Lessons I have Learned (or had confirmed) in the last
24 hours:

The FFML is made up of a diverse group.  There are
smart people, not so smart people, and jerks.  In
other words, we form a web society- congratulations. 
Want to read some essays on internet culture now?

People tend to perceive things quite differently. 
I�ve been told I�m entirely right, entirely wrong, to
shut the hell up and get a life and grow up. 

The FFML tends to fixate on small things, such as
whether Escaflowne or Kenshin is shoujo.  I classified
Kenshin as shoujo because of the fandom- same thing as
GW.  I was introduced to Escaflowne via cons and anime
BEFORE I began writing (there was surprisingly little
Escaflowne fanfic when I started- it was before it was
truly �commercialized) so I view it as shounen.  It is
a matter of perception.

Perceptions on what shoujo is varies.  I was honestly
surprised that Ranma was considered shounen by some
and shoujo by others.  I made a list of animes earlier
and sent it out� but people either ignored it or
disagreed.

Other groups feel persecuted.

Shoujo is automatically associated with yaoi and
shonen ai.

To speak up on the FFML, some people believe you must
be one of the �greats.�  Otherwise, get the hell out
of here, little girl.

Fandoms influence categories.  GW should, by rights,
be shounen, but the fandom is female, so it has become
shoujo be default.

Never sit back too far in an inherited office chair-
if the guy who had it before you was 330 pounds,
there�s a reason it was inherited. And arguing that a
small fall does not necessitate an emergency room
visit will make you even crankier.  This is the most
important RL thing, and since it�s RL� well- that�s
the most important thing.  ^_~  

People who agree with you are prone to mail you
offlist, people who disagree will mail you on list,
and people who flame mail you offlist.  That�s
actually nice, because you can yell right back.

Mention the word yaoi and all (well, most) the males
SHUDDER.

For a general ff mailing list, there is a highly
uneven number of males to females- at least active.
I�m not saying this is wrong; I find males tend to
care less about �sparing someone�s feelings.�

A sad truth: the best way to get attention on this
list is not to write wonderfully, or feedback� it�s to
piss people off.  I think I�ve succeeded� however
inadvertently.

Generalize and the FFML POUNCES on you, even though
you�re speaking to a huge list and cannot speak of
every case.  There are� millions? Of fanfics out there
by now.  Of COURSE there are exceptions.  Of COURSE
people break the rules all the time- but the people
who break the rules usually are the best writers out
there who tend to KNOW what they are doing. 

People do not change their minds.  The FFML is a
comfortable list for a few, and terrifying for many. 
I know quite a few people who are scared to DEATH of
posting here mainly because of the fact that this list
has one mindset� a certain je ne sais quois�  

If you give an inch on one point, people declare
victory and claim you�re wrong on EVERYTIHNG.

The FFML has some DAMN smart people who can twist
whatever you say back on you so you can�t tell which
way it up anymore.

People do care about C&C more so than you believe, and
tone is not always conveyed well.

Shoujo is hated by some members of the list.  This was
confessed in private emails.

Some members feel shounen anime dominates the list too
heavily.

Some members are sick of Ranma.

Some members think I should just leave things the way
they are.

Some people think I should just form my own list if I
don�t like things (I am working on it, but there�s no
reason the FFML can�t work with shoujo!).





I�m sending this as a closing message to the thread
(my part at least- if you're trying to argue with me),
since no mod activity has been taken, and I�m sure I�m
driving some people nuts.  I�m also quite well aware
that I am now in line of the fire squad- the next fic
I send out had better be one of my best, or else I
will be CRUCIFIED in the name on constructive
criticism.  People don�t like being told something
different then what they believe (so far about 1/3 of
the messages agree with me, 1/4 of them are borderline
you�re half right, half wrong, 1/3 of them are you�re
WRONG here�s why and the rest are near flames).

Anyway, please don�t reply onlist anymore� I�ve heard
everyone�s thoughts on my thoughts, and no one has any
new insights- if you want to argue with me some more,
you have my email address.  I've answered 30 letters
in the past day, though, so... *shrugs*  I might be
slowing down soon!  I have fics to write, not email to
fool around with!

As for me backing off or hiding (which is something
about 1/3 of the private messages brought up) there�s
no way.  I�ve yet to find a decent KKJ mailing list� 

~ Aishuu

=====
Don�t ask of me to tell you where I�m from. 
Don�t bury me in the lost yesterdays. 
Don�t stop me any further. 
Even now in my heart sleeps, my dream that like a storm is still raging. 
I Want to Become the Wind
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Quicksilver/
http://www.midnightrevolution.org/quicksilver/

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