Why do they even want a story submission then, and not just excerpts that show your writing skills?
Writing a Trek novel...
- Thread starter Joel_Kirk
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^ They want a story proposal, to demonstrate that you've thought through the concept for a complete story, and you're not just throwing out a "Gee, whiz; this is a neat idea!" along with some random writing samples.
Maybe the idea you present will impress the editor to decide it's worth pursuing, or maybe what you've offered will intrigue them enough to ask you to try something else. Regardless, it's the way the hopeful writer responds (and fails to respond) to the guidelines that matters. That, and presentation, both in the material you provide and how you provide it.
Maybe the idea you present will impress the editor to decide it's worth pursuing, or maybe what you've offered will intrigue them enough to ask you to try something else. Regardless, it's the way the hopeful writer responds (and fails to respond) to the guidelines that matters. That, and presentation, both in the material you provide and how you provide it.
IIRC, Delcara in Peter David's "Vendetta" was going to be Guinan's kinswoman, but had to be rejigged as a "soul sister" during Star Trek Office manuscript vetting.
Yes you can. If you can isolate a particular canonical Riker trait that has never been explained before, you could set him up with a past lover who contributed to that effect. But that addition of a never-before-mentioned lover would have to gel with his relationship with Troi. Actually, didn't Riker have a (non canonical) girlfriend called Wendy in "Imzadi", who influenced Riker's (canonical) attraction to Troi, or am I remembering incorrectly?
Writing good short excerpts is easy.
Proving you have the discipline to write an outline, three sample chapters and - eventually - trusting you will be able to come up with the whole novel - by a deadline - and will be able to communicate effectively with an editor - is hard.
I'm curious, what were your submissions like that got you accepted as tie-in writers?
Like I said, it's a job interview. You're applying for the job of writing full novels. So that's the skill you need to demonstrate: the ability to craft a novel-length story.
That's a question with all sorts of answers, given the different approaches avenues people traveled to arrive at one of the Pocket editors' doors.
Ah, but that was the show. The people who are actually running the show have more latitude than the average tie-in writer, who is just a hired gun putting out a secondary product. Any major changes to the franchise are usually going to flow down from the actual, canonical show to the editors to the novel writers.
Like I said, if you want to break in, you're better off writing a standalone adventure that doesn't upset the apple cart. Later on, when you're Peter David, you might be able to push the envelope . . . .
Typically, it's what would be the first three chapters of your novel, around 50 pages or so. If they're interested in enough in what they've read, the editor might ask you for more.
That's a question with all sorts of answers, given the different approaches avenues people traveled to arrive at one of the Pocket editors' doors.
I dunno, I thought that was a pretty specific question with a specific answer: how did you become a Trek writer, and if you became one via that submission process, what did you submit?
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thank you.
I dunno, I thought that was a pretty specific question with a specific answer: how did you become a Trek writer, and if you became one via that submission process, what did you submit?
My point is that not every Trek writer started via the submissions process, and so their tale my not be of any help to you. For instance, I didn't follow the guidelines; I won a contest which doesn't exist anymore. So, that's not the most useful advice for helping a hopeful new writer trying to get in the door. Other writers were pros of one sort or another, who established themselves elsewhere before approaching or being approached by an editor.
ETA: The guidelines exist for a single reason: To test the hopeful new writer and see if they can, within the parameters specified, present an idea for a Trek story that intrigues the editor enough to want to see more. What might come after that depends a great deal on a number of variables which cannot be predicted at the point you're submitting your package, and none of which are in your control. All you can do is the best you're able within the provided parameters, and present yourself as someone the editor might want to work with. Admittedly, it ain't easy to do, but that's part of the allure
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^That's right. Instead of dwelling on the minutiae of the guidelines, it's better to focus on just plain writing stuff -- creating original fiction, marketing it, developing your skills, learning the discipline of the craft.
Good question! You definitely want to submit the first three consecutive chapters. Submitting three random chapters is a very common mistake, though. (I confess I did it when I was young and inexperienced . . . .)
