Jeri Taylor

Jeri Taylor
Name	Jeri Taylor
Birth date	1938
Occupation	Television producer, screenwriter, author
Notable works	Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager

Jeri Taylor is an American television producer, screenwriter, and author known for her contributions to science fiction television and media tie-in literature. She is best known for her work on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager, and for writing novels and short fiction connected to media franchises. Her career spans television series production, novel writing, and participation in fandom and convention circuits.

Early life and education

Taylor was born in 1938 and raised in the United States, where she attended schools that led her to pursue careers in writing and media. She studied drama and writing during her formative years and moved into television at a time when series such as Bonanza, Gunsmoke, The Twilight Zone and Perry Mason shaped American broadcasting. Influences on her early development included practitioners associated with Paramount Pictures, NBC Television, CBS Television Network and creative figures from Rod Serling to Gene Roddenberry.

Career

Taylor began her career in television writing and script development, contributing to episodic series and collaborating with producers and showrunners in Hollywood. Her early credits placed her alongside production teams for shows produced by companies like MTM Enterprises, Universal Television, Lorimar Television and writers who worked on The Waltons and Kojak. She advanced from freelance writing to story editing and producing roles, interacting with executives at Warner Bros. Television, agents from Creative Artists Agency, and writers active in the Writers Guild of America.

Work on Star Trek

Taylor joined the creative staff of Star Trek: The Next Generation during its run, collaborating with producers including Gene Roddenberry, Rick Berman, Michael Piller and writers who shaped episodes credited to Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore. She served as a producer and story editor, contributing to character-driven episodes and series arcs that involved cast members such as Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton and Gates McFadden. After work on The Next Generation, she became co-creator and executive producer on Star Trek: Voyager, shepherding creative directions alongside Robert Picardo-starring cast members like Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, Chakotay (actor Robert Beltran), and supporting performers including Tim Russ and Roxann Dawson. Her tenure on Voyager involved collaboration with franchise executives at Paramount Pictures and writers who contributed to Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Enterprise, shaping episodes that explored themes handled in novels published by tie-in houses associated with Pocket Books and editors tied to Simon & Schuster.

Other writing and projects

Beyond television production, Taylor authored media tie-in novels, short fiction, and non-fiction writing tied to franchise properties and original projects, contributing to publishing efforts by companies like Pocket Books, Simon & Schuster, and participating in anthologies alongside authors from Anne McCaffrey, David Gerrold, Peter David and Michael Jan Friedman. She appeared at fan conventions and panels associated with events such as San Diego Comic-Con International, Worldcon, Dragon Con and gatherings organized by Creation Entertainment, engaging with fan communities and professional peers across publishing and television festivals. Taylor also worked with writers and editors active in speculative fiction circles connected to Hugo Awards-nominated authors and contributors to magazines like Asimov's Science Fiction.

Awards and recognition

Taylor's contributions earned recognition within television and science fiction communities, with peer acknowledgment from colleagues at Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and praise from critics who wrote for publications including Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. Her episodes and novelizations have been discussed in academic and fan studies centered on franchises like Star Trek and in histories of television production alongside works covering Television Academy Hall of Fame inductees and retrospectives on series produced by Paramount Television.

Personal life

Taylor has participated in public interviews, panels and conventions, interacting with figures from television and publishing and supporting charitable efforts connected to genre communities. She has lived and worked primarily in the United States, engaging with professional organizations such as the Writers Guild of America and attending industry events at venues associated with studios like Paramount Pictures and networks including NBC Television.

Category:American television producers Category:American women television writers Category:Star Trek