Ask Steve Perry

[smokeykit]

Have you ever wondered why...?

*has been reading through this thread for the past several hours now*

Ok, besides occasionally making me laugh, making me think "there's a word war going to happen" at spots, and just gathering interesting opinions from everyone and tips on writing from Mr. Perry later on in this looooooooooooong thread, I thought maybe to comment and question on some things...

Xenomorphs are war toys, developed by some species a whole lot smarter for biological warfare. Nothing else makes any sense. If they evolved naturally, they wouldn't be at the top of their world's food chain, otherwise, why acid for blood? Like the South American frog used for arrow poison, the reason you have acid for blood is to make you taste bad enough to keep something from killing and eating you. Think about it.

How can we know for sure that the aliens are bio-engineered "war-toys"? For all we know, they evolved naturally on, say, a varied eco-system world where they had predators who could hunt and kill them, even with their adaptations of hard exoskeleton and acid blood? (I think another member mentioned this bit already.)

I know, someone will say that couldn't have happened because humans "Created" the species like they did with "Predator", which leads to this post:

Humans created them both, remember?

That begs the question of "how did we "create" these species?"

What's to say we humans honestly didn't see the Predators actually hunting the Aliens in the human race's past and fled before the Predators realized humans were there, so they didn't know we learned about their existence? They just finished their hunt, cleaned up any "lose ends" with their prey – the aliens – and left planet earth (if that was the planet we "saw" them on, but I'm not going to get into that issue. would take us waaaay off topic! lol)

What's to say that our myths and legends aren't a reflection of those species – and when you get myths and legends handed down in writing in more than one language and with no "pictures" than everyone would see those "creatures" just a little bit – or a lot – different.

And if that did happen, would anyone who didn't see those species first hand truly believe those who did? Kinda makes you wonder....

following questions are more of a "what's your take" on this topic/opinion and relates to writing stories overall, regardless of the subject chosen to be written on or whether they will be novels, movies or tv "mini-series", "movies of the week", etc. and i'm curious as to Mr. Perry's reply to them, which is why i've included them in this post.

So again, have you every wondered why – and where – we get the information to "create" species for stories? Where does imagination come from? Our myths and legends? Or "random" ideas? are they based on just "imagination" or facts from our interaction with other species – maybe even including the Predators and Aliens? What is "fantasy" anyway? How does that relate to the imagination that "creates" things we say are fantasy – like the predators and aliens?

What's to say that this isn't an attempt of ourselves tying us into other worlds that actually exist, yet we ourselves are not evolved enough to see as "reality" like our current own? So we write those species down as "fiction", "fantasy" and the like?

Literary bankruptcy happens to all the writers I know. I call it Chapter Eleven, because that's usually where I run into it. Initial enthusiasm flags, you run out of steam. The cure is to keep going, even if what you write sucks, because once you get a draft done, you can always go back and rewrite, and it's easier to do that than come up with original material.

The Dreaded Second Act is what separates the pros from the amateurs. If you stop, you never get anything finished, and if you can't finish it, you can't get it published. Even if you just muddle through and you wind up having to fix most of it, that gets you a whole ms.

(That idea about the terraforming machines was off the top of my head. Or maybe from out another, lower part of my anatomy, I sometimes get accused of writing from there. Anybody wants it is welcome to it.)

I know that feeling, though I just let the stories in question site on my computer for a few days...weeks...um months? Damn it, I have to get back to read through those getting dusty, but I currently got Predators on my back to get some crossovers done that I do just for fun. *rolls eyes*

questions: how can you work past those "blocks" and continue the story, even with bits and peices worked into it? just keep refining the story part in question until you get it to flow right with the rest of the story around it?

Character development is what makes a movie hold my interest. If they are all cardboard, who cares what happens to them? Ripley, you remember. Everybody remembers Ripley.

you're right on the character development part of any story – that's what holds a reader's or watcher's interest, followed by a believable situation, no matter how "far fetched" it seems.

on character development: what is a balance to use for a character? or does it matter more with the character in question's situation at those points in the story that make up for the development of the character as a whole?

My lawyer won't let me look at unread mss by anybody I don't know well enough to trust. We don't want to find ourselves in court someday with an irate writer who claims we swiped his idea. Not that it's likely in a universe where the writer doesn't own any of the rights, but stranger things have happened.

Sorry. Nature of the biz.

I'd be too damn proud if you or another writer I liked, and we got to talking, used any of my ideas in a storyline that was eventually published! Pity you have that restriction but very understandable.

