It's ironic how Jeri Taylor terminated Trek's open script policy, then contacted me to later pitch for Voyager. By then, though, I'd sold my DS9 script. Obviously Piller was in the mix too, and may have also greenlit my meeting, but Jeri's assistant Zayra Cabot called & I pitched to Jeri at the studio.
What an honor to be WAMTNG's new Will Riker! Such a fun surprise! I certainly am ready to be Number One with my first name. Now I must walk about like I'm bashing into walls, gymnastically hooking my leg over Ready Room chairs oh so theatrically. 😁
Ha ha! I'm sure you're up for all that leg-hooking, Will! 🙂
I think it worth pointing out that she may have closed open submission, but she still wanted help from freelancers - and you'd already had a script accepted. My read on this is that they were getting overwhelmed by the volume of submissions, but still wanted assistance from those outside the writing room. You got in 'before the bar dropped' and so were 'in the pool', so to speak. I don't have an inside track on this, like you do, but I will talk to my other Trek writer friends about it next time I see them, because I'm reasonably sure that my bud Jim Swallow got in on Voyager without having landed a script to any other Trek show.
Yeah also the WGA rule is each show - least back then - had to have something like 15-20% of writers be freelancers or at least take their pitches. Jeri was awesome and I'm certain, as you said, it was more the sheer volume of material they were getting that made her scrap the open door.
I am so glad to hear you'll be doing another Trek Substack. I'd imagine DS9 next, WAM-DS9? Looking forward to it! 🖖
I didn't know WGA had advocated for freelancers - that's great, I've always pushed for support for writers outside of the development team in videogames as the culture inside can get stale when there are no external perspectives to draw upon.
As for 'doing another Trek Substack' - hold your horses! I'm polling readers of WAMTNG, and whether I proceed will depend to some extent on the support shown for boldly going onwards. However, I've recently discovered Substack's built in polls require registration with Substack, which might be a barrier to the number of participating respondents. Still I'm not *quite* ready to commit to another mission. At the moment, it's more of a concept than a commitment. 🙂
Ha, I thought my silence might be noticed! In my case, I’ve weaned myself off email newsletters and the Substack app to embrace RSS…free from tracking and distraction, but much more stealth and passive. Still enjoying the ride from the lower decks, though! Looking forward to the final season, and thanks for everything so far. 🖖🏻
I love RSS... for more than a decade, this was my preferred method of getting reading material. But then Google killed Reader, and although I went with a replacement (I think it was called 'the Old Reader') for a while, fewer and fewer sites supported RSS and so I eventually, with great sadness, gave it up.
Props to you for escaping the Substack app. I did not like the effects this was having on my behaviour and so I made a break from it around Lent this year. I wish these companies did not have to 'farm' us so remorselessly, but what can you do except take responsibility for yourself! 🙂
Truly great to hear from you - and stay wonderful!
It's ironic how Jeri Taylor terminated Trek's open script policy, then contacted me to later pitch for Voyager. By then, though, I'd sold my DS9 script. Obviously Piller was in the mix too, and may have also greenlit my meeting, but Jeri's assistant Zayra Cabot called & I pitched to Jeri at the studio.
What an honor to be WAMTNG's new Will Riker! Such a fun surprise! I certainly am ready to be Number One with my first name. Now I must walk about like I'm bashing into walls, gymnastically hooking my leg over Ready Room chairs oh so theatrically. 😁
Ha ha! I'm sure you're up for all that leg-hooking, Will! 🙂
I think it worth pointing out that she may have closed open submission, but she still wanted help from freelancers - and you'd already had a script accepted. My read on this is that they were getting overwhelmed by the volume of submissions, but still wanted assistance from those outside the writing room. You got in 'before the bar dropped' and so were 'in the pool', so to speak. I don't have an inside track on this, like you do, but I will talk to my other Trek writer friends about it next time I see them, because I'm reasonably sure that my bud Jim Swallow got in on Voyager without having landed a script to any other Trek show.
At ease, Number One. 😁
Chris.
Yeah also the WGA rule is each show - least back then - had to have something like 15-20% of writers be freelancers or at least take their pitches. Jeri was awesome and I'm certain, as you said, it was more the sheer volume of material they were getting that made her scrap the open door.
I am so glad to hear you'll be doing another Trek Substack. I'd imagine DS9 next, WAM-DS9? Looking forward to it! 🖖
I didn't know WGA had advocated for freelancers - that's great, I've always pushed for support for writers outside of the development team in videogames as the culture inside can get stale when there are no external perspectives to draw upon.
As for 'doing another Trek Substack' - hold your horses! I'm polling readers of WAMTNG, and whether I proceed will depend to some extent on the support shown for boldly going onwards. However, I've recently discovered Substack's built in polls require registration with Substack, which might be a barrier to the number of participating respondents. Still I'm not *quite* ready to commit to another mission. At the moment, it's more of a concept than a commitment. 🙂
Stay wonderful!
Chris.
Ha, I thought my silence might be noticed! In my case, I’ve weaned myself off email newsletters and the Substack app to embrace RSS…free from tracking and distraction, but much more stealth and passive. Still enjoying the ride from the lower decks, though! Looking forward to the final season, and thanks for everything so far. 🖖🏻
Great to hear from you, Jess!
I love RSS... for more than a decade, this was my preferred method of getting reading material. But then Google killed Reader, and although I went with a replacement (I think it was called 'the Old Reader') for a while, fewer and fewer sites supported RSS and so I eventually, with great sadness, gave it up.
Props to you for escaping the Substack app. I did not like the effects this was having on my behaviour and so I made a break from it around Lent this year. I wish these companies did not have to 'farm' us so remorselessly, but what can you do except take responsibility for yourself! 🙂
Truly great to hear from you - and stay wonderful!
Chris.