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Pulp Speed for Professional Writers: Business for Breakfast, Volume 9
They've told you that writing fast is impossible. They were wrong.You too can create stories at the speed of the great pulp writers. Not only that, but your craft will actually get better the faster you go. It just takes time and practice.Come learn the things I discovered as I went from writing at mundane rates to Pulp Speed.Topics include: Where did the term "Pulp Speed" come from? What are the classifications of Pulp Speed? How does your health and ergonomics impact your speed? What is possible?Are you ready to break loose and start turning out good stories at amazing speeds? Do you have what it takes to go "All Ahead Crazy?"
- GenresNonfictionWriting
62 pages, Paperback
Published November 2, 2018
About the author
Blaze Ward
344 books90 followersBlaze Ward writes science fiction in the Alexandria Station universe as well as The Collective. He also write fantasy stories with several characters and series, from an alternate Rome to epic high fantasy in the desert. You can find out more at his website www.blazeward.com, as well as Facebook, here, and other places.
Blaze’s works are available as ebooks, paper, and audio, and can be found at a variety of online vendors (Kobo, Amazon, and others). His newsletter comes out quarterly, and you can also follow his blog on his website. He really enjoys interacting with fans, and looks forward to any and all questions—even ones about his books!
Blaze’s works are available as ebooks, paper, and audio, and can be found at a variety of online vendors (Kobo, Amazon, and others). His newsletter comes out quarterly, and you can also follow his blog on his website. He really enjoys interacting with fans, and looks forward to any and all questions—even ones about his books!
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 29, 2018
Too dogmatic and selfcentered for me. It's a showcase of what worked for one author under his special circumstances, not a general guide. And proof that the maxim "never edit, never rewrite, it's a waste of time" doesn't work for everyone. A round of edits would have eliminated the repetitions and spelling mistakes in this book.
November 5, 2018
This was part of a writing bundle from Storybundle.com. I can’t really recommend it. This is another author intent on telling us how many words he writes per day.
The author proudly claims that he never rewrites, never edits. (The typos prove him correct.) He also says that he wrote this book over the course of a day without any revising (it reads like it). Pretty poor show for a WRITING book.
I also don’t appreciate being given nutrition advice by someone who doesn’t know the science (e.g., diet soda). And I don’t really care about his opinions on the matter or what the guy eats.
Here is a book along the same lines that I CAN recommend: How to Write Pulp Fiction by James Scott Bell. See How to Write Pulp Fiction.
The author proudly claims that he never rewrites, never edits. (The typos prove him correct.) He also says that he wrote this book over the course of a day without any revising (it reads like it). Pretty poor show for a WRITING book.
I also don’t appreciate being given nutrition advice by someone who doesn’t know the science (e.g., diet soda). And I don’t really care about his opinions on the matter or what the guy eats.
Here is a book along the same lines that I CAN recommend: How to Write Pulp Fiction by James Scott Bell. See How to Write Pulp Fiction.
February 27, 2021
Like most writing advice books, this is a case of “your mileage may vary”. The author’s thesis statement is that it is possible to write hundreds of thousands of words in a short amount of time, and that the work thus produced can be of high quality, and will improve as the writer continues to work at those speeds. Thesis established, he then looks at strategies for achieving Pulp Speed.
Okay, I’m on board so far. I agree with the basic thesis. What’s keeping me from giving a higher rating is that the rest of the information is rather basic as well. There is the usual injunction to write every day(or at least most days), treat it like a job, don’t waste time watching TV that you could be writing, etc. I know all this already, and I think many writers who will pick this up already do.
His injunction to treat writing like a job also seems to ignore the reality that an author career involves more than the writing itself. Maybe the pulp writers could write for 8 hours a day, but an indie author like Ward also has to spend time writing a newsletter, running ads or promos, engaging with his audience and managing the nuts and bolts of creating and launching a publishable book. I doubt his 8 hour workdays consist solely of writing, or if they do, it’s because he got his wife or others to manage the business/marketing side. Either way, it’s a weird omission for an indie author to make, even if this isn’t a marketing book.
To sum up, this isn’t a bad intro to the concept of fast drafting, but may be a bit basic for the experienced writer.