Quick question, which I hope you don't mind me asking: just how do you keep your characters from being brats on you and throwing in unexpected "moves" and situations into the story?

i'm asking this mainly cos as I'm reading this thread, I'm working on a second rough draft of Forever Friends: Stranded (a friend and I are co-writing a predator/starlight express "real life" story line, just for the fun of it...).

There's no market for a spec AvP script. A lot of guys who have credits in the universe, book writers and comic book writers (including me) would have gladly taken a shot at the script for AvP or AvP:R, but they didn't ask us, they went with people who had screen or TV credits. Unless you have some of those to wave, nobody is going to consider it. Trust me here. Unless, of course, you come up with enough money to finance it and get the rights from Fox.

Unless of course you have the money to back the script, or at least half of the money necessary to produce it. Wouldn't that get Fox's attention in one hell of a hurry? Think that could ever happen? For AVP, Predator or Alien? Or?

Your tips on writing and such will be something I keep in mind as I write. Thanks for reading, and answering, the questions above.  I'll check back later as it's very late where I am (when this is/was posted) and I'm going to head to bed.

I hope.

If those damn predators let me off the story board writing hook. 

lol. g'nite all, smokeykit

[steveperry]

Lot points to ponder.

Existentialism isn't my forte, so what's real and what isn't and where things all came from, I'm not your guy. Talk to Camus. This sounds like an old acid rap, and maybe it's better left there ...

I haven't -- knock on wood -- gotten writers' block. If I get stalled on something, I work on something else, so it helps to have a couple of projects going.

As for working through such things, those are always going to be personal solutions. You can skip ahead and write a scene you know is coming to prime the pump, or go back and rewrite something.

Characters sometimes do step up and demand more screen-time, and you have to decide if they are worthy. If they are, give it to them. If not, you don't. I go with what feels right, and if I'm on a deadline, finishing on time is primary, so divas get swatted down.

I pitched a story set in Samurai japan, but it was, alas, shot down.

[Xenomrph]

Do you ever pitch stories more than once to the same people? Like, if you pitched a Samurai story and it got shot down, is it worth waiting a little while and pitching it again, or do you just say "Oh well, their loss" and never consider it again?

I say this because I'd love to read a Predator story set in Samurai-era Japan. The topic gets mentioned briefly in one of the comics ("Predator: Blood Feud", if I remember right) but it's not expanded on in any meaningful way other than that the Samurai referred to the Predators as "the Oni".

[smokeykit]

thanks, Mr. Perry, for answering. 

[steveperry]

Do you ever pitch stories more than once to the same people? Like, if you pitched a Samurai story and it got shot down, is it worth waiting a little while and pitching it again, or do you just say "Oh well, their loss" and never consider it again?

I say this because I'd love to read a Predator story set in Samurai-era Japan. The topic gets mentioned briefly in one of the comics ("Predator: Blood Feud", if I remember right) but it's not expanded on in any meaningful way other than that the Samurai referred to the Predators as "the Oni".

I suppose I could pitch it again, if they wanted another Predator book from me -- the editor who passed on it before is gone, so it might fly. At the moment, I have three or four other books I have to get done, so I can't really offer them anything right now.

[Xenomrph]

You should totally pitch it again when you get the chance, I'd like to think you could do the topic justice and that it would be well-received by fans.

Tangentially, are you ever made aware of the sales figures for your books? And if you do, are there any sorts of trends you notice, like certain kinds of books that sell better than others? (licensed books, original ideas, certain genres, etc)

[Corporal Hicks]

Yes, I recently heard about that. Shame about Victoria. You happen to know why?

[Space Disc Jockey]

Steve,

I totally support the idea of writing a Predator novel, set in Japan, during the Samurai. I think you could certainly write one hell of a story. Try to pitch it again, for sure. I have an idea for an AVP story, set in feudal Japan that I have been thinking about writing, for a while.

[steveperry]

Tangentially, are you ever made aware of the sales figures for your books? And if you do, are there any sorts of trends you notice, like certain kinds of books that sell better than others? (licensed books, original ideas, certain genres, etc)

I get royalty reports on sales -- supposed to come twice a year, but they tend to run late. Notes from the publisher when they go back for another reprinting.

And you can pick up any of the novels and look in the front, they list how many printings have been done. The earliest books in the A, P, or AvP universe, which have been around the longest, tend to sell the best. Last time I checked, the first Aliens and AvP were both up into the twenty-something printings. I dunno yet how well Turnabout is doing.

Female War just went back to press for a couple thousand more copies.

Big franchises, like Star Wars, sell the best. My personal books do okay, but the numbers aren't anywhere close to what Luke and Leia and Chewy get.

