Like many people, I fancy myself a writer. Unlike many people, I do not delude myself with the belief that I'm a good writer. I can turn a phrase here and there, and I'm usually able to string a line of words together on paper to get my meaning across. But, I'm no storyteller. I don't have the sense of flow and timing needed to slap together a ripping yarn.

I get a good idea for the beginning of a story, think of a few things I'd like to throw into the middle, and work out where I want it to end. I figure out a way to string the elements together into a logical narrative. But I'm no good at getting the characters to believe what's going on around them. I can get them to do what I want, but I have trouble getting them to want to do it.

I do believe this shortcoming on my part can be overcome. What I need to do is write a novel or three with absolutely no intention of their ever seeing the light of day. Well, of ever being published by a professional, anyway. Just like a potter can't expect his first efforts to wind up in a museum somewhere, a writer can't expect to produce a masterpiece right out of the box. He's got to make the five-pound ashtray first.

So, here's what I'm going to do. I have in mind a couple of stories I want to write. One is a sci fi space opera epic comedy, and the other is a medival fantasy epic comedy. I think in epic terms, and I can't help trying to be funny, so sue me. I'll pick which of these to work on either at random or based on comments I receive here. At irregular intervals, I will write various things regarding the chosen story--character profiles, setting and background, history, whatever, maybe even the text itself--and put them up here for your amusement and commentary. Old posts will find their way over to the Prose In Progress section of the sidebar for later referral. That is, if I and my personal HTML guru can work out how to do that.

So, determine the course of my life. Science fiction or fantasy? Starships or swords? Magic or technobabble? Future or past? Or should I scratch this contemporary paranormal itch I've been feeling all day?