MuggleNet

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MuggleNet
Type For-profit domestic corporation
Headquarters LaPorte, Indiana, USA
Key people Emerson Spartz
Owner Emerson Spartz[1]
Website www.mugglenet.com
Alexa rank 20,000 (approx. as of August 2011)[2]
Registration Optional
Available in English (U.S.)
Launched October 1999[3]
(Incorporated in 2007)

MuggleNet is a Harry Potter fansite founded by Emerson Spartz. The site is composed of news, editorials and synopses of the Harry Potter books and films, an encyclopedia of the books, an IRC network, in which the fans of Harry Potter can discuss predictions and share thoughts, a discussion forum, and media such as screenshots, theatrical trailers and book covers. There is also a fan fiction section, a weekly caption contest, and other occasional contests and polls. On August 9, 2005, it launched a podcast, dubbed MuggleCast, as well as its own line of clothing, toy wands, other merchandise. In 2006, MuggleNet released a best-selling reference book on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final book in the series. As of 2008, MuggleNet is owned by Spartz, Inc., an Indiana corporation registered by Emerson Spartz in 2007.[1] On May 29, 2010, MuggleNet 2.0, an updated version of the site, went live.[4]

Contents

Founder [edit]

Main article: Emerson Spartz

Emerson Spartz serves as the president, founder, and CEO of MuggleNet. As the MuggleNet CEO, he watches over a paid staff and volunteers.

Author and corporate relationships [edit]

MuggleNet benefits from friendly relations with J. K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books, and the producers of the films. She has praised MuggleNet on her website and has awarded it her "Fan Site Award".[5]

Rowling recounts on her website that she occasionally visits the site and sometimes reads the comments left by visitors, while never commenting herself. The author also stated that she visited the site's chat room and was snubbed when she anonymously joined in a conversation about Harry Potter theories.[6]

In July 2005, Rowling invited Spartz and Melissa Anelli, of The Leaky Cauldron, to Edinburgh, Scotland for an interview at her home on the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.[7] A transcript of the interview was posted on MuggleNet.[8] Warner Bros., the producers of the Harry Potter movies, regularly sends MuggleNet stills taken from the upcoming movies before they are released. The studio also provided MuggleNet staff with advance views of the new official website designs, as well as including staff in a video conference to discuss the new Harry Potter theme park at Universal Studios Florida.

Podcasts [edit]

Academia [edit]

Academia is a podcast that is hosted and produced by MuggleNet Senior Staff member Keith Hawk and the Hogwarts Professor, John Granger. Each podcast is referred to as a “Lesson” since the show revolves around a particular aspect of literature found within the Harry Potter book series by author J.K. Rowling.

The idea for the show was presented to the staff of MuggleNet by co-host John Granger, to revive the Potter Pundit podcast series that was originally held on several segments of Pottercast, the Leaky Cauldron website’s podcast. However, in the Academia version, an entire show would be dedicated to one theoretical discussion topic versus just a segment.

Each show features a “special guest” speaker, usually a professor or other specialist. A professional linguist, a judge, and an author have also appeared as the special guest of the show and future shows will continue to add to the variety of topics and lessons learned. Each show also features a “student guest,” which is typically a current student, graduate student, or recent graduate that excels in the field of each particular lesson.

The first lesson was released in April 2012 and the show has quickly climbed to be the second highest educational podcast on iTunes.[9] An iOS and Amazon mobile App are also available, which provide access to all of the normal lessons as well as periodic bonus material, typically in the format of an interview of a college or university professor who teaches a particular Harry Potter-themed course at their school.

Alohomora! [edit]

Founded in April 2012, Alohomora! aims to rekindle the excitement of when the “Harry Potter” series was new, fresh, and unknown.[10] Their slogan, “Open the Dumbledore,” refers to the nature of the project, which is to open doors and thoughts that had previously been locked or untouched.[11] It focuses on the original text of the books and takes segments or passages and analyzes them to a depth that has never been done before.

