Ladies and Gentlement of the FFML,

     After a number of evenings spent deep in thought, and a considerably
long and involved conversation with my friends, I have decided to announce
my retirement from writing fanfiction, at least temporarily.
     My reasons for doing this at a time when my first (and so far only)
complete story, Music-Box Angel, is just reaching its first anniversary
are two-fold.  Firstly, I feel that the progress I made as an author in
that first story has not continued in my subsequent attempts.  I have
simply not grown beyond MBAngel.  Secondly, I always saw the art of fanfic
writing as a means to help me learn about writing, a tool to better my
skill.  Since MBAngel, the FFML has sefved neither purpose for me.  This
is solely my own fault, but I cannot deny the fact that I must leave in
order to continue growing as an author.
     Will I return to writing anime fanfiction?  Almost certainly.
However, I cannot say for certain how long I will be on "walkabout" before
coming back home to the family that helped me complete my first story.
     There are more details about my retirement at my homepage (see the
address below).  I will keep the chapters of Sinshine Girl I have 
completed on the home page until the 26th of September.  After that, the
page will be overhauled and perhaps dismantled.


Thank you for your comments, criticisms, 
and your eternal support.

Sincerely,
Matthew Johnston


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     "I stayed up all night playing poker with tarot cards. I got 
        a full house and four people died."    -- Steven Wright
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 The Cafe Pierrot:  Quality Original and Series-Based Anime Fanfiction
                http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~matt2518/ 
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