Some points on SRBL that I felt I had to reply to, but must do here now.
A, a suggestion from someone that the writers posting weren't interested in improving their writing.
Why aren't they? There's a suggestion here that because it's fanfic, it's not important to improve your standard of writing. Do people really want to read stories by a writer who doesn't care about the quality of their writing? I'm not for publicly humiliating people, but there is a difference between that and well-thought out constructive criticism, which can be received in the spirit in which it is given: as part of an adult exchange of views.
b, public criticism is unnecessary,damaging and upsetting.
Perhaps, but then we lose public debate about fanfic, which to me is potentially one of the great things about being on lists. After all, the writer has posted their fiction to a public list. Why then can't it be discussed in public? Personally I get upset by reading posts with nothing but gushing praise. I'm sure that's very good for the writer's ego, but how good is it for the quality of writing in the fandom?
I'm sorry I can't post my views about this to the list, as the listowner has asked for the debate to be moved. That really says a lot about people's fear of public discussion of their fanfic. I know that we all live in this net community and so have to be more careful about how we say things, but in life, if we write or say something in public, then we are accountable for that, and should be prepared for people to say 'I don't agree, but...'. I don't know why this should be different on lists.
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