Strange New Worlds - A Look Back

[Defcon]

As I mentioned elsewhere in this forum, Unreality SF planned to have a Trek Lit related feature. Well, here it is:

Strange New Worlds: A Look Back

"'Star Trek stories by the fans, for the fans.' That was the motto of the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds anthologies published by Pocket Books until 2007. Now, two years after the range’s demise, Unreality SF has gathered several people who were involved with SNW over the years - Allyn Gibson, William Leisner, Terri Osborne, Dean Wesley Smith, and Dayton Ward - to take a look back..."

 

[HIj'Qa]

Nice piece. Allyn Gibson is a little harsh . . .

 

[TerriO]

I was afraid this would happen. Why do you think that's harsh? We are responsible for our own careers. We are responsible for choosing the markets we want to pursue.

For the record, I totally agree with Allyn's business assessment of the book. Break-even is a bonus here. And if the book doesn't justify its own existence, there's absolutely no reason to keep it on the schedule. Like I said in the article, it's that double-edged sword. If you have unknown names, the draw of the book is definitely going to need to be on another level. And if that draw isn't there, the book's in trouble. A whole bunch of stories by brand-new writers that only share the commonalities that they're 7,500 words or less and somehow about Trek? In the days when Trek's onscreen popularity was waning, to say the least? And knowing anthologies are always a hard sell? Yeah, that's not exactly a recipe for success.

This is absolutely nothing against anyone, but I'm glad I didn't make it into SNW, either. Not because I have some overblown delusion about how good (or not) those stories were. They were terrible. In retrospect, they were novel concepts, not short stories. If I'd sold those stories, I would be in a completely different place right now, and I don't think it would be better for me as a creative person. It worked for the likes of Dayton and Bill. Their approach was completely different (not better or worse, just different) from mine. I don't think it would have worked so well for me. It's not a difference in quality or a statement of the quality of anyone's work. We're all professionals. It's our job to write the best story we can write for the market. If we're not hired, we're not hired. That's just the way the world works. It wasn't the market for me. So what?

Ultimately, for me, it comes down whether or not I can be proud of the work out there with my name attached to it. I wouldn't be proud of those SNW stories. I'm glad I never made it. If given the choice between writing the stories I've done and having the rejected SNW entries have made the books? I'll take having the stories that I've done out there, thanks.

 

[Steve Roby]

One thing that always struck me about SNW...

There were an awful lot more posts here and at other Trek books sites from people trying to get into SNW than there were from people reading it. Many of the people writing those posts gave the impression that they never actually bought or read SNW.

Still, we got ten anthologies with some really good fiction (and, imho, some duds and a few wtf-was-DWS-thinking? moments), and we got some good new Trek writers out of it. Kinda like SCE... a bold experiment that may not have paid off financially as well as it could have, but one that's had some positive and lasting effects. TrekLit's a lot better off than it would have been without them.

 

[Defcon]

Nice piece.

Thanks.

Allyn Gibson is a little harsh . . .

I don't think so.

I specifically asked Allyn and Terri to participate beside D.W. Smith and the Wardie-winners Dayton and Bill to get a well rounded view on the contest, and I think their perspective added a lot to the article.


ETA:

One thing that always struck me about SNW...

There were an awful lot more posts here and at other Trek books sites from people trying to get into SNW than there were from people reading it. Many of the people writing those posts gave the impression that they never actually bought or read SNW.

Actually that surprised me too. By the number of postings by people who obviously had participated and were waiting for the final list, you would think that at least a majority of those would buy the anthology even if they didn't make it to see what Dean actually is looking for. But I guess a lot of the people thought: "I'm not in it, so it sucks." and just ignored the book.

 

[William Leisner]

I specifically asked Allyn and Terri to participate beside D.W. Smith and the Wardie-winners Dayton and Bill to get a well rounded view on the contest, and I think their perspective added a lot to the article.

QFT. It would have been a far less interesting article, IMHO, if it was just Dayton and the Wardies (which really should be a band name) waxing nostalgic about what a great and positive experience the contest was.

 

[TheAlmanac]

One thing that always struck me about SNW...

There were an awful lot more posts here and at other Trek books sites from people trying to get into SNW than there were from people reading it. Many of the people writing those posts gave the impression that they never actually bought or read SNW.

That's very unfortunate.

I always thought SNW was an awesome concept, right from my first shocked moments of learning about its existence when DWS and KKR were guests at a Winnipeg con in 1998, and it's strange to me that people would strive to be participants in something whose audience didn't include them.

Even from that cynical market perspective, though, you'd think it would be in their own self-interest for people submitting stories to buy/read SNW anyway, if only to get the best insight possible into what that specific market wanted...

