----- Original Message -----
From: Glazius Falconar <arezina@acad1.stvincent.edu>
To: <ffml@fanfic.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 25, 2000 7:36 AM
Subject: [FFML] Synopsis List Review for the Week of March 17
- - - - -
Title: What Wish?
Segment: Chapters 1-3
Genre: Alternate Universe
Author: TimeRunner
Email: keiichi@i-manila.com.ph
Homepage:
<http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Towers/7482>
Date Sent to FFML: March 14, 2000
Archive Number: 7756 (+ 20K)
Size: 51 KB
Series Summary:
Keiichi dials up Skuld, a goddess decidedly less inclined to be nice and
friendly toward her client, and discovers he actually isn't sure what to
wish for.
Segment Summary:
Included is the newly-written part 3, where Keiichi deals with a
goddess, campus life, and college kings and queens.
Huh. Now _this_ is the sort of altuniv I've come to expect out of
TimeRunner. Very well thought-out, excellent characterization on the part
of... well, the entire cast of characters, really. K1 is still the same
vaguely nice guy he always was. And now that he's got Skuld to charm...
sort
of... well, let's just say I am very much looking forward to the next part
of the fic. So WRITE FASTER, ALREADY!
Thank you. Actually, What Wish? was spurred on by an insinuation (by whom, I
have already forgotten) that my writing was only good apparently because of
my rather off-the-wall ideas and plots. I decided to answer the challenge by
writing about an idea that I had heard was done to death -- K1 and Skuld --
and writing about it well. So far, so good.
Characterization and dialogue are what I would consider to be my strong
points as a writer, so I'm glad they came out well in this fic. I find that
the best way to write dialogue is to clearly define each character in my
head, give them something to talk about, and let them do the talking. I know
it sounds mildly schizophrenic, but that's how I work.
And about the writing speed -- my apologies. As usual, real life has an
annoying tendency of invading my already scarce time. I would really love to
get back to writing, and would promise the next part in oh, say, a day, but
you never know when something might pop up.
- - - - -
Title: Gratuitous Self: Meta-meta-what?
Segment: Prologue and Parts 1-12
Genre: Satire
Author: TimeRunner
Email: keiichi@i-manila.com.ph
Homepage: http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Towers/7482
Date Sent to FFML: March 15, 2000
Archive Number: 7788 (+ 20K)
Size: 31 KB
Series Summary:
Gratuitous Self may be dead, or at least dormant, but its memory lives
on. Unfortunately, TimeRunner is going to share his ideas with us
whether we want him to or not.
Segment Summary:
GS:MMW? continues, tackling writer's block, twink posts, and palmistry?
You know... this really isn't a fic.
I suppose it really isn't. ^^;
What it is, however, is a very nice essay about fic writing, and the
circumstances that drive it, and makes a very nice companion to the
original
Gratuitous Self, which is probably floating around r.a.a.c somewhere.
It is, along with some a piece of writing that really shows its flaws to me
now that enough time has passed.
I'd advise reading it, especially if you're new to the list; it gives you
a
sense of history. Which is important.
It also shows my age. It's rather depressing. ^^;
And I do agree... it's gotten quiet lately. There are too many people for
opinions to flare and everyone to get their fair say.
As opposed to when there was a small group of writers who could recognize
each other by name and by style. I'd rant about this now, but I figured, why
not save it for GS:MMW?
You think we should maybe start rec.arts.anime.creative.ffml?
Ah, well. I was really never a big fan of newsgroups. RAAC is one of the
quietest newsgroups I've ever subscribed to, actually, due to strict
moderation -- which is good for its purpose, but is really no replacement
for the FFML
Thanks for the kind comments. Actually, What Wish? 3 received about the
fewest comments I've received for any given fanfic installment (even beating
out Gratuitous Self 10 and Yen Town 5). I was really beginning to think
people didn't recognize me anymore. ^^; It's really nice to hear from
longtime readers.
Oh, and I hope (but not promise) to finish any or all of the following by
the end of the weekend:
What Wish? 4
GS:MMW? 13-?
The Sum of All Parts: Yellow and Cyan 2
Yen Town 6
Thanks again.
=====
Theory of Diminishing Fanfic Returns:
Actually, as a universal rule, the longer a series runs, the
less C&C it gets. This does not reflect on quality or popularity,
it merely means that it's now taken for granted. Ask any author
of long-running series, and a majority will tell you that their
C&C has dropped off since beginning their project.
In other words, it's business as usual.
-Rod M.