From:        Wombat Master D, DJT2445@ritvax.isc.rit.edu

The biggest problem with some criticism on this ML is that mostly they 
tend to
pick on things without PROVIDING an alternate solution. :P~ Just as 
incredible
praise does NOTHING to improve the story itself (other than boost the 
morale of
the author), criticism without providing alternate suggestions does 
nothing to 
help improve the story itself (other than depress the author.). And really,
isn't the real objective to turn out GOOD fanfics?

You do have to be careful about this, though. I get nervous about making 
very specific suggestions about story problems... because then it feels 
like trying to write the story for the author, and I don't want to do 
that. It's the difference between saying 'put Nabiki in as the ad 
director' and saying 'put Nabiki in and have her blackmail Ranma into 
doing image advertising' -- or worse, writing a scene showing that. It's 
the author's fic, after all, not yours.

I've done this a couple of times in the past... and each time, I've felt 
bad about it afterward.



Travis Butler
(The Professor, formerly of Myth and Magick!, Lawrence, KS;
 tbutler@tfs.net, now from the Wandering Powerbook;
 <http://www.tfs.net/personal/tbutler/>;
 Mac page <http://www.tfs.net/business/tbutler/>)

...Cats are the proof of a higher purpose to the universe.