Slashtooth@EVnet.com wrote:
 

There was a letter in my mailbox this day, that stated, bluntly, that
unless everybody knew your works, or you were an excellent author right
from the bat, that your stories would get no C&C.

 
	That's me!  I'm kind of in a bad mood when I wrote that, but I won't
back off from my arguments.  Personally, I'm really tired of the fact
that I've received more request for other chapters of Chrono Trigger 1/2
than the actual C & C.  What's even more annoying, from past experience
I'm beginning to get the idea that those who requested my story never
wrote back.  I remember a long time ago when I received 4 replies on my
early fanfic submission, only to realize that they're all about how my
attached file was unreadable.  When I did it the correct way, I was
hardpressed to get even one C & C.  

        Needless to say, I was perturbed at that, for a bit.  I was starting to
piece together a flaming response, when it occured to me.  The stories I
have sent to the ML have recieved almost no C&C.  There were a couple of
responses, of which I am extremly grateful (One of them gave me an idea
for Lone Man And Wolf Part 2), however, it is not, by far, enough to
base any type of general feeling toward my work.  I would like to
improve, to increase my ability, but without input (Quoth Johnny 5), it
is extremly difficult.

 
	I've tried to some asking around, and generally found that most people
will be lucky to get, say, 5 C & C at the most.  Fortnately, there are
devoted souls like Zen (thank you, Zen) who reads most of the stories
and Misa (same goes to Misa) used to read everyone of them and C & C all
of them.  I don't know if she'll do that again.  I sort of found that it
is a good idea for authors to stick together and comment each other so
that you can increase the level of writing.  Let's face it.  All of us
probably think our story is good, and we're unlikely to notice a flaw
where others can easily notice.  When I first writing I made a story
very interesting to myself only, and thanks to a few kind souls I
realized that, and changed it considerably.

        Then, the worst thing possible happened.  I recieved a piece of mail
that C&C's one of my C&Cs!  The only thing they noted was my misspelling
of one word, Gramm_E_r and Spelling.  Now, I know that humor is nice,
but when I saw that someone had taken the time to point out that little
mistake in a C&C, I began to seriously question whether or not this was
a True Fanfic ML, or just a place for a select few to trade and comment
on stories, with the rest of us just out there for the ride.

 
	The same question goes for me as well.  I can't say that I've not
benefited from the FFML, but most of the help comes only from a few
individuals who are willing to read my story.  This is not what I had in
mind in the beginning.  When I first joined, I thought that given there
are 300+ users in this list I should be looking at, say, at least 10+ C
& C.  Surely someone out there will read my story!  Soon, however, I
realize that wasn't the case.

        I would like to believe that it is the sheer number of Fanfics and the
'load o spam' that keep people from responding to every story, lord
knows that I have a bit of trouble keeping up sometimes, but I do see a
lot of C&Cing going on, and it leads me to look a little closer as to
exactly who's stories are getting the C&C.

	After watching the C & C for a while, I've reached the conclusion that
C & C doesn't really amount to much in FFML.  So, unless there is
tremendous amount of private C & C going on, I really don't think the
FFML is giving its fair share of C & C.  From what I've observed, it
appears that it is always the same people doing the C & C:  Sabestien,
Richard, Zen, and a few others.  Most of the time, a subject may read C
& C and has multiple posts to it, but when you looked at it carefully it
usually is just a conversation between the two people or a lot of
unnecessary trival details.  From what I've observed as C & C from the
FFML, it just doesn't figure.
 

        Are my stories even getting read?  I do not know.  I would like to
think so, I would like to think that there are people out there that may
actually like them, but I have no proof.

 
	That's the exact same problem most of us face, too.  I really don't
care if you think my story sucks.  Let me know and explain why, and I'll
work on it to fix it.  I think the proble is that all of us are a bit
lazy.  I admit that myself and that I often chose to let the fanfics
pile saying that 'I'll read them someday' and just decide to delete them
one day.  I know it can be pretty boring to read a fanfic sometimes,
too.  I would much rather spamming than take my time to read, but from
now on I'll make it a point to try to read fanfics first.  Another
problem, I think, is that if people don't like the story they don't
write back about it.  I personally do that a lot, and I can see how this
is frustrating.  It does seems, indeed, that most people only write
about the good parts.  Now, that helps the writer, but if you never
point out the errors then the writer still wouldn't benefit as much as
if he knew what his faults were.

        And that is the most upsetting thing of all.  C&C, good or bad, helps
an author, as long as it is realistic.  Nothing but static coming across
the airwaves tell the author nothing, and that inhibits his/her growth,
as well as causing them to lose interest.

 
	Come on, people.  What we need are more C & C.  As long as it is
reasonable, all C & C helps greatly.  Richard and Mike both pointed out
some serious problems with my writing, and I've done my best to fix
them.  I won't say that my storys are awesome yet, but I certainly felt
that my writing has improved with the help of the others.

        I do not want to start another thread of spam based on this, I just
want an answer.  Is this ML truly for all authors, or just the few that
are very well known?

 
	Same goes for me.  I've asked this question a long time ago, and I'll
ask again.  What do one have to get response on his story?  Richard
recently told me about that there is a lot of mediocore to bad fanfic
that are posted quite often.  I think that our job as the FFML is to let
them know this.  If I'm one of this mediocore or bad authors, let me
know so I can work on improving my story.  All in all, a lot of C & C
does a lot of help, some C & C does some help, and no C & C does no help
to an author whatsoever.

	Thank you for listening. 



Don Wang <dwang@sprynet.com>, Vice President of AFSS, member of RPGA and
COR, Self-appointed Protector/Defender/Guardian of Akane Tendo, a
faithful Square and Ranma 1/2 fan