How many books are planned for the movie's release?

[Procutus]

This is a question aimed primarily at our resident Trek novelists and editors. In addition to the novelization of the movie, are there any other titles planned? I remember back in 1979 when TMP came out there was about a half-dozen or so books that came out within a month of the film's release.

Since there is already so much focus on this particular Trek movie, I couldn't help but wonder if we might expect something similar this December.

 

[Smiley]

One title that has been announced is Star Trek 101 this September.

 

[Ktrek]

What is Star Trek 101 about?

Kevin

 

[8of5]

Ktrek said:
What is Star Trek 101 about?

Kevin

It's a new reference book, it will cover all the series and films, with an episode guide and listings of characters ships, planets, species etc. The idea being you can learn everything about Star Trek from it. (so all the newbie Trekkies the movie will generate will be able to pick it up and become know-it-alls)

 

[Ktrek]

Hmmm.... Interesting but I'm not sure that something like that would really be too marketable. I mean they have been saying for years now that an updated Encyclopedia is not profitable so what makes them think that something like this,which can be easily found online, would be? Makes no sense at all! I'd rather have an updated encyclopedia myself!

Kevin

 

[Smiley]

It's marketed toward those who prefer a physical, cheaper reference book to looking stuff up on Memory Alpha or other sites.

 

[8of5]

Well from the sounds of it it's not that far off an updated encyclopaedia. Presumably it will be presented in a way that is nice and accessible to someone who doesn’t know all that much about Star Trek, something that maybe the online databases don’t do in trying to cover ever minor detail of Trekdom. And some people would just rather flip through a book ya-know...

 

[Sci]

Procutus said:
This is a question aimed primarily at our resident Trek novelists and editors. In addition to the novelization of the movie, are there any other titles planned? I remember back in 1979 when TMP came out there was about a half-dozen or so books that came out within a month of the film's release.

Since there is already so much focus on this particular Trek movie, I couldn't help but wonder if we might expect something similar this December.

Well, Pocket Books currently releases one mass market paperback and one eBook a month, and they've said that they're not making any new 23rd Century novels (save Vanguard) so as to avoid stepping on JJ's toes.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Ktrek said:
Hmmm.... Interesting but I'm not sure that something like that would really be too marketable. I mean they have been saying for years now that an updated Encyclopedia is not profitable so what makes them think that something like this,which can be easily found online, would be? Makes no sense at all! I'd rather have an updated encyclopedia myself!

But the book is geared towards the newly converted fans (at least Paramount hopes) rather than the hard core fans. The new fans won't know about sites like Memory Alpha and Memory Beta or even the means of knowing of them. That's why this book would be marketable.

 

[Ktrek]

Emh said:
But the book is geared towards the newly converted fans (at least Paramount hopes) rather than the hard core fans. The new fans won't know about sites like Memory Alpha and Memory Beta or even the means of knowing of them. That's why this book would be marketable.

Now this I cannot believe! I mean ten years ago I would have agreed with this but I don't know a single young person who is not capable of using Google and finding anything they want to know about anything they want to know about. So I reject that as plausible. It's just another reason to cash in on the new movie and nothing more. I'd still rather Pocketbooks take the time and update the encyclopedia since there are currently no new TV shows that would continue to expand the book. We could have close to a comprehensive encyclopedia! I know Simon and Schuster want to make LOTS of money but in this instance can't they settle for a little money to make the fans happy?

Kevin

 

[Scott Pearson]

Ktrek said:
Hmmm.... Interesting but I'm not sure that something like that would really be too marketable. I mean they have been saying for years now that an updated Encyclopedia is not profitable so what makes them think that something like this,which can be easily found online, would be? Makes no sense at all! I'd rather have an updated encyclopedia myself!

Kevin

I’m guessing that it will be printed on regular paper, not glossy, so that it will have a decent profit margin, unlike the big glossy encyclopedia. It's hard to make the numbers crunch on all those glossy pages. And I also guess that the marketing will be aimed at a wider audience with a beginner-friendly "here's all you need to know" feel, not the ubergeek "here you can look up some feinberger used in episode 15 that was made out of a salt shaker and then recycled in episode 37 . . . and here's a color photo and circuit diagram!" kind of thing the encyclopedia is.

If my guesses are right, they hope to sell more copies and also make more per book than they would with a new encyclopedia.

 

[William Leisner]

My understanding was that Star Trek 101 is aimed not so much at the new fan as the non-fans, the ones who don't know the difference between Star Trek and Star Wars, or who are unsure which show had the woman captain. And believe you me, there are far more of those than there are of us.

 

[Geoff]

Ktrek said:
I know Simon and Schuster want to make LOTS of money but in this instance can't they settle for a little money to make the fans happy?

