On Thu, 28 Aug 1997 07:46:59 +0900, Mark Page <ayanami@merlin.net.au>
wrote:

Why are we here?  Why are any of us here?  Oh the existentialist angst of
it all....

There may be simplistic answers to this question....  But the first that
comes to mind is the vague hope that, one day, we may be mailed a fanfic
that truly transcends all our expectations....  Even if we've written it
ourselves.

I can only speak for myself... that's not why *I'm* here. Though I do
enjoy reading other people's fics, I could do so just as well in a
passive meduim like RAAC.

Though I've made some good friends in the time I've been on the FFML,
and I'm glad for that, they aren't the reason I'm here either.

I'm here because I can get feedback on the things that I write. Because
I can post a fic and get back some useful suggestions on how to improve
it, or a reader's honest opinion of it (whether good or bad). I've
gotten some great comments on most every major story that I've sent to
FFML, and the quality of my finished stuff is infinitely better for it.
I try to give the same back to others when I can.

FFML is suffering growing pains right now. With over six hundred
subscribers and increasing, it could easily turn into a total spam-fest
where any meaningful discussions of fanfiction overwhelmed by off-topic
chatter. The day that happens is the day I'll be leaving. Though I
haven't agreed with everything Tybalt has done, I'm grateful that he's
doing the job that he is. I fully support the efforts that he and White
Wolf are making to keep the off-topic stuff at a tolerable level.

Just my 2 Yen...


Gary Kleppe
kleppe@execpc.com, Home page http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe
My fanfics and the FFML map are on my comics/manga page,
       http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe/comics