Checking my old profile shows that my 'Sue-killing story was started in August '03, and the very first chapter mentions the PPC. I know (or think) I first heard of OFUM when someone mentioned it in a review to another, deleted story - which, judging by the date on the sequel, would have been around March '03. I believe I only got an email address in around November/December '02 (in time to email a friend about The Two Towers over the Christmas holidays), so... I'm going to guess I first heard of badfic, fangirls and Mary-Sues when I read OFUM, and I read OFUM because someone mentioned mini-Balrogs to me, and I wanted one. ;) The PPC, of course, is found on the OFUM website...

hS

*clears throat and laces fingers* Let me tell you a story.

I was - and still am - a fangirl. It isn't something I'm ashamed of. However, my newbie-fangirl self was a Suethor, or, at least, had the mind of one. My Lust Object was Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation. (He's still my Lust Object, but now shares that title with several other characters). I devoured fic and fan art featuring him, and realized that there were others who felt the same way. Most of the time I felt an affinity with them.

One time, I was browsing fanfiction on Deviant Art (don't ask) when I found a story featuring Data. Due to Deviant Art's lack of organization, I had no idea what it was going to be. So I read. And it was a Suefic.

It didn't have bad SPaG, but that's all. This is the plot progression:

Data's best friend Geordi: So, are going to ask her out 'cause you too seem to be really close?
(keep in mind that this is the beginning of the story and we haven't even met her yet)
Data:…
She and Data get trapped in a cave-in. Declarations of love are exchanged and an intense makeout session ensues, with an author's note indicating mature content in the next chapter.

I kid you not. Naturally, this made me angry - mostly out of jealous. Then and there I vowed to hate her and her kind for all time. Now I definitely understand Poor Cynic's point about laughing at badfic, but at that moment I was mad.

My writing didn't suddenly improve, nor did I learn to recognize Sues that weren't lusting after characters. But it alerted me to the problems in fanfiction, and made me think that I could be part of the solution.

Sorry to go on so long, but your question hit something very specific and I wanted to share.

The PPC, for me, has never been about 'killing' badfic. I joined the PPC because I love writing. I saw in the community a group of like-minded folks with a sense of Mystery Science-esque humor who sought to both improve themselves and make people laugh at the same time.

The phrase 'killing badfic' always felt a bit too mean-spirited to me. We spork badfic, we mock badfic, we tease badfic, but actually killing it? That strikes me as too much. Not to mention that killing badfic -- actually removing it from existence -- is nigh-on impossible outside of badgering the actual authors, which would not reflect well on our little society.

You can't say 'someone should do something' because there is nothing that can be done. Mike (or Joel) and the 'Bots could never stop the films that came their way. All they could do was sit down and throw jokes at the screen until the metaphorical storm had passes. We can't stop the flow of badfic. All we can do is crack jokes and be silly until the story comes to an end.