What It's About

     I was on an author panel a few weeks ago and someone asked the question "how do you decide what to write next?"  There are a number of factors that go into this (a good idea for a story really helps, for instance) but a crucial element, and my answer to the question was, I write a story because a feel like I have something important I need to say in it.  We are in an era when more and more of our stories are about escaping what is going on in our lives and in the world, and God knows, there's plenty a person wouldn't want to think about these days.  But doesn't that mean that our stories should make us think about the world more carefully rather than less?  Shouldn't our stories make us consider things in a new way that could -- oh, I don't know -- help make the world better?
     Star Trek always tried to do that.  Star Trek Into Darkness gets some things right (charming performances and strong characterizations) and some things wrong (it draws on only a single Star Trek "text" as its entire inspiration -- spoiler alert: don't click on the last link if you don't want to know what that text is).  But it's about something, something that is directly relevant to the world we live in.  Whether you leave the theater thrilled with all the fun you've had or frustrated by its flaws, at least it offers you something important to consider, if you choose to.  And that's Star Trek.