Oh, jeez. That is funny, even with Lloyd Rose showing up and being all "aw, but I like your fanfic." It's always weird to see creators talking with fandom - I've noticed it happen more often and more directly with Doctor Who and especially BFAs and EDAs than in other fandoms. (Possibly because it's so old and at some point most of the people involved were fans? I don't know.)

I feel like reading Tristam Shandy may be somewhat similar to interacting with me, except in the eighteenth century. I hope that I'm wrong and just over-identifying, or at least that I haven't made your brain hurt as much.