So how do Trek authors work together (if at all)?

[ZappaDanMan]

So years after the Enterprise TV series, I've found the ongoing story of star trek in book form (very happy about, ecstatic actually (seriously, it seems weird to say, but all of a sudden, I felt like I struck oil)). Was just wondering how book authors work together, with all the multiple book series (and interconnectedness; according to the novel-verse graphic chart).

So I have multiple questions to pose (I searched the forums for an hour or two, I couldn't find any answers I wanted. so hopefully someone can direct me to posts that have already answered this, and I am too blind to have missed, or maybe a podcast or whatever).

So obviously there is a power (man/woman/committee), that an author needs to pitch a story towards. Does that entity, already have an idea of where the ongoing story will be going? and that they need the author to fit their mold?

Is it an organic process between writer and the powers that be? or is it a process of the powers that be, pitching an story idea to a author? (or both)

As there are multiple authors, working during the same (trek universe) time frame, but in different series, do they need to talk to each other? so as not to trip over each others plot lines / problems?

Is there simultaneous timeline books (written at around about the same time), where the same character would be acting differently or out of character (where kirk will be fighting off Romulans in one book, and a pack of ninja's, in a cotton candy dance fight in another). I guess what I'm asking, apart from the personal loyalty to the characters. Are there Character rules (established by those powers that be) that a author must adhere to ?

Thank you for your time,

Regards,

ZDM

 

[Greg Cox]

The only honest answer is, it depends. Sometimes an editor may initiate a specific project; sometimes it starts with an author pitching a cool idea and getting feedback from CBS and Pocket. And some books are more interconnected than others. For a standalone TOS novel, you might not have to worry too much about what your fellow authors are up to, but for some big multi-book saga involving multiple authors, there are probably going to be lots of emails flying back and forth just to make sure everyone is on the same page. And hopefully an editor will alert you if your new idea steps on the toes of another upcoming book . . .

Ultimately, all proposals and manuscripts have to be approved by the Powers That Be, but, beyond that, the authors often communicate informally, via phone calls, emails, or over drinks at a hotel bar . . .

 

[ZappaDanMan]

Thank you very much Greg for your insight as an author. There seems to be many shades of Cardassian.

I am just very excited personally, about all these new stories (for me, i'm what 15 years behind at the moment lol). Was just wondering with all these many people involved, was there some architect from the movie "the Matrix", orchestrating all of this, so it was interconnected.

As you say, it seems to be a mesh of it all. Thank you for your comment, I appreciate it.

Kind regards,

ZDM

 

[Idran]

I know you guys are all friends (or at least you're good at putting on that impression ) but how aware are current tie-in authors about the details of one another's projects? Like, if one of you had a subplot in your work that happened to be on a similar topic to a subplot in another's work, something not necessarily obvious based on the overall concept of the book - similar B or C plots or something - would you necessarily be aware of it before you two submitted your final manuscripts?

 

[Greg Cox]

I know you guys are all friends (or at least you're good at putting on that impression ) but how aware are current tie-in authors about the details of one another's projects? Like, if one of you had a subplot in your work that happened to be on a similar topic to a subplot in another's work, something not necessarily obvious based on the overall concept of the book - similar B or C plots or something - would you necessarily be aware of it before you two submitted your final manuscripts?

Again, depends. A lot of it is pretty informal. If I think I might be stepping on another author's toes, I might drop them a line. "Say, I hear through the grapevine that you're doing something with Yeoman Rand. I'm working on a Rand-centric book, too. Maybe we should compare notes?"

Or the editors will have a better sense of the big picture and anticipate such issues. "Hey, Greg, you might want to check with So-and-So regarding Rand, since you're both working the same turf at the moment . . . ."

Or, similarly, "Nice proposal, Greg, but we've already got six Klingon-heavy novels on the schedule for next year. Can you make it the Romulans or Orions instead?"

That sort of thing . . . .

 

[DaveGalanter]

The most fun I've had on a project was the Mere Anarchy series with Dayton and Kevin, Howie, Christopher, Mike Barr, and Margaret Bononno. They're all so creative, intelligent, and funny, that I think the emails we exchanged as a group are some of the most amusing I've ever read.

I know many of the current Trek authors but have only worked with a few. Still, whenever we get a chance to hang out, it is a pleasure. I know I could contact any of them about this or that project and we could work together without issue.

 

[Christopher]

Mere Anarchy was one of the high points of my Trek career. I still wish I could be part of another collaborative project like that, ideally with most or all of the same team. It wouldn't even have to be Trek.

 

[DaveGalanter]

^What Christopher said. I'd jump at the chance for a similar project.

And we really should do it. Maybe we'll all discuss it at Shore Leave, Christopher!

 

[David Mack]

There have been Treklit projects I've worked on where it was like a TV writers' room, except virtual. All of us contributing ideas, building on one another's suggestions, riffing on one idea to concoct a new one, etc. I've been involved in quite a few multi-book/multi-author projects, as well as the overall big picture planning with the editors for 24th-century shared continuity, and it's been a very creatively rewarding process. (For me, anyway.)

