What sources do you use when writing?
- Thread starter sojourner
- Start date
Many of the authors acknowledge their sources in their books. Yes, Memory Alpha, Memory Beta, each other, the Okudas' reference works, even my own online "Rogues Gallery of Andorians" has been credited.
I have a shelf of the usual reference books (including a backup copy of the Encyclopedia), and I'm coming to rely on Memories Alpha and Beta more and more, but, if there's time, I prefer to go back to the primary sources: the actual episodes and movies. Actually watching, say, "Journey to Babel" again can generate more ideas than just re-reading a synopsis on Wikipedia. (I don't want to think about how many times I've watched "Space Seed." )
The reference books and websites are mostly good for double-checking dates, the correct spelling of planets and characters, etc. And Memory Beta, in particular, is a quick way to check and see if some story idea has been done before. ("Damn, somebody already did a sequel to 'Spock's Brain' . . . .")
Beyond Trek trivia, I have shelves of odd reference books, as well as a "brain-storming file" stuffed full of old magazine and newspaper clippings that might prove useful someday.
The reference books and websites are mostly good for double-checking dates, the correct spelling of planets and characters, etc. And Memory Beta, in particular, is a quick way to check and see if some story idea has been done before. ("Damn, somebody already did a sequel to 'Spock's Brain' . . . .")
Beyond Trek trivia, I have shelves of odd reference books, as well as a "brain-storming file" stuffed full of old magazine and newspaper clippings that might prove useful someday.
It makes a lot of sense to me referring back to the original episodes. After watching a particular scene, or indeed many an ending, I often find myself wondering 'what happened or what if'.
I've also occasionally gotten ideas from reading interviews with the actors. I once read an interview with Roxann Dawson in which she happened to mention that B'Elanna seldom had any scenes with Kes, so I decided to team them up in my VOYAGER book just to do something fresh and different . . . .
^I tried pitching a B'Elanna-Kes episode to the producers once. They didn't go for it, obviously.
As for sources, I draw on whatever might be useful for a given project. Of course the episodes and films themselves are the primary sources and should be referred to whenever appropriate, though Chakoteya's transcript site is a useful quick reference for dialogue (with occasional slight transcription errors, so it should be checked against the originals). Memory Alpha and Beta are certainly helpful, as are print references like the Chronology (some of which is conjectural/outdated, so one must be cautious), the Encyclopedia, Star Charts, the tech manuals, etc. I also use online tech references, blueprints, and such for reference sometimes. Doug Drexler's The Drex Files blog can offer some useful insights into Trek tech/design. And if I can't get info I need from existing references, I've been known fire off an occasional e-mail to Rick Sternbach, Mike Okuda, or Drexler.
For my post-TMP stuff (Ex Machina, Mere Anarchy: The Darkness Drops Again, and Forgotten History), I make use of The Making of ST:TMP, The Art of Star Trek, the Star Trek: The Magazine spotlight on the TMP Director's Edition, the Enterprise Flight Manual booklet (made for the actors in Phase II/TMP to show them how to work the consoles), and any other useful resources I can find, down to and including the backup feature on TMP-era uniforms in the "Spock -- The Barbarian!" issue of Marvel's 1980-82 ST comic series.
And of course I draw on other resources as needed for the science stuff. The Buried Age drew on simulations of planetary formation at Alpha Centauri, Titan: Over a Torrent Sea drew heavily on some real research papers about ocean planets, DTI: Watching the Clock drew on references about quantum physics and temporal theory, etc.
As for sources, I draw on whatever might be useful for a given project. Of course the episodes and films themselves are the primary sources and should be referred to whenever appropriate, though Chakoteya's transcript site is a useful quick reference for dialogue (with occasional slight transcription errors, so it should be checked against the originals). Memory Alpha and Beta are certainly helpful, as are print references like the Chronology (some of which is conjectural/outdated, so one must be cautious), the Encyclopedia, Star Charts, the tech manuals, etc. I also use online tech references, blueprints, and such for reference sometimes. Doug Drexler's The Drex Files blog can offer some useful insights into Trek tech/design. And if I can't get info I need from existing references, I've been known fire off an occasional e-mail to Rick Sternbach, Mike Okuda, or Drexler.
For my post-TMP stuff (Ex Machina, Mere Anarchy: The Darkness Drops Again, and Forgotten History), I make use of The Making of ST:TMP, The Art of Star Trek, the Star Trek: The Magazine spotlight on the TMP Director's Edition, the Enterprise Flight Manual booklet (made for the actors in Phase II/TMP to show them how to work the consoles), and any other useful resources I can find, down to and including the backup feature on TMP-era uniforms in the "Spock -- The Barbarian!" issue of Marvel's 1980-82 ST comic series.
