If I may, a question to the fanfic authors...

[Cobalt Frost]

While making an entry into my "Vignette(s)" thread, I just had an epiphany of sorts. I realized that one of the things that was frustrating me was that I've been thinking of what I have written as set in stone, and I've been trying to bend the story so that my 'sketches' fit. I'll still probably post a couple more of these sketches, but I'll see them more as exercises than concrete.

 

[The Badger]

Definitely know the basics of your ending or end-game. How you get there is more important, but have some definitive notion of where it leads once all is done.

^This.

Have the basics of your story planned out, and when you are writing stick to that, but leave yourself a little wriggle room. That way if a cool idea occurs to you half way through, you might be able to add it without derailing your entire story.

Remember, when Star Trek first aired very little 'world building' had been done. Captain Kirk's middle initial was R. The crew worked for the United Earth Space Probe Agency. One of Spock's 'ancestors' had been human.

Having a logical, cohesive background can be of great benefit to writing. If everything fits together neatly then it can enhance the story, making it seem more real. But that only works if there is a story. You're only a writer if you actually write.

 

[mirandafave]

World building is great and helps to produce some really wonderful, really fleshed out and involving worlds, terrific writing and engrossing stories. But sometimes you get an idea and ride the rapids with it. Sometimes a character shouts out at you and demands their story be told. In those circumstances, the world building happens as the adventure unfolds.

 

[Admiral2]

At what point in the process of creating a fanfic do you stop "world building" and start writing?

The beginning. I start the story and build the world as I write. As has been mentioned, this is easier to pull off when writing fan fiction because the world is essentially built (and sometimes re-built), but in any case, I build as I go. As long as what you create in a succeeding chapter is consistent with what you created in the previous ones, you're fine.

Since I know the finished product won't resemble them at all, I don't expend a lot of energy writing bibles or outlines. I'll likely change my mind a bunch of times along the way, so I can just make the changes as I go rather than causing myself the unnecessary angst of worrying: "OMG! I'm not following the outline!!! (swoon)". Write the story, make changes as needed, proof the finished product.

 

[Enterprise1981]

I usually make notes about character back-stories or any other background I wish include and make sure to include them in the narrative when they become relevant. More attention is given to characters of my own creation than to say Sisko, Dax, or any TrekLit character. And with characters from television or stand-alone novel series featured in just one scene, I try to give a light background rather than an entire biography for those not too familiar with, for example, New Frontier. For a story currently in the handwritten stage, I just say that Mackenzie Calhoun is captain of the Excalibur and his purple eyes are a distinguishing feature of Xenexians. His first officer is Burgoyne 172, a member of the hermaphroditic Hermat species (thereby explaining the rather unusual pronouns), and so on...

 

[RobertScorpio]

I usually make notes about character back-stories or any other background I wish include and make sure to include them in the narrative when they become relevant. More attention is given to characters of my own creation than to say Sisko, Dax, or any TrekLit character. And with characters from television or stand-alone novel series featured in just one scene, I try to give a light background rather than an entire biography for those not too familiar with, for example, New Frontier. For a story currently in the handwritten stage, I just say that Mackenzie Calhoun is captain of the Excalibur and his purple eyes are a distinguishing feature of Xenexians. His first officer is Burgoyne 172, a member of the hermaphroditic Hermat species (thereby explaining the rather unusual pronouns), and so on...

Good post..I do some of these too. In fact I have to have my wife read mine because, after 150 segments and nearly 300,000 words, I can't remember it all. Thankfully she watched Soap Operas back in the day and can remember the storylines I forget...

Rob

 

[Rush Limborg]

World building is great and helps to produce some really wonderful, really fleshed out and involving worlds, terrific writing and engrossing stories. But sometimes you get an idea and ride the rapids with it. Sometimes a character shouts out at you and demands their story be told. In those circumstances, the world building happens as the adventure unfolds.

Yep. That's usually how it works with me. Only rarely do I worldbuild before I begin the tale. I did it for a novel I'm working on, but even then, I didn't flesh out everything--just enough to get me started. It was as I wrote that I truly got the building done,

 

[unusualsuspex]

I tend to agree with many of the authors here. Fleshing out your 'universe' too extensively can actually write you into a corner.

My method is to work out the extreme basics for whatever mission/story I'm writing, then research the canon and lit-canon ramifications and finally work in the details when they're required in the story.

I do like the idea of painting your scenes through the eyes of your characters.

One thing to remember - stay consistent. If your starship has a top emergency speed of warp 8 in your first story, DON'T have it rushing off at warp 9 in the next without at least providing a reason for the change (eg "Well Captain, ah dusted out tha warp injectors ya see and...)

 

[RobertScorpio]

Funny stuff!! And I agree about not painting the universe in such a set way that it restricts the evolution of the characters...

