The Internet and Potterama

[Caius Marcius]

> Nirjhar Jain wrote:
> 
> >     I have been wondering if Harry Potter would have been the
> phenomenon it is today if there were no Internet?
> > 
> >     Would Harry Potter have become so insanely popular if it were
> not for  all the HP discussion groups and fan sites on the 
internet.    
> <snip>
> >     Also, as a result of this do you think Jo Rowling's writing of
> > Harry Potter was influenced by this? Do you think Book 7 would be
> > different if Harry Potter had not been this popular?

I agree with Carol and others that HP would be about as popular even 
without the Internet - after, fandoms for Star Trek and Star Wars (to 
name only the most prominent) flourished in the pre-online era.

I think that the Internet's main effect has been the vast 
proliferation of creativity that it has inspired in HP fans.  
Predating the Internet, you'd have to be a pretty serious Star Trek 
fan to take all of the time and effort to create a 
story/novel/filk/drawing when it might be months before you could 
share your creation at the next fancon (or mimeographed newsletter 
with a 150 or so subscribers).  With the Internet, you can instantly 
submit your work to interested fans around the world, and get 
immediate feedback and discussion. Speaking for myself, I might have 
written an HP filk or two without the Internet, but filking would 
never have become the major ongoing project that it has over the last 
several years minus the forum that the Internet provides.

   - CMC