Hi, you guys! Like a lot of you here, I have done the insane and signed myself up for the STBB. And I was on a roll with writing for once when I came upon a problem.
That would not bother me in the slightest. Of course, you risk some more rabid fangirls coming in to argue with you over what the summary of canon contains, but that's a whole different issue!
I'd welcome more writers not always assuming we're all up to date with what is and is not canon and spelling it out for those of us who dip in and out. I think it's a fine idea. Good luck with the huge project, it sounds like it's got the potential for EPIC.
Hmm. I guess it depends? The thing is, if you're writing foremost for the Reboot audience, then I wouldn't feel it out-of-place to do some explaining of the relevant context for the TOS you're going to throw their way. A lot of Reboot people haven't watched TOS, so they really may not have any idea. The balance is figuring out HOW MUCH canon regurgitation is too much for the TOS-watching readers.
Personally, I think as long as you limit your summarizing to the parts that are absolutely necessary for your character to know (and thus, are essential to the plot), and stop it from spiraling out into tangents and extraneous information that isn't actually plot related, you should be fine. *g*
(IMO, people get upset with canon regurgitation when it's more of the author trying to show off their canon!knowledge than it is advancing the plot. As long as it's necessary to the plot, it's necessary!! =D )
Yeah, writing for an XI audience was a concern of mine--I'd like to think they at least know the basics, but there are a lot of noobz, lol. I'll try and keep the canon-vomit to a minimum, and yes, just the essentials...I'm afraid I'll get carried away. I'll have someone look over it when I'm finished, though.
Thanks for the advice!
Hey, didn't I see your username a long while back on ff.net on Lanaea's forum when "Home" was still a big stink? I only ask because it was my first major foray into fandom and I'm excited to recognize someone from there.
Ha! Yeah, probably! I don't know if I was anyone's favorite over there, though. I was mostly advocating AGAINST their plan to petition TPTB to make Kirk/Spock canon in the second movie. /0\ (Though, I was trying to be tactful and also support their goal of having gay people represented in the Trek 'verse.)
I'm actually rather surprised to be remembered! =D ...that smiley contingent on whether your remembrance was positive or negative, anyway. XD
I didn't remember you for your notoriety as much as your frequency...not to say that's a bad thing! In retrospect, you had an excellent point...the seetreklove forums got a huge blasting on places like the kink meme and other lj comms last summer...I do remember you making some fantastic, eloquent points.
Ah, I might have to get reacquainted with the good ol' Memory Alpha...a few months back we were tight, but I haven't been on in ages. I'll also watch TWOK about a hundred thousand times as well just for my own benefit.
Q: Is your character sent back into the past on a mission? Then write a scene where he's briefed about the event in question.
If he just travels there by accident, we're still lucky: that's what Spock Prime is for! A Big Bang should provide enough space to include a scene where Spock Prime talks about the "canon past". If it's hard to fit in, make a prolog chapter out of it: some time before the events of the main plot, the character listens to S. P. talking about the relevant facts - and "X couldn't know at the time that the old Vulcan's words would save his life". Just make the necessary info-dump an organic part of the plot.
Third possibilitiy: if it's a plot point that most Star Trek fans, not just the die-hard TOS aficionados, are aware of, add an Author's Note. E.g.: "this story uses motives from the movie TWOK (the one where Spock dies)" In short: name the episode, and direct those who need to know more to Memory Alpha.
Yes, it's an accident, and yes, there is definitely, definitely some S' action. I'm trying to work in that "canon past" part just in the exposition, but I need to fine tune some things so it doesn't sound just thrown in there. Also, because it's supposed to be an accident, I don't want it to seem too intentional.
It's probably a good idea to actually warn for spoilers in the header. It is in fact going to take place during the events of TWOK (although I fear events will be changed for the sake of the story.)
You haven't given a lot of info, so I'm not entirely sure my understanding of the problem is the correct one, but here's my two cents as to how I would probably handle info dump of canon details. I'd not retell the entire info dump conversation, just skim the highlights, and try to make it funny/entertaining. Like, if it was Jim doing the time-travelling, you might go with something like this
Whoa, that was one mighty mind-fuck of a conversation! If his informant hadn't been Spock, Jim might have suspected him of pulling both his legs. Because, apparently
( ... )
Don't really want to give spoilers, but I think it's kinda hopeless.
Ha ha, those are all really cute. Right now I'm working on the straight up telling approach, which is...a couple paragraphs? It's basically Cliffs Notes for II-III. If I need to go back and make it a flashback of a flashback, I might, but it ties directly into the immediate plot...an explanation of the event directly precedes the accidental time travel to said event. I shall have to work it out over the next couple months, I guess. I shouldn't get too wrapped up in little details; it's only a rough draft and if I do I'll get stuck.
