On Thu, 25 Apr 1996, Nightelf wrote:

My own comment on this is that the 'fic should be whatever length is called
for.  I usually write relatively short 'fics, simply because I write until
the story is sufficiently told.  As for lengthening 'fics, my comment is:  
DON'T.  Fluff is fluff, no matter how it's packaged.  Any artificial 
lengthening will be recognized as such - and detract from the overall 
potency of the 'fic.  If the lengthening is called for and would 
genuinely add to the story, go ahead.  If not, then not.  One other
point:  A good storyteller never tells the whole story, leaving bits up
to the reader's imagination.  I've cut out scenes from 'fics, simply 
because I felt it better to leave that scene, hinted at in other parts, to
the reader's imagination...

Ok, given.  *But*...I shoulda made that clear, I didn't mean lengthening for
the sake of lengthening...but as for not telling the whole story, I can't
always agree with that...For example, most mysteries, IMHO, *have* to 
tell you the whole story, at least eventually. 

With the technical stuff, some writers have a gift for it, some don't.  
My own personal weakness is action scenes: I have serious difficulty

I'm gettin' better at action scenes...but technobabble eludes me. :P

Kevin Eav--First Deacon of the Church of Ryouga, Keeper of the Compass, 
                          Member of C.A.S.K.E.T.
email:geist@holly.colostate.edu --  IRC:Ishido at #ranma! -- Ishido@RanmaMUCK
"The world...is a dark and lonely place...beyond hope, beyond care..."-Ryouga
                 Member of Okonomiyaki Addicts Anonymous
"C'mon kiddo.  You've got to *find* Akane.  You really are a pain in the 
                  fanny sometimes, ya know Ryouga?"-Ukyo