Writers Bibles

[PhoenixIreland]

I heard these referred too on DVD special sections, was there literally a book of rules on what you coudnt' do? for example I heard them say they were not allowed bring Thomas Riker back,

Is there a copy of these online anywhere? does anyone have any more examples of stuff from them?

 

[WendellM]

Here are guidelines from the third revision (April 17, 1967) of The Star Trek Guide:

And here's a list from an early Next Gen Writer/Director's Guide (when the show was just getting started):

As you can see, some "rules" were followed more than others.

I'd be interested in seeing the guidelines from the "bibles" of later TNG and other Treks.

 

[SeerSGB]

Nice read, always interesting to read what they had in mind at the start of a franchise. Funny as fuck to see how much of that went right out in the trash over the years.

 

[PhoenixIreland]

Nice read, always interesting to read what they had in mind at the start of a franchise. Funny as fuck to see how much of that went right out in the trash over the years.

Thanks for posting Wendell

Yeh Seer, they may not have had TOS characters but that didnt' stop them lifting entire story lines from TOS, I think recycling stories was a big problem in every ST series.

 

[Jono]

Thank goodness for rule 13 of TNG...I would have vomited in shame if I saw anything on the pride of the Federation Starfleet break down and causes a problem!

 

[stupidname]

The Voyager Writer's Bible is out there somewhere too. I bought a copy from ebay for £1.

 

[Mysterion]

I've got a copy of the "Phase II" writer's guide (mostly reprinted in the Reeves-Stevens book about Phase II.

Also have a copy of an early version of the TNG Writer's Guide. Most interesting is the backstory given for Data which tells how he is a construct of an unknown alien race.

 

[Green Shirt]

Nice read, always interesting to read what they had in mind at the start of a franchise. Funny as fuck to see how much of that went right out in the trash over the years.

Yeah, things like fighting with swords and using grappling hooks.

 

[TGTheodore]

I have the bibles from TNG, DS9 and VOY since I regularly pitched to them.

Especially helpful for writers new to the Trek franchise. Also the later ones are excellent templates for developing your own series.

--Ted

 

[Unicron]

Thank goodness for rule 13 of TNG...I would have vomited in shame if I saw anything on the pride of the Federation Starfleet break down and causes a problem!

Those pirate princesses sure are beautiful, though.

 

[Ryan8bit]

I can see TNG rule 7 was dropped...

Rule 9 was probably the biggest violator though.

 

[TGTheodore]

And you have to remember, these bibles were mostly for outside writers who were pitching to the show. You have to earn the right to break the rules. You did that by selling them a kickass story AND following all the rules. Then maybe, down the line ...

The rules were almost always exclusively reserved to be broken for staff writers.

BTW: Two of the most-frequently pitched (and rejected) TNG stories: Data becomes human, the Enterprise achieves sentience.

--Ted

 

[SeerSGB]

I can never see the Enterprise achieving sentience, but I could see it as an angle with Voyager and her whole bio-neural circuity backstory.

 

[TGTheodore]

I can never see the Enterprise achieving sentience, but I could see it as an angle with Voyager and her whole bio-neural circuity backstory.

So did a lot of writers. The same story element was pitched to both DS9 and VOYAGER. There WAS a story with the bio-packs catching some kind of "organic virus" as I recall.

--Ted

 

[Nedersong]

The Enterpirise did gain sentience in one episode though, long enough to have a baby.

 

[Leroy]

Rule 13 was broken on several occasions I remember the Enterprise broke down in Phantasm not to mention all the holodeck and transporter accident episodes.

 

[diankra]

I can never see the Enterprise achieving sentience, but I could see it as an angle with Voyager and her whole bio-neural circuity backstory.

So did a lot of writers. The same story element was pitched to both DS9 and VOYAGER. There WAS a story with the bio-packs catching some kind of "organic virus" as I recall.

--Ted

Indeed - leading to the eternal line 'Get that cheese to sickbay', as I recall...

 

[TGTheodore]

I can never see the Enterprise achieving sentience, but I could see it as an angle with Voyager and her whole bio-neural circuity backstory.

So did a lot of writers. The same story element was pitched to both DS9 and VOYAGER. There WAS a story with the bio-packs catching some kind of "organic virus" as I recall.

--Ted

Indeed - leading to the eternal line 'Get that cheese to sickbay', as I recall...

 

[AdmiralGarak]

Here are guidelines from the third revision (April 17, 1967) of The Star Trek Guide:

And here's a list from an early Next Gen Writer/Director's Guide (when the show was just getting started):

I'd be interested in seeing the guidelines from the "bibles" of later TNG and other Treks.

Thanks for posting those!

 

[Cali]

I can never see the Enterprise achieving sentience, but I could see it as an angle with Voyager and her whole bio-neural circuity backstory.

So did a lot of writers. The same story element was pitched to both DS9 and VOYAGER. There WAS a story with the bio-packs catching some kind of "organic virus" as I recall.

--Ted

Indeed - leading to the eternal line 'Get that cheese to sickbay', as I recall...

It was on Virgin1 lately. First time I'd seen it. Sheer ridiculousness.