Quote Originally Posted by fantazmaster
No ,I don't think it is so much a case of any sort of decline in quality,but of avoiding "reruns".Perhaps we are seeeing a maturation of the genre as the newer contributions
reflect these new creative directions in an attempt to avoid merely rewriting
a slightly altered version of an earlier story or stories.
Yes - maturation is the right word. Sure I' d like to see it happen in matter of months but it just doesn't work that way. There was enormous explosion, now for the slow development.

Is the quality deteriorating? Tough one.

No and yes.

I admit to finding myself reading more and more the stories I've been following or at least stories by the authors I know and less and less totally new stuff. So much ground has been covered that it is really difficult to find new angle if that is what you are after.

Oh, at least two thirds of new stories are written by people who just want to see their fantasies/needs 'in print' and they rightly do not care if it is new or not. Others are just too new to the game and have no real idea what has gone before.
A number of the best writers have gone at least semi-pro and they ask some cash input for the privilege of reading their newest material (again quite rightly - they really invested a lot of hard work and talent.)
As the field is expanding more generally literate and experienced people are entering it.
So yes I seem to notice some better writing, subtler approaches, more delicate handling, generally - more skill. So it is happening - albeit verrrry slowly.
However if one's idea of 'better' writing is: "Wow I never heard of THAT, before…!" sorry, there will be less and less of that.
One just might wish for something like 'editors pick' (we have readers pick - most rated, highest rated') but that is - again rightly! - against site's policy. Everyone gets same initial treatment and that's it.

Have fun.
Pejanon