Moments like this make us grateful for the Twitter outrage machine. Two days ago, author and professor Nnedi Okorafor shared this wonderful news on Twitter.
My novel WHO FEARS DEATH has been optioned by @HBO & is now in early development as a TV series with George RR Martin as executive producer. pic.twitter.com/POF7Dj2hWP
— Nnedi Okorafor, PhD🕷️ (@Nnedi) July 10, 2017
Media outlets tend to jump on news like this. It is, after all, a biggie to have George R.R. Martin produce your book. Then Vice decided to tweak things a little: leave out the name of the writer, not for want of 140 characters 0.
George R.R. Martin is adapting an African sci-fi novel for TV: https://t.co/Heddcx9UMP pic.twitter.com/ws0O955LxG
— VICE (@VICE) July 11, 2017
Nnedi was, as we say here, ‘chocked’:
Wow, these people have even removed my NAME from my novel's cover in the tweet. Woooooooow, mschew. 😒. They don't even know details. https://t.co/HacaZKMRQi
— Nnedi Okorafor, PhD🕷️ (@Nnedi) July 11, 2017
And Americans came to the rescue, putting it to Vice in clear terms why their actions are wrong. See below:
Don’t be stupid
https://twitter.com/JustineLavaworm/status/884816713069592577
https://twitter.com/ABOSIOGBA/status/884817895922044928
https://twitter.com/weedsandroses/status/884824508770725888
Unless I'm missing something they just cropped the book cover top/bottom to make it fit. No photoshopping? Agreed it's still stupid. pic.twitter.com/TQPgwzcFA8
— Justin Davis (@ErrorJustin) July 12, 2017
No one's saying it was intentional, just that the erasure causes harm regardless of intention. Thereby Vice is to blame for harm done.
— Molly Cichy (@mollycichy) July 12, 2017
— Justin Davis (@ErrorJustin) July 12, 2017
Give credit
https://twitter.com/sschinke/status/884827719187419137
https://twitter.com/koboldskeep/status/884850850476179456
https://twitter.com/sschinke/status/884873006459125760
I think journalism died the day the internet was born… @Nnedi's WHO FEARS DEATH is in development w/@HBO Read More https://t.co/ymUNTRydeX pic.twitter.com/fz6r0hwrBN
— George RR Martin (@GRRMspeaking) July 11, 2017
Nnedi Okoroafor is more
https://twitter.com/mochaloca85/status/884822390521376774
"Executive Producer" is not the person doing the adaptation – nor is he the writer. Nnedi Okorafor is a Nebula and Hugo winning author. WTH?
— Adrienne: DCI #7801 🎶 (Taylor’s Version) (@DreamtimeDrinne) July 11, 2017
https://twitter.com/OlyaOliker/status/884823282565992450
Racial context
https://twitter.com/_AJCousins/status/884916365328617472
https://twitter.com/willaful/status/884937768312373248
https://twitter.com/honeyfoxspring/status/885014522859278337
You mention GRRM but not Nnedi Okorafor, the Nigerian-Amer author, & also CROP HER NAME OUT OF THE BOOK COVER? Also "African novel?" FAIL.
— (((mamagrainne))) ☮️💖💜💙🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (@mamagrainne) July 11, 2017
Here’s how it should be done
Here you go.. did it in literally THREE minutes on my IPHONE app. pic.twitter.com/qsBd81t0UR
— Pocha Concha✨🦋💗 (@daisie_doll) July 11, 2017
https://twitter.com/holden/status/884821914950049792
This definitely clears up the confusion I had. I literally thought it was something authored by Martin.
— Jesse Brauning 🇩🇴 (@jbrauning) July 11, 2017
I think thats the point. To confuse you and create interest with a brand name.
— Geoffrey Cramer (@gcramer30) July 12, 2017
https://twitter.com/RoguesClwydRhan/status/885055073038061568
And to summarise
https://twitter.com/KristineWyllys/status/884849614599454720
https://twitter.com/evyatron/status/884841330639241217
Yea.
