I am still thinking about a lot that Ces has said. I found her body replacement theory not a close description of what fan fiction is for me, but I didn't know how to say it in that conversation (from last week? In your LJ?). Putting in the context of Helen's story and this discussion I see why it doesn't work for me all the time. I love a big foofy romance with glamorous and beautiful and fabulous hero/ines as much as the next person but Helen's kind of story is also something I want from my fan fiction and something I reach for when I get round to writing but rarely achieve, so I triply admire the skill in others.