I certainly understand the need to prove myself; and I'm sorry for using any language that made it seem like I'm looking for a "higher echelon" of people and snubbing the rest, nor did I intend to overstate my own credentials - I only mean that I am serious about doing something praiseworthy. Anyone else who feels that same, I think we should be able to get along. Thanks, Robosprog, for making me clarify that.
Acies, I'll definitely take a look at your project first; it would be good to see how I could contribute to someone else's working before taking the helm on anything of my own
I'll post a few links to some of my work before too long. Here's a short piece I had go up recently:
http://flashesinthedark.com/2012/08/05/f...e-enright/
EDIT: I just uploaded a sci-fi horror piece I wrote a couple years ago. No one's bought it yet, but I've won a some small awards for it. You can also find a link to my blog in my profile, and I have a couple short stories and fragments up there.