On Tue, 16 Feb 1999, Razorclaw X wrote:

 Subtility is for the birds.

Hitchcock's birds certainly weren't very subtle.  :)

You talk about the "next great story" as if there can be only one at a
time. While I think most of us agree that HoI is a great story, that
doesn't mean we don't read and like other stuff as well. HaM hasn't made
people stop paying attention to anything else either.

 Not yet. Impact isn't apparent yet, as it's still early.

Does this mean that a person must stop writing as soon as their story
creates some kind of impact on others' work?  Surely not!

There are currently at least 4 fanfics of 'epic' proportions being
written that I enjoy reading.  They may in time come to be 'definitive'
works in the themes that they use, but just because these series end
doesn't mean that another work will pick up my interest.

The 'impact' of works isn't as single or continuous as you seem to
indicate.

 It does not matter if I've read it or not, because impact is there.
These days you do not need to read Tolkien to know what an orc is, for
instance-- Tolkien's orcs are everywhere, because it made an impact.

And a lot of fantasy books give a totally different impression of what
an 'orc' is than how Tolkien described them (especially in regards to
their creation).

 This has been another excercise in interpretation. Have a nice day. I
expect the incoming flames will not allow me one.

I don't intend for this to be a flame, rather an extension of the
discussion that you have started.

If you want to write a 'fic that will capture everyone's interest the
way HoI has, then do so.  I doubt that I ever could.  One thing is for
sure, however; your work isn't being ignored because of what someone
else is writing.

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    Josh Green, aka Pi -- SORT@BUCKET.UALR.EDU
       http://bucket.ualr.edu/~sort/fanfic/
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