Subject: Yes
Author:
Posted on: 2008-08-17 06:15:00 UTC

Yes, I read it... I made plenty of references to the post and don't know how much more clear I could have been. I don't know. I guess since even just responding to this two and a half sentence post in any measure is sort of making me look like a jackass, I may as well address parts of the earlier post that particularly bugged me:

"Excuse. Bad excuse. To me, all that first sentence of yours says is "BAWWWW. SOMEONE HURT MY FEELINGS.""

Except, as I mentioned, that isn't the reason I took it off in the first place (and the reason I took it off is neither an excuse by any measure nor about me, personally). If it was, why would I then willfully describe my work as crap (which, by the way, is still subjective just as how somebody calling themselves the greatest writer ever is obviously subjective, but I honestly do think that my concepts for the two stories just turned out to be crap in execution and ultimately not very funny), then go to great length offering to rip apart all of my own work (and, indeed, my own damn -persona-) if all this was about my "feelings being hurt"? Shouldn't I just edit it out and hope nobody notices if that's the case? Or, failing that intelligence check, write some scathing post decrying the website for its "unfair" treatment of me by proxy? Well, one interpretation (which I jokingly alluded to) is that I'm doing this for publicity (honestly... I'd rather be obscure than hated), but the real reason is because I am not Anne Rice, Tim Buckley, or David Gonterman and I have an actual sense of humor about myself and my creations. I don't treat anything I write as serious.

"If someone added it there because they have a grudge with you, well, that's between them and you. Leave the PPC out of it. Getting other parties involved in a two way arguement just leads to more problems. So stop that garbage NOW."

There is no addition to the argument. As I mentioned, I brought this up simply because I wanted to contribute. The other asshole of this "feud" (I can't adequately explain how retarded this person's motives were if I tried) just used the PPC website as little more than a tool to make a "point". Is that really a justifiable use of the website? I certainly hope not, lest it undermine the whole concept.

"Unfortunately, it's not really your opinion that matters if you put it online for others to read, is it?"

Of course it's not my opinion that ultimately matters. Two things, though. First, the person that person added the stories did it for all the wrong reasons (as mentioned in earlier posts and this one) and I'd rather not let other people get involved in this petty crap (you know, the thing that I'm being accused of here). Second:

"It's hard to carry a parody off properly no matter what. Parody and satire are dangerous beasts, and people can and will read them improperly and your 'parody' Sue is going to be just a Sue. They're going to take it at FACE VALUE."

I won't deny that parody is hard to pull off properly. While obviously, any character whatsoever can be interpreted as a Mary Sue (the term is pretty much just a dead horse that translates into "character I don't like" at this point, but I like to pretend it still means something specific). However, as I mentioned, using pretty much any real objective standard of Mary Sue (you know... a character that the author is obviously playing favorites with and bends the universe around) would not have the character come back as such. The PPC website, itself, would vindicate the character. I can argue that point forever. I'm not saying it's a good character (oh, no, not at all. I hate the C unmentionable). It's just not a Mary Sue by any real definition.

"Also, C-List? There are no 'C-List' Agents. There are Agents still used by their creators. There are Agents that have officialy retired. There are Agents that are in that limbo of being unwritten since their creators left and might return, or not. Thinking of any character as being C-List isn't right, because you know something? This is a shared verse. What I might think of a C-List Agent is right at the top of someone else's A-List."

I guess using the term "C-list" might seem offensive, but did I specifically call any character in particular C-list? No. Did I imply that there might exist C-list characters that people might be willing to part with? Yes, and that is because I seriously doubt any major project like this has managed to avoid having a casual writer grow distant from it. I already mentioned wanting full permission and full cooperation, not having asked for abandoned characters without the permission of their authors, etc. etc. in the other post.

Anyway, since I haven't yet read all the stories, I guess I'll just put the idea I had for a story on the backburner (unless enough people decide they do want to actually go through with it). I guess I'm thinking more in terms of a particular style of execution, actually, and am not properly communicating it. Also, the more I think about it, the less casualties I think I'd actually write due to the fact that death itself is just friggin' boring. Odds are, there would probably be all of two irreversible events (and one of them would be an accident). Regardless, I guess I shouldn't offer suggestions until I'm familiar with everything first.

I don't even see the negative of any of this. Technically competent, self-aware (if self-deprecating at times, easily prone to mediocre ideas, and sometimes retarded) writer that could have just killed off the entries without much of a fuss instead decides to offer entirely free content for the entire PPC 'verse? Without any conditions whatsoever? Hell, I'd even offer my really, really, REALLY crappy unpublished City of Heroes "fanfiction" for the chopping block if people wanted it. I'd rather not because I think that having not published it gives me the right to disavow it (it's not like I'm taking it away from anybody), but I offer it, nonetheless.

Anyway, if there's something you want specifically answered, feel free to mention it. Also, while I do my best to avoid letting any personally negative tones seep into my stuff, I might accidentally word something in a way that could be misinterpreted as such and for that, I apologize. Let me assure you that I have nothing against you (and why should I?). You might have completely missed a lot of the point and are using bad debate form, but you're otherwise rational and intelligent (even if it sort of feels like my posts were just casually skimmed over). If you weren't, I wouldn't have posted a big response and a second, largely redundant one with more clarification just because of a two and a half sentence wonder accusing me of missing the point. And please don't assume that I'm being negative in pointing this out personally. I'm just letting you know where I come from. Again, if you have any lingering questions, concerns, etc., I'm more than happy to address them and I hope I do not come across as some asshole for any of this. I would like to contribute in some measure to the website (provided I'm still welcome, anyway).

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