Subject: [FFML][Rant] A reply to Alwyas Man from a Dissatisfied Writer
From: "Wyvern Quetzal" <stragem_dare@hotmail.com>
Date: 9/8/1998, 5:00 AM
To: ffml@fanfic.com

There are precious few fanfic writers who put out prose more bloated 
than Mark Latus--and you're one of them. I have relatively high 
standards, but I have a strong literary constitution so I can trudge 
through writing far below my standards--except this piece. The prose 
are so horrendously inflated with useless qualifiers and other  
baggage that I can't stand reading through it. I skip by one massive 
paragraph after another, and I can't find the meat.

I can't comment on the artistic value of the piece because the prose 
are so broken that I can't handle going through them. When writing, 
always ask yourself: "Do I need to write this?" and "Can I make it 
any simpler?". What you've done here is fall victim to diarrhea of 
the mouth.

Dear Always Man,
	While I really do appreceate the fact that you read and responded to my 
work, I found that your response was truly obnoxious and tasteless. You 
claim that you have high literary standards and a strong literary 
constitution. What a coincedence, so do I. In fact, one of my preferred 
authors is a man by the name of Terry Prachet. Maybe you have heard of 
him. Surprisingly, he too writes in this form of prose, with "useless 
qualifiers" which, in my humble opinion, tend to add to the overall 
"meat" of the literary peice. Now, while I realize that I am just a 
minority of readers (and probably of what you would consider beneath 
your "high literary standards), it seems to me that quite a few poeple 
agree with me that such a form of writting quite enjoyable. Now, while I 
realize that it might not compare to the high standards of literature 
that you seem to enjoy, it is perfectly suitable for this type of light 
creative thinking. Incidently, I would like you to notice that the 
purpose of this entire section was mostly to introduce some farily 
important characters. I'm sure that if I just started mouthing of about 
these new people without some sort description, you and many other 
people would have become even more confused/annoyed. 
	But more importantly, I found that even with your vaunted standards and 
constitution, all you really wanted to do was bash anothers hard work. 
Your comments on my story were just so much trash. Ture, I do have to 
work on my tendency to be meticulous to a fault (a trait which you no 
doubt have noticed by now) but if you so believe that my story was just 
running on and broken, a far better an much more constructive way of 
telling me this would be to give a few examples. Tragically, I am unable 
of being as critical of my own work as others might be, so I will no 
doubt be blind as to which areas really could use more work. Now I have 
the utmost respects for critics -really, I do!- but when all the critic 
does is harp exclusively on the worser aspects of something with out 
providing any positive or helpful comments, I can only shake my head in 
disgust and wonder about said critics qualifiactions for such comments.
	Incidently, I have a small challange for you. I have noticed that you 
do not seem to do much more than critize others works. Therefore, I 
challange you to write a short 'fic of your own to be compared with a 
short 'fic of my own. This is not being forced upon you in anyway shape 
or form, this is just a friendly contest a chance to show off your high 
standards and give me a chance to see what a 'fic that stands up to your 
standards looks like. I will not be judging whatever you may chose to 
write, I humbly ask the rest of the FFML to do so and reply as to who's 
'fic was better. I give you two months to do so, and any silence or 
negation on your part will not be taken badly. This is an open 
invitation to all 'fic authors and I beleive that it will be a learning 
experience for all. Oh, and if you do win, Always man, you may be secure 
in the knowledge that you beat a 15 year old girl who is just trying  
her hand out writting. 
	Sincerly and with many profuse appologies for the length,
			Wyvern Quetzel, fantasy fanatic

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