I remember once they asked GR why he didn't have a shutte-set built before they needed one, and he said, "why?"...I agree.

Rob

 

[BrotherBenny]

With my trek fanfic I have a series bible with the characters, ship(s), worlds and basic blurbs for each story. As long as what happens in the blurb happens in the story I'm happy, and my characters have often taken me to weird and wonderful places, just ask any reader of my Pytheas fanfic.

For my original fiction which I am only just starting to get my head around, I have only just finished doing a most basic history of the universe. What I need to do now is fit in plot points in the history that I can use for the short stories to build up the universe before I write a novel in it.

As an example, Earth has been subjugated for several centuries but with the aid of outside empires and thousands of people in an organised resistance humanity finally becomes free and creates an interstellar political entity. My first story in that universe actually takes place over 200 years after that major event but the point of the story is to introduce the universe and the politics within it, and to show how humanity has adapted to freedom after subjugation.

 

[JanewayRulz!]

Definitely know the basics of your ending or end-game. How you get there is more important, but have some definitive notion of where it leads once all is done.

^This.

Have the basics of your story planned out, and when you are writing stick to that, but leave yourself a little wriggle room. That way if a cool idea occurs to you half way through, you might be able to add it without derailing your entire story.

Wiggle room is paramount (no pun intended).

What I love about writing, is finding the story as I go. Its like watching the TV series week after week all over again. I can't wait to get home and find out "what happens" in this scene or that one. That "getting from point A to point Z" thing. Sure I know what A is, and I know what Z is... but how the heck to GET there...THAT'S the fun! The challenge is then making sure that I haven't left any plot holes big enough for someone to run over and disappear into while reading.

Its like when I reread the Harry Potter saga, and realized all these little throwaway plot points she scattered about actually did MEAN something.

 

[Gojirob]

When I first wrote Ancient Destroyer, Sam and Aurelan Kirk were the loving, perfect parents that Peter looked back on for strength. Then, I took note of how many people in the world are parents in name only, and depend on the kid to be the grown-up.
I wanted Peter and Saavik's travails to have roots in the modern world, or the perceived problems of the modern world. So among the horrors they faced were parents who just weren't there for them. Happily something I've never faced, but something I know a great many others--including some good kids I know--have gone through. So wiggle room is important, but you should like as not be clear on what you're *not* clear on, the better to play with it as you go.

 

[Graywand2]

I agree you need wiggle room. I don't know how many times I've changed tacks when a new idea's come forth. You just have to be selective about which new idea comes up, otherwise you go off half-cocked, like I did with a Eugenics Wars story set in a non-Star Trek series which will never appear on this site.

-Gray

 

[RobertScorpio]

I agree you need wiggle room. I don't know how many times I've changed tacks when a new idea's come forth. You just have to be selective about which new idea comes up, otherwise you go off half-cocked, like I did with a Eugenics Wars story set in a non-Star Trek series which will never appear on this site.

-Gray

Agreed...usually I'll be taking a shower and an idea will come alone. In my fanfic I'm about to literally destroy Earth. It will totally change the story,but I like that. And it all came from the 'producer' in my mind telling me its time for a big change.

Rob

 

[Rush Limborg]

I agree you need wiggle room. I don't know how many times I've changed tacks when a new idea's come forth. You just have to be selective about which new idea comes up, otherwise you go off half-cocked, like I did with a Eugenics Wars story set in a non-Star Trek series which will never appear on this site.

-Gray

Agreed...usually I'll be taking a shower and an idea will come alone.

Same here.

In my fanfic I'm about to literally destroy Earth. It will totally change the story,but I like that. And it all came from the 'producer' in my mind telling me its time for a big change.

Rob

DANG IT, ROB--DON'T SPOIL IT FOR--

Awwwwwwwwwwww, dangit....

But anyhow--yep. You'd be suprised how many ideas come to mind when you're immersed in warm water. With complete relaxation soothing you, your mental faculties are thus released.

You'd therefore also be suprised how many story points come to mind when I'm hittin' the sack, just about to fall asleep.

Bottom line, a relaxed state of mind is essential. Writer's block is often a direct result of a tense psyche. Relaxing is the way to go. For me, at least.

 

[kes7]

^^^ I have no luck in the shower/tub, but lying in bed trying to fall asleep is HUGE story planning time for me, and so is driving around in the car listening to music.

 

[sojourner]

^And hence my love for roadtrips! Wonder what would happen if we combined the 2 activities? Maybe drive a convertible with the top down in the rain? Would the next Star Wars or 2001 result?

 

[captcalhoun]

i tend to plot the story and then just write it. if i need to world-build i tend to do it on the fly. but in my fan-fic, i've only really built a world once for a Trek story and building it was part of the plot planning.