But that's just it. Pocket (and specifically Margaret Clark) has looked at this possibility time and time again, and every time their research has shown that they would lose money producing an updated encyclopedia. Those kinds of highly detailed reference books are extremely expensive to produce, and they don't sell very well.

As much as I'd love to see an updated encyclopedia, I know that I'm part of a small minority, and Pocket Books is, after all, a business. They tend not to throw money away just to keep me happy.

 

[Trent Roman]

William Leisner said:
My understanding was that Star Trek 101 is aimed not so much at the new fan as the non-fans, the ones who don't know the difference between Star Trek and Star Wars, or who are unsure which show had the woman captain. And believe you me, there are far more of those than there are of us.

But what would motivate non-fans to buy a Trek product? It seems counter-intuitive, like pitching a knitting magazine at people who don't knit. "But look at all the pretty pictures of sweaters!"

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[Valin]

Trent Roman said:

It seems counter-intuitive, like pitching a knitting magazine at people who don't knit. "But look at all the pretty pictures of sweaters!"

Hey, it doesn't hurt the magazines pitched at guys who don't date. "But look at all the pretty pictures of naked girls who aren't wearing sweaters."

 

[Emissary of the Prophets]

8of5 said:

Ktrek said:
What is Star Trek 101 about?

Kevin

It's a new reference book, it will cover all the series and films, with an episode guide and listings of characters ships, planets, species etc. The idea being you can learn everything about Star Trek from it. (so all the newbie Trekkies the movie will generate will be able to pick it up and become know-it-alls)

With over 700 episodes including the animated series & (as of this year) 11 movies, I'd hate to try & get this on my shelf .

 

[Christopher]

Trent Roman said:
But what would motivate non-fans to buy a Trek product? It seems counter-intuitive, like pitching a knitting magazine at people who don't knit.

But the only way a movie can succeed is by drawing in a general audience. The fan community alone is far too small. There are going to be plenty of people who go to see this movie because they want to see the next J.J. Abrams film, or because they want to see Zachary Quinto or Winona Ryder or Tyler Perry, or because they want to go out to a movie on the day after Christmas but don't like anything else that's showing. This book is for those people -- the people who were curious enough to see the movie but who aren't intimately familiar with the franchise. Which is going to be the majority of the film's audience if it does even remotely well at the box office.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Ktrek said:
Now this I cannot believe! I mean ten years ago I would have agreed with this but I don't know a single young person who is not capable of using Google and finding anything they want to know about anything they want to know about.

As an elementary school librarian, I can tell you there are many children who have no access to the Internet at home, and very restricted access at school. There are also many, many adults (including teachers!) who do not know how to use Google or wikis correctly, and who've never sent an email.

"Star Trek 101" will, I assume, be like a "Star Trek for Dummies". (I bought "The Lord of the Rings for Dummies" and it's wonderful!.)

I'm looking forward to a light-hearted, yet comprehensive, ST fact book or primer, and I think that's exactly what Paula Block & Terry Erdmann are bringing us. It won't be on the same scale as a "ST Encyclopedia" or "ST Chronology", but it'll still be fun and worth collecting.

Trent Roman said:
But what would motivate non-fans to buy a Trek product?

A lot of people get caught up in the hype for a movie who don't call themselves diehard fans of that movie. I've been known to buy tie-in novelizations for a movie I intend to see, but never actually get to the cinema, or see it and don't like it. But I still bought the book.

When TNG was airing, many people rushed out to buy ST games, books, magazines and toys, only to sell them off or give them away to friends when their interest in ST died down. Hopefully this movie will be fresh and new to a huge audience, and they'll be hungry for ST product. Whether they stay being ST collectors and readers is another thing, but some will.

A new ST movie, with lots of ST tie-ins, also inspires the general public to buy such products as gifts for people they know whom they suspect like ST. It's a raising of ST's profile with the general public, and tie-in book displays in the large stores work as point-of-sale advertising for the movie, too.

 

[Procutus]

Sci said:

Procutus said:
This is a question aimed primarily at our resident Trek novelists and editors. In addition to the novelization of the movie, are there any other titles planned? I remember back in 1979 when TMP came out there was about a half-dozen or so books that came out within a month of the film's release.

Since there is already so much focus on this particular Trek movie, I couldn't help but wonder if we might expect something similar this December.

Well, Pocket Books currently releases one mass market paperback and one eBook a month, and they've said that they're not making any new 23rd Century novels (save Vanguard) so as to avoid stepping on JJ's toes.

I was actually hoping that we might get a 'Making of the Movie' type of book. Though this ST 101 does sound interesting, especially if it's going to cover all the series and all the films.

 

[donners22]

Smiley said:
It's marketed toward those who prefer a physical, cheaper reference book to looking stuff up on Memory Alpha or other sites.

And those who weren't big enough suckers to get the entire Star Trek Fact Files. Unlike me...