How to Write IP. Yes, like Star Wars

IP stands for Intellectual Property. It refers to any world you didn’t create— Star Wars, Star Trek, even worlds by other fiction authors, like Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse books. Legally, you can’t write in these worlds and get paid for it, so the only way to officially write in your favorite IP sandbox is to get an invite.

But how?

First of all, writing IP isn’t about who loves the property more. It’s not about who has memorized every ship name or speaks Klingon the best. It’s nearly impossible to write in a world that you don’t love, that you haven’t internalized, for which you don’t know all the vocabulary and machinations, but this is not a situation in which The Biggest Fan automatically gets to write the book.

So here’s the key: In general, in order to write for a big IP, you need 3-10 years as a traditionally published author with a reputation for being fast and easy to work with. You must be able to craft an excellent 100,000-word book in three months or less. You must be pleasant to work with, have a great attitude, respond to criticism well, and be able to roll with the punches.

Publishing won’t change for you. The deadlines and schedule won’t change for you.

If you can’t work under those conditions, you can’t write IP.

So I have to be a traditionally published author and follow all these steps, eh? Are there exceptions to that rule?

Sure! But I can’t teach you how to grow up next to the publishing manager for The Walking Dead or accidentally save George Lucas from a runaway train. I can’t tell you which game studio to work for so that you can slide sideways into the fiction portion of the property. I also can’t tell you how to craft such a stunning career as an indie author that they come knocking on your door. All I can do is assure you that the vast majority of IP writers I know got here by building their own writing career, networking widely, and then exhibiting interest in their chosen IP.

So, let’s say you have multiple years as a successful traditionally published writer. How do you make the jump to IP? For me, I asked my agent to reach out to Star Wars editors with my completed works that showed I had the chops for high adventure and in-depth character. I tweeted about it, and several acquaintances who’ve written for Star Wars offered to mention me. For my first IP, I started smaller, writing in the Shadowman universe for Amazon’s now defunct Kindle Worlds initiative. I was also fortunate in that the editor who purchased my very first series is now a Star Wars editor, so I already had someone on the team who liked my work.

You need a body of work + a solid reputation + a little networking luck + a love of and familiarity with the property.

Can you replicate exactly that scenario? Probably not, but there are several things you can do to tip the scales in your favor.

Most importantly, focus on your craft, on writing great books quickly and using edits to really level up your work.

Just as importantly, build relationships—with other authors, with your editors, and with your entire publishing team. Publishing is a small industry, and if you treat people badly or pitch a hissyfit, they will talk. And, please, be genuine when you’re networking— take a real interest in the folks you’re meeting. People can often tell if you’re just being friendly because you want to use them as a rung on the ladder to your dreams. If you just met me five minutes ago, maybe don’t ask me to introduce you to my Star Wars editors.

If you want to write for something as big as Star Wars, start smaller. There are tons of IP projects looking for new writers. Look at your favorite video games and movie franchises. Have your agent approach the editors in their IP department. Ask around your author friends to see if they have any connections.

What if you’re unagented and unpublished and unsure where to start? Well, first of all, read my timeless thread on how to become a traditionally published author, which is NSFW but hopefully helpful. Everything you’ll learn writing, editing, and querying a book will contribute to the skill set that will help you find success writing IP. You’ll find your process, learn to accept rejection and criticism, and gain confidence in your skills. Every word you write helps. Every time you file a rejection and send out a new query makes you stronger.

Being a writer is not an overnight thing; most ‘overnight successes’ I know wrote for many years and received hundreds of rejections and worked through huge setbacks before you ever heard of them. Need resources on your publishing journey? Check the For Writers tab at the top of my website for the books and sources that helped me.

Know that writing IP is not easy. Writing is not an easy process or career, and success is not a straight line—it’s very jagged, with high highs, low lows, and, often, cases of burnout. IP brings its own unique challenges.

Since it’s not your world, you’re not in charge. Some of your ideas will be shot down, and some of your words will be cut. It’s not personal; everything serves the property, not your heart. The timeline is quick, and because publishing is mercurial, you might have to work even faster than anticipated. I once lost a 14 page outline we’d spent weeks on and just had to turn it around with a smile and new pitches the next day. I’ve had to turn around copy edits in a weekend, I’ve spent fancy dinners texting about revisions, I’ve had to make sweeping changes at the drop of a hat when I was on vacation. If you’re not ready to accept that an IP book is not your baby and that you’re a contractor, not a creator, it’s probably not the ideal goal for you.

And remember: Most writing success is a combination of skill + time on task + luck over time. So the longer you work, the more you level up your skills, the more time you spend focusing on publishing, the better your chances that luck will strike. You can’t succeed as a writer without those four elements.

Let me know if you have any questions! I lost a lot of my previous Twitter threads on writing, so I’m happy to write posts like this if you would find them helpful. Of course, I haven’t queried in the slush pile since 2010, so I might not be the best resource for the ‘how do I get an agent’ crowd.

And, as always, YMMV. My way is not the only way. Every journey is different. There are outliers, but I can’t teach you how to be one. All my advice comes from a cisgender, heteronormative, straight white lady who started out querying from her couch as a stay at home mom, so your difficulty setting may be higher or lower. Good luck!