[FFML] [Ranma] [Alt] Death And Rebirth

[Nicholas Leifker]

Your request is an interesting one from my perspective on several 
fronts.  I've had works skewered on the list in the past, and I've done 
my share of skewering.  I also found it fascinating because I have 
commented on several occasions to one of the people you've spoken in 
defense of.

I found myself agreeing with you that perhaps Peter and Slacker 
shouldn't have commented as he did, but for a reason far different from 
what you were thinking.  See, I've said much the same thing to Cute Neko 
Hibiki in the past - and there's probably a dozen people here on this 
list who could say the same thing.  In the past, CNK has clearly shown 
no desire to improve the story.  CNK writes what CNK writes; the best 
thing to do with CNK's stories are, if you like it, say so, but if not 
to just ignore it.

This is a new beginning in several respects.  New FFML, new option to 
make and shape rules in order to produce a vibrant writing community.  
In all honesty, in some cases I've wondered if what I've done and 
recommended in the old FFML community was good for the community at 
large.  With the new FFML, we're going to have to strike a balance 
between comment to help out and comment simply to criticize an art form. 

CNK is one example of the kinds of writers we will find in a working 
community, I think.  I suspect we will find other controversial examples 
coming out of the woodwork over the next months (at least, I hope so!).  
People write because they want to write - and, in many cases, write the 
way they write because that's how they want to write.  The comments we 
make are going to have to reflect both the joy of writing and the desire 
of most writers to improve. 

In a vacuum, Peter's comments probably would have been fine, because he 
was making suggestions to improve - basically, to flesh out the story.  
CNK, to be honest, does come up with some interesting ideas that would 
be beautiful if they were fleshed out, and Peter became reviewer #2,164 
to ask CNK to do that.  His last comment, "They aren't worth reading 
otherwise" is close to being inflammatory; you could argue that he went 
too far there, but he definitely didn't go to the extreme.  For the most 
part, his suggestions are good ones.

Slacker's, on the other hand, makes much of the same criticisms, but 
with a far different tone.  One thing Richard said once upon a time 
comes to mind: If you're really upset because of an email, wait 24 
hours, then post a reply.  As much as I disagree with what CNK posts, 
the only thing CNK wastes is electrons and CNK's own time.  There really 
is no point to Slacker's rant, because he's been here awhile and knows 
what CNK writes. 

The trick is finding the difference between the two - being able to 
develop writers, without squashing them - and where the FFML fits in 
regards to all this.

-- Nick
- wondering when the next Jeff Rutsch will come out of the woodwork - 
and what the likely response will be.