The initiative includes not only a companion section with forums, visitors essays (“Quibbles”), and thousands of daily debates but also a podcast. The four lead hosts, Noah Fried, Kat Miller, Caleb Graves, and Rosie Morris, release shows every other week to a global audience of tens of thousands. One of the best parts of the show is that every single week the hosts are joined by a “fan guest” – whether it be a twelve-year-old from Israel or a leading fandom guest such as Lev Grossman,[12] Steve Vander Ark,[13] or Warwick Davis.[14] The podcast itself includes in-depth analysis of chapters from the ‘‘Harry Potter’’ series, often paired with analysis of material from JK Rowling's Pottermore, a reading and discussion of listener comments, and various special features created by the hosts. Once a book of the series is finished, the podcast hosts celebrate with a live show and global viewing of the corresponding Warner Brothers film adaptation.[15]

Since its launch, ‘‘Alohomora!’’ has grown to include a store, at which various merchandise can be purchased (most directly related to theories spawned on the podcast), as well as an iPhone and Android app which includes extra content direct from the hosts.[16]

And we simply must ask, would YOU eat the Desk!Pig?

MuggleCast [edit]

Main article: MuggleCast

MuggleCast launched in August 2005 when podcasts were still up and coming. Inspired by the passion within the Harry Potter community, MuggleNet staff members Andrew, Ben, and Kevin created a short podcast to discuss some of the recent Harry Potter news and the just-released Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The reception from MuggleNet's audience was great, so the team expanded the shows with a wealth of new co-hosts and content.

MuggleNet AudioFictions [edit]

MuggleNet Fan Fiction’s AudioFictions podcast strives to ensure that, as its slogan states, “the magic lives beyond the books.” The show’s readers bring to life the stories written by Harry Potter fans and posted to MuggleNet Fan Fiction, with original, character-based interstitials to interlock the fictions. The show invites listeners to participate in creating its content by nominating fictions and participating in contests. The program releases via iTunes, Libsyn and the Internet Archive on a bi-weekly basis, featuring at least two new readings per episode. AudioFictions can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Launched on January 3 of 2009,[17] AudioFictions was originally founded by MuggleNet Fan Fiction (MNFF) staff member Rosie Morris (known by her MNFF username, Roxy Black). The program’s goal is to bring Harry Potter fan fiction to fans around the globe in a new way, with recorded readings by the AudioFictions Readers, known as “MerMuggles” (a portmanteau of “Merpeople” and “Muggle,” in reference to the program’s operations being centered in the MuggleNet Fan Fiction Beta Board's Black Lake thread). The original team, led by Rosie, consisted of Clare Mansfield, kiley, Schmerg_the_Impaler, and Weasleykitty (all of whom have since retired), as well as current MerMuggles Equinox Chick, Jessie Lights, Lupinpatronus, and Nixemus (who composed the show’s original music). Other MerMuggles who joined the show later but have since retired include sajomn, Eratosthenese, Faerie Dust, Finest Firewhisky, type-n-shadow, and coolh5000.

AudioFictions experienced a low-key revision in early 2010, with Nixemus stepping into the role of Project Manager. Nixemus also created and filled the new Host role and brought the show closer to its current format. In late 2010, Lupinpatronus was promoted to Project Manager and Host, adding new MerMuggle Readers[18] Apollonious, Chadadada17, and theGreatOm to the lineup. Lupinpatronus also created the Editor role[19] for Audiofictions, bringing Granger7, pinkdude64, and stevenrankin onto the team. Under Lupinpatronus’s direction, and following a lengthy absence and revision, Audiofictions was quietly relaunched in 2011 with a new format and release schedule. This format was, again, modified before the show’s major relaunch in 2012.[20]

Features [edit]

MuggleNet Interactive [edit]

MuggleNet Interactive
Type Non-profit organization
Website interactive.mugglenet.com
Registration Required
Available in English (U.S.)
Launched July 1, 2003

MuggleNet Interactive (often shortened to MNI) is a website spin-off of MuggleNet. It is an online forum, where users can interact with other users in a Hogwarts setting. In addition to the general chat areas, the site is known for its diverse offerings, including the roleplaying area, the blog-style Chamber of Secrets, the high-speed trivia games of the Quidditch Pitch, and the professor-led classes taught in a Socratic method. Semiannual House Cup competitions encourage house unity and often allow "students" to compete for honors in contests with essays, graphics, or other media. The MNI community also celebrates many holidays, as well as the shared birthday of Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling, with a "Ball" in the otherwise closed Great Hall. Many site secrets are hidden throughout MNI’s pages, and are often sought for their galleon rewards, but speaking of them on-site is forbidden. The many distinct components of the site contribute to the diverse community that it attracts.

