How to Write Pulp Fiction (Bell on Writing)

by James Scott Bell

The philosophy of the pulp writer is to make money by writing fiction. He is not ashamed of this, for it is nothing to be ashamed of. Writing is a commercial transaction under the free enterprise system. The pulp writer provides a product and wants as many people to buy the product as possible. The successful pulpster knows there is a craft to storytelling which must be learned and practiced. Even more, he knows one of the keys to success is being prolific. Words must be produced with a certain amount of regularity, if not outright speed. The pulp writer can coexist with the literary writer, but often the latter picks a fight.

Just keep typing. And don’t complain about the odds. Your pulp forebears wouldn’t like that. They’d have a message for you. •You don’t know how good you’ve got it compared to our day! You can publish yourself, to a virtually unlimited market! Man, what we wouldn’t have given for that! •If you don’t write to a quota, I have no sympathy for you. •If you don’t pay at least some attention to the market, I think you’re daft. •If you don’t try to get better at your craft, you’d be better off as a plumber, and the sooner the better. •If you want to make it, keep working. And the work never stops!