On "Ex Machina" & Crew

[Therin of Andor]

Rush Limborg wrote:

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So... exactly what wouldI have to do in order to use those characters? Do I just ask Pocket? Or do you have any say?

There was a whole thread on this recently. CommodoreNero asked the same question.

http://trekbbs.com/showthread.php?p=1880370

[BrotherBenny]

Therin of Andor wrote:

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There was a whole thread on this recently. CommodoreNero asked the same question.

http://trekbbs.com/showthread.php?p=1880370

Mods, I think this question needs to be added to the FAQ. And a note in the title of said FAQ about reading it before posting in the forum.

[Therin of Andor]

Xeris wrote:

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And a note in the title of said FAQ about reading it before posting in the forum.

Now there's a novelty!

[BrotherBenny]

Therin of Andor wrote:

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Now there's a novelty!

Stranger things have happened, but I am not at liberty to discuss them here

[Rush Limborg]

You can't legally use those characters except in material commissioned and published by Pocket, IDW, or TokyoPop, because they're the only people licensed to publish Star Trek fiction in print form. All fan fiction is technically copyright infringement. But it's generally tolerated so long as the author makes no attempt to sell it for profit.

So the idea of asking for permission to use someone's characters in fan fiction is self-contradictory. You can do whatever the hell you want in fan fiction, so long as you don't try to sell it.

Though as of now, my tales are just fan-fic, I fully intend to get them published.

Still, common curtosy would seem to demand that I at least go to you for some input on how to treat characters you've created. I remember David R. George III noting how he and KRAD "gave" each other characters for their respective "Lost Era" books.

I find it interesting how the writers who created the characters apparently don't have any real say in these matters. Interesting --and a little disturbing, if you ask me....

[JD]

I'm not an author, but I'm pretty sure that if you give something out as fan fiction you won't be able to get it officially published later.

[Rush Limborg]

I'm not an author, but I'm pretty sure that if you give something out as fan fiction you won't be able to get it officially published later.

I'm aware of that. I'm just writing them now, sending them later. I let others read and critique them, but that's usually it.

There was this one guy who wanted to keep a copy of a short story of mine (and there was also my uncle), but that's it. And I trust them. They won't try to sell'em.

[Dayton Ward]

^ Doesn't matter, anyway. You don't send completed manuscripts to Pocket for Star Trek. You send outlines and proposals, and once those are hashed out and you're offered a contract, *then* you start writing the story.

As for this:

I find it interesting how the writers who created the characters apparently don't have any real say in these matters. Interesting --and a little disturbing, if you ask me....

That's why it's called "work for hire." If you want total control over everything you write, then write your own stuff and don't worry about writing media tie-in fiction. If you *do* want to write such material, then you go in knowing that everything you create ends up belonging to the property owner. That doesn't mean we don't consult each other whenever circumstances warrant, but that has nothing at all to do with requiring permission to use anything created by another writer working under a work-for-hire agreement.

[William Leisner]

Speaking just for myself... if another author was so taken with a character I introduced into a Trek story that they decided to bring him/her back in a story of their own, I'd simply take that as a compliment.

(Unless, of course, they brought the character back only so they could subject him/her to an excruciatingly painful and torturous death... and then I'd still comfort myself thinking I'd at least made a strong impression.)

[BrotherBenny]

Rush, if you want to write professionally, then go ahead and try. I've used fanfic to hone my skills and fine tune my English, broaden my vocabulary and get ready, like a warm up before a marathon.

I've already written one novel, unpublished, a few years ago and now finally ready to write another one. Once I have my original stuff published I fully intend to go for a Star Trek story and have three plans in development. But those have gone on the backburner while my original-universe stuff takes off.

Good luck, you'll need it. As will I.

[Rush Limborg]

^ Doesn't matter, anyway. You don't send completed manuscripts to Pocket for Star Trek.

Don't intend to. As the guidelines say to send a synopsis and the first three chapters, I will do so. I was actually considering stopping my novel after I finished chapter three, but after a minute or two, I just shrugged and said, "Ah, what the heck. I love this story so much, I simply can not stop now."

Besides, I've never been one for stopping a good job when I'm just gettin' started. But as I said just now, I will follow the rules and send only what they ask for.

After... I've sold my first couple o' Trek novels, of course. Books that follow the guidelines.

Rush, if you want to write professionally, then go ahead and try. I've used fanfic to hone my skills and fine tune my English, broaden my vocabulary and get ready, like a warm up before a marathon.

As have I, mate.

There was this one story of mine, in which I experimented with 2nd-person POV, present tense, as the first scene. For the next few scenes, I used 1st-person, present tense. The rest of the tale used 1st-person, past tense. (I was going to use present tense for the whole book, but it almost gave me a headache....)

I've already written one novel, unpublished, a few years ago and now finally ready to write another one. Once I have my original stuff published I fully intend to go for a Star Trek story and have three plans in development. But those have gone on the backburner while my original-universe stuff takes off.

You have a novel out? Cool! If you don't mind my asking, which one is it?

I myself have quite a few non-Trek ideas. None of them are as developed as my Trek ideas, but one in particular is relatively high on my priority list --though not as high as my current Trek book. I'm probably gonna start with Trek, and then go for mainstream every so often.

The non-Trek book's a political thriller, BTW.

Good luck, you'll need it. As will I.

Thanks, Xeris!

[ronny]

Xeris wrote:

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Mods, I think this question needs to be added to the FAQ. And a note in the title of said FAQ about reading it before posting in the forum.

Shouldn't it go in the fan fiction forum faq and not here?

[MarianLH]

Not if here is where the question is repeatedly asked.


Marian

[David Henderson]

Rush Limborg wrote:

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You have a novel out? Cool! If you don't mind my asking, which one is it?

Keyword bolded above.

davidh

[Thrawn]

Rush Limborg wrote:

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Don't intend to. As the guidelines say to send a synopsis and the first three chapters, I will do so. I was actually considering stopping my novel after I finished chapter three, but after a minute or two, I just shrugged and said, "Ah, what the heck. I love this story so much, I simply can not stop now."

Besides, I've never been one for stopping a good job when I'm just gettin' started. But as I said just now, I will follow the rules and send only what they ask for.

After... I've sold my first couple o' Trek novels, of course. Books that follow the guidelines.

I think you're still a little confused on how this works. You send them a submission, and primarily they're using that to judge how well you follow the instructions, writing style, etc; as I understand it, it's extraordinarily unlikely that the book you submit will be one they publish (think about it - how many novels that fit the submission guidelines HAVE been published recently?) They're doing that so they know you can follow instructions and write. After that, you pitch stories to them and they give assignments to you, and you write the books from the ground up collaboratively.

The odds of the novel you're writing now getting published are effectively zero, even if you do get hired by Pocket.