[The Lizard King]

Well Hello Mr. Perry!!!!!!! I enjoyed the new predator novel, though ithought the predator wasnt in it enough. I only have 2 two questions. 1st why wasnt there alot of the predator in turnabout? I enjoyed it but why. The 2nd is will you write another predator book or even better an alien book?!?!?!?! could you maybe find out? I know this is pushing the envelope a bit but it's just that your like the best Sci-fi writer ever!
If you were to write an alien novel like your wife's( criminal enterprise kicked major umm never mind sorry) wat aould it be called and wat would the storyline be? any Ideas. Thanks for replying for wat ever answer you put. you rock.

[Nobody]

Tangentially, are you ever made aware of the sales figures for your books? And if you do, are there any sorts of trends you notice, like certain kinds of books that sell better than others? (licensed books, original ideas, certain genres, etc)

I get royalty reports on sales -- supposed to come twice a year, but they tend to run late. Notes from the publisher when they go back for another reprinting.

And you can pick up any of the novels and look in the front, they list how many printings have been done. The earliest books in the A, P, or AvP universe, which have been around the longest, tend to sell the best. Last time I checked, the first Aliens and AvP were both up into the twenty-something printings. I dunno yet how well Turnabout is doing.

Female War just went back to press for a couple thousand more copies.

Big franchises, like Star Wars, sell the best. My personal books do okay, but the numbers aren't anywhere close to what Luke and Leia and Chewy get.

heh I recently purchased Turnabout.

I would like to ask a question. Have you ever thought of doing something more Historic-fictional?

[steveperry]

Well Hello Mr. Perry!!!!!!! I enjoyed the new predator novel, though ithought the predator wasnt in it enough. I only have 2 two questions. 1st why wasnt there alot of the predator in turnabout? I enjoyed it but why. The 2nd is will you write another predator book or even better an alien book?!?!?!?! could you maybe find out? I know this is pushing the envelope a bit but it's just that your like the best Sci-fi writer ever!
If you were to write an alien novel like your wife's( criminal enterprise kicked major umm never mind sorry) wat aould it be called and wat would the storyline be? any Ideas. Thanks for replying for wat ever answer you put. you rock.

Well, for the first one, the Predators were in in just enough to tell the story I wanted to tell. Any more would have been too much, any less, too little. My book, I got to decide.

Dunno if I will get back to the universe. I have other books lined up and need to get to them first. Maybe some day, but a lot will depend on what I'm doing, and what the market for A, P, or AvP is doing, and whether DH wants to do any more.

[steveperry]

Tangentially, are you ever made aware of the sales figures for your books? And if you do, are there any sorts of trends you notice, like certain kinds of books that sell better than others? (licensed books, original ideas, certain genres, etc)

I get royalty reports on sales -- supposed to come twice a year, but they tend to run late. Notes from the publisher when they go back for another reprinting.

And you can pick up any of the novels and look in the front, they list how many printings have been done. The earliest books in the A, P, or AvP universe, which have been around the longest, tend to sell the best. Last time I checked, the first Aliens and AvP were both up into the twenty-something printings. I dunno yet how well Turnabout is doing.

Female War just went back to press for a couple thousand more copies.

Big franchises, like Star Wars, sell the best. My personal books do okay, but the numbers aren't anywhere close to what Luke and Leia and Chewy get.

heh I recently purchased Turnabout.

I would like to ask a question. Have you ever thought of doing something more Historic-fictional?

Sure. I've written  a lot of books over thirty-odd years, might be an historical fiction novel will crop up some day. I don't have one on the drawing board, but you never know.

[Corporal Hicks]

If you were to write an alien novel like your wife's( criminal enterprise kicked major umm never mind sorry) wat aould it be called and wat would the storyline be? any Ideas. Thanks for replying for wat ever answer you put. you rock.

For the record, she's his daughter, not wife.

[Xenomrph]

Mr Perry,

I started reading 'Star Wars: Death Star' which you co-wrote with Michael Reaves, and I thought I'd ask some questions about co-authoring books.

1. what's it like co-writing fiction? Like, how do you approach it? Do you have certain things you plan out in advance, and how do you handle when you and the other author(s) disagree on something you want to include or omit?

2. What is the physical writing process like? I mean, do you alternate chapters, or designate certain sections or scenes you want to write, etc?

3. How was writing with Michael Reaves on 'Death Star' similar/different from writing with your own daughter for the Aliens and AvP books?

4. Most importantly, do you enjoy doing it, or do you prefer to write "solo"?

Thanks in advance!