Just some more thoughts: ST pro novels often have an Historian's Note header, like: "This story takes place after TNG-ep. X, but before ep. Y. The events of the (flashback/prologue/whatever) occur during ep. Z (TOS)."
If you need to give more info, you could write a prologue chapter that is an entry in an encyclopedia or an excerpt from a history book. If your story has an "Repairing the time line" plot, there could be the pre- and post-Narada versions (or whatever event changed it) of the entry. Like others have said already, it has to be entertaining, short, and, if it is separate from the main plot, written in a different style.
I did something like this for a crack!fic that filled an AU/crossover prompt: I used an "excerpt from a travel guide" prologue for the set-up and part of the back story (it's here), so that the story proper could get into the action from the start.
Ha ha, actually, last time I read one of the books I got a little mad when it put a little footnote there; I felt a little condescended to, but it's really not that bad. (Also, the chronology was really off. But that's beside the point.)
Right now, I'm working it right into the story, making it short and ironic like I would hope an S' line would end up being. I feel right now that that would be the best way to get a direct introduction into the rising action of the plot.
LOL, Mamma Mia! Your travel guide looks a little H2G2, actually.
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I'd welcome more writers not always assuming we're all up to date with what is and is not canon and spelling it out for those of us who dip in and out. I think it's a fine idea. Good luck with the huge project, it sounds like it's got the potential for EPIC.
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Thanks for the input and encouragement. :D
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Personally, I think as long as you limit your summarizing to the parts that are absolutely necessary for your character to know (and thus, are essential to the plot), and stop it from spiraling out into tangents and extraneous information that isn't actually plot related, you should be fine. *g*
(IMO, people get upset with canon regurgitation when it's more of the author trying to show off their canon!knowledge than it is advancing the plot. As long as it's necessary to the plot, it's necessary!! =D )
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Thanks for the advice!
Hey, didn't I see your username a long while back on ff.net on Lanaea's forum when "Home" was still a big stink? I only ask because it was my first major foray into fandom and I'm excited to recognize someone from there.
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I'm actually rather surprised to be remembered! =D ...that smiley contingent on whether your remembrance was positive or negative, anyway. XD
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Thanks! Good luck to you too. :D
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If he just travels there by accident, we're still lucky: that's what Spock Prime is for! A Big Bang should provide enough space to include a scene where Spock Prime talks about the "canon past".
If it's hard to fit in, make a prolog chapter out of it: some time before the events of the main plot, the character listens to S. P. talking about the relevant facts - and "X couldn't know at the time that the old Vulcan's words would save his life". Just make the necessary info-dump an organic part of the plot.
Third possibilitiy: if it's a plot point that most Star Trek fans, not just the die-hard TOS aficionados, are aware of, add an Author's Note. E.g.: "this story uses motives from the movie TWOK (the one where Spock dies)" In short: name the episode, and direct those who need to know more to Memory Alpha.
Reply
It's probably a good idea to actually warn for spoilers in the header. It is in fact going to take place during the events of TWOK (although I fear events will be changed for the sake of the story.)
Reply
Whoa, that was one mighty mind-fuck of a conversation! If his informant hadn't been Spock, Jim might have suspected him of pulling both his legs. Because, apparently ( ... )
Reply
Ha ha, those are all really cute. Right now I'm working on the straight up telling approach, which is...a couple paragraphs? It's basically Cliffs Notes for II-III. If I need to go back and make it a flashback of a flashback, I might, but it ties directly into the immediate plot...an explanation of the event directly precedes the accidental time travel to said event. I shall have to work it out over the next couple months, I guess. I shouldn't get too wrapped up in little details; it's only a rough draft and if I do I'll get stuck.
Thanks for the advice!
Reply
ST pro novels often have an Historian's Note header, like: "This story takes place after TNG-ep. X, but before ep. Y.
The events of the (flashback/prologue/whatever) occur during ep. Z (TOS)."
If you need to give more info, you could write a prologue chapter that is an entry in an encyclopedia or an excerpt from a history book.
If your story has an "Repairing the time line" plot, there could be the pre- and post-Narada versions (or whatever event changed it) of the entry.
Like others have said already, it has to be entertaining, short, and, if it is separate from the main plot, written in a different style.
I did something like this for a crack!fic that filled an AU/crossover prompt: I used an "excerpt from a travel guide" prologue for the set-up and part of the back story (it's here), so that the story proper could get into the action from the start.
Reply
Right now, I'm working it right into the story, making it short and ironic like I would hope an S' line would end up being. I feel right now that that would be the best way to get a direct introduction into the rising action of the plot.
LOL, Mamma Mia! Your travel guide looks a little H2G2, actually.
Reply
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