February Writing Challenge: The Lower Decks

[CeJay]

This month's challenge is all about the small fries, the supportive cast, the guys and girls who don't usually get to be in the limelight.

The Lower Decks

Your entry must focus on one or more protagonists who hail from the lower decks and are not part of the regular cast of characters.

You must choose an already established Trek incarnation or fan-fiction series (preferably one you have created or have permission to write for). You can also elaborate on ships/bases/settings, etc. seen on screen. Sorry, completely original settings, i.e. one created specifically for this month's challenge are not permissible.

Main characters and/or regulars of chosen incarnation may appear but only in a supportive function. Kirk, Picard, etc. should not be main characters.

Your protagonist cannot be a regular of the series you are writing about but you have free reign in coming up with new, never before seen characters. If you write about Starfleet, the protagonist(s) should be civilians, enlisted officers or junior officers. Same applies for Klingons, Romulans, Cardassians, etc.

If you write for a civilian setting, small-time hustlers, sanitation workers, secretaries and so on would fit the bill.

Max. length is 3000 words (not strictly enforced) and the deadline is February 28.

I admit, this might not be the most straight-forward challenge ever but hopefully it'll be ... well challenging.

Any questions regarding the rules let me know.

Good luck and happy writing.

 

[TheLoneRedshirt]

A very interesting premise. Are characters that may have appeared once in a series allowed?

 

[Mistral]

Ok, this should be fun. I already have a few nebulous ideas...

 

[trampledamage]

Sounds interesting...

 

[Count Zero]

Your entry must focus on one or more protagonists who hail from the lower decks and are not part of the regular cast of characters.

How "unregular" do they have to be? I have something in mind but it would revolve around a character that appeared in 4 episodes, albeit in a minor role.

 

[SLWalker]

LOL! I'm afraid this time, I'm out. But hey, good luck to all participants this month!

 

[trampledamage]

LOL! I'm afraid this time, I'm out. But hey, good luck to all participants this month!

Say it ain't so! I thought this one would be perfect for you.

 

[SLWalker]

LOL! I'm afraid this time, I'm out. But hey, good luck to all participants this month!

Say it ain't so! I thought this one would be perfect for you.

::laughs:: No. I'm a bit too attached to my engineer to want to write a story without him, at least right now. I have no trouble, obviously, writing him when he's 'lower decks' himself, but the qualifications of this bump that out.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Hmm...I may or may not be able to pull this off.

Can a character who has a "double life" work for this story? Let's say the guy is in servitude/menial labor, but has a double life where he's a much bigger player than you'd think? Or does this have to be a strictly "what you see is what you get" character?

If I'm allowed to do the "double life" thing, I think I have someone whose perspective I could write from to continue my Catacombs of Oralius stories. If not...I may have to sit this one out.

 

[CeJay]

Ok let me try to answer some of these questions and concerns:

- You can write about already established characters if they were not regulars in the incarnation you have chosen. This is straight-forward for something like TNG. You can write about Sito Jaxa or Nurse Ogawa. Rule of thumb: If their name appears in the opening credits, they cannot be the protagonist.

It gets more complicated with fan fic. If it is a character you have featured on occasions, that's fine. If its a character who has appeared in everything you've written, or is part of the senior crew of your ship, he or she is a regular and is out.

- Regulars, like Scotty, for example, may appear but only in a minor role. He could not be the protagonist, I'm afraid.

-Nerys Ghemor, your question is tough. I'm gonna say it's alright if the character is not a regular in your series. Dukat or Macet for example would not work.

Hope this answers everything. Anymore questions, ask away.

But remember, it's a short month.

 

[Starkers]

Well looks like my plan to have Charlie Cross appear in the challenges has hit a snag right from the off...unless I get really imaginative of course

 

[Starkers]

- You can write about already established characters if they were not regulars in the incarnation you have chosen. This is straight-forward for something like TNG. You can write about Sito Jaxa or Nurse Ogawa. Rule of thumb: If their name appears in the opening credits, they cannot be the protagonist.

In DS9 terms I guess this gets murkier, it means you can use Garak but not Jake...well that seems fair enough

 

[captcalhoun]

i might do one for this...

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

-Nerys Ghemor, your question is tough. I'm gonna say it's alright if the character is not a regular in your series. Dukat or Macet for example would not work.

All right...sounds good! AU Dukat will put in a small appearance, but the majority of it is going to be focused on someone you haven't seen before.

 

[Mistral]

Well looks like my plan to have Charlie Cross appear in the challenges has hit a snag right from the off...unless I get really imaginative of course

You could write about his wife....

 

[BrotherBenny]

Since I will have my laptop back in about a week, I will probably do something for this one...not quite sure what though

 

[mirandafave]

Well looks like my plan to have Charlie Cross appear in the challenges has hit a snag right from the off...unless I get really imaginative of course

You could write about his wife....

Oh that's a neat idea. But it could also presumably be from the POV of one of his clients.

Idea is cool although tricky enough especially with with my current story as there's quite a focus on the lower deck officers already or certainly there's supposed to be as the story develops. Nevertheless intrigued by what people will decide to produce.

 

[Captain Brylcream]

Hey, I generally spend my time lurking in this forum and have never had the guts to actually try and submit something for one of the challenges...... however this time I'm going to give it a go....

 

[trampledamage]

Yay - go for it Captain! The more the merrier for these challenges

 

[Starkers]

Well looks like my plan to have Charlie Cross appear in the challenges has hit a snag right from the off...unless I get really imaginative of course

You could write about his wife....

Oh that's a neat idea. But it could also presumably be from the POV of one of his clients.

Idea is cool although tricky enough especially with with my current story as there's quite a focus on the lower deck officers already or certainly there's supposed to be as the story develops. Nevertheless intrigued by what people will decide to produce.

Yeah I'm thinking of something along those lines...just need to think of a non credits character