At 06:50 AM 4/25/96 -0600, you wrote:

On Thu, 25 Apr 1996, Robyn, Duke of Amber wrote:

(SNIP!!!)

Do you prefer long fics or short fics, and why?  Also, what are some 
tips on lengthening 'fics?  I'm having an extremely hard time writing my 
one 'long' 'fic... not to mention I've got quite a few more on the back 
burner.   Oh, and another question regarding Mr. Biles' 'technobabble' 
comments: How do you make that stuff sound convincing? Is it real tech 
that someone who isn't avidly into military/combat type stuff wouldn't 
know about?   

Well, as to 'fic length, I always seem to like the longer oens better (I
simply *ADORE* BGZone, and Undocumented Features and Otaku Rising and
Srenendipity...ALL of which are over 800K at the very least...but then I
read the short ones in a matter of minutes...kinda leaves me feelin' like
there should be more to it...add in the fact that most of the shorter 'fics
just happen to be in script format (NOT my prefered style) and that dosen't
bode well for a 'fic in my eyes...give me an amazingly long fanfic in prose
format, written properly (Enough "(name) said"s and a new indented line for
different people talking...look at some novels for exaples :) and write it
GOOD wihtout any padding (hey, like someone said (if this isn't exactly
right, I'm sorry fluff is fluff and nothing's going to change that...If the
'fic is to be written better short, so be it, but if it is to be long in
order to get everythign across (None of those "Fix everything in the last
paragraph" kinda things...I hate those worse than anything) or has a LOT
happening pretty much at once snd you don't want the 'fic in the actual
"episode" kinda thing, like um...Sailor Moon Ace was, or uh...The Crys Saga
(I actually liked that one...wish he'd've finished it) try it in one LONG
'fic, or even break it into chapters...ANYways, enough of my rambling...on
to the "Technobabble"...I *LLIKE* Technobabble :) (Heck, I can even remember
parts of that hardsuit thing that Hitomi posted in october or so!(and if
anyone could please re-send that to me I'd be grateful)) But I'd guess that
parts of the technobabble stuff is what the author knows about...if you're a
gun nut (sorrys to anyone out there who is one, I can'tthink of a better
term rightn now) and chemicals confuse you you're probably going to be able
to write lots more of munitions and weaponry stuff than anything on
Biochemistry or Chem engineering...for example, if you're writing a BGC 'fic
and you knew a lot about missiles and VERY litle about conventional weapons,
unless you find someone knowledgable in that, you're gonna write somthing
with a lot more missiles in it than Handguns and Uzis (Unless of course you
want to swing it, which can get you in trouble with people wh oDO know about
the things)  Basically, if you want technobabble, write what you know about,
or find someone to help you with what you DON'T know about...it's safer than
writing somthing that you don't know much/anything about and having a bunch
of people correcting you and at times begging you to change it so that it's
right (sometimes not even bothering to ask and just commanding you
to)...ANYways...that's MORE than enough of my blathering, so I'll let you go
(If anyone even bothered to read this monster in the first place:)

If anyone wishes to correct me, flame me, or do anything else to me...
{HENTAI!} you again? I thought I got rid of you... {of COURSE you didn't!
*points to a huge trunk with travel stickers from almost a hundred countries
on it* You sent me on a trip a LONG time ago and I just got back! and now
that other people have SIGcharacters, I'll fit in!} But you don't even have
a name yet {that'll change, pick one or ask for suggesstions!} why? {*holds
up a rather LARGE mallet and just glares*} Good point...um...suggestions
anyone??? PLEASE!??! {*tapping foot impatiently* Hurry it up!} *whimper*

Aaron Stolz-astolz@direct.ca E-mail me anytime! I'm on for HOURS on end all the 
time, so you might even get a reply soon after you send it! *******************