The site was originally formed from "Personality Quiz" made in 2000, which was later adapted for the fuller version of the site as a Sorting Hat. Over the years, sections such as a Diagon Alley shopping area, a Dueling Game, Flourish and Blotts fan fiction library, quizzes, Quidditch and other subsections outside of the forum structure were incorporated into the site. The staff hierarchy was originally modeled after the faculty structure at Hogwarts with Headmaster/Headmistress as the main site administrator overseeing moderating prefects and class-leading professors, but over time, non-canon positions such as programmers, artists, and quiz masters have been added in addition to other Harry Potter-themed appointments.

MuggleSpace [edit]

Launched during the Christmas holidays of 2008, MuggleSpace is a fan-based social network.[21] The site contains a number of entertaining and engaging features including a live group and private chat (monitored and participated in frequently by site moderators); blogs where users share their personal creations and comment on the works of others, such as novels, poems, fan fiction, or their own thoughts on the Potter world; and groups where users actively role-play or show support for their favorite fandoms, causes, or fellow members. Other features include photos, videos, and discussion forums. Photos and content posted in groups make up 80% of content posted to the site.

The past year has also seen the beginning of regular events, such as Inter-House Trivia and the MuggleSpace Banner Contest.[22] Further projects are expected to be announced soon.

The purpose of MuggleSpace (called "MS" by it members) is to provide a live online community for Harry Potter fans (restricted to 13+ due to potential mature content) all over the world. Moderators and members work together to improve and protect the site, making MS an authentic society. For many, the site is a sanctuary for discussing problems and connecting with like-minded people. On average, MuggleSpace gains four new members a day.

The site is currently under the administration of long-time MuggleSpace and MuggleNet Editorial staff member Brandon Smith. The official moderators are Ren, Adri, Lils, Blaize, and Rae.[23]

MuggleNet Fan Fiction [edit]

MuggleNet Fan Fiction
Type Non-profit organization
Website fanfiction.mugglenet.com
Registration Optional
Available in English (U.S.)
Launched November 2004[24]

On November 14, 2004, MuggleNet opened its fan fiction sub-site MuggleNet Fan Fiction (often shortened to MNFF), following in the footsteps of other Potter-specific fan fiction sites.

In 2006, the site began its annual "Quick Silver Quill Awards," in which authors and readers could nominate their favorite fictions from various categories to receive recognition.

Its forums’ house discussion groups aimed at improving reading and writing skills, as well as community building within the membership of the site. Popular areas include the Susan Bones Book Club (SBBC), where members are encouraged to share and discuss their favorite fictions from the site; Society for the Promotion of Evaluations for Writers (SPEW), where members can improve their critical review writing skills; The Three Broomsticks (TTB) where members can partake in writing challenges; and the Bannermakers Association and Dean’s Corner where members can stretch their artistic muscles and create banners and fan-art that complement the site’s fictions.

MuggleNet Fan Fiction also hosts its own version of Hogwarts within its forums, offering classes to new authors who wish to learn more about writing. These are run by members of the site who volunteer to teach a subject that interests them and are very popular, with more authors taking part each term (run in trimesters). The classes are run in levels: first years, OWLs, and NEWTs, getting progressively more in-depth, allowing the authors to choose at which level they wish to participate.

Published works [edit]

In 2006, in advance of the arrival of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, five MuggleNet staff members (Ben Schoen, Emerson Spartz, Andy Gordon, Gretchen Stull, and Jamie Lawrence) co-authored the reference book MuggleNet.com's What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7: Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Falls in Love and How Will the Adventure Finally End, which was a published collection of unofficial fan predictions. As of July 21, 2007, the book sold 335,000 copies and reached #2 on the New York Times Children's Bestseller List. It spent 6 months on the list.[25] Spartz and his co-authors launched a marketing campaign in June 2007 to promote their work. This included a tour of the United States where they stopped at many bookstores and discussed their various theories and revelations.

In 2009, Emerson Spartz and Ben Schoen penned another book, MuggleNet.com's Harry Potter Should Have Died: Controversial Views From The #1 Fan Site. A cross-country book tour took place in the summer of 2009.

