2-5YM Interview with David Gerrold
| Interviews by Fans | |
|---|---|
| Title: | 2-5YM Interview with David Gerrold |
| Interviewer: | Karen Funk |
| Interviewee: | David Gerrold |
| Date(s): | June 1974 |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom(s): | Star Trek TOS |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
2-5YM Interview with David Gerrold was an "interview by mail" conducted by Karen Funk for the third issue of the zine, 2-5YM.
The interviewer notes at the end that "as to his pessimism about Star Trek, even a Hugo nominee is not infallible, although I admire his frankness."
The Original Interview Printout Was Auctioned... and Never Seen Again
From a con report for Star Trek Lives! #5 by Karen Funk:
David Gerrold was highly visible throughout, signing autographs, auctioning helmets from Planet Earth, emceeing whatever was going on at the time. He was cheered a lot, and booed almost as much (the only reason being, as far as I can tell, that he is just too available to gain the respect of some fans). And oh, yes. He asked to auction my original copy of the interview printed in the June 2-5YM issue and I never saw it again... [1]
The Questions
- Why does a Hugo nominee waste his time granting an interview to 2-5YM and generally being nice to Trekkies?
- What is your favorite full-length work of all you've written?
- You were at the convention in New York this year. What is it like to speak at a convention of over 12,000 enthusiastic Trekkies?
- Who do you think is responsible for blocking attempts to get STAR TREK back on, NBC or Paramount?
- How would you estimate the chances of getting a non-animated STAR TREK back on NBC this year?
- Do you know if STAR TREK Animated has been renewed for September? If so, are you writing more episodes for it?
- Why wasn't your non-tribble episode "Bem" shown this season?
- What do you feel to be the greatest drawback to the half-hour, animated format?
- Is it hard to switch over to the new format in writing the show?
- What was your initial reaction to ST being turned into an animated series? How do you feel about it now that you have written for it?
- CBS is making a TV series of PLANET OF THE APES, Are you planning to write for it? How about the Gene Roddenberry series, QUESTOR or PLANET EARTH, if it is sold? Would you write for either of these?
- What is Dage Co., and why did you start it?
- I notice that DAGE CO. is not longer offering your hardback, THE MAN WHO FOLDED HIMSELF. Is it coming out in paperback?
- What have you been doing since your two STAR TREK books came out last May? Can you tell us something about what you're writing now?
Excerpts
Q: Why does a Hugo nominee waste his time granting an interview to 2-5YM and generally being nice to Trekkies?
A: There isn't anything particularly special about the Hugo Award (or the Nebula for that matter) or about the people who hand them out. They're merely tokens of respect — a way of saying "Good job", nothing more. Being a nominee for both awards (twice for each, in fact) is pleasing, yes, and to tell the truth, there was a time when I might have sold my soul for the chance of winning one. Now, it's much more important that everything I write be worth reading.
Part of that involves never losing contact with the people I'm writing for. And I don't consider that a waste of time. It's important to me to be able to talk to people on a one-to-one level, so I have to avoid falling into the trap of thinking I'm someone special just because I've written a book or twelve. Lots of people have written books or TV episodes or songs or Broadway plays or movies or poems or whatever, I'm just one more guy who writes, and I'm grateful to the people who enjoy my stories because it's nice to have my work appreciated. "Being nice" (as you put it) is just my way of saying thank you, it's also a way for me to find out (by listening to your comments) what I did right and what I did wrong, so I can make my next book even better.
Q: You were at the convention in New York this year. What is it like to speak at a convention of over 12,000 enthusiastic Trekkies?
A: Frightening. It is an awesome responsibility. First of all, you have to be outgoing and pleasant. Then, you have to be honest. And tactful in your honesty. There are a lot of things that fans don't want to hear — but they keep asking the questions. There are far too many Trekkies (and I do not hold this against them be cause I understand their feelings) who are so emotionally involved with the show that they do not understand some of the factors behind producing it. For instance, the question, "Is there a chance that the live action show will be brought back?" is asked at every convention. Everyone wants an honest answer to that question, but if you try to explain to an audience that size why it is impossible in terms of today's television production process to bring back the show, you risk being lynched. There are emotional fans who would rather live in fantasy than confront the truth honestly, and I find that frightening because it is (you should pardon the expression) illogical, mostly, though, I found the experience very rewarding. Most of STAR TREK's fans are the politest, most feeling people I have ever met — the audience empathy was terrific, and I found the warmest vibes that I have experienced in a long time at that convention.
Q: Why wasn't your non-tribble episode "Bem" shown this season [on Star Trek Animated]?
