Revisiting The Pulp Work Ethic
A reflection of Erle Stanley Gardner's timeless article
The past month has been crazy, folks. Weeks of nonstop, hustle and bustle of life. Weeks of returning to work full time, caring for my son, time with family and friends, work around the house and more. I've been wanting to get this recent entry published for a while but with other priorities I couldn't make the time. But here we are. A new day with a new entry on a subject that has occupied my mind too long.
While I was away, I came across an article on ThePulp.net written by famed pulpster Erle Stanley Gardner.
Gardner was asked by writing teacher and pulp fictioneer, H. Bedford Jones to give his advice to aspiring writers looking to cash in on the pulp magazine gold rush of the era. Originally published in 1932, Buckle Down and Write, details the attitude and the courage it takes to stick with writing and the impact that writing had on him.
This article is one of my favorite examples of a concept I discussed earlier in this newsletter. Back in April 2022, I published an essay titled The Pulp Work Ethic that detailed the unrelenting discipline many of these pulpsters had when it came to their work.
Pumping out words from their typewriters was no easy task but it was the best way to make a fine living in those days. Several magazine editors were in need of short fiction and novels of crime, science fiction, westerns, and the weird to name a few in order to feed the demand for a hungry readership.
What I enjoy most about Gardner’s piece is how his advice is universal and can easily apply to the aspirations of anyone looking to dive into the craft of writing. The pulp work ethic of yesteryear is no different from the unrelenting discipline of the most prolific writers working today. Gardner was working as a full-time professional as well. So much of his time and energy went into managing his law practice but he still had aspirations to be a writer. Not for any literary or artistic passion mind you. His primary motivation was cold hard cash.
“So I decided I wanted to vacation some. I wanted to get out more and see the world. How could I do it? Obviously by saving money, which was something that never appealed to me very much, or by getting some source of income that could be carried around with me, building a business that was independent of offices.”
Gardner spent five years writing, learning, perfecting his tools as a pulpster with his vision clear in his mind. He comments on how he churned out terrible work to editors in the beginning, still refining his craft but committed to sending out his stories to magazines.
“Writing is just as much of a profession. Therefore, I must want to get the money out of writing badly enough to put in five years before expecting a single sale. Otherwise, I won’t even start in to write. So I decided on a five year apprenticeship.”
When he finally broke in, Gardner soon realized how much of a joy he got out of writing that he continued on to have a successful and lengthy career. He came for the money but stayed for the storytelling penning roughly 150 novels over the course of his career. His Perry Mason series sold over 300 million copies and is ranked #3 in the best selling book series of all time as of 2019.1
Gardner encouraged all those who wished to find similar success with his trade to make an honest commitment to themselves to write, study and to keep going regardless of how many rejection slips he or she receives. He spent many nights in his office, hovering over the typewriter, his fingers sometimes numb on the keys, with eyes heavy and exhausted from the demands of his day job. He made the time to learn; to write and get better as a writer in the small hours of the night. Day in and day out.
He approached his fiction with the eye of a former salesman; reading through magazines to see what was being bought, understanding the needs of the audience, talking with editors and studying the market, but I actually don’t think that is a bad thing. At least not in the beginning.
“So I figured I was a manufacturer of stories, that the magazine was the jobber, and the public the consumer. I started trying to find out what the public wanted.”
I’ve worked as a sales rep for tech companies over the years and this approach makes perfect sense to me. My days are filled with finding accounts, understanding their business needs, speaking with the right people and seeing if we can help solve their problems. The skills you learn in sales transfers quite well as a writer trying to break in. Constant rejection, the need for thick skin, long hours, high failure rate, and a “can do-take no prisoners-get shit done attitude.”
It may not be romantic but I can relate to Mr. Gardner’s methods here. There is afterall a business side to storytelling if one is interested in making a living or becoming a professional.
I encourage you to take the time to read the rest of Gardner's article. If you are a fan of the pulps, an artist, or a student of history then you won't be disappointed.
My Path to Pulp Writer: Part II
I'm behind on the update on my progress but I've been working on a short story that is really taking a life of its own. No outline. Just a burning concept that won't leave my mind. I don't know if you, dear reader, believe in the muse (I'm not sure if I do necessarily) but she has taken hold of this story and the words are flowing.
Don't know where she'll take me. Don't know how this story will end. That is not the point of this. I'm doing this because I love stories and love telling stories. It is a deep sickness I refuse to find the cure for. Feel free to join me if you wish. Take a seat and buckle up for this sure will be a bumpy ride.
Let's have some fun!
Embarrassed to say I’ve never really heard of Gardner, but I do like a good pulp novel. Looking forward to reading the rest of that article (and your journey)
‘The Muse’ sounds like a ridiculous and fanciful concept. Until she shows up in your room.
Looking forward to reading your story, Frank.