In March 2009, MuggleNet Fan Fiction released a self-help guide to creative writing entitled Sharpen Your Quill[26] The book offers advice on writing plot, characterization, poetry, specific genres and other useful information including grammar and fluent style. As a self-published book, the release made little revenue but the proceeds have been used to fund Audiofictions, the site's audiobook-style podcast.

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b "Access Indiana - Business Services Seasrch - Spartz, Inc.". Retrieved April 19, 2008. 
  2. ^ "MuggleNet.com Site Info". Alexa Internet, Inc. Retrieved 16 August 2011. 
  3. ^ "MuggleNet - About Us". MuggleNet. Retrieved August 16, 2011. 
  4. ^ Sims, Andrew (May 29, 2010). "Welcome to the all-new MuggleNet.com!". MuggleNet. 
  5. ^ J. K. Rowling. "J. K. Rowling Official Site - Section: Fan Sites - MuggleNet". JKRowling.com. 
  6. ^ J. K. Rowling (March 15, 2004). "Mugglenet Chatroom Uninterested in JKR's Theories". JKRowling.com. Retrieved January 9, 2010. 
  7. ^ J. K. Rowling. "J.K. Rowling Official Site - Meeting Melissa and Emerson". JKRowling.com. 
  8. ^ "MuggleNet and The Leaky Cauldron interview J.K. Rowling". MuggleNet. July 16, 2005. 
  9. ^ "MuggleNet Academia Podcasts". MuggleNet. Retrieved 3 November 2012. 
  10. ^ Fried, Noah. "First episode of MuggleNet's new podcast 'Alohomora!' now released". MuggleNet. Retrieved 21 January 2013. 
  11. ^ Fried, Noah. "'Alohomora!' invades MuggleNet". MuggleNet. Retrieved 21 January 2013. 
  12. ^ Graves, Caleb. "Alohomora! Episode 17: 'No One Likes You, Percy Weasley' is now available for download!". MuggleNet. Retrieved 21 January 2013. 
  13. ^ Graves, Caleb. "Alohomora! Episode 6: 'A Little Place Called Hoot' now available, with a special guest host!". MuggleNet. Retrieved 21 January 2013. 
  14. ^ Miller, Kat. "Alohomora! global movie screening & live call-in show - with special guest Warwick Davis!". MuggleNet. Retrieved 21 January 2013. 
  15. ^ Graves, Caleb. "Alohomora! to host LIVE movie viewing & call-in show to wrap up 'Chamber of Secrets'". MuggleNet. Retrieved 21 January 2013. 
  16. ^ Graves, Caleb. "Alohomora! smartphone app has now launched, includes episodes and exclusive content!". MuggleNet. Retrieved 21 January 2013. 
  17. ^ "MuggleNet Fan Fiction releases first AudioFiction". MuggleNet. Retrieved 31 October 2012. 
  18. ^ "MuggleNet Fan Fiction's AudioFictions Holding Auditions for New Readers". MuggleNet. Retrieved 31 October 2012. 
  19. ^ "MuggleNet Fan Fiction's AudioFictions Looking for Audio Editors to Join Their Team". MuggleNet. Retrieved 31 October 2012. 
  20. ^ Miller, Kat. "MuggleNet Fan Fiction Thursday: 'Becoming Rita', AudioFictions, & More!". MuggleNet. Retrieved 31 October 2012. 
  21. ^ "MuggleNet now has a social network for HP fans!". MuggleNet. Retrieved 28 December 2012. 
  22. ^ Smith, Brandon. "MuggleSpace: Have an artistic eye? Join our Banner Contest!". MuggleNet. Retrieved 28 December 2012. 
  23. ^ "Chat Mods". MuggleSpace. 
  24. ^ Elysa (November 14, 2006). "MuggleNet FanFiction celebrates its second birthday". 
  25. ^ Raine, George (August 22, 2010). "Potter spin-off a hit for tiny Berkeley publisher". San Francisco Chronicle. 
  26. ^ Black, Roxy (June 28, 2009). "It's Here - Sharpen Your Quill". MuggleNet. Retrieved December 10, 2009. 

External links [edit]

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