The Fruits of My Labor?

"I toil through the night, working to perfect my brain child. Sweat condenses upon my brow, as my forehead furrows in intense concentration. My cherry red, straining eyes begin to tear as they reach their limit of exertion. My fingers, working furiously for hours now, begin to spasm and rebel. My back aches, crying out against the contorted position which I have assumed. Ignoring all of this, I persist, desperate to conclude the work that has consumed my life for the past four years. As dawn breaks, and the first rays of morning sunshine crest the hill beyond my tiny window, I press submit, slump against the back of my chair, and close my eyes – basking in the serenity of completion. My stomach clenches – I realize that I have not eaten in over a day. I scrounge for food in the empty cupboards and refrigerator, looking for some small morsel of sustenance. The writing process has exhausted my finances, but I know the months and years of hunger will come to an end as soon as my book begins to yield royalty.
*2 Months Later*
I stare dejectedly into the blackness of the night, at a loss for what to do. The book, which held so much promise, was immediately approved by my editor. An angry staffer decided to leak my words and effort to the internet, where it has become a mammoth success. The file has been downloaded millions of times, representing enormous losses in book sales. The publishing house no longer wishes to print the book, fearing that the market has already consumed the product."
The above scenario demonstrates both the power and folly of today's internet driven world. My words reached millions, and the circulation was costless – no printing, binding, or distribution fees. This is the strength of a connected globe – we are able to interact and converse with great ease. However, the lack of obstacles to this communication represents a potential threat to the innovators and creators who are responsible for the production of intellectual property. Locke contends that property is a product of the right of the people to their work – in the above situation, I certainly have a right to my work. The loss of royalty is a result of piracy, and protection against piracy is imperative if we hope to maintain incentive for creativity. These protections should be defensive, not offensive – the emphasis should be placed in defending the right of the creator rather than infringing upon the rights of the consumer. As such, I support strict copyright and patent laws that terminate upon the death of the creator (as opposed to the current system extending beyond the lifetime).
An example of this arose recently with J.K Rowling's Harry Potter series. A community website had established an encyclopedic index of characters, and the creator of the website sought to publish the material. Rowling protested, arguing that such a publication would infringe upon her copyright. I support Rowling in this instance, especially when consideration is given to the fact that she had plans for such a work herself. Rowling supported the community when it was restricted to the online space – she recognized the power of the forum in building passion for reading. She drew the line at profit making – no one else should be able to gain from her creativity or prevent her from benefiting from it. Such a stance defends the author's right while not preventing others from enjoying the work to its fullest.