The Bells, The Bells...

I just gave an opinion to a potential client that effectively said, "I don't think you should go down this path. Here's why. If you do decide to go down this path, then I'm going to have to respectfully decline being involved." 

I am generally loathe to do this sort of thing, because jobs ARE hard to come by in the unemployment capitol of America, but I just can't see myself spending two years doing something I know is wrong (misguided is probably a better word), and having to fight the whole way.  I had to view the project objectively, and just ask myself, "Is it worth it? Is this going to help me reach my goals? Am I going to learn something that will help me later?" 



If the answer is ever a "No" or a "maybe" it's an alarm bell. I'm a firm believer in doing all you can to make money, but if it isn't worth it - it isn't worth it.  Fix your eyes on the point you want to be at and work your way backward to where you are now.  Don't let anything take you off the path you want.

And when you hear alarm bells - pay attention.

Pulp Philosophy pt. 9,999,876

Do you know what my favorite part of the game is?
The opportunity to play.
-Mike Singletary

 Don't let what you cannot do
interfere with what you can do.
-John Wooden

When someone tells me there is only one way to do things,
it always lights a fire under my butt.
My instant reaction is, I'm gonna prove you wrong.
-Picabo Street

Create Better Pulp Now!

Whether you're a writer, designer, artist, screenwriter or whatever you often need the fuel to get off your ass (or on it as the case may be) and create something.  As regular readers of this blog know:

THE BEST WAY TO LEARN SOMETHING IS BY DOING IT.

By doing something, learning from the action and the post-game analysis you get to a point in your creative cycle where you aren't daunted by the task.  Where you do it because deep down in the core of your being you've already done this and survived. Now you can just focus on getting better and distinctive.

So since I'm on deadline with about five different things, I thought I would send you off into your weekend with a Top 5 list of ways to get the best pulp out of your head and out into the world.


1. KNOW THE RULES

Don't reinvent the wheel.  Pulp comes with expectations from the audience.  They want to be entertained first and foremost - given a ticket to a fictional roller coaster ride - and they've come to expect that there is a buildup as the cars climb to the top of the hill right before that headlong plunge into adventure or romance or horror or whatever.

If you know the rules you know how to meet then exceed their expectations. Give them the roller coaster ride they'll want to hop back on later, and tell all their friends about.

If you're a writer you must read this.  It works. Screenwriters should also read this.

Artists and designers should go here.  And here.  And definitely here.

Again, know the rules back and forth.  Know what has come before so you can subvert expectation - add that turn to the roller coaster the audience wasn't expecting.

2. GIVE IT (A) CHARACTER

People watch television series and read series books because they want to see their favorite character in new situations.  The plots are important, but it's the characters that keep 'em coming back for more.

Make them memorable. Give them strengths and weaknesses and quirks and touchstones so that people know instantly who they are dealing with...

Then throw a wrench into their expectation machinery.  Let them like who they see or read, but then allow them to discover something else about your character that's surprising yet perfectly plausible.

For artists  this is usually done through character's expressions, their "look" and the overall design. If your character is in a dire situation maybe he's laughing instead of all grim.  Maybe a tattooed Chinese assassin cries after each kill. Maybe a detective solves cases by using just four senses because he's blind.

Maybe ( insert your idea here)...

3. GIVE IT MOMENTUM

Pulps give no man time to pause. Just like the roller coaster - once the car tips over the top - pulp is headed on a thrilling plunge through to its final destination.  Twists, turns, flips, complications, decisions... new perspectives for the audience to experience.

Make it fast.  Make it exciting.  Make it have a different perspective that says - this is entertainment. 

4. DO THE WORK

You want to write/draw/create better pulp?  Then you'd better create a lot of it.  That means sitting down and actually working on something. Don't put it off. There is no tomorrow.

We ALL fall victim to juggling deadlines and lack of prioritizing.  Make a commitment that you're going to do something every day - preferably at a specific time.  You will be surprised at what a little each day can accomplish.

Three pages a day of screenwriting yields a good first draft script in 30 days.  Ditto for novellas.

 The more you accomplish the better, the more accomplished you will feel.  It isn't impossible it just takes someone willing to take the first step.

Old Chinese saying:

The person who says something is impossible should not interrupt the person who is doing it.

That person who says it's impossible is usually you so shut off that negative voice in your head that tells  you to turn on the tube or play Halo 3 and just do the work.

5.  GET IT OUT THERE AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE

Pulp writers and artists and serial filmmakers all had one thing in common - as soon as they finished one, they moved onto the next one.  That's how they got paid - by the word.  They didn't worry about whether or not it would sell, they just  kept on with the work knowing the value was in the output. 

In today's world it works the same way. Movie studios with large film libraries are better off than others because they have a constant source of income.  Some movie may not sell now, but others will. Eventually they all sell somewhere.  Employers or galleries want to see a portfolio of work. Agents ask, "What else ya got?"

You can't get hung up on the one because you're too busy building the many.  You want to be productive.  You want to be active in your creativity (especially if you have a day job).


So get out there and create some great pulp no matter what it is that you're doing.

Pulp is not a medium. It's an Extra Large.

It's Sunday And Here's MY "Religion"

Be unreasonable.
Do it one 'brick' at a time.
Be relentless.
Don't be afraid.
Put it out there. Share it.  It will come back to you.

Enjoy your day of rest.

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. 

Feel Like This Guy?

Everybody does at some point.

Unseen. Unnoticed. Unappreciated.

Don't let it get to you. It's a poison. A darkness thick as molasses that will suck you under.

Do the work instead. Yes, even if you're in pain. Especially if you're in pain.

Pain is only weakness leaving the body.

Getting stuff done is better, healthier.

(illo by Paul Pope. A guy who gets a lot of stuff done in a lot of different venues)