Speaking as someone who's tried to C&C (usually privately)
everything they read on the list, especially first-time works, I feel I must
comment on why I, at least, have been giving less of late.

	There's just too much stuff out there that doesn't seem new. Maybe
there are lots of gems out there, wrapped in a few unnecessary layers of
cliche, but they're hard to get to.

	The number one reason for this apparent lack of innovation: Ranma,
Ranma, and more Ranma. It seems like only a few months ago, there were all
kinds of new avenues being explored. A wave of Kenshin fics, a Boku no Marie
fic (and the start of another), a Tylor fic from David Tatum (that was
thankfully never finished, if it's to be as dark as it looks), FF7, You're
Under Arrest, Patlabor ... all kinds of new possibilities. Add to this some
interesting new directions in the traditional non-Ranma sources, namely
Sailor Moon, Eva, Tenchi, and BGC, and you get a lot of good variety when
you're tired reading about Akane malleting Ranma.
	Not to mention, of course, _The Slayers Trilogy_, which gets my vote
for best fanfic of all time, and should get yours too.
	Where did it all go? It seems like everything's back to good old
Ranma. Nothing new under the sun and all that. Some great stuff, to be sure:
Alan Harnum's excellent _Eidolons_ and the ongoing _Waterfalls_, Gary
Kleppe's long awaited _Hearts and Minds_, and of course _Girl Days_.
	We still have _Garden of Eva_, happily, and _It's a Rainy Day,
Sunshine Girl_, the first original story to ever both grab my attention and
maintain that faithful anime feel. At least one H.P. Lovecraft crossover is
still going, and another may be in the works. But that's about it - little
else seems to last beyond the teaser, and even less beyond the first
chapter.

	With list readership growing as it has, I think any relatively
non-obscure show has a chance at garnering a viable audience. And there's no
shortage of potential in the other shows mentioned above. I, for one, would
probably give twice as much C&C if there were more non-Ranma material to
read.

	Just my thoughts.

Patrick McClanahan

P.S. Sorry if this is formatted badly - fricking M$ Outlook, which I must
use, is playing games with me.