LOL, this is funny ... I was just talking with another FoLC about starting a topic just like this. GMTA.
Things I've learned from L&C/FoLCdom:
How to punctuate dialogue properly - when I started writing fanfic, I had no idea what I was doing. I used double punctuation (including a comma after a question mark, for example), used inconsistent and incorrect ellipses, and would even include more than one speaker in the same paragraph. Thanks to writers with more knowledge than myself, I not only learned how to do all these things properly (who knew you used four dots, without a space, when an ellipsis ended a sentence??) but went on to educate others in my role as a BR and EIC of the Archive.
That when you bring a group of people this diverse together, there is no end to what our collective knowledge base is -- I still can't believe Pam once asked the weight of a Siberian Tiger ... and three people knew. <bg>
Differences in UK and US English -- fascinating how different the language can be on each side of the pond.
My typing speed increased dramatically -- I thought I was a pretty decent typist before I got online. After all, I'd known touch typing since junior high and used a word processor at work every day. Then I started writing fanfic and communicating online every day, and my speed went through the freakin' roof. <g>
Countless things from fanfic and fanfic research -- I was talking with my horse trainer niece of Christmas and the subject turned to breeding ... and I was able to converse on the subject of "teaser stallions" thanks to one of Zoomway's fanfics. (I can't even remember which one it was; "It's About Time", maybe?) I was chuckling to myself about that one for a long time.
Oh, and this was one that came up during a conversation with a friend:
Moral Lessons one can take from L&C: Don't jump into bed with someone before you really know them, or you run the risk of getting your heart broken. Similarly, if you want to get to know a love interest better, but are worried you'll end up in bed together too soon, suggest a no sex clause for the duration of the date. If they refuse, it might be your clue that they're more interested in the sex than having a long-term relationship. (OK, that one was based on one of my own stories, but I still think it's a good lesson. <g>)
Kathy
