I agree with Jason Liao on this.

Personally, I always saw the FFML as being a more detailed and refined place 
for fic responses. It's one of the reasons I've never been able to give in 
and join ff.net - it felt like a step down for me.

What we need to do is get our name out there again. Back in the "old days" 
(Lurk's right - it's about that time for some of us), we had people like 
Elsa Bibat working their tails off to make the FFML hum. Remember the weekly 
summaries? The Long, Strange, Walks? How about the FFML Hall of Fame? Or the 
Chicken Ball Awards?  Things like that drew attention to us. I never even 
would have started writing fanfic if I hadn't accidentally stumbled into the 
FFML Encyclopedia while looking for some fics by Jeanne Hedge (yeah, I know, 
we've established that I'm old).  The point is, what we need to be doing is 
giving people a reason to post here.

An award is one reason to post - people put their fics up because they want 
to be nominated. The weekly summary used to rock, because it always included 
at least some C&C on every fic that was sent in for consideration. Some 
weeks, that was the only C&C I got for my fic. A lot of the stories I've 
enjoyed the most (like "Should Old Acquaintance Be Forgot" by DB Sommer), I 
never would have given a second look if I hadn't read the comments on them 
in the summary. It's free advertising *and* a gauranteed comment for your 
fic! How can a guy go wrong?

Probably my favorite part of the old lists were the Long, Strange, Walks. As 
a starting writer, I was unsure of myself and a little on the nervous side. 
Those LSW articles were packed to the gills with advice and tips that I 
still use to this day, and they were written in a way that was entertaining 
as hell. I mean, I waited for those things with bated breath.

So, why should people post on the FFML? Back when I started, those were my 
reasons. It was a good place to get C&C. It introduced me to other fics that 
I knew were going to be worth my time and effort to read. Best of all, it 
was a place where a guy could get tips and advice on what to do, both in 
general (thanks to the LSW) and specifically (thanks to everyone's C&C). 
Heck, if I did well enough, there was even the chance that I might win a 
Chicken Ball (I was nominated once or twice, but no trophies for me), or 
even make it into the Hall of Fame with other people who were pretty big 
names in fanfic at the time.

I think that's how to revive the FFML. Start doing things that will generate 
interest again. Give people a simple webpage that has some important info 
and a registration form.  Let the writers and the readers know that we're 
the place to go if they want all killer, no filler. Serious C&C. Polished 
fics. And always eager to help out new kids by giving them friendly 
suggestions and advice.

If that fails, we could always redecorate. I'm thinking some throw pillows, 
maybe a tv news reporter... ;)

Anyway, pay me no mind. I'm just another old fogey talking about the "good 
old days" again. If it were up to me, we'd probably all be watching Speed 
Racer and Voltron, or something. Still, there may be a pearl of wisdom in my 
ramblings. What do you think?

I think it is worth a try.

-Morgan



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