^I think the idea is that you want to prove you're able to give your book a strong beginning. If your opening chapters aren't well-written and engaging enough to hold a reader's or editor's interest, then it doesn't matter how good your later chapters are, because people will give up reading before they get there. If you're thinking, "Gee, my first three chapters aren't as good as these later ones, so I'd rather not let the editor see them," then your story is fatally flawed already. The opening chapters are your audition for the reader who picks up your book off the shelf and starts skimming through it, or who reads an excerpt on Amazon.com or whatever. So that's why they're your audition for an editor or agent as well. They have to be good enough to sell your book.
Again, this is all about demonstrating that you have the necessary skills, and writing a strong opening is a crucial skill that's not easy to master. Most novice writers, and even some veterans, have a tendency to "walk to the plot," to spend a lot of time setting things up before getting into the meat of the story. You have to train yourself to cut out extraneous stuff from the opening and begin the story as strongly as possible. So an editor or agent needs to see your opening chapters so they can evaluate if you know how to catch a reader's attention at the beginning... and they need three chapters so they can see whether your followup is strong as well.
Again, this is all about demonstrating that you have the necessary skills, and writing a strong opening is a crucial skill that's not easy to master. Most novice writers, and even some veterans, have a tendency to "walk to the plot," to spend a lot of time setting things up before getting into the meat of the story. You have to train yourself to cut out extraneous stuff from the opening and begin the story as strongly as possible. So an editor or agent needs to see your opening chapters so they can evaluate if you know how to catch a reader's attention at the beginning... and they need three chapters so they can see whether your followup is strong as well.
Exactly. I used to get cover letters all the time that said something like "I know the book starts kind of slow, but don't worry, it gets really good around Chapter Five!"
In which case you may need to rethink things a bit before you submit it to an editor.
The other problem with submitting, say, Chapters Five, Twelve, and Twenty-Three is that they probably don't make much sense out of context. Why confuse a would-be editor by making him or her start reading somewhere in the middle of the story?
One could always consult the synopsis, I suppose, but, again, you're making the editor work too hard to figure out your story. I can't speak for every editor, but I always read the sample chapters first, because there was no point in even looking at the outline if the person couldn't write.
The "job interview" analogy is dead on. It's all about making a good first impression . . . .
In which case you may need to rethink things a bit before you submit it to an editor.
The other problem with submitting, say, Chapters Five, Twelve, and Twenty-Three is that they probably don't make much sense out of context. Why confuse a would-be editor by making him or her start reading somewhere in the middle of the story?
One could always consult the synopsis, I suppose, but, again, you're making the editor work too hard to figure out your story. I can't speak for every editor, but I always read the sample chapters first, because there was no point in even looking at the outline if the person couldn't write.
The "job interview" analogy is dead on. It's all about making a good first impression . . . .
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I can just imagine it. "Damn, this guy is GREAT! Best three sample chapters I've ever read! Now let's look at the synopsis. Ah, a TNG/DS9 crossover. Ah hell, where's the trash can."
^Well, if your first three chapters give no indication that it's a crossover, that's another one of those fundamental structural flaws that mean you need to rethink your approach.
And if you can't be bothered to follow a simple set of instructions (like "no crossovers"), then it doesn't matter how good your prose is. The editors need someone they can work with, someone competent and willing to follow a set of instructions (since tie-in fiction is about working for other masters). Hell, it should be far easier to follow the guidelines than to write a brilliant narrative. So if you can write well but don't follow the instructions, that implies you're ignoring them on purpose, and that would suggest to the editor that you'd be too stubborn or intransigent to work with.
And if you can't be bothered to follow a simple set of instructions (like "no crossovers"), then it doesn't matter how good your prose is. The editors need someone they can work with, someone competent and willing to follow a set of instructions (since tie-in fiction is about working for other masters). Hell, it should be far easier to follow the guidelines than to write a brilliant narrative. So if you can write well but don't follow the instructions, that implies you're ignoring them on purpose, and that would suggest to the editor that you'd be too stubborn or intransigent to work with.
I always figured the main purpose of the outline was to demonstrate that:
1) the author knows where they're going.
2) the plot doesn't seriously go off the rails later on. ("It was all a dream!")
3) in the case of tie-ins, to get the go-ahead from the licensor.
When evaluating an unknown author, though, it was the sample chapters that really mattered. That's what told you whether or not they could write.
But you cannot destroy an idea! It's reeeeaaaal!
Just to keep a good mood. I really appreciate this discussion. Thanks!
Just to keep a good mood. I really appreciate this discussion. Thanks!
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