Re: Star Trek : Angel - Q&A - WRITING
The Physical Act of Writing
"So tell me Mr Unusualsuspex, vy iss it that you write?"
I stared at the bespectacled man as if it was HE that had lost his mind, not me.
"Because, my dear imaginary psychiatrist, to
not write would be denying the world my talents!"
"Hmmm," he muttered, scribbling something on his imaginary notepad. "I see." It was obvious that he didn't of course.
**********
Alright, enough of that. It was a simple demonstration of one of my own first principles of writing. Before I explain
that
particular principle I really do need to point out that this works for
me. It doesn't neccessarily mean that it will work for
you.
I write this because I've been asked about it in PMs and e-mails and I feel I always have to give that coda. So I guess the first rule should be:-
DEVELOP YOUR OWN STYLE!
That's not to say that you can't, or shouldn't inquire about other writer's techniques. Adapting their individual solutions to your own situation, as I've tried to do, is the only real way of learning to write as yourself rather than a clone of Tom Clancy or Isaac Asimov!
There's nothing wrong with either of those writers in my humble opinion, quite the opposite. What I was trying to say is that the world can only take so much genius before it looks for something slightly different to whet its appetite.
*********
THE SUBJECT MATTER(S)
Which is all very well when you're developing a standalone fictional universe, but take a look where we are in case you stumbled upon this site by accident. We're in the Trek Universe now. And as my dad might have said had he been a Trekker, "There's nowt so picky as a Trek reader son!" He wasn't a Trekker (much to my shame
) but he would have been right!
Write something out of character, and unless there's a damned good reason for it thou shalt be pounced upon as if by a Denebian Slime Devil! If you think thats slightly harsh, I beg to differ. You are, after all, writing to a specific audience who love their chosen subject.
Now if this is the sandbox you have chosen to play in, then you are probably au fait with your subject matter, but if you're only just dipping your toes in the world of Trekology and you haven't read the post prior to this one (
RESEARCH) then please do.
I gave this advice to somebody who PMed me. Their intention was to put Captain Pike aboard a
Galaxy Class vessel.
"Oh, that's cool" I replied. "Is it
the Christopher Pike's grandson?"
"No, it's
THE Christopher Pike," came the reponse.
I asked why. Was it a temporal storyline or in an alternate universe perhaps? Nope, they liked the character but wanted to set it in the TNG era.
Now I would never, ever tell somebody
not to write a story no matter what the subject, but I had to warn the PMer that such a direction might gain him criticism from the purists and confusion from the regulars. My alternative idea was my original thought; have the lead character be a descendant of Christopher Pike who embodied many of the characteristics of his forebear but with added twists.
What I'm getting at is quite simply:
KNOW YOUR SUBJECT
Because if you don't, its for sure that the people who do will advise you where you've gone wrong! Even worse, they may ignore you altogether!
Useful research link:
MEMORY ALPHA
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THE PHYSICAL ACT OF WRITING
Which brings me full circle to this post's first topic.
Why write? Well to be honest there are as many different answers to that little question as there are characters in the Trek universe. First and foremost however (and I'm fairly certain you'll find this is a universal answer) you have to
want to write. In fact I'd go further and say you
need to write.
It's like any profession that has its dedicated followers. Put yourself in the limelight and you'll be expected to take the knocks as well as the bouquets. In writing, there is nothing quite so obvious as somebody whose heart is not in their subject; corny I know, but true. If you are honestly just giving it a try for the experience then be honest and tell people that you're inexperienced and not quite sure whether this is for you. I can guarantee that your honesty will bring more replies of help than hassle.
So do you write about an established cast or create your own? My personal opinion is that to write a full length story about an established cast should be tackled only when you have immersed yourself in the Trek pool for quite some time. People know and love these characters like family. Having Picard say something out of character or Kirk start basket weaving in between bridge stints without a back story to justify it is fiction-writing suicide.
With self created characters however, you have the latitude to create their quirks pretty much to your heart's desire. I've also found that having a self created crew allows for jeapordy. Why? Well inagine you're writing a story aboard the NX-01 and an unexpected attack strikes the bridge hard. We all know that Jonathan Archer and T'Pol and the rest of the regulars won't die because we've seen them on screen and in novels continuing their adventures (alright maybe not Trip dammit!)
With your own crew, its always possible to kill off a regular in your cast for dramatic purposes without disrupting canon, semi-canon or just plain common sense.
(The shock value of losing a lead character and the ensemble's reaction to that loss is heady stuff!) Plus, if you're really confident, then a guest appearance by a canon Trek character can be interesting as long as its not overused. If you intend to try that, remeber the rule about research. There's no point having a visit by Jadzia Dax in a storyline that occurs after the Dominion War for instance!
PS With your own cast, keep them consistant in their characters as well otherwise they just sound as if they have multiple personality disorders, but allow them to learn, grow, or suffer from their experiences. Life is not static.
One of the questions I've been asked most regularly is "Where do you get the idea for a story?" and its one of the hardest to answer because, in a nutshell, for me it just happens! So far with the
ANGEL series I've tried to keep the stories concurrent meaning that when one book finishes, it leads into the next so the basis for a story has already been laid by the preceding one.
Good options towards considering a story line:
Think of a Trek episode that left loose ends. (What ever happened to the Fabrini after
"For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky" for instance.)
Watch the news for an interesting global story whose concept can be transferred into the Trek universe (financial crisis, ecological disaster, mystery of missing vessel etc)
Similarly, is there something happening in your own back yard that would transfer to a galaxy scale. (Protests about the legitimacy of a war, the siting of a toxic chemical plant two blocks away. Suddenly you have a Dominion War sideline or eco-terrorists sabotaging a huge anti-matter supply depot blah blah blah)
Your comments on my ideas and ramblings are as important as me offering my limited perspective to you so feel free to reply at any time.
