On topic, I'm in favor of including further fandoms
than simply Japanese animation and manga. However, I
cast my vote in the direction of a gradual phasing-in
of other fandoms, in order to ease the transition.

I suggest beginning by allowing fics based on video
games, since these days the typical anime-viewer
demographic also falls into the typical
medium-interest gamer. This also would be easy, as
many of the more popular (and most eminently
fic-inspiring) games are either basically done as
anime, based on anime or manga, or otherwise simply an
unmistakably Japanese product.

After a test-run in this field, non-Japanese animation
and comics should be introduced en masse, so as to
avoid the inevitable discussion of "is X 'manga-style'
enough to qualify or not".

Science fiction and fantasy novels and TV shows should
be introduced last. This is because most novel fandoms
have, at least, a dedicated cult following, and this
can easily become hostile territory.

Now, as for what to do to "revive" the list...
honestly, I'm not entirely sure what would achieve
that end. To borrow a cliche, the paradigm of
anime/manga fandom has shifted. Instead of a community
of mature, dedicated fans mixed in with a few curious
newbies, anime/manga appreciation has almost become
mainstream. The fanbase is no longer small and focused
on the few elements that made it overseas; it's now
large, diffuse, with many fandoms and interests, but
often little more than a "fad-craze" interest in most
of the new elements presented.
The result of this change, as I see it, is reflected
by the preferred fanfiction delivery medium. In the
"heyday" of the FFML, a mailing list was perfect: not
exclusive by any means, but requiring enough expertise
to automatically weed out the average clueless
11-year-old piddling about on Parent's computer. Now,
everything is faster, easier, and the online
contingent has a significantly lower "age
requirement". With a clumsy C&C system and somewhat
draconian rules of what is and isn't allowed,
fanfiction.net's very nature caters to the short
attention span, the mindless slash-ficcer, and the
all-around "praise whore" fanfic writers. However,
ff.net is basically drawing in all the young blood,
leaving the FFML, as it is, to languish away while
many of its senior members move on to other interests.
There are other factors, certainly, but those are the
chief ones I can see.

So, with that, I can come up with a few plans of
action that just might bring the FFML back to
thriving:

1) Advertise. I prefer leaving a note in the signature
that I'm a proud FFML member seven years running. If
many people on this ML do so while interacting with
others on the Web - e.g., DB, whose work is posted to
ff.net - it may get us more exposure where it counts.

2) Get the FFML a webpage. We need one. Preferably one
with an easy sign-up box and a very visible FAQ link
at least. Maybe even an archive and/or archive search
function. The reason we need one is simple: all the
other fanfic places have clear demonstrations of what
a potential member can expect, and to compete, the
FFML has to become more generally user-friendly. We
need something tangible that won't scare the pants off
of the kids.

3) Improve the C&C. For a long time now, most who post
C&C to the list and not directly to private email are
doing a good and thorough job of it. Lurkers (like
myself, and no reference to ELL, whose posting
frequency makes his handle debatably a misnomer) need
to lurk less and try to be more forthcoming with their
comments. Now, if all you've got to say is "Like your
fic, write more please!", then it's proably best to
send it to the author's e-mail. If, however, you can
offer it some constructive criticism - either
proofreading, or the more sought style critique -
then, by all means, post it to the list for all to
see. I know it helps keep me sharp to read good C&C,
even if my work isn't being commented on.

That's my US$.02, and I'm definitely going to try much
harder to stick to #3.

--- "Robyn, Duke of Amber" <seraphim@sentex.net>
wrote:
[wow, how many times do you see a real snip these
days?]

Things like Call of 'thooloo are already part of the
anime world by the
way in which they have sunken into anime media...

I'll do you one better. Look up an anime called
Demonbane.
Basically, the Main Male Protagonist is a dropout from
Miskatonic U, who is bonded with the spirit of Al
Azif, the original manuscript of the Necronomicon -
who, for some reason, takes the form of a loli-girl.

...Yeah, my brain crashed on that part too. All I can
say for certain, for lack of more information, is that
Demonbane doesn't look like it's an ero title, so you
can (maybe) rest a little easier. I'm pretty sure it's
of the giant-robot variety, and with the source
material, ancient legends and conspiracies are almost guaranteed.

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