I posit that while yes, there is a very strong inverse correlation between Nail Count and quality, there are outliers that are very high quality indeed despite having a very high NC (and probably outliers in the opposite direction too). Of course, it might still be reasonable to assert that positive outliers might as well not be fanfic – they just happen to be well-written stories instead of incomprehensible messes.
YMMV of course, but I think Anne Walsh's Dangerverse is an outlier above the Main Sequence, as an example. That thing's NC is huge (it might be easier to list the things not changed or invented wholecloth), but I enjoyed reading it immensely.
YMMV of course, but I think Anne Walsh's Dangerverse is an outlier above the Main Sequence, as an example. That thing's NC is huge (it might be easier to list the things not changed or invented wholecloth), but I enjoyed reading it immensely.