Text sample
Posted 28 April 10 by Scott AndrewsWhen pitching for a tie-in book a writer will normally have to produce a text sample to demonstrate that they have a handle on the established characters, their voices and relationships with each other.
Here’s an example of the kind of thing I mean, from a Stargate Atlantis pitch for those lovely folk at Fandemonium, which was accepted by MGM but which, in the end, I didn’t have time to pursue due to other commitments :-(
“I’ve been shot at, kidnapped, blown up, broken down into a proton stream and projected half way across the universe, and I’m fine. Mostly. I mean, apart from the psychological damage. Which is huge, obviously. So how come this feels like the most dangerous thing I’ve ever done?”
“It’s just a submarine, Rodney.”
“No. No, no, no Sheppard. It’s a bathyscaphe. Submarines are roomy compared to this. We’re going to be stuck in this tin can for eight hours before we even touch bottom. You did shower this morning, right?”
“McKay…”
“What? I’m just asking.”
“Relax. It’s gonna be fine. And Ronon and I showered before we reported for duty.”
“Not together,” deadpanned Ronon.
“I brought some music to help pass the time,” offered Sheppard. “Thought it might help.”
“Oh God, not Johnny Cash. Please not Johnny Cash.”
“What is wrong with Johnny Cash?”
“Nothing. No, that’s fine. Great. We’ll be slitting our wrists before we’re even halfway down. Is it too late to ask for a sedative of some kind?”
Elizabeth’s voice crackled out of the speaker, making Rodney jump in surprise.
“Are you all right in there? Colonel Caldwell says we’re in position and we’re ready to drop you.”
“Yeah, we’re fine Elizabeth,” said Sheppard. He saw McKay begin to open his mouth and he silenced him with a glance. “Tell the Colonel he can drop us any time. The sooner we get started the sooner we can get out of this thing.”
There was a brief pause and then: “All right, hold on.”
Ronon, Sheppard and McKay grasped their restraints tightly, bracing themselves.
“I can’t believe you talked me into this,” said McKay.
Sheppard’s acid reply was lost, as the bathyscaphe suddenly plummeted twenty metres into the cold green water beneath the hovering battleship. On hitting the surface the vessel rolled violently to the right, and for one moment Sheppard was looking straight down at Ronon and McKay. McKay looked like he was about to be sick. Ronon was smiling broadly.
Then the bathyscaphe righted itself, wobbled slightly as it found its equilibrium, and then began to sink. The conical Lucite porthole turned from bright blue sky to light green and then inky darkness. Except for the hum and whirr of the vessel’s internal workings, it was eerily silent.
Two minutes passed without anyone saying a word, until finally Sheppard said: “Well, I vote for Live at Folsom Prison.”
Comment
- You big tease! Great banter! But now we’ll all want to know more about the plot! Sounds intriguing! Any chance this’ll be something you’ll be able to revisit in the future?
— gateleaf Apr 28, 12:58pm # - Ta :-)
Revisiting… hmm… I doubt it, to be honest. Fandemonium were lovely, and I really wanted to write the book. It just turned out to be more work than I could manage at the time.
I reckon I can produce one good book a year alongside my 9-5 job, and right now I’m trying to develop creator-owned stuff. Maybe one day, though.
Plus, the central concept could conceivably be serviceable for some other franchise, so I’m going to keep it in my arsenal, which means a tease is all you get, I’m afraid. Sorry.
I can, however, reveal that MGM’s approvals person called the storyline “pretty darn surprising and maybe improbable” which made me smile. You’d probably have hated it ;-)
I’ll post a second text sample tomorrow.
— Scott Andrews Apr 28, 1:07pm # - It’s too bad that you had to drop the project. There aren’t many authors who really get the characters, especially their banter. It seems like your book would’ve been a breath of fresh air.
— timotey Apr 28, 8:34pm # - Shame for us but understandable.
“pretty darn surprising and maybe improbable” :D Awesome.
Liked reading your Weir too.
Hope you feel better soon btw!
— gateleaf Apr 30, 12:19pm #
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