Who decides

[xortex]

Sometimes it worries me when I don't know who's deciding what to do what with the various series creative directions at S and S. Does that change with the editor? I just don't want to see clowns in bed with each other running the circus again where everybody just loves everybody elses work as long as the door is locked. We got too much of that with the t.v. shows. I'm sure somebody will come here and tell me, rest assured, we know what we're doing. Stay out of it please.
Runaway money trains are always worrysome. It's like seeing you're girlfriend wave goodbye to you in a car load of other guys with more money.
I'm also assuming they have research and marketing statagy experts and ploys like J.J. and McDonalds does.

 

[Mage]

Huh??

 

[Dukhat]

Runaway money trains are always worrysome. It's like seeing you're girlfriend wave goodbye to you in a car load of other guys with more money.
I'm also assuming they have research and marketing statagy experts and ploys like J.J. and McDonalds does.

Tip: You'd probably get more answers to your questions if you didn't go back and edit your posts with silly rambling drivel that makes no sense to anyone but yourself.

 

[JWolf]

Can we close this thread before it becomes a train wreck?

 

[Defcon]

Can we close this thread before it becomes a train wreck?

The mods can travel through time?

 

[xortex]

It seems to me that the optomistic, transparant, overly dramatic yet deeply personal approach seems to be the right one in universe building as it were conceptually speaking.

O.k. you can close the thread now. I'm obviously just talking to myself.

 

[Thrawn]

Huh?

 

[Hartzilla2007]

In before the lock.

 

[Greg Cox]

I'm also assuming they have research and marketing statagy experts and ploys like J.J. and McDonalds does.

Hah! If I'm understanding that part correctly, you are thinking science fiction publishing is way more organized and corporate than it actually is.

Here's how it usually works:

"I have a cool idea for a Star Trek book."

"Great! Let's run it by CBS and see if it's okay with them."

(Six months later.)

"CBS says okay. But change the Klingons to Orions. We just did Klingons last book."

"Will do. Where's my check?"

"It's in the mail. Maybe."

Market research? Strategy experts? Don't be silly. This is publishing we're talking about . . . .

(You'd be amazed how many STAR TREK sagas were conceived over cheeseburgers at a local diner, or in the bar at a convention.)

 

[Thrawn]

^ Though in fairness, a lot of that's pretty much true of the TV shows too.

 

[Greg Cox]

^ Though in fairness, a lot of that's pretty much true of the TV shows too.

Possibly. I was just laughing at the idea that there were marketing experts and focus groups involved. It was always way more informal than that . . ..

 

[xortex]

Well, do the publishing business' have strategies? or should I say certin biases or slants or agendas or outlooks or interests or preferences or areas they want to cover or stay away from esp with the new movies or new tie in possibilities or series. Ie., Do they ever say can you throw in some Mayan vampires?

 

[sojourner]

Greg just gave you a good example of that with the Orions thing.

I get more of the impression that CBS and S&S have "no fly zones" like Lucas does with Star Wars. As in "don't write any books about the wookie homeworld" or "don't use the 09 movie continuity".

 

[F. King Daniel]

We recently had a "no TOS adventures" mini ban in the run-up to STXI, before the alternate universe premise was made clear. And then we got a few TOS prequels like Inception and Children of Kings once the film was released. It also killed any plans that may have existed for Shatner's Trial Run (and it's good to finally know why Collision Course felt like such a reboot - it stated life as Shatner's 2003 Trek TV series pitch)

 

[Greg Cox]

Well, do the publishing business' have strategies? or should I say certin biases or slants or agendas or outlooks or interests or preferences or areas they want to cover or stay away from esp with the new movies or new tie in possibilities or series. Ie., Do they ever say can you throw in some Mayan vampires?

"They" is usually a couple of editors in a hotel bar.

Sure, the editors may plan ahead a little bit ("you know, we ought to put Seven of Nine on more covers"), but, in general, it's all pretty informal. It would be a mistake to assume that there's a huge amount of central planning and corporate oversight involved. Remember, even before the layoffs, Star Trek Publishing (TM) was never more than three or four people over in the corner of one floor. The idea that there were teams of marketing experts forming strategy makes me giggle. It was more like John or Marco or Margaret brainstorming over Chinese food from the local take-out place.

For example, my Q books exist just because Ordover thought that The Q Continuum would make a great title for a trilogy and could I please come up with a plot by Thursday? (I assume Peter David was busy.)

There was no grand corporate strategy involved, just another of John's bright ideas.

Similarly, the book I'm writing now is an idea I came up with years ago and have finally gotten around to writing. It's not something that a marketing team told me to write because it appeals to the right demographic or fits into some overall strategy.

Unless, of course, the Powers That Be are secretly demanding more books about Col Shaun Christopher!

 

[xortex]

The hen house effect is when everybody is wrong then nobody is.
I just made that up.

 

[Fer]

Unless, of course, the Powers That Be are secretly demanding more books about Col Shaun Christopher!

A Shaun Christopher book?!? AWESOME!! Can't wait to read it!!

 

[Greg Cox]

Unless, of course, the Powers That Be are secretly demanding more books about Col Shaun Christopher!

A Shaun Christopher book?!? AWESOME!! Can't wait to read it!!

Thanks! I'm working on it this afternoon . . . when I'm not procrastinating on the internet, that is!

 

[F. King Daniel]

Get back to work, Greg!

 

[Greg Cox]

Get back to work, Greg!

Geez, who are you, my agent?


I promise to write until ten, then I'm going to watch The Killing . . . .