If you go into your local bookstore you’ll find quite a few shelves of tie-in fiction. Books, stories, and novels set in popular franchises such as Star Trek, Halo, and many many others.

There are authors who despise tie-fiction and hold the belief that creating such work-for-hire is somehow selling out and not true authorship. It is a free country and they have the right to hold such opinions, but it is feeling that I do not share. I personally believe that there is no wasted writing. That anytime you are putting words in a row, struggling with ideas, trying to punch up your prose, it is good for you as a writer and makes you better. I have never looked down on those who write fan-fiction, I have written a few pieces myself, and tie-in fiction is fan-fiction that you can get paid for.

Now if you are an unpublished writer getting a tie-in contract is nearly impossible. That is an understandable arrangement. The corporations that hold the right are not looking to develop new and interesting voices; they are looking for journey professionals who can deliver the product on time and within specifications. Because of these restrictions I have never attempted a tie-in novel. It’s far more work than it would interest me for a piece of fan-fiction. (There are those who write full novels of fan-fiction and more power to them, but if I am going to put in that many hours on a project I want at least the possibility of selling professionally.) However, I would not turn up my nose at the thought of writing tie-in fiction. More than that, I really would like to write some. I have a few ideas for popular franchises and who knows maybe one idea I too can do that work-for-hire.