Okay, I’m on board so far. I agree with the basic thesis. What’s keeping me from giving a higher rating is that the rest of the information is rather basic as well. There is the usual injunction to write every day(or at least most days), treat it like a job, don’t waste time watching TV that you could be writing, etc. I know all this already, and I think many writers who will pick this up already do.
His injunction to treat writing like a job also seems to ignore the reality that an author career involves more than the writing itself. Maybe the pulp writers could write for 8 hours a day, but an indie author like Ward also has to spend time writing a newsletter, running ads or promos, engaging with his audience and managing the nuts and bolts of creating and launching a publishable book. I doubt his 8 hour workdays consist solely of writing, or if they do, it’s because he got his wife or others to manage the business/marketing side. Either way, it’s a weird omission for an indie author to make, even if this isn’t a marketing book.
To sum up, this isn’t a bad intro to the concept of fast drafting, but may be a bit basic for the experienced writer.
October 5, 2018
Excellent writing book that breaks down what's necessary to reach high levels of productivity in an engaging voice.
FYI, if you're mired in myths and think you cannot ever write super-fast, this will be a kick in the teeth. It confirms most of what I already do so I loved it.
FYI, if you're mired in myths and think you cannot ever write super-fast, this will be a kick in the teeth. It confirms most of what I already do so I loved it.
December 7, 2019
The author comes off as extremely arrogant and judgemental. If you want to be a successful writer, quit TV, better not read too much either, and eat healthy (but with red meat, which is known to cause most of the leading causes of death?!), and do not ever edit your writing. Editing and rewriting are eeeeviiiil.
Being a reader first and reading at least 100 books per year, I beg of all you writers: EDIT UNTIL YOUR FINGERS BLEED! Honestly. In my over 900 read books in the last few years I haven’t had a single one (not even the ones I loved) that couldn’t have gotten even better if they were just edited one more time.
And personally I rather believe those authors who tell me that a book has to be edited at least five times before you can even dare to send it to agents.
But it’s fine if that works for him. (Though this book would have been better, too, if it had been spell checked and if an editor had worked on its style.) Just the way he writes, like his is the only way and everyone else is stupid, lazy or doesn’t want it enough, is extremely annoying.
And personally: If being a successful writer really would mean to give up everything I enjoy except for writing (which I don’t like that much, but NEED both for my depression and to know how the stories my head starts will end), then I’d rather not be a writer. Because the kind of life the author wants me to lead would make me actually hate writing soon. Me. See, I AM able to differentiate between things that work for me (or don’t) and a dogma.
I prefer enjoying writing as good as it gets and spend some time on other things I like as well.
Being a reader first and reading at least 100 books per year, I beg of all you writers: EDIT UNTIL YOUR FINGERS BLEED! Honestly. In my over 900 read books in the last few years I haven’t had a single one (not even the ones I loved) that couldn’t have gotten even better if they were just edited one more time.
And personally I rather believe those authors who tell me that a book has to be edited at least five times before you can even dare to send it to agents.
But it’s fine if that works for him. (Though this book would have been better, too, if it had been spell checked and if an editor had worked on its style.) Just the way he writes, like his is the only way and everyone else is stupid, lazy or doesn’t want it enough, is extremely annoying.
And personally: If being a successful writer really would mean to give up everything I enjoy except for writing (which I don’t like that much, but NEED both for my depression and to know how the stories my head starts will end), then I’d rather not be a writer. Because the kind of life the author wants me to lead would make me actually hate writing soon. Me. See, I AM able to differentiate between things that work for me (or don’t) and a dogma.
I prefer enjoying writing as good as it gets and spend some time on other things I like as well.
September 1, 2020
Possibly more of a 3 but it got an extra star for mentioning how periods can mess up your creative mojo. It’s something I’ve suffered with and thought I was making excuses. To know it isn’t just me, that on those days when the pain is kicking my butt it’s okay to do the less creative work and not feel guilty is wonderful.
As for the rest there is some good advice, much of which I’ve read elsewhere, some inspiring thoughts and a lot of what works for him. It might work for you or it might not.