And of course I draw on other resources as needed for the science stuff. The Buried Age drew on simulations of planetary formation at Alpha Centauri, Titan: Over a Torrent Sea drew heavily on some real research papers about ocean planets, DTI: Watching the Clock drew on references about quantum physics and temporal theory, etc.
Do you ever use Fanon sources like the Franz Joseph stuff?
On a similar note, when writing, how much thought goes into the new reader? For example, how would you describe a new federation ship for a reader who has never seen one? You obviously can't take the easy route and compare it to a well known ship like the Enterprise.
On a similar note, when writing, how much thought goes into the new reader? For example, how would you describe a new federation ship for a reader who has never seen one? You obviously can't take the easy route and compare it to a well known ship like the Enterprise.
I don't use Fanon, because the writings of a Marxist revolutionary author/philosopher have never yet been relevant to my Trek writing. (Well, maybe a little in Ex Machina....)
On an unrelated subject
, I have occasionally drawn ideas from tie-in or fan sources when they've been useful to me. But Franz Joseph's material has some major inaccuracies (I never bought the idea that Main Engineering was in the saucer, for one thing) and is too far removed from modern canon.Well, it's generally a safe bet that even new readers will have at least a rough idea of what the Enterprise looks like, since it's one of the most iconic science fiction images in popular culture. But I do try to keep new readers in mind to some extent when setting the scene visually; for instance, in a portion of Forgotten History set during the 5-year mission, I did specify at one point that Kirk wore gold and Spock wore blue.
Oh, I should probably mention that I have a complete set of the old STAR TREK magazines and consult their "Technical Briefings" religiously when I'm working on a new Trek project.
As for visual descriptions . . . STAR TREK is so entrenched in people's minds at this point that I probably provide less visual description than I would for, say, THE 4400 or WAREHOUSE 13. At this late date, there's no real need to mention that Spock has pointed ears or describe what a Klingon Bird-of-Prey looks like. But when it comes to alien planets and beings and spacecraft that are new to the book, then you still need to paint a picture in the reader's mind.
(In The Rings of Time, for example, I made an effort to describe Shaun Christopher's spaceship in detail, but assumed that the average reader knew what the bridge of the Enterprise looks like. Ditto for the transporter room, sickbay, etc.)
As for visual descriptions . . . STAR TREK is so entrenched in people's minds at this point that I probably provide less visual description than I would for, say, THE 4400 or WAREHOUSE 13. At this late date, there's no real need to mention that Spock has pointed ears or describe what a Klingon Bird-of-Prey looks like. But when it comes to alien planets and beings and spacecraft that are new to the book, then you still need to paint a picture in the reader's mind.
(In The Rings of Time, for example, I made an effort to describe Shaun Christopher's spaceship in detail, but assumed that the average reader knew what the bridge of the Enterprise looks like. Ditto for the transporter room, sickbay, etc.)
I get a real kick out of seeing information from the DS9 and TNG technical manuals used.
Memory Alpha and Beta, the Encyclopaedia, the TNG and DS9 Tech Manuals, the DS9 Companion, the movies/episodes, the scripts...
and, of course, Google...
and, of course, Google...
Does anyone ever use unreleased sources...for instance there is a Voyager Technical Manual that was produced but never formally released.
I know that Christopher has used some of the DC comics...anyone use any of the others (Marvel, IDW, Wildstorm, Gold Key etc)
What about any of the reference materials that was created for some of the RPGs like FASA or some of the newer books?
I know that Christopher has used some of the DC comics...anyone use any of the others (Marvel, IDW, Wildstorm, Gold Key etc)
What about any of the reference materials that was created for some of the RPGs like FASA or some of the newer books?
I have the writers' tech manual that was included in the pitch package for freelancers, but I don't know of any other one.
I made a subtle allusion to IDW's Assignment: Earth comic in Watching the Clock. Keith DeCandido referenced Klingons: Blood Will Tell in his Seven Deadly Sins story. Tiris Jast from Wildstorm's DS9 comic N Vector was seen in DS9: Avatar, and elements from Wildstorm's Divided We Fall were referenced in Worlds of DS9: Trill: Unjoined. I think the TOS Gorn story in Marvel's Star Trek Unlimited #1 was referenced in Seize the Fire, and Wildstorm's The Gorn Crisis has been referenced in multiple novels.
And I think there was an oblique reference to Gold Key's blond Scotty in Indistinguishable from Magic, though I could be misremembering.
I've referenced a Gary Seven story DC did. Don't think I've ever borrowed anything from those other comics.
