----- Original Message -----
From: "C. Jones" <guilty@furinkan.net>
To: <ffml@anifics.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2003 6:22 PM
Subject: [FFML] Re: [WWW][Ranma] The Clan and Original Fiction

Which is why I made the statement that I did. I caused quite an argument
with 'newRanma' over the specifics of what kind of C&C I wanted and wanted
to avoid a similar situation.

*sigh*

I remember that. I hope I wasn't one of those that you felt that you needed
to "change" the story. I did have some trouble understanding how some of the
characters suddenly changed without (what I felt) proper explanation. So I
had addressed that in my C&C.

 Telling the world that you're not planning to make any broad
changes, like altering matchups or including specific unplanned scenes,

is

IMO quite fair. Besides, critique on plot and characterization, even if

it

won't have any bearing on the current work, might well come into play in

the

next one. Right?

Exactly. I think we're here on the list as a learning experience.

Learning,

IMHO, does not mean accepting commands from others, which was a lot of why
'The Clan' took such a long hiatus. I didn't understand that at the time
and it made it no fun for me to write. Because I caved to so many 'You

Must

Do This' statements, the story quit being 'mine'. The revisions on my site
are slowly undoing those.

True enough. It is your story. But I hope *constructive* criticism is taken
as that, constructive. If you've got a logical inconsistancy and someone
points it out, I'd hope you'd be at least willing to discuss it.

I mean, if most of the C&C received for a story _I_ was writing were

demands

that I change the whole thing into something unrecognizable from what I

had

in mind when I sat down to write it, I'd probably do the same thing.
I'm probably spending the morning re-reading "The Clan", expect some form

of

C&C when I'm finished.

Yay! I await it eagerly.

To clarify, especially D.B. Sommer and everyone who feels the same way he
does, I do not discard C&C, even on plot and characterization issues. I
consider it all. I do have a 'final' plot and won't deviate from that,

however.

Without being hostile or accusatory, it's the difference between something
like:

'You're not really supporting your character actions with adequate
motivation here. I can see that they're doing the actions you've

specified,

but the story doesn't make me understand why.'

Oops. Typed too fast.

and:

'You're really undermining the characters by having them do this kind of
action. This character would never do such a thing. You shouldn't write it
as such.'

Guess which I received more of on 'The Clan'?

I really hope that I wasn't one of the ones being abusive on the C&C end,
but it has been so long.

I'm more interested in the former kind of commentary than the latter. I'm
sorry if my statement didn't make that clear.

D.B., I'm enjoying the hell out of 'Sextacular'! Hope to see another
chapter soon!

C.

Arthur Hansen


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