Diversity in Literature & Media (WAS book differences)

[datalaur]

No: HPFGUIDX 40550

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "cindysphynx" <cindysphynx at c...> wrote:
> For some reason, then, when Dean Thomas' *race* is changed, some 
> people become highly irritated.  What, exactly, is the difference 
> between what was done with Dean (setting aside inadvertent FLINT-y 
> matters such as the number of students remaining to be sorted) and 
> my hypothetical with Hanah Abbott [that she is in a wheelchair] or 
my hypothetical involving 
> Dean's height? [that he is described as tall]


There is NO difference.

I find all 3 changes equally offensive if not generated/approved by 
the author.  Evidently some editor person decided that their version 
of the story was better than JKR's.  I am equally annoyed by the 
removal of 'vault 711' information.  It's the non-authorial 
alteration of the work that bothers me; whether the 'improvement' is 
actually an improvement or not is irrelevant (and subjective). I'd go 
so far to say that even so-called 'obvious errors' should not be 
changed without author verification.

I don't want someone else deciding that they know better than the 
author.  Granted, most authors have to give up total control of their 
work and accept that editors can pretty much do whatever they 
please.  As a reader, I accept their contractual right to edit.  But 
I don't have to like it.  And I like it even less when the motivation 
appears to have some social basis (no matter that I actually approve 
of the net result in Dean's case, though the insertion was clumsily 
done).

This is one reason I stick with fanfic and don't bother trying to 
write pro.  While I love betas and am often convinced to make changes 
in my work, no one can demand that I do so.  

laur