A Matter of Principle

Star Trek TOS Fanfiction
Title:	A Matter of Principle
Author(s):	Jean Lorrah
Date(s):	1978, 1979
Length:
Genre:	het
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
External Links:
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A Matter of Principle is Star Trek: TOS story by Jean Lorrah.

It was published in Despatch #35, and then in NTM Collected #2.

In this story, Amanda opens her bank account on Vulcan - leading to a few surprises for the staid bankers.

Comments by Lorrah

In 1978, Lorrah wrote a letter of comment about Despatch #34 in which she criticised the editors of that zine for not doing a good job mentoring and improving the fiction published in it. She then held up "A Matter of Principle" as an example of how good fiction should be written.

...you are not doing as good a job of editing fiction as either Ruth or Sharon. It's your responsibility as editors to coax, cajole, and threaten until you make your writers turn their story ideas into real stories. You are responsible for prodding the Bermans, Lilkers, Emilys, Lorrahs, and Cantors of the future into making themselves into the good writers they have the potential for.

It's not easy. I very seldom accept other people's work for my zines, because it is such a heartrending job forcing a writer to turn her work into the best possible.

[...]

What you need to do is learn to make an author realize the potential in her story.

I'm not trying to be negative, friends — I'm offering positive suggestions. Even more pointively [sic], I'm offering the enclosed NTM Universe story. If you publish it, since you don't copyright (tsk, tsk!), please place my copyright notice on the story, as I plan to use it in NTM Collected, Vol. II, and I don't want it passing into the pubic domain.

Fans had many opinions about Lorrah's letter. Below are some excerpts that have a focus of "A Matter of Principle." For more comments about the letter in general, see Despatch #35 and Despatch #36.

I was overjoyed to find Jean Lorrah's NTM Universe tale. (I'm a fan -- I started reading it because it was Sarek.)

"A Matter of Principle" by Jean Lorrah was a nice little story. I enjoyed it.

Jean’s sense of humor and characterization are always a delight.

You asked the club members to comment on Jean Lorrah's letter in #35, so here goes: Jean says she thinks the stories should be edited better, and that it's your fault for not getting more out of the writer so She says she also thinks they are not professional writers. I never knew that the Despatch was supposed to be a place for pro writers to have their stories published. 1) The Despatch is not for public consumption, so it doesn't need to be absolutely, perfectly edited. 2) I'm sure most of the members are not looking for super fantastic stories either. 3) I enjoy the stories that are written in the Despatch and the club is really interested in membership participation -- that's where it counts! 4) After Jean insults the club, she gives a S & A story that makes Sarek quite out of character. I don't believe she should be making any of her comments.

Jean Lorrah's "A Matter of Principle" is excellent as usual. I like her characterizations of Sarek and Amanda, and the last paragraph is just precious.