Working in shared worlds has given me the opportunity and honor of working with some of the best known and respected names in the field of SF. It has also given me the chance to ‘play’ in some one else’s well-known sandbox. That might sound constricting, but I don’t find it so. On the other hand, collaborations or shared universes require considerable flexibility and inventiveness. I just happen to have had the good fortune of working with people who—after ensuring that their authors won’t go stampeding over carefully designed universes and story-arcs—hold the reins pretty lightly. Suffice it to say that anyone who contemplates a writing career in SF should certainly consider trying to get some collaborative work. Baen Books has adopted this approach to many new authors, much to the success of both publisher and writer. I’d know: I’ve been a beneficiary of exactly this process.