Most of you know by now that I have several major long-term projects that I’m working on. I call them my “magna opera“, “great works” in the sense of “really big works.” And while I have accepted them as my tasks, there are a few points on which I could use, and would like, your help. (For future reference, I try to keep this page up to date with my currently-relevant requests-for-comment, pleas for assistance, and other help-wanted type posts.)
Most generally, I would like your thoughts—comments, questions, criticism, suggestions, or just about anything else—on any or every part of my work (posted here or elsewhere). Nothing is so polished that it cannnot be improved. (Quite the contrary!) But these are some more specific items.
The first project that comes to hand is my poetry. After posting a poem a week for the last year and a half, I’ve accumulated a rather substantial archive, so I’d like to create a collection of my best work. But I need your help deciding which poems are my best.
My second major project is the Shine Cycle, my planned fantasy series, which is mostly still in the preparation stages. There are several ways you can help me here:
- You can think of, and tell me, how would you like to be portrayed if I were to write you into the Shine Cycle?
- You can help me come up with ideas for my conception of Earth’s future history or the few utterly blank spots in my series outline.
- You can critique my writing as I revise my novelette “A Murder, a Mystery, and a Marriage” or, as my “first reader” or “beta”, as I write utterly new material.
And the last major project is Strategic Primer, a strategy game that I’m designing. The current campaign still needs players, or, if jumping into the middle of an existing campaign doesn’t interest you, if enough players show interest I can start another campaign. If you don’t feel like playing, I can use a consultant for balance and design issues. And there are a few specific questions I’ve asked for your help on. For example, I’ve asked for ideas for a list of possible orders and for help brainstorming what features a suite of “assistive programs” should have.
Do any of these look like something you’d like to do? And how can I help you?
Shine Cycle Online 