David Gerrold

David Gerrold – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

David Gerrold (born January 24, 1944) is an American science fiction author and screenwriter known for The Trouble with Tribbles, The Martian Child, the Chtorr series, and much more. Explore his life, works, influence, and memorable quotes here.

Introduction

David Gerrold (born Jerrold David Friedman on January 24, 1944) is one of the most prolific and influential figures in modern science fiction and speculative writing. Over a career spanning six decades, he has worked across novels, short fiction, television, and screenwriting. He is perhaps best known to mainstream audiences for penning the iconic Star Trek episode “The Trouble with Tribbles,” but his oeuvre reaches far beyond that single credit. His storytelling has explored time travel, artificial intelligence, alien invasions, family, identity, and the boundaries of human imagination. In this article, we’ll trace his path from youth to legacy, highlight his signature works and philosophical stance, and gather insights from his voice in his own words.

Early Life and Family

David Gerrold was born in Chicago, Illinois, on January 24, 1944, into a Jewish family.

Though born in Chicago, his formative years were spent largely in California. He attended Van Nuys High School, and then Los Angeles Valley College and San Fernando Valley State College (now California State University, Northridge).

He earned a theater arts (or related) degree and became deeply involved in speculative fiction and writing from an early age.

Gerrold later adopted a son in the 1980s — Sean — from foster care. The Martian Child.

Youth, Education & Early Beginnings

From a young age, Gerrold was fascinated by storytelling and speculative ideas. His formal education in theater and arts gave him grounding in narrative and performance, which would later serve his writing in dramatic media.

In 1966, shortly after Star Trek first aired, a 22-year-old Gerrold crafted a concept for an episode titled “Tomorrow Was Yesterday.” Though this particular pitch was initially rejected, it opened the door for future collaboration with the Star Trek production.

Gerrold submitted multiple story outlines to Star Trek, one of which was transformed (with revisions) into the iconic episode “The Trouble with Tribbles.”

This early breakthrough into television scripting marked the start of a long career in both fiction and media.

Career and Achievements

David Gerrold’s career includes multiple strands: television and screenwriting, novels and short fiction, and meta-writing (essays, guides, commentary).

Television & Screenwriting

• His Star Trek credentials include “The Trouble with Tribbles”, widely regarded as one of the most beloved episodes in the Star Trek canon.

• He also wrote for Star Trek: The Animated Series, contributing episodes such as “More Tribbles, More Troubles” and “Bem”.

• He proposed a Star Trek: The Next Generation script titled “Blood & Fire,” which included portrayals of AIDS metaphor and a gay couple onboard — a bold move in its time. Although it was purchased, it was ultimately shelved, and Gerrold later adapted its ideas into novels and fan projects.

• Beyond Star Trek, Gerrold has written for other speculative and genre television series such as Land of the Lost, Babylon 5, Sliders, The Twilight Zone, and more.

• In addition to original scripts, Gerrold has been involved in consulting, edits, and fan-produced continuations (for example, Star Trek: New Voyages).

Novels, Series & Short Fiction

Gerrold is extremely prolific. He has authored over 40 (and by some counts, over 50) books plus dozens or hundreds of essays, columns, and stories.

Some of his most notable works:

• When HARLIE Was One (1972) — an early exploration of artificial intelligence and human–machine relationships.

• The Man Who Folded Himself (1973) — a time-travel novel that has become a classic in speculative fiction.

• The War Against the Chtorr series — an ambitious, ongoing saga about an alien ecological invasion that gradually transforms Earth’s biology.

• The Star Wolf series — space opera with a tactical and character focus.

• The Dingilliad series — YA/fiction hybrids exploring speculative themes across multiple novels including Jumping Off the Planet.

• The Martian Child — originally a novelette (1994), later expanded into a novel (2002). It’s drawn from Gerrold’s real experience as an adoptive single parent and won multiple awards (Hugo, Nebula).

• He has also written many short stories and collections (e.g. With a Finger in My I, Alternate Gerrolds, The Involuntary Human) exploring diverse themes in speculative fiction.

Gerrold also writes non-fiction and meta works, such as Worlds of Wonder: How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy, offering advice and reflections on craft.

Recognition & Impact

• His short piece “The Martian Child” won both the Hugo Award and Nebula Award for Best Novelette.

• He has received lifetime awards and acknowledgments, including the Robert A. Heinlein Award (2022).

• Critics and peers often praise him as “among the best and most inventive SF writers of his generation.”

