Open Letter by "Name Withheld By Request"

In late 1988, an open letter began circulating in Blake’s 7 fandom . 
The letter was passed around at fannish events, slipped in zines being sold and included as a flyer in Blake’s 7 fanzines that were being sold at conventions and by mail. It was also printed in Avon Newsletter #35.
This letter was part of The Blake's 7 Wars.
The letter discussed a series of professionally run, “for profit” conventions in the US that would be organized by volunteer fans under the direction of some of the actors and writers of the Blake’s 7 TV show. These conventions, the letter argued, would compete with fan-run events and would place further restrictions on fannish activities, including on what type of artwork and fan fiction could be sold.
In early 1989, the letter was published in the US in Avon Club Newsletter #35 (February 1989), and in the letterzine The Federation Archives. Both of these publications included a supporting editorial and a call for additional letters of comment. 
==Anonymous vs Name Withheld By Request==
The letter was signed "Name Withheld By Request", and was often referred to as "anonymous" -- these are actually two different things. 
==Immediate Aftermath==
Fandom's response to the letter was vigorous. Many of the letters of comment were printed in a wide variety of US and UK letterzines such as The Federation Archives, Pressure Point and Horizon Letterzine. You can read these responses on their respective pages.
 
More significantly, the “Name Withheld” letter spurred numerous additional open letters: two from the Blake’s 7 actors (Paul Darrow) and his wife, Janet Lees Price (the Darrows’ Letters). A press release was also issued by Paul Darrow and Terry Nation about their planned pro convention tour, along with a letter from their fan coordinator, Laurie C. (the Paul Darrow/Terry Nation Press Release Packet). All three people took issue with the contents of the Name Withheld letter.
From here the debate spiraled out and grew until it became what many fans now call The Blake's 7 Wars.
==Background==
The earliest media conventions were Star Trek conventions organized by fans in the 1970s. These events were non-profit, volunteer run with the actors and TV show writers and directors often in attendance. As time went by, more and more professionally run conventions took over such as CreationCon. These events lacked many of the social amenities that fan run events had – if there was a dealer’s room, only licensed merchandise could be sold, not fanzines. There was no con suite, no fanzine library and no fan run panels. Additional charges applied to almost every event driving the costs up. Many fans felt as if their hobby was being taken over by people who were only out to make a buck. One example was Star Trek Chicago. Another example is the commentary in City on the Edge of Whatever Coloring Book. The Star Trek convention experiences of the 1970s had been replicated across US Doctor Who fandom in the 1980s. (cite??) It is against this backdrop that both the “Name Withheld” letter and the two Darrows’ letters were written.
==Three Pages==
As printed in Avon Newsletter #5:
Image:Blake's 7 Wars Anonymous Open Letter (1988) Page 1.jpg|page 1
Image:Blake's 7 Wars Anonymous Open Letter (1988) Page 2.jpg|page 2
Image:Blake's 7 Wars Anonymous Open Letter (1988) Page 3.jpg|page 3
==Letter==
==Later Comments by the Author==
==References==
Category:Blake's 7 Meta
Category:1988 Meta
Category:Meta in Print
Category:Blake's 7 Wars