One thing I've noticed in writing Trek fanfic

[Agenda]

Some Star Trek characters are relatively easy to write. You know almost exactly how they will respond...or not respond...to a given situation. You know how they will talk, how they act, etc. The most prominent examples from TOS include Spock and McCoy.

Others I find are harder to write for. They didn't really have strong, developed personalities in the series or movies. From TOS, these include Uhura and Sulu.

I was just wondering if some of you writers have difficulties with characterization and dialogue when it comes to the some of the minor Trek characters, because, to me, they're almost like blank slates.

 

[PSGarak]

Since I'm still very new to fanfic, I don't have much experience with this issue yet. I'm sure I'll run up against it more as I continue to write. However, for me, it's actually harder for me to conceive of writing an already well developed character. I worry that there is far less room to play around with the character than with one who is more of a blank slate. Unless I have some real, solid familiarity and feel that I have an idea of what makes the well fleshed out character tick, I'm not going to be too comfortable with that.

The other worry I have is that if I can't bring something fresh and new to a well worn concept, I may be wasting the readers' time. It does allow for a good writing challenge, though, taking things outside of your comfort zone and delving into territory where you are less secure, whether that's using well developed characters or more blank slates. The worst that happens is that for whatever reason it doesn't work. You'll still learn something from it, and you can bring whatever you learned to your next work, thereby improving.

 

[DarKush]

Some Star Trek characters are relatively easy to write. You know almost exactly how they will respond...or not respond...to a given situation. You know how they will talk, how they act, etc. The most prominent examples from TOS include Spock and McCoy.

Others I find are harder to write for. They didn't really have strong, developed personalities in the series or movies. From TOS, these include Uhura and Sulu.

I was just wondering if some of you writers have difficulties with characterization and dialogue when it comes to the some of the minor Trek characters, because, to me, they're almost like blank slates.

I don't generally deal with canon characters and I've only written one TOS era fan fic story, so I might be the best person to give advice. But I would say since Uhura, Chekov, Sulu, etc. might not have a lot of development or characterization it can be an area for you to fill in with your fanfic. It's a good opportunity to play around with those characters that you might not have with the more established ones. Look on it as an opportunity to flex your creative juices. I do think there is enough TOS out there to get a sense of at least what they won't do and to some extend what they wouldn't say in a given situation so that can at least give you a start.

You might want to check out novels and comics that might focus more on Sulu, Uhura, etc. to also give you a better handle on those characters.

 

[kes7]

I think minor characters are easier to write storylines for, because you get to decide how they will react to situations without obsessing quite as much over whether their actions are "in character."

However, established characters are easier to write dialogue for, because you already have their diction down and it's easy to tell instantly what sounds authentic.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

I agree...it's a lot easier to write for the minor characters because you have so much latitude. I have two in The Thirteenth Order--Gul Macet and Glinn Daro, and I've been able to make their backstories whatever I want, and allow that to inform their personalities and reactions.

The closest I get to working closely with a major canon character is my AU Dukat. In his case, I had to take the canon Dukat and figure out what he might have been if he hadn't gone so wrong--try to project what the "true" personality really is, sort out what in him was twisted and what wasn't. In some ways, I think I actually projected AU Dukat's personality from Ziyal's as well as the occasional flashes we saw in Gul Dukat of something different...as I think it's quite possible Gul Dukat saw something in Ziyal that he recognized, but he didn't know how to process it because I think that to fully allow himself to do so would have been to have to face his Number One Fear: HIMSELF.

Writing a major canon character, though...that's something I think I would find extremely challenging and perhaps even intimidating: people have a tendency to get very set in their ways when it comes to the interpretation of canon characters, and if you cross them, you've lost them completely, whereas with a minor character or OC, you tend to get a lot more leeway because people know you're projecting off of very little data.

