About
Lester Smith is a professional writer, game designer, and poet. He has been publishing since 1984. Nowadays, Les works for Sebranek Inc., an educational design house in southern Wisconsin that publishes as Thoughtful Learning, UpRight Press, and Write Source. Les is also currently president of the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets. And as time permits, he publishes other writers via Popcorn Press.
What does it take to make a successful publishing career? Les believes you must cultivate the following alphabetical qualities:
- Arrogance to assume that your work deserves a place on people’s shelves
- Balance in your treatment of story and mechanics
- Charm in your writing style
- Disdain for material wealth
- Eclectic tastes in books, films, and music—for inspiration
- Farsightedness to plan for deadlines, and to stay sane after missing one
- Garrulousness to write your own bios
- Humility to realize that pretty much nobody ever reads them
Les currently lives in Wisconsin with his wife, two daughters, one Chihuahua, a hyperactive bichon shih tzu, a multitude of old computers, and far too large a collection of games and books. If you would like to help alleviate this last problem, please visit Hobby Hearse, his online garage sale.
Contact Information:
mail: P.O. Box 12, Elkhorn, WI 53121
email: Les at LesterSmith dot com
Résumé
PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT
- January 1998 to present: WRITER/TECHNOLOGIST, SEBRANEK, INC.
- Wrote research-paper, poetry, and technology chapters for a k-12 line of writing textbooks.
- Contributed to other k-12 and college-level texts.
- Contributed to handbooks for the business-writing marked.
- Maintained and contributed to the company’s Web sites: www.thewritesource.com and www.upwritepress.com.
- Launched the company’s e-Publishing Department.
- Managed the company’s first e-book title, and innovated a solution to keep it’s Web links perpetually updated.
- Managed the UpWrite Press bimonthly podcast publication and bimonthly eTips newsletter.
- Troubleshot various Web-related technology issues.
- January 1998 to present: FREELANCE WORK
- Established Popcorn Press; published various fiction and poetry titles.
- Contributed to and edited Shred™ magazine and the DragonElves™ E-Card™ game.
- Taught Intro to JavaScript classes online for the HTML Writers Guild.
- March 1996 to to January 1998: CHIEF DEVELOPER, IMPERIUM GAMES & FREE-LANCE DESIGNER.
- Co-designed of the Sovereign Stone™ role-playing game.
- Wrote the Zero™ role-playing game.
- Headed development of the Traveller™ role-playing game line for Imperium Games.
- Designed the Chaos Progenitus™ collectible dice game.
- Worked on various freelance projects.
- November 1995 to February 1996: CHIEF DESIGNER, COMICO GAMING, INC.
- Designed the Year of the Rat™ collectible dice game.
- Assisted in promotion of the Chrysalis™ collectible card game.
- October 1992 to November 1995: DESIGNER & EDITOR, TSR, INC.
Designed the Dragon Dice™ collectible dice game (1995 Origins Award winner), and the majority of its 1995 and 1996 supplements. Wrote and edited various role-playing projects, including the Bughunters® role-playing game (author), the Planes of Chaos boxed set (author with Wolfgang Baur) for the Planescape® .campaign setting, and the Red Steel™ campaign setting (editor). - September 1991 to October 1992: DESIGNER & EDITOR, GDW, INC.
Managing Editor of the Dark Conspiracy™ and Dangerous Journeys™ role-playing games, and of Journeys™ magazine. Contributed to the initial development of the Traveller: The New Era™ role-playing game. - September 1991 to October 1992: GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANT, ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY, ENGLISH DEPARTMENT, & FREELANCE GAME DESIGN.
Pursued a Master’s Degree in Writing, taught Freshman Composition, authored the Dark Conspiracy™ role-playing game for GDW, and contributed to the second edition MechWarrior™ role-playing game for FASA, Corp. - November 1986 to September 1991: DESIGNER & EDITOR, GDW, INC.
Authored the Traveller: 2300™ role-playing game, and worked as managing editor for the line. Also wrote or edited various products for the Twilight: 2000™ and Space: 1889™ role-playing games, and designed various board games.
OTHER EXPERIENCE
- 1985 to present: Publication of articles in various hobby game magazines.
EDUCATION
- 1998-present: Various classes for Web-related technologies, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, ColdFusion, ASP, Perl, Acrobat, and Paint Shop Pro
- 1989-1991: Illinois State University, Normal, IL., M. A. Writing (ABT).
- 1985-1989: Illinois State University, Normal, IL., B. A., magna cum laude; Major: English; minor: Spanish
- 1982-1983: P.N. Bloomington School of Practical Nursing.
UNDERGRADUATE HONORS
- 1989: Departmental Honors in English and University Honors Scholar
- 1986: Canning Scholarship