Why I Write Pulp

a short essay

by

Steven W. Bentley

Back in the 1970's when I was growing up, you could go to any store, and they would have two things you just don't see anymore: the comic book rack, and a display of paperback originals.  I loved both of those things.  I miss them terribly.  I miss looking at covers with amazing and garish art (a design both had, by the way), and I miss being able to buy a novel for less than three dollars.

I read my first pulps because of this, with the Doc Savage reprints, the ones with the incredible Bama covers, and the ERB Mars books with the beautiful Whelan cover art.  To this day, I think the first three Barsoom books are some of the best action/romance/adventure I have ever read.  And my love of Doc Savage is pretty well-known among those who know me.

Once I went into the job market, I took a series of jobs that all required me to write, but I wasn't ever a "professional writer", as it was never my primary source of income.  During this time period, the publishing market changed, dramatically.  Those paperback originals began having much smaller print runs while the larger books, and the rise of the BESTSELLING AUTHOR became the goal of every publisher, while small presses were being gobbled up by the larger press, and, outside of the series romance industry, writers working in a specific genre seemed to be frowned on.  Even Stephen King has discussed how he struggled with the idea that he wasn't writing "real" fiction.

But, for me, there was a freedom in those little paperback originals that sold for $.95-$2.99 because they could be outlandish, wild, adventurish, sexy, sleazy, and smart all at the same time.  They weren't literature, but they were damned fine entertainment, a good way to spend the day with a book, and I never felt embarassed having one in my pocket.  Granted, I had a few of them taken away from me by teachers who felt that it was their job to censor what I read, but I had a mom who backed me up as they were often books she read, as well.  So, on top of everything else, they were sort of transgressive and forbidden, too.  I loved that aspect of them.

Now, today, things are changing.  The print medium isn't seeing a grand surge of readers, all but one of the big-box bookstores are gone, and the internet has opened the viability of self-publishing and actually finding an audience.  So, a couple of years ago, I set out to test those waters with a free, weekly-chaptered, pulp adventure novel, which was the reason for this blog.  Things happened and life moved around a bit, and the book just languished while people talked to me about expanding it, changing it, doing this and that and "Maybe" we'd be interested in it until I just kind of gave up on it.

Until now.

I'm currently doing a full-draft re-write of the novel, and have the next five books loosely plotted as well to self-publish through Amazon, and none of the books will be more than $2.99.  Why?  Because this is the era of the new pulp writer.  Action, horror, sleaze, fun books that are designed to get your heart racing, your imagination going and give you an entertaining read.  Books designed to be read on your phone or e-reader or computer screen, while you're laying in bed, riding the bus or the subway, on your lunch break or just whenever, that you can finish quickly, be satisfied and move on to the next one.  Pulp.  Pure, unadulterated pulp fiction.  For the entertainment of the masses.  You.  For your entertainment.  And mine.  Because I am setting out to write the books I would love to read.  Things that are as exciting and amazing and bizarre and...things a regular publishing house wouldn't touch today because it's just not the same thing everyone else is writing and selling.  I'm going to write a few shorts that are going to be free so you can see the style, but then I'm going to blow your minds with the kind of adventure and action, horror and menace, and wrap it all in a pulp package that just makes you feel the same excitement I feel when I'm writing it.

So...Why do I write pulp?

Because we need it.

You may not realize it, but we do.

We need pulp to get our imaginations going, our hopes up, and our hearts pounding again.

Even if you don't realize that you need pulp in your life, well, you do.

 

A couple of messages...

I've received several messages, mostly on Facebook, concerning this blog, and the pulp story it contains.  Those messages have made a huge decision for me.

Here are a few choice quotes from them...
"This isn't the kind of story I would normally read, but a friend posted it on his page. I decided to give it a try.  I'm hooked!  Please finish the story for me!"

"What is going to happen to Rose and the Black Mask?  I can't stand not knowing!"

"I think I'm falling in love with the Black Mask."

"You certainly know how to write a hook.  No ending, though? "

"POST THE REST OF THE STORY!!!"

"The last chapter creeped me out.  When did the good guy get so dark?  I like rooting for him."

Are you going to finish it?"

I sent off a couple of letters today to the publishers, explaining that I have 1236 people who have visited the blog, that I feel they want to know what happens to these characters, and that I have decided to finish the story as it began.  Online.  For free.  At least a chapter a week, until it's over.

For the record, I want to say thanks to all of the people who messaged me.  Thanks to all of the people who have read it, so far.  Thanks for being patient.  Let's finish this thing, shall we?

-Steven W. Bentley

A note to my readers...

A few months ago, I was approached by a couple of different ebook publishers who wished to discuss printing NIGHT-TIME IN THE CITY in an electronic format.  However, I was asked to not publish the ending of the work (as it was perceived that doing so would hurt potential sales).  I agreed to this, at the time.

Though I have had much success with views, almost no one has subscribed to the work, and so it has been a bit back and forth about how marketable it actually would be.  While we continue to debate this, I am unable to continue publishing the work at this time, and have been spending my time writing screenplays, and working on my video business.

This does not mean that the work will go unfinished, though.  I have made a decision that, if we cannot get more subscribers to prove it's marketability, I will self-publish it, in it's entirety at a later date.

I hope you understand, and realize how much I have appreciated the number of people from all over the world who have taken the time to read up until this point, and hope you all will appreciate the effort that I have put out as well, in an attempt to entertain you.
-Sincerely,
Steven W. Bentley

     In the heyday of Pulp Fiction (no, not the movie, you fool, sit down and let me continue!), there were master storytellers who wove amazing adventures every month to lure people into giving up their hard-earned dimes for a few hours of escape from the daily toll of the harsh world.  Lurid covers of exciting heroes and beautiful women in terrible distress littered the newsstands just as comic books were once displayed on squeaky spinning racks in grocery stores all over our nation.  Men, women, and children bought these adventures at the height of the Great Depression in order to find some relief, some excitement, in their lives.  And excitement they found!
     In just a few thousand words, whole epics of horror and amazement were told.  Tales of evil masterminds, frightening tortures, defenseless masses, and against them all...a mere handful willing to stand up, to protect, to keep at bay the ways of damnable men.
     The time has come, again, to be excited, entertained, amazed, and horrified.  For a handful to stand up to tyranny and horror.  For adventure to take our minds off of the daily toll.  Starting now...