A couple quick things I have to clarify for the record. 1) I get over 500 messages a day, when the internet railway is working (which it hasn't the last couple/three days). No problem, except when people send me 4, 6, or even 10 private email messages in a day, asking questions that should more properly be asked in the public forum. Otherwise a) I end up answering the same question, privately, over and over, b) I don't answer in which case I'm seen as snubbing the person. In particular, I'm often sent long, LONG messages requiring very detailed discussions in private mail...and if I stopped to answer all of those, nothing in the public forums would get answered, and no scripts would be written. And again I'm in the position of a or b above. If you have a question about story, or characters, or other B5 elements, unless there's some profound and overwhelming reason why you can NOT let others see it, *POST IT IN THE PUBLIC FORUM* so that the discussion can serve others who may have similar questions. There is no reason why that kind of discussion should be kept in private mail. And if it's public, it has a much better chance of getting a reply, or an in-depth reply, than if it's private. Just trying to get some kind of handle on the huge incoming email problem before I drown out here. 2) Regarding the B5 snail-mail box...that address has been provided as a drop for mail for the cast, primarily, and somewhat for myself. It's basically a fan-mail address. But lately, more and more, people have been sending in mail with story ideas, which my staff generally catch before I see it. The usual line in the letter is, "I know you said you couldn't see story ideas in the public forums, so I thought I'd send this to you in hard copy so you could consider it." NO, NO, NO, NO and, in case I wasn't clear....NO. One person even has begun sending *weekly packets* of stuff, and this one's going to have to go to Legal Affairs to beat the crap out of him. The mail drop is provided, by me, out-of-pocket, as a courtesy to the fans. It is not to be abused. If story ideas/outlines/scripts continue to arrive -- they are currently being either round-filed or sent back unopened, if we can tell what they are -- I will have no choice other than to close the mail drop. I hate to be a grump about this stuff, but as more folks find the show, correspondence-related matters threaten to spin out of control, and it's important to kind of re-establish the ground rules a bit. It's only a relatively few folks who're not getting or haven't heard the message, but it's worth stating for the record anyway. So if this info could be included in the faq, that'd be great. 3) Quick aside...to the person who sent me the private mail about candles...which I accidentally deleted and couldn't find again to reply... the answer is yes, and thank you. jms |
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