A: Couple of reasons. First, as a precaution, the show was overbought on stories. The announcement of "Bem" was premature, and most people know about it through the Lincoln Enterprises catalogue. That catalogue was written even before "Bem" was. "Bem" was the 17th story in a season of 16 episodes. When decision time came, "Bem" lost out to "Jihad". To be perfectly candid, "Bem" was not as action-oriented as most of STAR TREK Animated's other episodes, and this factor worked against it as a good episode. However, I liked it because it had a nice part in it for Nichelle.
Q: CBS is making a TV series of PLANET OF THE APES. Are you planning to write for it? How about the Gene Roddenberry series, QUESTOR or PLANET EARTH, if it is sold? Would you write for either of these?
A: [snipped]
I've always had a great love for science fiction, and for writing for film. That's how I got into STAR TREK, Certainly, I would have a great deal of interest in all three of the above mentioned series, if they materialized. Whether I would write for them is as much the producer's decision as it is mine. To be quite honest, here, I am known as a difficult writer to work with because I am so damned independent about what makes a good story — and I am also quite stubborn. While this does not win friends, it does preserve my (if I may be allowed) "artistic integrity". This means that there are producers who don't like to work with me. And vice versa, there are producers I would not care to work for again. (Let me clarify, lest I be misunderstood, that I am not referring to Gene Roddenberry. I have a great deal of respect and admiration for Gene Roddenberry and for all that he has managed to do. We have had our disagreements about stories in the past, but I would not rule out ever working for Gene Roddenberry again because he is one of the best producers to work for and with.)
Q: What is Dage Co., and why did you start it?
A: Okay, Dage Co., is a fan-oriented company that I own, I do not run it. Presently, it is being run by Ms. Linda Wright, who also doubles as my secretary and Head Troll.
Dage Co. was started when I began receiving fan mail at the rate of 100 or more letters per week from STAR TREK fans who wanted information about conventions, fan clubs, fanzines, tribbles, phasers, communicators, and so on. (Enclosed are copies of our information fliers. I wrote the one "Bring Back STAR TREK....?" and you may reprint it, if you wish.)
I have always felt that anyone who took the time to write a fan letter should get some kind of reply, even if it's a form letter that says, "I don't have time to do any more personal than this, but I did read and appreciate your letter." I do read all of my own mail — except when they are obviously STAR TREK story submissions. For legal reasons, those have to be returned unread.
Dage Co. is set up to handle all of my mail as quickly and efficiently as possible. Most letters are answered within a week. Some of the ones that require more personal answers take a little longer, (There was a time when I tried to answer them all personally, but there are far too many for me to take that time any more -- my first responsibility is to my writing, otherwise there wouldn't be any books or TV shows for anyone to be a fan of.)
Dage Co. pays for itself by selling tribbles, books, bumper stickers, buttons and photos. (This is all licensed by Paramount, by the way.) This may seem a little mercenary, but last year, I spent more than $1200 on postage alone, answering the letters of more than 7000 STAR TREK fans from all over the USA, Canada and parts of the rest of the world, who have read my books and written to me for more information. Were it not for the sales aspect of Dage Co., I would not be able to answer any of this mail. If you'll look at the fliers I have enclosed you will see that they are as much information for fans, as they are advertising. As far as I know, Dage Co.is one of the few fan - oriented companies that cares this much. (Bjo Trimble's Mathom House Enterprises, which sells STAR TREK Concordances, is the only other one I can think of off hand. Unless you count S.T.A.R. -- but I think of them as a fan club.)
Q: What have you been doing since your two STAR TREK books came out last Way? Can you tell us something about what you're writing now?
A: Mostly, I've been trying to recuperate. 1973 seemed to be a whole year of STAR TREK, Between four conventions, two animated episodes, and finishing the two books, I can't think of anything else that I did last year. I worked on my novels, and I assembled a couple of anthologies (Alternaties 1, for Dell; and Emphasis 1, for Ballantine, both due out this year.) I also wrote a couple of TV pilots (one was for Tarzan which would have been an animated series had it sold, which unfortunately it did not) and sold a couple more novels, which I currently am writing. But I do not like to talk about my current projects because I believe it to be bad luck. If you put your emotional energy into telling the story before you finish it, you may not have the energy to finish it when you need it.
My plans for the future are simple, I am not accepting any new commitments Of any kind until I clear my desk of all present projects, including novels and TV scripts. I have two major novels that I want to write. One is a massive SF project, and the other is a major departure for me. It will be a rather unusual "mainstream" book — perhaps a "breakthrough" book. It will be a semi-autobiographical fiction. It has not been given a title yet, but, if nothing else, it will explain the dedication to WHEN HARLIE WAS ONE. That dedication is a very important clue to understanding why that book was written. I have spoken on the subject only once (at the University of Rochester, on Feb. 20, 1974) and will not speak on it again until this book is finished.