 

[Greg Cox]

There have been Treklit projects I've worked on where it was like a TV writers' room, except virtual. All of us contributing ideas, building on one another's suggestions, riffing on one idea to concoct a new one, etc. I've been involved in quite a few multi-book/multi-author projects, as well as the overall big picture planning with the editors for 24th-century shared continuity, and it's been a very creatively rewarding process. (For me, anyway.)

As I recall, we had a good time coordinating our efforts on the 4400 novels as well . . . including at least one brainstorming session at Shore Leave.

 

[David Mack]

Indeed, we did.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

Through an elaborate series of calculated societal cues and ritualistic behaviours aimed at soothing the vicious territorial instinct of other Trek authors. Through adherence to the full spectrum of accepted rites - through ceremonial patterns of submission, grovelling displays of subordination, aggressive outbursts of dominance or virility, and scathing reviews in literary journals - a delicate but (barely) functional hierarchy is established. Naturally, subsequent violation of this hierarchy is dealt with in the swiftest and most brutal fashion. Having achieved this semblance of civility, two or more Trek authors can successfully work together for a period of up to several weeks, before instinct reasserts itself and the author with the higher number of published books turns on and consumes the lesser.

 

[Greg Cox]

True story: When Dayton Ward wanted to use Roberta Lincoln in a book, he checked with me to see if I had any other plans for Gary Seven and Roberta. To be clear, he was under absolutely no obligation to do so--I hardly have dibs on those characters--but he did so out of professional courtesy and a genuine desire to keep the books consistent with each other.

As it happened, I had nothing in works along those lines, so I happily gave him my blessing to do whatever he wanted with Roberta . . .

 

[David Mack]

so I happily gave him my blessing to do whatever he wanted with Roberta . . .

A statement Greg later regretted seeing taken out of context…

 

[Greg Cox]

so I happily gave him my blessing to do whatever he wanted with Roberta . . .

A statement Greg later regretted seeing taken out of context…

Just as long as he stays away from Isis!

 

[Stephen!]

There have been Treklit projects I've worked on where it was like a TV writers' room, except virtual. All of us contributing ideas, building on one another's suggestions, riffing on one idea to concoct a new one, etc. I've been involved in quite a few multi-book/multi-author projects, as well as the overall big picture planning with the editors for 24th-century shared continuity, and it's been a very creatively rewarding process. (For me, anyway.)

You mentioned during an interview on Trek.fm, that during "The Fall" novels, your co-authors sprung Bashir from prison, when he wasn't supposed to be. How did that actually happen if things were planned out on a spreadsheet?

 

[David Mack]

You mentioned during an interview on Trek.fm, that during "The Fall" novels, your co-authors sprung Bashir from prison, when he wasn't supposed to be. How did that actually happen if things were planned out on a spreadsheet?

Because we're human, and shit happens. The spreadsheet I assembled included only details of which I was aware; later creative decisions, which were made and approved independent of the group mind, superseded the spreadsheet in some cases. No system's perfect.

 

[DGCatAniSiri]

Since we're on the subject of collaboration, something that I was curious about after reading the Cold Equations trilogy that's stuck with me, how often do like 'courtesy calls' about the deaths of characters someone else created happen, letting them know 'hey, I'm kinda killing off one of your babies' kind of thing? Like I'm sure it's author's discretion in general, but do you at least give advance warning and maybe talk about how the death should go if at all possible?

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

^^You just reminded me of something, David. During situations in which an author has created a specific character or has a certain affinity for writing about a particular race, how much freedom are other authors granted as far what they do with these characters or races? Obviously, major changes (i.e., killing off characters or promoting/transferring characters) have to be approved, but do authors have the freedom to veto a change to a character they created if they don't agree with it (different than Bashir's situation, of course, because he was created by DS9's production team).

Edit: Looks like another poster was thinking the same thing I was. LOL!

--Sran

 

[David Mack]

Since we're on the subject of collaboration, something that I was curious about after reading the Cold Equations trilogy that's stuck with me, how often do like 'courtesy calls' about the deaths of characters someone else created happen, letting them know 'hey, I'm kinda killing off one of your babies' kind of thing? Like I'm sure it's author's discretion in general, but do you at least give advance warning and maybe talk about how the death should go if at all possible?

I can't speak for anyone but myself, of course, but I've tried to be respectful of my fellow authors' feelings when it comes to things like that. When I killed off a number of supporting characters in some of my earlier Star Trek works, that had to be coordinated with other writers working on the same series.

More recently, before I did anything that might radically alter the Mirror Universe versions of Peter David's New Frontier characters, I contacted him to share my outline and solicit his feedback. (Based on that exchange, I modified some of my plans.) And I felt it appropriate to reach out to my pal Keith R.A. DeCandido when some of his characters fell under the reaper's blade in one of my recent novels.

Generally, if the death of a shared literary character needs to happen a certain way for a story to work, the prior notice is less about opening up the story to revision and more about showing respect for one's peers and their contributions to a shared universe.