It’s given me a few ideas for what I can try to improve my writing speed (my maybe one day I’ll make it to pulp speed one) but mostly it reminded me that I’m in control and to believe in myself and stop worrying about what others may think.
As for the rest there is some good advice, much of which I’ve read elsewhere, some inspiring thoughts and a lot of what works for him. It might work for you or it might not.
It’s given me a few ideas for what I can try to improve my writing speed (my maybe one day I’ll make it to pulp speed one) but mostly it reminded me that I’m in control and to believe in myself and stop worrying about what others may think.
October 10, 2018
This was part of a writing bundle from Storybundle.com.
Quick read, with lots of good advice interspersed with a smidge of the uppity "I'm better than you are" attitude that normally turns me off. I enjoyed the likening of writing speed to the warp drives of Star Trek.
And then there are gems like this:
"Trust me, I write a lot cleaner now than I used to. You will to."
I can't begrudge someone the occasional typo, but something like this does not belong in a writing book.
Overall, it's a good one, but there are enough quibbles to keep it from being excellent.
Quick read, with lots of good advice interspersed with a smidge of the uppity "I'm better than you are" attitude that normally turns me off. I enjoyed the likening of writing speed to the warp drives of Star Trek.
And then there are gems like this:
"Trust me, I write a lot cleaner now than I used to. You will to."
I can't begrudge someone the occasional typo, but something like this does not belong in a writing book.
Overall, it's a good one, but there are enough quibbles to keep it from being excellent.
December 17, 2018
Warp Speed Ahead!
Sometimes, you need someone to sit you down and tell you in plain terms (with some humor) that yes, you CAN do it, whatever “it” is. This is that book. Between this short book, and a couple of others that come to mind about increasing your creative writing output, you can get it figured out and DO IT. As long as you really want it. You do, don’t you?
Sometimes, you need someone to sit you down and tell you in plain terms (with some humor) that yes, you CAN do it, whatever “it” is. This is that book. Between this short book, and a couple of others that come to mind about increasing your creative writing output, you can get it figured out and DO IT. As long as you really want it. You do, don’t you?
November 1, 2018
Un libro cortito pero lleno de pistas y consejos para aumentar la velocidad de escritura. Como siempre, son consejos evidentes; la dificultad está en tener la autodisciplina necesaria para llevarlos a cabo. Bastante recomendable.
December 9, 2018
There were some good reminders and tips to take away. Was a little distracted by typos. Overall you can do the math yourself, but if you like to hear about how other writers work then it’s a quick, easy, interesting read (took me about 45 minutes).
October 13, 2018
Review to Come
October 15, 2018
Lots of very good advice on how to build up your writing speed and productivity levels, and presented in a no-nonsense and humorous style that will make you smile and, at times, chuckle.
October 13, 2019
Goodreads labels 2 stars as OK. The book is okay, does teaches how to get to "pulp speed" and manage your time. 13% is about healthy eating and exercising. Pages about what foods the author cooks, the Wahls Protocol for eating, and ketogenic diets. Another page on the author's kung-fu training.
Without the eat right and get exercise advice which could have been condensed to one page, I would have given three stars. There is coverage of time management and encouragement, whether or not you really want to dedicate yourself and keep up your expectations, and some history of the age of pulp magazines and paperbacks.
Without the eat right and get exercise advice which could have been condensed to one page, I would have given three stars. There is coverage of time management and encouragement, whether or not you really want to dedicate yourself and keep up your expectations, and some history of the age of pulp magazines and paperbacks.
August 27, 2019
Unlike Write a Novel in 10 Days, this book actually gives ideas on how to improve (physical ones, like ergonomics, and mental ones, like attitude), and admits that it's a learned skill and you'll need to work up to it. Much more helpful than 10 Days!
October 5, 2018
Good quick inspirational book for writers. It is more of a long blog than anything else (the author states he wrote it over the course of a day without revision, so you find a few typos here and there), but it is certainly inspirational and got me back behind the keyboard hammering out stories before the day was out. I recommend it for those who want to write. Goes right along with Dean Wesley Smith's books on writing. If you are not sitting down and writing each day or have fallen out of the habit, this will definitely hit you with all types of motivation and inspiration. And it won't take you too long to read either.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews