Pulp Philosophy: Quit Asking For Permission

I've posted this on Twitter and Facebook earlier today, but I wanted to follow up with a more detailed post here, because the subject matter and you deserve it.  Here's what I tweeted:

Quit asking permission to create something.

 

Let's face the fact that we're all human beings here, and as is our nature we are cautious to the point of stagnation.  As a general rule, our culture has embraced this notion that to fail is to somehow... fail.  And while on the surface that seems to be pretty logical, I have to say that pretty much anything worthwhile that's been created, invented, theorized and developed has been the result of failure. Lots and lots of failure. 

But our culture - which is so success-oriented - sees only the end result and not the process.  People look at the end product and don't see the many iterations beforehand that led to the success.  Do you think Stephen King hit it right straight out of the box?  No, he toiled at the work because that was what he wanted to do. He would have done it even if he never saw another dime from writing.  He wrote short stories again and again - many times for magazines that were less than reputable because they were the only ones who were interested in his work. 

He just did it. 

And people today - only seeing the final product -  get intimidated by the process, and don't even try. If they just tried they would see what writers (and filmmakers, sculptors, artists, musicians, et al) have known for years...

You just have to do it. 

 

You have to keep failing.  Learn form those failures and keep doing it. 

But again, everyone somehow needs someone to come up and tap them on the shoulder and say, "You have the right to do this." 

 

Which is bullshit.  You are the master of your own fate.  You don't need anyone's permission to write, film, draw, compose - whatever.  You just need to fail at it for awhile.  Do it.  if you like it - great. If not, if you can live without it - then you have an answer and you can move on.

Now what does this all have to do with Pulp 2.0  aka the Internet? 

The internet is a great place to fail.  It's the "fanzine" or  APA ** of the 2000's... a place to discover what you are good at, what you aren't and work accordingly.  It's a place to discover the tools, feedback and inspiration you need  to succeed.  

 

And part of our business plan for Pulp 2.0 Press  is to build that aspect of pulp. 

(More as it develops)

** APA stands for "Amateur Press Association" and was the internet before the internet.  More here.