I've used some original writing myself in some of my own bios- mainly for just a biography and career summary, all based or made up of things I've read. (thought I got away from that in later bios). Really though, I don't see it as necessary, nor is it necessary to make a great bio.
Since my mind is filled with this topic at the moment, I'll use it to make a point- research essays. The ATD bios seventies uses are essentially the research portion of creating a research essay- and they far from take "no skill". Sure, anyone could do it, theoretically- but then, why doesn't everyone produce bios like seventies, especially because we use similar styles that he does? Because these research involved (like the research involved in a research essay,as I have learned) is HARD. Specifically, a lot of hard work is involved in getting all those quotes from all those sources (especially for seventies- have you seen how aboslutely massive his collection of hockey history books is? It's insane), sorting through the junk and the usable, recording all the information, creating any additional studies seventies sometimes features in his bios. And you have to read through it all, to carefull select what to bold to emphasize thing.
Researching for a bio, like an essay, does require a great amount of skill, hard work, time, and effort. One could take this a step further and do essay-style writing based on the research, but for bios, I want the facts or opinions from other people, not the opininos of the guy picking him, which adds an undoubtedly bias view on the player as well as somewhat subtracting from the bio's use as a reference and resource. Besides this, do many people really want to read an essay about a player in a bio? And besides that, the writing portion undoubtedly comes into full form in a much more effective way later on- the playoffs (and to a lesser extent, lineup assasinations)
In the playoffs, in the thread, or when we defend concerns brought up in lineup assasinations, are when we truly do the writing portion of the research essay- we say our opinions on players and develop them based upon the resources we've seen, often collected in the bios. The effectiveness of this really negates the need, in my mind, for unique writing in the bio, and one should not be critized for not featuring it. I prefer bios as reference works to players- the most effective use of the research part of the ATD research essay is in bios. I prefer all the opinions and writing be conducted in the debate going on in other threads, where in a competitive environment filled with debate and other views, the opinions and writings are at their finest, and far more effective than when used in bio format, IMO.
As for the rest:
As an original gm I have developed my own style and I don't care to change what I enjoy doing just because some others decided to change the draft then quit it!
That's fine. You can do bios as you are doing it now- no one cares. But, like you, we don't care to change our methods of bio making because one GM things our method of bio making is wrong and should be changed.
having the most info good bad and in some cases unneeded but also be the least attractive of all the bios and way less fun
Not sure if your opinion on most info is good or bad, but again, I like bios as reference sources- as such, more information is always good. I don't see seventies bios as any less attractive than yours. Define "fun" as an adjective in this context- if you're suggesting less fun to write, well, some would likely disagree, which is fine- to each his own in this case. If you're suggesting less fun to read, well bio reading is not exactly a trip to Canada's Wonderland no matter what bio we're talking about, and I don't read a bio for fun- I read it to learn, primarily.
I ca live with your uncreative less eye catching informative bios but try and do it in a neater tidier way
What's not neat about all the bios being available in a single post of normal size, and being able to easily get to whatever bio I want without going through many others to get to it?
