The Eternal Lost Lurker wrote:
The FFML (and to an extent, rec.arts.anime.creative) are the "Pop's Diner"
of the fanfiction world. Fanfiction.net is the McDonald's. Today's fanfic
authors want instant gratification and aren't especially interested in
getting honest, helpful reviews of the stuff they write--which is why they
flock to FF.net, where the most godawful piece of crap ever written can get
at least a dozen "lol luv ur fic rite mor plz" reviews within a day.
*looks at some godawful pieces of crap he's posted on FF.net with far
fewer than a dozen reviews*
I can serve as a counter-example! :)
In all seriousness, that is a large reason for the decline of the FFML,
though I think not necessarily the sole or dominant one.
I think that one of the primary reasons we aren't seeing enough new
blood to counter the inevitable attrition of established authors is that
mailing lists, in general, are dying out. Message boards and the like
are taking/have taken over their place in the Internet ecosystem.
There's been at least one time I can remember when I've even had
difficulty explaining how a mailing list works to someone - it just
wasn't something he'd encountered before.
Compounding these problems, it isn't terribly easy to find the FFML - we
aren't on the first page of Google results for anime fanfiction. A RAAC
archive at fanfic.net is, and some digging there will turn up a cryptic
reference and instructions to e-mail "ffml-request@fanfic.com" for more
info, which is both user-unfriendly and I believe now incorrect. Even
Googling for "FFML" isn't as good as it could be. A page with the FFML
FAQ is the first result, but it hasn't been updated since 2004 and
doesn't provide a on-site sign-up form.
To get to the FFML, I imagine that a new author would have to stumble
across a possibly cryptic reference in the author's notes of something
he'd read (which isn't likely), decide to Google it, and be determined
enough to dig through the FAQ, fire up his e-mail, and subscribe. If
there's an easier way, I don't know what it is.
What might help would be a nice-looking website that on the front page
explains simply what the FFML was, provides a sign-up form, has an
easily browseable if not searchable archive, and ideally has a way to
post directly from the website. Even more ambitious would be to have an
archive for finalized versions of fanfics (essentially a mini-ff.net) on
the website to complement the list's role as a forum for drafts.
The existence of Fanfiction.net need not spell the end of the FFML -
there are vastly more anime fanfiction writers than ever before, and a
certain percentage of those are likely to be interested in more than
"lol luv ur fic rite mor plz." We just have to get them to come here.