 

[Mistral]

I find that the actor's voice does it for me. I can "hear" them in my head and write to that sound. If I can't hear them say something I play with it until I can. The hardest ones are people like Janeway, where the original screen writers were so inconsistent about her "voice" that anything and nothing sounds good. With her, I just picture the woman portrayed in "Year of Hell" and go from there.

Minor characters-as long as they had dialogue-are easy. It's the ones that rarely had any that are hard. I'm trying to write a (something) involving the Delaney Sisters-and, man, is this tough!

 

[Gibraltar]

I've only used canon Trek characters in one of my stories, and my ability to 'hear' their voices helped me greatly in portraying them. However, I also discovered that Picard & Company had little patience for my original characters!

 

[mirandafave]

I've only used canon Trek characters in one of my stories, and my ability to 'hear' their voices helped me greatly in portraying them. However, I also discovered that Picard & Company had little patience for my original characters!

I think if I recall - some of your characters had little patience for Picard & Company!

 

[Gibraltar]

I've only used canon Trek characters in one of my stories, and my ability to 'hear' their voices helped me greatly in portraying them. However, I also discovered that Picard & Company had little patience for my original characters!

I think if I recall - some of your characters had little patience for Picard & Company!

True enough, but given Picard's track record, I had to give him the benefit of the doubt. That, and some of my OC's were just being downright cranky!

 

[Mistral]

I do find I can "hear" certain canon characters better than others. The easiest, for me, are Picard, Worf, Data, Chekov, Tom and Owen Paris(don't know why Owen but there you are) and Sisko. I think it's the distinctiveness of their voices combined with stand-out personalities. Although Riker comes easy, too, due to his sense of ironic humor.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

What's really odd is writing an AU character, when it comes to major characters. Even their speech patterns change, the way I hear them in my head. What was really crazy was last night when I watched "Emissary"...and then read some stuff back involving AU Dukat. And I've tried searching on YouTube for an example, but I can't seem to find a single example of Gul Dukat with the speech patterns I imagine for his AU counterpart.

(AU Dukat is very softspoken most of the time and you get the impression of a more introspective personality, one that thinks before speaking. Sure, he's physically capable of the same kind of "dramatic declaiming" as the canon version--but he doesn't do it unless he absolutely has to. And even then, it just...sounds different.)

Sometimes I don't get the sense of this kind of shift when people write AU characters; other times I do. It really seems to depend on the writer.

 

[Kaziarl]

This is actually one of the reasons I try to steer away from using someone elses characters. I find it much easier to write my own, unique characters that I can decide how they are going to react. Or the way I write, I should say they tell me how they are going to react.

 

[Mistral]

What's really odd is writing an AU character, when it comes to major characters. Even their speech patterns change, the way I hear them in my head.

I wrote a Dark Picard in Corkscrewed-and you're right-they change, carrying some things over and yet saying other things very differently.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Yeah...it's really weird: the only recording, in my case, that I've found with a voice that could be anything like AU Dukat is the latter half of the infamous "Pain in the Ass" video--the point where the canon Dukat actually starts to enjoy some self-deprecating humor. (Which had to be a rare moment for the canon one...but something much easier for the AU version to accept.)

You can kinda hear the difference between the two Dukats, between the way he acts at the beginning of the vid and the way he acts at the end...though I WILL say that the canon Dukat is still making a bit more of a show of it at the end than the AU version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrbo39Lw-r4

So how did your AU Picard sound?

 

[Whoa Nellie]

I find that the actor's voice does it for me. I can "hear" them in my head and write to that sound. If I can't hear them say something I play with it until I can.

I've only used canon Trek characters in one of my stories, and my ability to 'hear' their voices helped me greatly in portraying them.

What's really odd is writing an AU character, when it comes to major characters. Even their speech patterns change, the way I hear them in my head.

I wrote a Dark Picard in Corkscrewed-and you're right-they change, carrying some things over and yet saying other things very differently.

That is exactly how I do it. Once I can hear the actor's voice I know I've nailed it. As far as a 'mirror' Picard, (which I've written myself numerous times starting with my very first story) I make sure the mirror Picard speaks with a voice that is slightly different than Picard's; colder, more arrogant, and less articulate. The two would sound alike but the speech patterns and syntax would be slightly different.


