Ordover Wars

The Ordover Wars were a result of the 1997-1998 activity of John Ordover on several fan discussion groups.
On alt.tv.x-files.creative, it was a long-running series of flamewars, known as the Ordover Wars .The Woodwards. The Ordover Files, 01 January 1999. (Accessed 30 October 2010) For many participants, this constituted their first flamewar, their first encounter with a professional editor, and possibly their first direct exposure to disapproval of fanfic as not worthwhile. Ordover managed to sockpuppet himself (perhaps unintentionally, signing in from different accounts at work vs. at home), and generally caused ire and fannish solidarity, and despite its flameyness many old X-Philes recall the Ordover Wars with great fondness.
He did the same on alt.startrek.creative, where he also trumpeted his plan to get fans to write 'real', published work, by publishing an anthology of Star Trek short fiction. Several ASC fans were, in fact, published in the resultant anthology, Strange New Worlds.
==Some Fanworks Inspired by The Ordover Wars==
===Fiction===
* The Bridges of Ordover County, an X-Files parody fusion with The Bridges of Madison County (1999)
===A Poem===
==A Filk==
(ttto Leslie Fish's "Toast to Unknown Heroes") by Maureen O'Brien
: "One newcomer posts a challenge, and he hears a trumpet call:
: "Come share your work with all the world, oh, come and join us all!"
: But others hear derision that could make their visions stall:
: "The best that you have done, and do, is just a belly-crawl!"
: Honeyed words will catch more flies -- no surprise -- just be wise.
: Honey taste makes learning sweet -- dug-in feet cause defeat.
: Honey makes the medicine go down more pleasantly;
: Sour's killfiled presently -- Filter Thread -- Mark Thread Read.
: Some young and fledgling writer pokes her head out, posting loud:
: "My life and work's not worthless! This is my art, and I'm proud!"
: The newcomer hears stubbornness, and the mob act of a crowd.
: With equal stubbornness he posts...the rest, I'll kindly cloud.
: Honeyed words will catch more flies -- no surprise -- just be wise.
: Honey taste makes learning sweet -- dug-in feet cause defeat.
: Honey makes the medicine go down more pleasantly;
: Sour's killfiled presently -- Filter Thread -- Mark Thread Read.
: Oh, the real point is a point with which no one would disagree --
: That noone will turn pro merely by posts in this ng.
: All the rest is mess and haughtiness, off-topic as can be...
: Just let us write. What goal we cite's _our_ business, seems to me.
: Now this thread is at an end. No more. Send no more, friend.
: Now the New Year comes around. Joy abounds -- futures found --
: Now it's time to party like it is 1999!
: ('Cause it almost is....)
: Leave threads for champagne and wine -- Auld lang syne! Auld lang syne!"
==Some alt.startrek.creative Posts Containing Comments==
Fans are strongly urged to delve into the many, many comments on these Usenet groups! Be aware that some of these links go to posts that have multiple pages.
===1998===
* , August 8, 1998 (NOTE: this has 396 comments over 15 pages)
* , August 10, 1998
* , September 28, 1998
* Fanzines and the Internet or "Whither Thou Goest, Orion Press?", October 20, 1998
* , December 2, 1998
* Well, Mr. Ordover?: Archive, December 6, 1998
* , December 6, 1998
* , December 7, 1998
* , December 12, 1998
===1999===
* fanfiction: web or zine?, June 7, 1999 (NOTE: this has 284 posts over 12 pages)
* , June 25, 1999
* In support of Ordover, written as a response to The Bridges of Ordover County (October 11, 1999)
* , December 10, 1999
==Some alt.tv.x-files.creative Posts Containing Comments==
===1998===
* ; another archive link, December 10, 1998
* The Ordover Files, December 18, 1998
===1998===
* , October 10, 1999 (one of seven pages)
* To Mr. Ordover, with heartfelt thanks , October 10, 1999
* , October 11, 1999
* , October 11, 1999
* , October 15, 1999
==Some rec.arts.sf.written Posts Containing Comments==
* , April 27, 2000 (includes comments by Patrick Nielsen Hayden)
==Further Reading and Context==
* Black Fire, book and fan commentary (1983)
* Association for Readable TREK, a fan-proposed boycott by Julia Ecklar and Lisa Wahl (1983)
* Pocket Book's Star Trek Pro Novel Guidelines (1985)
* Writing Star Trek Fiction: Advice from A.C. Crispin, essay by Ann Miller (1985)
* Killing Time, book and fan commentary (1985)
* Some Notes on Writing for Publication, essay by A.C. Crispin (1985)
* How to Write a Star Trek Story, essay by Brian Wilkes (1986)
* Pocket Book's Star Trek Pro Novel Guidelines (1995)
* Ordover Wars, event and commentary (1997-1998)
* The Ordover Files, essay and commentary (1998)
* In support of Ordover, essay and discussion (1999)
* What is the problem you have with PocketBooks, essay by Randall Landers (early 2000s)
* (2000)
* Trek goes back to the fans, essay by Ron Moore (2005)
* , essay by Ellen Cheeseman-Meyer at Tor.com (December 2012)
==References==
Category:1997 Events
Category:1998 Events
Category:Fandom Wars