Star Trek Book

Are these guidelines from Pocket Books specifically consistent with their Star Trek line?

Problem being that an agent is not going to touch a book based on someone else's work without you legally having the right to use those characters and places, whether it's unfinished or not. Most novels based on pre-established worlds and characters are hired out from within the company.

Echo what katiemac just said. Basically, you cannot publish such a book without obtaining the rights to use these characters, settings, etc., from the trademark holders. And they almost always hire such work out to known writers.

caw

Don't quote me but I seem to remember reading somewhere that Pocket Books is no longer accepting submissions for ST books. Something about how they have a stable of established writers already and don't need any more.

But I'm not 100% sure.

To answer your question, it's probably okay to query agents stating that you're writing a Star Trek novel, that you understand Pocket alone publishes the series, and that you're following their guidelines.

From what I know of agents, I'd say you could have a hard time finding one interested in material they can only sell to a single market -- but you may be right about the timing, so give it a shot.

Just keep working on the book in the meantime. If Pocket is interested and wants changes, you'll still be better off having worked your way through the story in your own head.

BarbaraKE said:

Don't quote me but I seem to remember reading somewhere that Pocket Books is no longer accepting submissions for ST books. Something about how they have a stable of established writers already and don't need any more.

But I'm not 100% sure.

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You're exactly right, BarbaraKE. I checked into doing a Trek book a couple years ago and was told in no uncertain terms that they had every ms they needed for the next three years and that they weren't accepting submissions due to their current 'stable' of writers.

That's the right attitude to have, Guffy.

The Trek program has recently been scaled back a bit. One of the editors was laid off on the Wednesday of the Long Knives, and the books are going to be published slightly less often -- which, as others indicated above, means they now have a long backlist. Your best bet is to pursue publication elsewhere. Hope you enjoyed writing, though, and got something out of it.

No writing is wasted writing. Not even mine. You made progress in putting together something lengthy, and probably (though you might not even realize it yet) in the simple but important stuff of constructing sensible sentences, etc. And, though you likewise might not realize it yet, in the even more important stuff of generating further ideas.

caw

Just a thought - you have invested so much already into this specific project, is there any way you can modify it into something OTHER than a ST book?

Can you take your story-line, change the characters and make something new from something old? Since you are a fan, can you encompass the ideas & thoughts you had while watching/reading - you know, those times when you said, "Geez, I'd do this or that differently?" After all, Star Trek isn't the only space adventure series. Good luck!

The best way to break into writing for a franchised series is to make a reputation writing your own original works.

I found these submissions guidelines, courtesy of Google.

They are very strict and specific.

Paramount owns the copyright to the original characters and chances are good they will own any original characters you put in the book as well. That means you can't put them in any other book you write.

I know a few writers who have done Trek novels. In one case the book was taken out of the original writer's hands--they didn't like it--and gave the manuscript to another writer to "fix."

They can do that because they own the property.

I know this sounds extremely discouraging, but it's how things are. They call all the shots.

Umpty years ago I wanted to write a Trek novel, too. By the time I got an agent and asked about getting a contract there was some bru-ha-ha going on in the pub house, and he discouraged me from submitting.

The next time I asked (got a new agent who is much more encouraging!) I was too involved with my original projects.

I hope you'll go ahead and finish the book, because that is a very positive thing to accomplish. Just be aware that it might not sell.

However, no work you put into it is wasted! Whatever you write helps you learn more about this craft.

Joe Bob Briggs: "What you write doesn't matter; it's the practice that matters."

Of course, you CAN do what Lois McMaster Bujold did.

Her first serious work was a Trek novel she called "Mirrors." (She still calls it that.)

It was about a Klingon and a Federation officer trapped on a hostile planet who have to work together to survive. It was one hell of a good story.

She didn't sell it as a Trek novel, though. She "filed off the serial numbers" turned it into an original, and sold it to Baen Books as "Shards of Honor." It's the first in her Hugo-winning Miles Vorkosigan books.

Check 'em out to see how she did it!

www.baen.com There are free books on this website. Can't get better than that!

My thoughts were right along the lines of Gillhoughly's. Change the characters slightly and make it an original. In fact, if it were me, I'd turn it into a satire, but that's just me.

Guffy said:

I have never published a book but I am two thirds finished with a Star Trek novel.

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Guffy said:

i have a complete out line and about 20k words.

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Unfortunately, thirty thousand words isn't really long enough to be considered a novel...

Guffy

I want to echo the words of others. Turn it into an original 100,000 Sci-fi novel and send it off to agents.

Guffy, you've received some good advice, but please, try to refrain from posting the same thread in two places.

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=126721

Just let your imagination fly!

You're no longer bound by someone else's creation!

Heh, my second finished novel was an ST:TNG, which I finished just before Pocket Books stopped taking agented subs due to full stable. As others have suggested, I may one day rework it to fit one of my original milieus.

If you haven't done so already, you could share your ST novel with other fans via one or more of the fanfic sites. No money, possible feedback. However, if you did plan to rework it, I'd hold off on doing this.

Writing for Star Trek

My last Star Trek novel, SAREK, was published in 1993, IIRC. So I'm a bit out of date. But it's my impression that you've been given good advice regarding writing for that franchise. They have a "stable" of authors they use and they are not really open to new folks these days, is my distinct impression.

It used to be that if you won placement in their fan writing anthology contest, that was published each year, the one judged by Dean Wesley Smith, that might give you an opening to pitch a novel to them. But that contest has been concluded. It ran for years, but it's over now.

I was told there was a recent shakeup in the Star Trek offices, and more layoffs.

Judging from that, and the from the general way the economic recession is hitting publishing, I'd say that if you have a terrific idea, "de-Trekking" it might be your best way to go.

I remember that after I realized just how difficult it was to sell a Star Trek novel, how it's a one-shot chance, I kicked myself, then sat down and outlined a way to turn Yesterday's Son into a non-ST novel. One of these days I'll have to write it.

Oh, and Uncle Jim is right...the best way these days to be signed to do work for hire with a franchise is to publish a number of books in your own universe that are well-received.

A tall order, but many have managed it.

Good luck,

-Ann C. Crispin