Funny little story concerning a prominent Trek author...

[Quinton O'Connor]

My girlfriend had been trying to get me to read some Trekkian works on fanfiction.net for a few days and I kept putting it off because my experiences with that site are pretty... well, pretty grim. That's not to say there isn't some terrific stuff there, no doubt, but I'm so accustomed to the iffier works letting me down.

So in her attempts to get me to come around, the girlfriend got the author's name and said rather nonchalantly, 'oh, she's written professionally, too.' I'm still like, 'okay, I'll get around to it.'

So she tells me her name, Una McCormack. I put down the book I'm reading, which just so happens to be The Never-Ending Sacrifice by Una McCormack and do a double-take.

Looks like the lady has several entries on there. I never would have guessed but I suppose it makes great sense. I could probably just ask but I would assume she puts some of her short stories there for a.) awareness of her name and published works; b.) those little things the publisher never wanted can still be written and posted for good and all.

Just thought I'd share that. I was pretty surprised.

 

[F. King Daniel]

A few of the 70's and 80's Trek authors, like Marshak and Culbreath, Della Van Hise, Ann Crispin and others whose names elude me at the moment started out by writing fanfic. I have no idea if they did any more once they started getting paid for it (Therin's talk of seedy "extra chapters" sold at conventions aside)

 

[Christopher]

So she tells me her name, Una McCormack. I put down the book I'm reading, which just so happens to be The Never-Ending Sacrifice by Una McCormack and do a double-take.

Looks like the lady has several entries on there. I never would have guessed but I suppose it makes great sense. I could probably just ask but I would assume she puts some of her short stories there for a.) awareness of her name and published works; b.) those little things the publisher never wanted can still be written and posted for good and all.

My understanding is that Una McCormack was a fanfiction writer first, and made enough of a name for herself there that it led to her breaking into professional writing. So I'd assume those stories on the fanfic site are the ones she wrote before going pro.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

A few of the 70's and 80's Trek authors, like Marshak and Culbreath, Della Van Hise, Ann Crispin and others whose names elude me at the moment started out by writing fanfic. I have no idea if they did any more once they started getting paid for it (Therin's talk of seedy "extra chapters" sold at conventions aside)

That's pretty cool.

My understanding is that Una McCormack was a fanfiction writer first, and made enough of a name for herself there that it led to her breaking into professional writing. So I'd assume those stories on the fanfic site are the ones she wrote before going pro.

Huh, that's really cool. I guess it's not as unlikely as it seems unheard of. Well, good for her, then. Pretty darn inspirational.

 

[Defcon]

FWIW After a little search for her profile it seems like her last Trek story was posted in 2002, after that it's mostly Lord of the Rings.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

If you're at all interested in it, McCormack's Lord of the Rings writings are quite good.

A good one to try is The Withered Tree, which is an alt-history of the Battle of the Pelennor Fields and the siege of Minas Tirith.

 

[Una McCormack]

Christopher's correct: all my DS9 fanfiction was written well before I went pro, when I was first watching the show (1999-2000 - I didn't post it to ff.net until later). But I'd been writing fanfiction for years before that, chiefly based on Blake's 7. I don't write much now, apart from the occasional Tolkien-inspired piece.

The transition from fanfic to profic writer was quite common in Doctor Who fandom: the fanfic writers of the 1980s were the New Adventures writers of the 90s - and episode writers of the noughties.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Christopher's correct: all my DS9 fanfiction was written well before I went pro, when I was first watching the show (1999-2000 - I didn't post it to ff.net until later). But I'd been writing fanfiction for years before that, chiefly based on Blake's 7. I don't write much now, apart from the occasional Tolkien-inspired piece.

The transition from fanfic to profic writer was quite common in Doctor Who fandom: the fanfic writers of the 1980s were the New Adventures writers of the 90s - and episode writers of the noughties.

Yep, we all started there

 

[Lorraine Anderson]

I have a bunch of stories on Fanfiction.net, but I'm trying to market my own stuff now. I'm still hoping to get an agent for my YA novel.

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ Good luck Lorraine.

 

[Lorraine Anderson]

Thanks.

 

[Mage]

Kinda curious to Una's fanfics, but did a search for her name and found nothing?? Did she use a nickname, and if so, which one?

 

[Una McCormack]

Mage, I'm Altariel on ff.net:
http://www.fanfiction.net/u/154242/

 

[Mage]

Mage, I'm Altariel on ff.net:
http://www.fanfiction.net/u/154242/

Thanks. Someone (I'm guessing a fan of yours ) send me the link through PM.

On a side note, I would just like to say how much I enjoyed The Never-Ending Sacrifice. As strange as it sounds, I had to give the book a little hug after reading finishing it. It was epic without trying to be epic. No big wars, mysteries to solve or galaxy-changing events (except for what happened during DS9 itself ofcourse) but just a beautifull tale of a young man trying to find his place in life, finding out who he is. It was simply one of the finest pieces of TrekLit I ever read.

 

[Una McCormack]

Thank you so much, Mage! I got very fond of Rugal during writing, for all his scowling. I'm extremely touched to think of you hugging the book, that's lovely!

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

NOW I get why you didn't make fun of me for writing fanfic that time I said I did, when I reviewed TNES.

Very nice to see how you got your start!

 

[Marie1]

NOW I get why you didn't make fun of me for writing fanfic that time I said I did, when I reviewed TNES.

Pffft, you're too good for people to do that!

This is fascinating, I'll have to look up some of the stories.

It's weird, I started with a bit of fanfiction, but then almost totally moved to art (the stuff with colours instead of words) instead.

 

[Una McCormack]

NOW I get why you didn't make fun of me for writing fanfic that time I said I did, when I reviewed TNES.

I love fanfiction!

 

[Technobuilder]

Nice!

I'm looking forward to checking out your FF.net listings considering that Never-Ending Sacrifice is one of my favorite Trek stories and so very well done. Thanks.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Christopher's correct: all my DS9 fanfiction was written well before I went pro, when I was first watching the show (1999-2000 - I didn't post it to ff.net until later). But I'd been writing fanfiction for years before that, chiefly based on Blake's 7. I don't write much now, apart from the occasional Tolkien-inspired piece.

The transition from fanfic to profic writer was quite common in Doctor Who fandom: the fanfic writers of the 1980s were the New Adventures writers of the 90s - and episode writers of the noughties.

Oh hey, look, it's the professional author I was talking about.

I love this franchise.