 

[TerriO]

Even from that cynical market perspective, though, you'd think it would be in their own self-interest for people submitting stories to buy/read SNW anyway, if only to get the best insight possible into what that specific market wanted...

And there's your rub right there. Wasn't the highest number of submissions Dean said he received one year about 4K? It's been a while, so I may be misremembering.

If that's the only selling appeal of your anthology, you're screwed.

And the idea of doing SNW as a themed anthology each year? While it sounds good on paper, think about how many anthologies we've actually had. I can't remember the pre-Prophecy and Change numbers, but the word counts after that were all longer than SNW-maximum. Making a successful, themed, fan-written anthology of Trek short fiction? That's one helluva challenge to even try once, let alone for 10 years. And to make it fiscally viable? Say goodbye to those word rates and prizes.

And if you say goodbye to the incentives, you're risking people turning away from the market who are only after the prize money or that damn fine word rate.

It's a vicious little carnivorous circle.

 

[Scott Pearson]

Yep, the cold hard numbers were stacked against SNW's commercial viability.

I simply approached SNW as I would any professional market, writing the best story I could within the editorial specs. Luckily for me, my submissions twice intersected with Dean's tastes. That got me noticed by Marco Palmieri, leading to another Trek short story and a forthcoming novella. And, tangentially, a story in Dayton's Space Grunts anthology.

So I will always look back fondly at SNW for giving my writing a boost and leading me to a bunch of fun people who have become friends and peers.

Thanks, Dean.

 

[TGTheodore]

Great piece. Brings back a lot of fun memories. (SNW is nostalgia now?)

I had just come off a decade of pitching to TV Trek and was ultimately turned off to it by two very bad pitch sessions at Voyager (won't say who or why). A friend of mine told me about SNW, and I hit the first three years I submitted.

Kept my interest in continuing writing, although I've since branched off into other writing venues.

I tried not to think about the logistics part that Dean had to go through. What a guy to do it for ten years.

And, best of all, I've made some of the best friends I've never met through SNW.

--Ted (the coiner of the Wardie, and proud recipient)

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Allyn Gibson is a little harsh . . .

No. Just honest. And not one to mince words.

 

[Lorraine Anderson]

I tried not to think about the logistics part that Dean had to go through. What a guy to do it for ten years.

And, best of all, I've made some of the best friends I've never met through SNW.

Agreed and agreed!

 

[Jim Johnson]

QFT. It would have been a far less interesting article, IMHO, if it was just Dayton and the Wardies (which really should be a band name) waxing nostalgic about what a great and positive experience the contest was.

True that. It might have ended up sounding like almost every self-reverential SNW and SCE panel we've had at the last several Shore Leaves. Thank goodness for some non-SNW thoughts to balance things out.

So I will always look back fondly at SNW for giving my writing a boost and leading me to a bunch of fun people who have become friends and peers.

Thanks, Dean.

Pretty much my thoughts on the matter as well, thanks Scott. And thanks Dean, Paula, Elisa, Margaret, and John.

 

[T'Bonz]

SNW was bittersweet for me. I never got in, but each year, got closer and closer.

Even so, it was great fun. I learned more about writing. (I didn't start to write until my mid-40s. Late bloomer, eh? Perhaps by the time I'm 80, I'll finally be happy with my writing.)

Where else could an utter n00b have someone look at her work? It was a fantastic opportunity. I'm thankful that it was offered, even if my efforts fell short.

And I was lucky enough to meet many fine SNW authors through this over the several years that I participated, and I even met some of them at Shore Leave 2 years ago. For those going this year, I can't wait to see you again.

 

[Geoff Thorne]

Best thing I ever did, professionally.

Bar none.

And the stories are, for the most part, pretty kick ass.

There are some I could have done without but that's true of any antho.

I met some really great folks, read some really fun stories and became a professional writer because of SNW.

Plus, y'know, STAR TREK.

 

[Christopher]

Even so, it was great fun. I learned more about writing. (I didn't start to write until my mid-40s. Late bloomer, eh? Perhaps by the time I'm 80, I'll finally be happy with my writing.)

Ahh, but if you were happy with your writing, where would be your incentive to keep striving to do more and better writing? As Thomas Mann said, "A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people."

 

[T'Bonz]

I suppose that you're correct. I've never thought of it that way though. I figured that it was my own issue and not something common to many writers.

 

[danjamesb]

Thanks for the feedback on Defcon's article. He, and the five authors who he spoke to, all put a huge amount of time and consideration into it, so I'm thrilled that it's brought back some memories and has been so well-received.

Stay tuned for some similar features in the future...