My name is Jane Doe. My cause is truth and dignity in fiction. This is my cause.

I am bicurious, bisexual, bicoastal, bilingual and darnit, people like me.

I've participated in 852 fandoms and written 2,170 stories under 153 names and pseudonyms. (The statistics here are a little sketchy.) Slash is fun, writing publishable material is more fun and writing in general is the most fun a person can have. Slash has become like crack to me, like the ultimate guilty pleasure, like the porn collection you keep under your bed and will never bring out during daylight hours but is also the first thing you'd save in a fire.

I think it should be explored, poked and prodded and held up to the same standards as any other art or craft distributed for the world at large. That's why I'm here. I do not buy that because something is written "just for fun" that it should not be reviewed, pondered or examined. I do not buy that because it's "just slash," it can't be spell checked and improved. I believe in treating it like any other form of expression, like art or poetry or original fiction. Some of it is good, some of it is bad but everyone is promising.

I've found that the quality of slash stories is treated like the Emporer's new clothes. Don't mention that the stories posted are poorly spelled or contain huge loopholes in plot, characterization or judgment. Don't post your opinion at all, or you'll be booted off the list. It's not polite to make suggestions. Where else in the world of writing is it not polite to make suggestions? Think about it.

Jane quote: "What the fuck do you mean, 'tbc?' with a question mark? Is it a series or not?"

Virginia Plain's the name. A kinder, gentler, more mellow Virginia Plain.

Jane and I share a brain, and she's been hogging it. I decided that it's time to take back my half. But I maintain that we are not lovers. Just "good friends."

My game has changed a little since Jane and I started here. After a long and much-needed break from the slash world, I am no longer on the attack, though I'm still on the lookout.

Like Jane, I believe in exploring the slash world the same way I believe all forms of art should be explored. There is no excuse for not wanting to better your skills, even if you're writing slash "just for fun." Isn't it a hell of a lot more fun when you know what you're doing right, and doing wrong, and actively work towards improvement?

I no longer believe that there are truly bad writers. There are only seriously misguided attempts that can be improved with a little help from a good beta reader. There is no such thing as a hopeless case, unless the author deems him or herself too good for the input of those who are just trying to help. And in my limited experience, if you think you're too good to ask for help, you're probably not.

It's not a crime to want to help. But it is a crime to refuse it.

Virginia quote: "And please, I beg of you, whether you're writing porn or erotica, don't ever use phrases like 'pulsing love stick.'"

We don't have a bio for C. Miller, although we do have it on good authority that she killed herself a bear when she was only three.

C. Miller quote: "Unless it's a pairing like Jim/Blair, I stop and wonder a) which one's taller and b) how you can be sure that one's older?"

Hello, my name is June.

I review Highlander slash, specifically, Duncan/Methos slash, and if you throw together a Highlander story and buy into lazy!writer fanon, write Mac as dumb and Methos as the puppet-master, high above it all, except of course, when he's letting Mac stomp all over his widdle baby feelings, I'll find you and I'll hurt you. In front of everyone.

Clear enough?

Unlike Jane, I think writing is a painful, excruciating process, but hey, variety is what makes the world go 'round. But reading slash? Reading should not be painful, but all too often it is. So here we are, ready to do something about that, ready to jump into the breech and fight for honestly characterized, well written slash.

What? No, of course, we're not doing it for you, we're doing it for ourselves. We have to read the dreck too, you know.

June quote: "I'm right there with Joe, but I'd really prefer that Methos' sentences end with periods."

I'm Nancy. I review BBS. I write it too, but you won't be finding out who I am any time soon. Don't email me and ask.

The pairing that I like the most falls between the usual in this fandom: JC/Lance and Justin/Lance. Other pairings I can read, but I don't do well with. Also, I'm big on 'N Sync slash, but I've dabbled in BSB, O-Town, and 98 Degrees a little. I've even ventured to read some of that S Club 7 shit. (S Club 7! - Jane)

I believe that there is no reason that any reader should have to sit through a hackneyed story when most writers are capable of producing work that is so much better than what they put out there. People are just lazy. They know that they can write a good story - hell, great stories, even - but they don't want to put in the time or effort to do so.

Enter: the Nifty Archive.

I want to keep bad slash from happening to good people. Don't get upset if I say something bad about your story. I believe in tough love, and I'm only here to help.

Nancy quote: "I won't lie - I cried at the end [of the story]. But I think that was more out of relief than anything else."

Boy Wonder, for talking dirty and entertaining Jane.

Anyone at Slashcity who doesn't think we suck, because Robin and Zorrorojo deserve new cars and houses in the Hamptons.

Kate Bolin, for providing archives we frequent so often that we should be ashamed of ourselves.

Blarney Stone from the due South fandom, because she hates us and it would probably really piss her off if her name was here.