The Opus Connection is like E=mc2

The name of this new platform you are reading, The Opus Connection, was intended to communicate the idea that here is where you can find examples of a higher level of thinking and practice.

I hope that in its final iteration (we are not there yet) Opus will attract accomplished writers in their respective fields of endeavour, whatever they may be. It could be Neuroscience or Ergonomics, Chess or Sword Fighting, Gaming or Photography, Music or Art, Greek Mythology or Architecture....the list is truly endless.

However, I would not want anybody to feel that a story about Life Lessons or Munchausen Syndrome is not suitable material. This final fully scaled-up version of Opus will be a place where none-specialised stories can sit cheek-by-jowl with the more specialised type of writing fayre. I would want Opus to be a sign of quality, whatever the story is, with a flourish. Above all, I want that sign to mean that there is something significant to be discovered.

In writing, anything goes. As long as it is well written and presented, as it would be on say Medium or Substack - they are after all the benchmark - I would be happy to see it on a fully-fledged version of Opus, no matter how modest a story it might be. I particularly like stories based on people's real-life experiences. It could be a story about a memo, a personal or business email, a poem, a short story, or even a serialised novella. Even a screenplay for a movie. Whatever it is, I want to reach far and wide with it, to make everybody feel welcome, be they a writer or a reader.

I must say, on my journey to this place, I have been very deeply inspired by Dr Mehmet Yildiz, the owner of Illumination on Medium, and I have been from the very beginning. He is a thinking man's thinking man.

In a relatively short period of less than four years, Dr Yildiz has built an empire of publications with thirty thousand writers, 150 voluntary editors and 70,000 readers! And that is just the tip of the iceberg. His life achievements are off the scale. And if I can emulate at least some of his publishing achievements, I will die a very happy man indeed.

One of the many things that have impressed me about Dr Yildiz, is his loyalty, his unswerving support, and his mentorship and guidance. Like him, I believe that writing well is not an exclusive club of talented individuals, it is for anybody who can put pen to paper and write a compelling story on whatever subject or topic they choose. This is a true definition of the democratization of writing.

Like Dr Yildiz, with a final scaled-up Opus, I will do whatever I can to help subscribing writers grow and reach their full potential, literally as well as financially. The only limit is your imagination, as somebody once said. Opus will ultimately provide you with the tools you need to succeed, all you have to do is learn to use them.

I look forward very much to this platform becoming successful - first as a platform for readers, then a lot further down the line as a multi-creator platform - for all who climb on board. It is going to be a wonderful adventure and I can't wait to see it take off in spectacular style.

Yours Truly
Liam Ireland