:I didn't realize that we were supposed to be "aspiring" writers whose
:goal was ultimately to _produce_, to rack up the KB count. I thought


We're not saying that.  The thing is this; it's so much more satisfying
to read a well developed fanfic that's had at least hours of work put
into it.  The ad fics were funny, but they got very old, very, very,
quickly.  And people kept posting and posting...Eventually RPM cracked.
Forgive him. ;)  He's saying that since people have such great ideas out,
it is almost a travesty that they won't go and develop them into full-blown
fics they can grace the FFML with.

:The adfic challenge was fun--a lot more fun than most spam threads
:you're likely to see any time soon. It did get first-timers writing. It
:opened a door for people to contribute to the list who probably don't
:measure their own "progress" as writers by how long a story they can
:maintain.

To tell the truth, I dislike reading 30-chapter fanfics (usually) as much
as you dislike writing them. ;)

:writing spamfics until they'd proven themselves by producing "real"
:fics, and no business flooding the mailboxes of the "serious" writers on
:the list. Maybe I misunderstood. If so, I apologize for sounding off. If


It certainly is not about "proving" yourself.  It's about the fact that
we want to see fanfics, not spam.  I am not a "serious writer," I'm a
reader ;) and occasional writer.  And as a reader, I hereby demand that
all great ideas should be properly presented and developed...for their
own sake!  These ultra-short spamfics assassinate those ideas by enclosing
them in nauseating swarms of two- or three-paragraph-long bites.

Spamfics are to complete stories what a one-night stand is to a 60 year
marriage.  Yeah, a one-night stand is gratifying for you and maybe a few
others ("a few otherS?" I can't believe I just typed that o_O O_O), but
in a full marriage, you gain true satisfaction for yourself, your spouse,
your kids, your relatives, etc.  See what I'm saying?  It's kind of pain-
ful to see many ideas (those that are never followed-up upon, that is)
figuratively aborted before they even had a chance to be born.