Nice topic, btw.


Warmest Wishes,
Whoa Nellie

Whoa Nellie's Romance Star Trek Fan Fiction Stories
http://whoanellie.fortunecity.com

 

[KobayashiMaru13]

mccoy, spock, data, chekov, kirk, scotty, and picard come easiest for me. i can 'hear' their voices clearest.

 

[hellsgate]

Going with more than one, two, or three "canon" characters, (to me) is a cheat of a lazy writer. If you're going to do a Trek story, do one in a known era, but create your own characters/ship/station, et al.

I don't mind cameos every so often, in order to branch-off from canon at a known point in TV/Movies into one's own corner of the Trek universe, but there's enough paid commission writers covering ENT, TOS, VOY, to Titan & TNG/TMP at Pocket Books.

 

[PSGarak]

Going with more than one, two, or three "canon" characters, (to me) is a cheat of a lazy writer. If you're going to do a Trek story, do one in a known era, but create your own characters/ship/station, et al.

I don't mind cameos every so often, in order to branch-off from canon at a known point in TV/Movies into one's own corner of the Trek universe, but there's enough paid commission writers covering ENT, TOS, VOY, to Titan & TNG/TMP at Pocket Books.

I could agree with you if the only reason it's done is because the writer can't or won't put the time and energy into character creation. If that's the case, it won't just be the use of several canon characters that gives away the laziness. There will be a lot of other sloppy mistakes and poorly conceived and executed ideas, as well.

However, I think some people have ideas for scenarios they would have liked to see or expansions for scenes or shows that just didn't quite do it for them. Or perhaps they feel they have a unique take or insight on certain characters they'd like to highlight. Then it has nothing to do with being lazy and everything to do with enjoying themselves and fulfilling something they just never got to see on screen. I really enjoy well written fanfic involving major characters. It's like getting to see an old friend again in a new and interesting way.

 

[mirandafave]

Going with more than one, two, or three "canon" characters, (to me) is a cheat of a lazy writer. If you're going to do a Trek story, do one in a known era, but create your own characters/ship/station, et al.

Hmmm ... I don't think so with all due respect. Considering the squillions of fans, some of whom idolise their chosen characters who have also been so nuanced and sculpted by the actors portraying them and the film-makers who have captured them onscreen, a writer for a canon character has a much harder job if they want to remain true to the characterisation and also put that character into a new setting or circumstance and still remain true to them.

Undoubtedly, some probably do take the route of canon characters as a lazy option but their stories don't fare well. These stories don;t read right and come across as very flat and yes lazy. But that's more down to poor or lazy writing to achieve the character [or not as the case might be]. I think the greater gamble can be having a canon character do a cameo that is unnecessary and could easily just have been an original character.

Whereas a talented writer can take you on a journey with favourite characters whose adventures you feared and you thought were over.

 

[BolianAuthor]

Some Star Trek characters are relatively easy to write. You know almost exactly how they will respond...or not respond...to a given situation. You know how they will talk, how they act, etc. The most prominent examples from TOS include Spock and McCoy.

Others I find are harder to write for. They didn't really have strong, developed personalities in the series or movies. From TOS, these include Uhura and Sulu.

I was just wondering if some of you writers have difficulties with characterization and dialogue when it comes to the some of the minor Trek characters, because, to me, they're almost like blank slates.

You have a point, but then again, when all else fails, try this...

Instead of writing for the character, write for the voice of the ACTOR... remember, no matter who the character is, it's the actor who plays the character, that gives it the life that WE know. Thus, whatever words or scenes you write, should feel appropriate.

Take into account the voices, accents, and inflections of each of the actors... Kirk, Scotty, Chekov, Picard, Sisko, Janeway, Tuvok, Archer... all the Star Trek characters have unique and individual ways of speaking. Use that, in the dialogue.