On Sat, 22 Aug 1998, Gary Kleppe wrote:

Nick Leifker <nightelf@thekeep.org> wrote:

If you had a brilliant idea for a story, one that would knock the socks
off people, but one that you knew would get bad press from a few
overzealous, overauthoritative people, would you write it?  Would you
release it, knowing that it would cause you a lot of unnecessary grief?
Would you even think of it, when narrow-minded people are blasting
other characterization ideas right and left?  

Are you capable of discussing this without throwing around insults?

See below, on my 'insults'.

Anyway, my answer to your question is HELL YES, I would.

When I started writing fanfiction, the most (maybe ONLY) influential
critic around was Taleswapper. Taleswapper only ONCE ever liked anything
I wrote. Did I quit? Did I junk all of my ideas and try to emulate
Palmer or Lawson? No. Because I know that the stuff I write is
worthwhile -- and there are people out there who enjoy it. If
Taleswapper likes it, that's cool; but if Cindy Toler or Thomas Schmidt
likes it, that's just as cool. And if I can find out *why* Taleswapper
doesn't like it, I'll try to see whether there's anything I can learn
from that.

Some writers are that secure from the moment they start out.  Others take
time to develop a thick skin.  Most new writers are unsure about how to
write; as such, your words do have an effect.  

Now, you seem to think that what I say has some sort of enormous
influence over the reading public. Well, maybe you know something I
don't. I talked to several people on IRC about your story during the big
argument thread on it. Many of them said they liked it. Some of them
said that they disliked it more than I did. Not one of them said, "I
agree with everything YOU said, of course! Thank you for telling me what
to think!"

People will listen, Gary - especially the newcomers to this mailing list.  

I'm sorry you got upset by my reaction to your fic, Nick. But negative
criticism is a fact of life in any creative profession. If you're going
to write, and make your writing public, then you had damn well better
learn to deal with it without flaming your critics.

You seem to think this is still about Iris.  

You're wrong.

This is about Hearts and Minds prelude 5, and about a number of critiques
you've given over the past year or two.  

I'm not angry about Iris anymore.  In fact, the related works I'm writing
are perhaps the most challenging ones I've ever written - and I do love a
challenge.  Writing Ranma's downward spiral, as well as Akane dealing with
it (and Ryouga acting as sounding board in there, of course) is proving to
test my skills to the utmost.  You can ask Zen - I sent him a very
interesting scene from the latter half of the prequel just yesterday.  

What I *am* angry about is that you take liberties with the characters -
liberties you see as perfectly reasonable with the characters in question
- then criticize others for their own liberties. That is why I call you
hypocrite; you preach one thing, then turn around and practice its
antithesis.

If I insult, Gary, I insult FACTUALLY.  I do not bandy about insults like
some common rant artist.  There is basis for my grievances, and I have
given them.  

That said, this is descending into a pointless ranting.  As a friend of
mine wisely pointed out, I am sounding like I am having a 'hissy fit'.  As
such, this is the last I will say of this incident.

However, I will be watching.  

Gary Kleppe
http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe/comics

-- Nick