man of two worlds
At this point in time, my writing output has two main sources, Pulp Empire and Blackcoat Press.
While, they are basically two branches of the same literary tree, they require different approaches and use of different creative muscles to write for.
I had been thinking about that lately and thought I’d share with you.
Both publishers are rooted in pulp literature and I am telling many of the same types of stories, but with Blackcoat, I am using someone else’s characters and crafting stories around those characters while with Pulp Empire, I am creating my own characters.
Now, as those of you know me are aware, I first dipped my toes into the showing my writing to the public waters in fanfiction.
Brief asides: 1) first, I have no idea where that weird toe dipping metaphor came from and 2) fan fiction, for those of you that don’t know, is when writers create new stories for already established characters and post them out there for fun, rather than profit. Though, some people have used fanfiction as a stepping-stone into actual paying writing jobs.
There are numerous sites dedicated to fanfiction that focus on everything from Star trek to Jane Austin to Harry Potter to the X-men.
My own fanfiction resume involves a lot of comic book based stories with a little bit of Star Trek.
The reason I’m telling you this is that Blackcoat Press is basically fanfiction. It’s fanfiction that you can order from Borders.com, but fanfiction nevertheless. I’m using other people’s characters, for the most part either public domain characters or ones Blackcoat has purchased the rights to, to create new stories.
Now, a lot of people look down their noses at fanfiction, but I’ve always enjoyed it. Yes, there’s some really badly written, adolescent stuff out there, but that’s true of fanfiction as well.
Okay, before my theories about fanfiction take over, let me attempt to stagger back on topic.
With Blackcoat, I’m given all the parts of a story, characters, places, macguffins etc and I just need to focus on taking these various pieces and fitting them into the framework of a story idea that I have bouncing around my brain and filling in the gaps.
It’s a fun way to write, as you are basically given a huge toy box and told to go nuts and tell your story.
Not that it’s total literary anarchy at Blackcoat, there are rules that you have to follow.
They prefer you not kill, marry off or radically alter the characters and you have to use them within the context of the story/book/movie etc that they came from.
It’s taking the conversation ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if…?” and not stopping at the casual chat stage, but running with it.
I enjoy the odd mix of hoops to jump through, yet there is a sense of freedom. The ‘heavy lifting’ has been done and it’s all a matter of finding the toys you want to play with that will also work in the story.
Then there’s Pulp Empire, where all the characters and stories are my creation.
Yes, they do specialize in a certain type of literature, but pulp fiction encompasses a huge amount of genres, as it’s more a style of writing then a genre itself, but that’s a whole other blog post.
With Pulp Empire I get to create whatever I want. There are no rules or limitations, unless I put them there. Which is, to quote Monk, a blessing and a curse. Yes, I have total freedom to create what I want, but I have to come up with everything!
What’s your character’s name? What color is his hair? Is he married? What kind of car does he drive? Is he allergic to shellfish?
It makes my brain hurt to just think of all the things you have to think of when you play literary god.
Now, that might sound like I’m grumbling, and there can be a level of frustration and/or scribbling ideas until you get a combination that works, but I love both methods of storytelling.
I like the different types of challenges and fun that they both present.
With Blackcoat, I tend to start with a story idea and then see what characters would work within it and the simple idea expands from there. It can be a bit of a scavenger hunt.
With Pulp Empire, I generally start with an idea for a character and then see what kind of story that character would work in.
It’s free play vs structured play really.
So, there’s a little insight into my creative genius and methods.
While, they are basically two branches of the same literary tree, they require different approaches and use of different creative muscles to write for.
I had been thinking about that lately and thought I’d share with you.
Both publishers are rooted in pulp literature and I am telling many of the same types of stories, but with Blackcoat, I am using someone else’s characters and crafting stories around those characters while with Pulp Empire, I am creating my own characters.
Now, as those of you know me are aware, I first dipped my toes into the showing my writing to the public waters in fanfiction.
Brief asides: 1) first, I have no idea where that weird toe dipping metaphor came from and 2) fan fiction, for those of you that don’t know, is when writers create new stories for already established characters and post them out there for fun, rather than profit. Though, some people have used fanfiction as a stepping-stone into actual paying writing jobs.
There are numerous sites dedicated to fanfiction that focus on everything from Star trek to Jane Austin to Harry Potter to the X-men.
My own fanfiction resume involves a lot of comic book based stories with a little bit of Star Trek.
The reason I’m telling you this is that Blackcoat Press is basically fanfiction. It’s fanfiction that you can order from Borders.com, but fanfiction nevertheless. I’m using other people’s characters, for the most part either public domain characters or ones Blackcoat has purchased the rights to, to create new stories.
Now, a lot of people look down their noses at fanfiction, but I’ve always enjoyed it. Yes, there’s some really badly written, adolescent stuff out there, but that’s true of fanfiction as well.
Okay, before my theories about fanfiction take over, let me attempt to stagger back on topic.
With Blackcoat, I’m given all the parts of a story, characters, places, macguffins etc and I just need to focus on taking these various pieces and fitting them into the framework of a story idea that I have bouncing around my brain and filling in the gaps.
It’s a fun way to write, as you are basically given a huge toy box and told to go nuts and tell your story.
Not that it’s total literary anarchy at Blackcoat, there are rules that you have to follow.
They prefer you not kill, marry off or radically alter the characters and you have to use them within the context of the story/book/movie etc that they came from.
It’s taking the conversation ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if…?” and not stopping at the casual chat stage, but running with it.
I enjoy the odd mix of hoops to jump through, yet there is a sense of freedom. The ‘heavy lifting’ has been done and it’s all a matter of finding the toys you want to play with that will also work in the story.
Then there’s Pulp Empire, where all the characters and stories are my creation.
Yes, they do specialize in a certain type of literature, but pulp fiction encompasses a huge amount of genres, as it’s more a style of writing then a genre itself, but that’s a whole other blog post.
With Pulp Empire I get to create whatever I want. There are no rules or limitations, unless I put them there. Which is, to quote Monk, a blessing and a curse. Yes, I have total freedom to create what I want, but I have to come up with everything!
What’s your character’s name? What color is his hair? Is he married? What kind of car does he drive? Is he allergic to shellfish?
It makes my brain hurt to just think of all the things you have to think of when you play literary god.
Now, that might sound like I’m grumbling, and there can be a level of frustration and/or scribbling ideas until you get a combination that works, but I love both methods of storytelling.
I like the different types of challenges and fun that they both present.
With Blackcoat, I tend to start with a story idea and then see what characters would work within it and the simple idea expands from there. It can be a bit of a scavenger hunt.
With Pulp Empire, I generally start with an idea for a character and then see what kind of story that character would work in.
It’s free play vs structured play really.
So, there’s a little insight into my creative genius and methods.
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Actually, my next blog post ( once I translate my scribblings) is going to deal with ideas and how I go from the idea to the story and will touch on a bunch of stuff you said.
I find it interesting, however, that with fanfiction I start with a character-based idea, and with original fiction, I start with a story-based idea. (This generally means that I'm weak on character development, which I try to work at...) Exactly the opposite to you.