one single fans post?
NO.
Should you "occasionaly" peak at the site?
Yes.
Should you (Keep in mind that should you only means IMO it would be a good business practice) on occasion actually post a thought or two, that unlike Entertainment Weekly you are not being paid for-
YES!
All of these are SHOULD YOU thoughts.
King obviously has enough money to only write for the "Muse" in his head.
He still writes, and more importantly, publishes. The only reason(s)for him to "sell" a story now are:
Money
Money
Money
(Attention)

Crimson, you tell me.

ATG
01-11-2008, 09:01 PM
This part of the complaint is answered;


http://www.stephenking.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3786

Wuducynn
01-12-2008, 04:18 AM
If you (I), Stephen King, anyone creates an interactive site, you certainly have "created" an obligation.
That obligation could be to the hosting company (monetary), it could be to the person(s) who in the case of King's site moderate the board (free?, paid)?.
It certainly is to the people you anticipate will participate.
If you wish not to interact at all, then create a website that advertises-promotes your work, but is NOT interactive.
If you create something that not only allows, but by design encourages (certainly at a snails pace) fans to generate and participate in discussion about YOU, and YOUR works, then you have-IMO an obligation to "show up".
Does that mean you answer even one single fans post?
NO.
Should you "occasionaly" peak at the site?
Yes.
Should you (Keep in mind that should you only means IMO it would be a good business practice) on occasion actually post a thought or two, that unlike Entertainment Weekly you are not being paid for-
YES!
All of these are SHOULD YOU thoughts.
King obviously has enough money to only write for the "Muse" in his head.
He still writes, and more importantly, publishes. The only reason(s)for him to "sell" a story now are:
Money
Money
Money
(Attention)

Crimson, you tell me.

Very interesting indeed. For me any obligation between anyone is always created by a contract or promise by a party. Not a "de facto" one either like "because so and so does something that makes it a contract" I don't believe in that.
If someone says "I will do such and such or pay for such and such" and puts there name on it, then an obligation is created. Same if two or more parties agree to something and there are promises made, then an obligation is created.
So just by the owning of a fan website and message board system. Just by writing books that lots of folk have bought,
just by having answered fan mail and e-mail in the past, does not obligate SK in anyway to do anything for the fanbase or anyone else. Yes, in creating a website he has obligations to the company he is using to host his website on, but there is a contract there.
But he is not obliged to look and/or correspond with fans on his website unless he's made some statement in some way that he will do so as part of an agreement with some party. Any use of his website/message board, any publication of his books that we get to buy is all a privalege on our part.
You can choose to not buy his books or to go to his websites, there is no obligation there and there is no obligation once you buy his products or visit his website unless you agree to terms of service, then there is an obligation. Again, that is a form of a contract.

OchrisO
01-12-2008, 12:12 PM
When most people use the word obligation, it can come in basically two forms, either a contract or vow, like you are talking about, or just a debt of gratitude. I'd imagine that most folks who are saying that King has some sort of obligation here are speaking of the later.

Randall Flagg
01-12-2008, 01:30 PM
When most people use the word obligation, it can come in basically two forms, either a contract or vow, like you are talking about, or just a debt of gratitude. I'd imagine that most folks who are saying that King has some sort of obligation here are speaking of the later.

Thank you OchrisO.
The latter is certainly what I am referring to.
Obviously King and I have no written contract (otherwise I would have something truly unique signed by him:thumbsup: ).
King is is many ways a Luddite, and I understand his reticence-for many reasons to be highly involved with his own website, I do however stand by my belief that it would be in his and the fans best interest if he occasionally "dropped in".

Wuducynn
01-12-2008, 03:26 PM
I agree it would be good of him to drop in and be involved. But the letter you posted made it seem like he is obliged to, which he is not.

Brice
01-12-2008, 07:29 PM
The subsequent responses were rarely intelligent (Other than Brice's) and mostly smileys.)

Thank you Jerome! :)

LadyHitchhiker
01-12-2008, 09:06 PM
I think if (s)he is that desperate to feel closer to SK they should move next door to him and hope that he doesn't pull a PPO out on them.

Ruthful
01-13-2008, 03:46 AM
LOL.

He probably has an electrified moat by this point.

You'd need to go all Dirty Dozen on his ass to get close to his mansion, probably.

ZoNeSeeK
01-22-2008, 07:42 PM
:lol:

I love the whole obligation thing - rofl

So what, we're the smelly, dying grandmother and SK is the "cant be fucked" grandson who _HAS_ to go visit "in case she dies".

Part of me kinda shies away at having any direct contact with any author who's books I love - at the moment, they have faces but are essentially these unknown creators and this allows me to absorb what they have to write about from a completely objective viewpoint. I appreciate the arms-length contact with fans.

I think the Luddite comment is a fair enough observation - his fan interaction in other ways (letters / junkets & signings) is pretty standard, its the message board interaction that this is all about. He probably just doesnt use the net or is interested in using a message board. PC's and the internet hardly feature in any of his work and generationally he didn't grow up with them.

Darkthoughts
01-23-2008, 01:44 PM
I must admit, I don't entirely agree with what I wrote :lol: Theres an element of what I'm actually trying to convey in there, I just can't express it correctly.

Matt
01-23-2008, 01:58 PM
I understand what you mean Lisa and I think I kind of agree.

My only point is that interaction with the fans is never really about the fans, its about exposure.

King is already totally exposed so I'm not sure it would make sense to him. I hate to break it down to dollars and cents but in my experience, that's what most things are really about.

I also agree with Zone when he said King just may not be a "net guy". I know it took him forever to switch to a word processor and I also know his generation (same as my parents) are not real great on technology.

Darkthoughts
01-23-2008, 02:06 PM
I totally agree on that (the net/generation thing) infact, I said it myself a page or two back ;) My dad hasn't got the hang of it (even though he thinks he has :lol: ), nor the interest in it.

jhanic
01-23-2008, 02:10 PM
I just turned 63 and am VERY comfortable with the net. Please don't generalize! :cool:

I do forget things sometimes, though. They say the memory is the second thing to go.



I don't remember what the first is! :P

John

Armand St Pierre
01-23-2008, 02:12 PM
I'd personally appreciate it if Steve was left with as much free time to write as possible.
I don't care if I ever meet him. I'd like to think that by enjoying the stories that he gives us, I am getting to know the side of him that really matters anyway.

As for his technological aptitude, he seems to be an early adopter to me...
King on You Tube

Darkthoughts
01-23-2008, 02:16 PM
I just turned 63

Dad?


:lol:

Matt
01-23-2008, 02:34 PM
I just turned 63 and am VERY comfortable with the net. Please don't generalize! :cool:

I do forget things sometimes, though. They say the memory is the second thing to go.



I don't remember what the first is! :P

John

Sorry John, I do hate to generalize which is why I used the word "tend". I really hope you are not an anomaly.

ZoNeSeeK
01-23-2008, 02:59 PM
Armand: Oh yeah, thats right, he;s mentioned pop internet stuff in his column before.

Does anyone know if he's ever done one of those "And Stephen King will be available on the 60 minutes website to field any questions viewers may have" things?

Or he could consider a message board just a discussion point, not 'letters' or communications directed at him. Send the guy's office an e-mail instead, perhaps?

Matt
01-23-2008, 03:02 PM
Ms. Mod always replies to people who want to contact him with...

"send me a PM and I'll get you the office address"

I assume she would read and forward any correspondence she felt was worthy right over to him.

Jorge
01-23-2008, 03:10 PM
So if I send a picture of my wang, is that worthy of a forwarding?

ZoNeSeeK
01-23-2008, 03:15 PM
I think you already know the answer to that, Jorge.

Jorge
01-23-2008, 03:17 PM
Maybe it'd be forwarded as if it were a really good joke.



Which it is, by the way. :'(

Matt
01-23-2008, 03:20 PM
So if I send a picture of my wang, is that worthy of a forwarding?

Jeeze--you are going to try that again Mike? :lol:

In all seriousness, I bet she sees a lot of that kind of stuff.

I wonder what happened to the bookmark I sent. :orely:

ZoNeSeeK
01-23-2008, 03:43 PM
Didn't you get a Merry Wangmas card from Jorge, Matt?

Randall Flagg
01-23-2008, 06:13 PM
So if I send a picture of my wang, is that worthy of a forwarding?
King wrote about playing with his "Wang" quite some time ago.
King was an early adopter of certain technologies.
He does however eschew the cell phone.


http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/2484/wangut3.jpg

ZoNeSeeK
01-23-2008, 07:15 PM
get it away!

Armand St Pierre
01-23-2008, 07:35 PM
it's actually kind of cute.

MaraJShakespeare
01-27-2008, 04:34 PM
If he doesn't expect a personal response- which he claims he doesn't- what is this fool so pissed off about? The letter is very unclear on that point, actually; exactly what is it about the website that's so offensive? Clearly, this is a person who's too busy projecting his own mental malfunctions upon others to make accurate judgements.

ZoNeSeeK
01-31-2008, 04:08 PM
Mara: exactly :) Maybe she was after a free fluffy toy or a fucking hug or something.

mia/susannah
02-12-2008, 03:34 PM
What a selfish irrational idiot.

If King responded to every fan who had something to say about his books then he would never have the time to write another book again. *whispers* he kind of has like millions of readers, i think

So, as logic dictates, you have people to handle your fanmail and they would probably select a certain amount to bring to your attention for whatever reason. And logic also dictates that the only definitive decision a writer of King's popularity can come to when considering interaction with his fanbase is having as little or no interaction as possible, because where would you draw the line?

And there's probably a whole stack of creative process reasons as to why you wouldnt interact with your online fanbase. Internet communities of fans are direct, present and immediate - it would distract or contaminate your thought processes when it comes to your work.

Writers stay writing and fans stay fanning, and leave it in peace.

Very Well said, ZoNeseek,I don't feel Stephen King owes his fans anything. I would much rather him be writing his books that trying to answer his fans. It would be nice for him to leave one post for everyone on the forums, addressesd to all his fans, not just one fan, and I believe he does.

Shiv
02-12-2008, 04:24 PM
I watched a television show where the commentator said that people (fans) shell out the money to pay for the opportunity to see or own something that celebrities are involved in. That in turn leads the people (fans) to believe that the celebrities OWE them back since they go out of their way to line a celebrities pockets. Silly people.

Celebrities, writers, actors, musicians, don't owe anyone anything. It's all business. King (other celebrities) supplies us with a product. If we want it we purchase said product. End deal. Enjoy product and move on. Only psychos and attention whores would expect further or personal interaction.

Mr. King, be careful. That letter writer sounds like Misery just waiting to happen.

Nerak
05-14-2008, 07:06 AM
"While serving as an ambassador for reading, I made a statement that was construed by certain right-wing bloggers and commentators as a knock on the US military. That wasn't my intention. I like the troops just fine, and respect the hell out of their brainpower. I know that most of them read, because I send them books when they ask, and a lot do. I will continue to provide this service. It's the war our politicians--many of whom have never heard a shot fired in anger--have sent them to fight that I have a problem with. But that is neither here nor there. What concerns me is how many high school students either read poorly or choose not to read at all, unless forced to do it. Part of the reason is cutbacks in educational money that the national government used to provide. Part of the reason has to do with mistaken initiatives like No Child Left Behind, which teaches kids to pass tests but not to think or to rejoice in the language arts. Most teachers loathe the No Child program, and I don't blame them. Kids who read poorly do poorly on their SATs and have bad or barely acceptable grade-point averages. Many will be faced with entry-level jobs like clerking and handing out burgers from the drive-thru window. The best option for many is the armed services, because they see a chance to continue their educations and/or learn a marketable skill. Many will wind up in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some will die, because this is an entry-level position where kids wind up getting shot at. I love their courage, I wish they were there for a better reason, and most of all I hope that my remarks won't detract from the real problem: too many kids in America read for pleasure on the text-screens of their phones and hardly anywhere else."
__________________


copied and pasted from his message board.

jayson
05-14-2008, 07:32 AM
Thanks for posting this Karen. I still agree with him. :)

Nerak
05-14-2008, 07:55 AM
Me too! :D

MonteGss
05-14-2008, 08:08 AM
Yes, thank you for posting that. I always agreed with him and I'm glad he put his thoughts in such a precise manner for everyone to read.

EXPLORER
05-14-2008, 08:14 AM
Me too! :D

Anyone who knows Mr King and all he does for his community as well as so many other deserving causes, programs and charities would have interpreted his inititial comments as he has redefined here. I know, I did! Mr King has always shown respect and a caring nature for our country and it's needs, our soilders for all they do, as well as students and thier potential futures. It is a shame that addressing the concerns regarding educational needs was perceived (by choice or ignorance) as a slight on a group which has indeed received much praise and support from Mr. Stephen King.

Daghain
05-14-2008, 08:23 AM
That's excellent. Thanks for posting, Karen!

alinda
05-14-2008, 08:43 AM
While I recieve notice such as this post directly
from Stephen King .com, I too want to thank you
Karen for posting this here for everyone to read.
I am also very gratified that the bruhaha has disapated.

mae
05-14-2008, 08:49 AM
Here's a PDF file with both messages Stephen posted on his site, for posterity's sake:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/85r3po

Nerak
05-14-2008, 09:50 AM
While I recieve notice such as this post directly
from Stephen King .com, I too want to thank you
Karen for posting this here for everyone to read.
I am also very gratified that the bruhaha has disapated.

I, too, am happy that it has abated.

iscream22
05-20-2008, 08:05 AM
true that

mia/susannah
05-20-2008, 08:12 AM
Thank you for this Nerak

Nerak
05-20-2008, 08:13 AM
welcome...

Patrick
05-22-2008, 10:42 PM
Excellent!

ZoNeSeeK
05-26-2008, 12:01 AM
Its always funny how it [criticism of the war] has to be carefully spelled out for some :)


pardon the pun!

razz
05-26-2008, 02:03 PM
well now that this has blown over, and Noel Sheppard has had his fifteen minutes of "fame", maybe someone can impede on HIS constitutional rights and he can quiet down

ZoNeSeeK
05-27-2008, 12:35 AM
hehe, touche :)

Brice
05-27-2008, 06:28 AM
I was accepted as a member at his board. ;)


:evil: Mwahahaha! :rofl:

Nerak
05-27-2008, 09:32 AM
GO BRICE!!!!

razz
05-27-2008, 03:20 PM
*claps dramatically and runs out*
i forgot to put water in my ramen. not pleasant when you use the microwave.