A TREKKIE’S TAKE ON THE TREK TO PUBLICATION

A TREKKIE’S TAKE 
ON THE TREK TO PUBLICATION

By Sharon Srock

I grew up in the late sixties and early seventies. Long before I was a writer, I was a serious Star Trek fan. I don’t think it was their intention to teach writing principles with the show, but some of their stuff translates nicely. Let’s explore a new universe.

Our mission: Seek out new life and new civilizations.

“Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don’t see any.” ~ Orson Scott Card (1951-), American author

Writers should be people watchers, Internet browsers, and readers. Your next story idea could be waiting in the next gesture, word, headline, or newspaper. I’m not saying you need to eavesdrop or spend hours buried in the paper or Internet, but if you’re stuck, it doesn’t hurt to browse and see if something sparks your imagination.

Non-interference is our prime directive.
We’re all Christian authors, but our beliefs stretch from Amish and Catholic to Baptist and Pentecostal and every spot in between. Write, share God’s love in your stories, but don’t use those stories as a pulpit to bash people over the head. Allow God’s love to shine in your writing, and it will do more than a specific doctrine ever could.

Keep your phasers set on stun.
Anyone here know what a phaser set on disrupt does to its target? Yep, from solid object to vapor in a blink, and all you have left is a memory. That’s a good lesson to keep in mind when you’re editing. Go easy on the delete key. I prefer a file full of cut scenes that can be used later in some form or fashion than my faulty memory about the brilliant scene I wrote once that didn’t fit then, but sure would now. Stun ‘em, don’t vaporize them.

Humans are highly illogical.
This is Spock’s Vulcan opinion on the multifaceted emotional state of the human race. Illogical to him, beneficial to us. As writers to a human audience we need to learn to twist every last drop of emotion out of our stories. We need to take our characters through the gamut of emotional highs and lows. Love and hate, sorrow and joy, terror and calm. Because humans love that stuff. It isn’t logical, but it is why we read.

There is no such thing as a Vulcan Death Grip.
I know its fiction, but keep it believable. Nuff said.

Live long and prosper.
Embrace the future. Storytellers, cave paintings, stone tablets, scrolls, hand written tomes, printed books, e-readers. The technology is changing, but the stories remain.

Having is not so pleasing as wanting; it is highly illogical, but often true.
As unpublished authors we look at the lucky ones and we want to be just like them when we grow up. I want to caution you not to wish for too much too soon. If you think your life is busy now, wait till you add in edits, deadlines, and marketing. A raw idea for a new book in your head, edits on a contracted one due back on a deadline, all while promoting the one that just realeased… Day job, kids, spouse, home, church…
It’s busy, it’s confusing, it will take over your life if you let it. You will wonder what you’ve gotten yourself in to. I’m not complaining, it can be very satisfying, but you do need to be prepared.

Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations.
IDIC, it’s what we do. We take men and women, boys and girls, from every walk of life, race, income bracket, belief system, and we weave them together into stories that shouldn’t work, but they do. Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations. Life would be boring without it.

Tribbles hate Klingons (and Klingons hate Tribbles).
Conflict, conflict, conflict
Klingons = Big hairy mean kill-them-all-and-let-God-sort-them-out warrior race.
Tribbles = Fuzzy little puffballs with no claws or teeth.
Their mutual hatred of each other is so unexpected and so illogical ... and so entertaining.  Use the little, unexpected things to stir up trouble for your big things.

Enemies are often invisible — like Klingons they can be cloaked.
Even the Bible bears this out. A wolf in sheep’s clothing. Our enemies are often disguised as good things. An Internet presence and all the little time consuming bits and pieces that go with it, events, public speaking, marketing, promotion, all to be mixed in with those things we mentioned earlier—family, home, school, church, jobs. No one can do it all. What works for me won’t work for you and vice versa. I know writers who have pretty much given up their online presence in favor of spending time with their families. Despite the hype, I’ve avoided Pinterest like a plague, I just don’t have the time for one more thing. I know some writers that spend all day with their marketing plan. There is no right or wrong way. Find what works for you, learn to say no to what doesn’t, and watch out for the hidden traps and distractions.

When your logic fails, trust a hunch.
Critique is a good thing, but don’t let the logical voice of a fellow writer override your gut.
Sometimes that little voice in our head is smarter than we give it credit for.
Listen closely.

Insufficient data does not compute.
Do your research or your readers will do it for you. Just sayin’.

Even in our own world, sometimes we are alien.

Groups and loops and organizations. Writers are special. Seek out some like-minded people and become one of them.

When going out into the Universe, remember: "Boldly go where no one has gone before."

Go boldly. The whole idea behind Star Trek—to boldly go. It isn’t enough to sit at our desks and write our stories. We have to submit them, we have to sit across the table from agents and editors and talk about them.  For a newbie, that’s scary. But why else are we writing? Go boldly. Stretch your comfort zone. Learn to sit in front of a room full of people and talk about your newest story with a smile plastered on your face and sweat running down your back. No one in the room can eat you, and it’ll be over before you know it. 

Go boldly!

GIVEAWAY: 

Leave a comment for a chance to win a signed copy of Sharon's latest book, The Women of Valley View: Pam.

ABOUT THE WOMEN OF VALLEY VIEW: PAM

Pam’s divorce broke her heart. The cruelty of her ex-husband broke her spirit. A bottle of sleeping pills almost took her life. Four years later the scars of Alan Archer’s emotional abuse are beginning to fade under the love of her new husband. When Alan returns to Garfield, Pam must learn that buried secrets and carefully cultivated indifference do not equal forgiveness.

Alan Archer has returned to Garfield with a new wife and a terminal heart condition. His mission? To leave a Christian legacy for his children and to gain Pam’s forgiveness for the sins of his past.

Two hearts hang in the balance waiting for the delicate touch of God’s healing hands.
Buy Women of Valley View: Pam at AMAZON, B&N, and PELICAN BOOK GROUP.

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http://www.amazon.com/For-Mercies-Sake-Sharon-Srock-ebook/dp/B00I6MYBSG/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_d_3

SHARON’S BIO:

Author Sharon Srock went from science fiction to Christian fiction at slightly less than warp speed. Twenty-five years ago, she cut her writer's teeth on Star Trek fiction. Today, she writes inspirational stories that focus on ordinary women using their faith to accomplish extraordinary things.

Sharon lives in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma with her husband and three very large dogs. Her books include: The Women of Valley View: Callie and The Women of Valley View: Terri, both of which are currently available. The Women of Valley View: Pam will release April 11, 2014.

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