Character Usage in Novels

[Captain Clark Terrell]

One topic that comes up a lot is the usage of different characters by different authors. How a character is used may depend on the plot of the novel in question. It may also depend on whether the book's author likes the character or not and decides to use them more. But how much freedom are authors generally given when it comes to killing off or resurrecting characters?

Kirsten Beyer has done significant things with Janeway's character, but she's also a staunch Voyager writer and knows the characters. If an author decided to (not a story idea; just an example) return Will Decker to normal space and use his character in a novel (Captain Decker commands a ship in the Dominion War, for example), would he have to get this sort of change approved beforehand, or would he have the freedom to go ahead with the idea as long as it didn't undermine the overall plot of the novel?

--Sran

 

[Greg Cox]

Every Trek book has to be approved at various stages along the process. Hard to imagine that any author would even think of making that sort of change to an established character without running it by the powers that be first. And then, of course, the outline needs to be approved, and the manuscript, and the revisions . . ..

 

[Markonian]

Every Trek book has to be approved at various stages along the process. Hard to imagine that any author would even think of making that sort of change to an established character without running it by the powers that be first. And then, of course, the outline needs to be approved, and the manuscript, and the revisions . . ..

Argh, there goes my plan to become ST author and resurrect a certain female canon Starfleet officer killed off by Peter David...

 

[Greg Cox]

Every Trek book has to be approved at various stages along the process. Hard to imagine that any author would even think of making that sort of change to an established character without running it by the powers that be first. And then, of course, the outline needs to be approved, and the manuscript, and the revisions . . ..

Argh, there goes my plan to become ST author and resurrect a certain female canon Starfleet officer killed off by Peter David...

It's still possible. You just need to get the idea approved first.

 

[Christopher]

^Hasn't that already been done?

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

^Hasn't that already been done?

I'm not sure, but I think he was joking. Especially since I referenced that exact thing in my opening post.

--Sran

 

[Markonian]

^Hasn't that already been done?

I was talking about Doctor Selar.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Every Trek book has to be approved at various stages along the process. Hard to imagine that any author would even think of making that sort of change to an established character without running it by the powers that be first. And then, of course, the outline needs to be approved, and the manuscript, and the revisions . . ..

And then sometimes they change their minds after it comes out...

 

[Therin of Andor]

Argh, there goes my plan to become ST author and resurrect a certain female canon Starfleet officer killed off by Peter David...

T'Pau died in "Spock's World". She got better.

Garrovick was killed off - off-page - in the opening to "Home is the Hunter". He got better.

And then there was Admiral Janeway.

 

[tmclough]

In the prime continuity of the novelverse, the only true mortal is the immortal Captain Kirk.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

^Hasn't that already been done?

I was talking about Doctor Selar.

Didn't she go insane before she died?

--Sran

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

In the prime continuity of the novelverse, the only true mortal is the immortal Captain Kirk.

Only in Shatner's books. None of the other novels refer to him as being alive, though I was mildly surprised to find a reference to The Ashes of Eden in James Swallow's Cast No Shadow when he mentions that Enterprise-A was lost over Chal.

--Sran

 

[Christopher]

^You mean except in Shatner's books. He said the only true mortal, i.e. the only one who stays dead, is Kirk.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

^You mean except in Shatner's books. He said the only true mortal, i.e. the only one who stays dead, is Kirk.

Thank you. I saw immortal and immediately concluded that he was referring to Kirk's resurrection in The Return.

BTW, I referenced something from Ex Machina in the new Will Decker-centric fan fiction I'm working on.

--Sran

 

[tomswift2002]

Argh, there goes my plan to become ST author and resurrect a certain female canon Starfleet officer killed off by Peter David...

T'Pau died in "Spock's World". She got better.

Garrovick was killed off - off-page - in the opening to "Home is the Hunter". He got better.

And then there was Admiral Janeway.

The authors are just following the shows. Who was that red shirted guy in "Obsession" who later appeared in 2 or 3 more episodes, even though the cloud monster drained all his red blood cells?

 

[Avro Arrow]

^ Don't dis Mr. Leslie. The man's an icon.

 

[jpv2000]

^ Don't dis Mr. Leslie. The man's an icon.

He is indeed.

 

[Garrovick]

Garrovick was killed off - off-page - in the opening to "Home is the Hunter". He got better.

Only mostly dead, thanks.