"Unwortham's Lies"

In January 1989, actor Paul Darrow penned an open letter to Blake’s 7 fandom that become a key part of The Blake's 7 Wars. He titled it "Unwortham's Lies." 
The letter was in response to an anonymous letter by Ann Wortham that had been circulating in Blake’s 7 fandom discussing Darrow's plans for a series of professional, for-profit conventions. 
Darrow's open letter, along with a letter from his wife, titled "Slash Fiction" by Janet Lees Price, were widely circulated and reprinted in at least two places: first in Avon Newsletter #35 (January 1989) and in The Federation Archives: First Addendum in February 1989
One of the key aspects of Paul Darrow’s letter is that it identifies the anonymous letter writer, using her legal name at least twenty times. For the purposes of this article, her name will remain abbreviated here. 
Mr. Darrow’s letter was in response to accusations that one or more actors and writers from the Blake’s 7 TV show were planning to organize for-profit conventions. These conventions, it was 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 displayed and sold. The anonymous letter can be read at the Open Letter by "Name Withheld By Request".
The first part of Darrow’s letter focuses on the accusations that professional conventions, in general, had damaged fan-run events in the past. The second section addresses the reasons behind Paul Darrow and Terry Nation’s plans for organizing for-profit conventions along with responses to some of the convention details as described in the “Name Withheld” letter.
Darrow’s letter offered 12 point-by-point responses to statements raised in the “Name Withheld” letter.
==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 merchandize 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, something that drove the costs up. Many fans felt as if their hobby was being taken over by people who were only out to make a buck. (cite??) The Star Trek convention experiences of the 1970s had been replicated across the United States Doctor Who fandom in the 1980s. (cite??) It is against this backdrop that both the “Name Withheld” letter and the two Darrow letters were written.
Without knowing exactly when the Darrow letters were released to fandom (ex: they may have circulated before publication in The Avon Club Newsletter), it is difficult to assess their full impact. Certainly many of the counter points and topics raised in the Darrow letters were used or quoted in fandom letters of comment in both US and UK letterzines (The Federation Archives, Pressure Point and Horizon Newsletter), so the impression is that the letters were eventually widely-circulated to those where were interested. Both Paul Darrow and Janet Lees-Price’s letters were republished in The Federation Archives: First Addendum which reportedly had a circulation of 200 subscribers.
==Paul Darrow’s Letter==
 
Paul Darrow’s letter opens by identifying the writer of the anonymous letter. This section is quoted in full here on Fanlore as it helps establish the letter’s tone.
===Fan-Run vs. Pro Conventions===
The letter then moves on to dissect the “Name Withheld” letter point by point. Not all points will be included in this summary.
In response to whether actor guests at fan-run conventions should be paid for socializing with fans:
As to whether the shift to professional conventions meant that fan-run conventions had been forced to start paying actor’s fees in order to remain competitive:
As to whether these actor fees were taking funds away from what the conventions normally would have given to local charities: 
As to whether the actors are only interested in money:
===For-Profit Convention Plans===
Paul Darrow’s letter then shifts into a discussion of his and Terry Nation’s plans for "profitable" conventions. This may have been one of the earliest public confirmations of their plans – up to this point, information regarding the conventions and their details had spread mainly via rumor, phone calls made by their fan convention organizer (Laurie Cohen) and word-of-mouth. 
The reasons why Darrow and Nation decided to organize professionally run conventions:
In response to whether these professional conventions were intended to replace fan-run events:
At this point, the letter turns to focus what they feel to be factual inaccuracies. One topic that the "Name Withheld" letter raised was whether the for-profit conventions would limit or control what was sold in the dealer’s room. A large portion of fan-run events is the buying and selling of fanzines and fan art, so the concern raised was a valid one to many fans.
This is the first time slash is mentioned as the "Name Withheld" letter did not raise the topic. Also, up to that point, the writer of the Name Withheld letter had written slash under a pseudonym.
Finally, the letter begins to discuss of some of the details of the planned professional conventions.
No additional clarification is offered as to what the venues might be, how much the convention might charge in commissions, or whether artists would be selected or approved. 
It does, however, touch on another key fear of fan-run convention organizers: would their access to actors as guests be eliminated by the introduction of “for-profit” conventions?
For more on this topic, see Terry Nation's comments in the January 1990 article Having scrambled British SF TV expectations, Terry Nation considers reshaping fan conventions.
===Conclusion: A Call To Take Sides===
The letter ends by asking fans to take sides: 
==Gallery==
File:Blakes 7 Wars UnW's Lies Letter by Paul Darrow Jan 1989 PUBLIC Page 1.jpg|page 1 of Paul Darrow's open letter
File:Blakes 7 Wars UnW's Lies Letter by Paul Darrow Jan 1989 PUBLIC Page 2.jpg|page 2
File:Blakes 7 Wars UnW's Lies Letter by Paul Darrow Jan 1989 PUBLIC Page 3.jpg|page 3
File:Blakes 7 Wars UnW's Lies Letter by Paul Darrow Jan 1989 PUBLIC Page 4.jpg|page 4
File:PaulDarrow PPilot Statement.jpg
==References==
Category:Meta in Print
 
Category:1989 Meta
Category:Blake's 7 Meta
Category:1989 Open Letters
Category:Blake's 7 Wars