• His works have influenced generations of writers, especially in showing how speculative fiction can engage with social, personal, and psychological themes—not just high adventure and technology.

Historical & Cultural Context

Gerrold’s career arises in the fertile era of the 1960s–70s when science fiction was evolving from pulp genres into more introspective, socially aware forms. His early engagement with Star Trek placed him in the heart of the science fiction television revolution.

At a time when speculative ideas about AI, ecology, and identity were gaining traction, Gerrold’s When HARLIE Was One and The Man Who Folded Himself pushed those frontiers. His Chtorr series adds a new wrinkle by imagining alien invasion not as military conquest, but as ecological colonization—plant and animal life slowly reshaping Earth’s systems.

Moreover, as an openly gay writer adopting a son, Gerrold’s personal experience intersected with his professional work (notably The Martian Child) at a time when LGBTQ+ representation in science fiction and media was limited.

His willingness to propose bold ideas (e.g. in Blood & Fire) that challenged norms within established franchises underscores how speculative fiction can also be a forum for social progress.

Legacy and Influence

David Gerrold’s legacy is multifaceted:

1. Shaping Genre Television
   His Star Trek script left a permanent stamp on the franchise. His contributions to other TV series broadened how science fiction is told on screen.

2. Expanding Speculative Fiction's Reach
   His novels and short stories reach from hard science ideas (AI, time) to emotional, interpersonal stories (adoption, identity). This breadth expands the boundaries of what science fiction can do.

3. Mentorship & Craft Advocacy
   Through his nonfiction writing on writing, essays, columns, and teaching, he has mentored many emerging writers in the genre.

4. Bridging Personal & Speculative
   By weaving personal experience into his speculative works (as in The Martian Child), he showed that science fiction can address deeply human concerns, not just distant futurism.

5. Persistence & Vision
   His long-running Chtorr series (still unfinished) exemplifies ambition over decades. His career models perseverance, adaptability, and a willingness to evolve across media.

Personality and Artistic Traits

From interviews and his public persona, several traits stand out:

• Curiosity & Imagination — Gerrold’s works often explore “what if” scenarios that challenge comfortable assumptions.

• Courage & Outspokenness — He has publicly addressed issues of representation, marginalization, and the constraints of fandom and media.

• Emotional Honesty — Even in high-concept stories, his narratives often carry emotional weight and vulnerability (e.g. in The Martian Child).

• Metatextual awareness — He is aware of genre conventions and often plays with them, sometimes critiquing or subverting them.

• Resilient productivity — Decades of writing across forms (fiction, television, essays) reflect discipline and stamina.

Famous Quotes of David Gerrold

David Gerrold’s writing and interviews provide several memorable lines. Here are a few:

“I think science fiction is literature; I think it’s where literature goes when it grows up.”

“We imagine far more than we can ever build; we build far more than we can ever use.”

“The best science fiction is not prediction. It’s metaphor, it’s warning, it’s hope, it’s exploration of the human condition in new surroundings.”

“Adopted children don’t come with instruction manuals. All we can promise is that love will always have to be an experiment.”

These encapsulate his belief in speculative fiction’s power not merely to foresee, but to reflect and interrogate.

Lessons from David Gerrold

Gerrold’s life and work offer several lessons for writers, creators, and thought-seekers:

1. Bridge imagination with empathy
   Great speculative ideas resonate when grounded in human emotion and moral complexity.

2. Persist across media
   Don’t constrain yourself to one form (novel, TV, short stories)—let ideas guide you to the medium they demand.

3. Challenge norms boldly
   Use established platforms (like mainstream franchises) to push boundaries, even if the acceptance is delayed.

4. Embrace personal truth
   Infusing your real life, identity, and values into storytelling brings authenticity and resonance.

5. Commit to long projects
   Big ideas may take years or decades to finish. The Chtorr saga reminds us that vision sometimes outlasts immediate recognition.

Conclusion

David Gerrold’s contributions to science fiction and speculative storytelling are immense. Across television, novels, short fiction, and essays, he has shaped the genre’s imagination and challenged its boundaries. From the lively chaos of Tribbles to the intimate struggle in The Martian Child, from epic alien ecologies to keyboarded AI, his work spans a spectrum few writers attempt.

His voice continues to resonate in genre writing today, inspiring new creators to imagine boldly, write honestly, and build worlds that reflect both the vastness of the cosmos and the complexities of the human heart.