Episode #100: The Rocketeer defines Pulp Archaeology, revisits a turning point in sci-fi history, and explores how forgotten stories inspire new futures.
The pulp writers had it going on. I'm not a slave to nostalgia. In fact, I find it a lazy excuse to lean on it or throw in the towel to the claim, "it's all been done and better/everything's terrible, now". What they had going on was how they were lucky enough to be pioneers. However, those pioneers had a tough hill to climb because those pulp writers not only had to deal with heavy restrictions about what they could write, but they also had to build an audience when their work was regarded as fare to be read by immature minds. What writers have to deal with today are less limits, but a dwindling readership. That sounds like an excellent challenge, not an excuse to give up -or never start. The myth of being published so you can make a career as writer is another one that needs to be quashed. The sad fact is is FEW writers make a living solely as writers. A writer is acting on a calling, not a well compensated profession (artists know this only too well). Thank you for sharing the excellent advice from those authors in the past. As your 100th episode it's another great great one under your belt. I look forward to more. I apologize for not responding in a while. I've been engaged in an act of futility. I'm moving on.
Thank you, Rick. :) I also feel that writing is a calling and that makes publishing professionally always a challange, no matter the decade. It's not something you can stop doing easily...no matter the resistence. We persist anyway...no matter what. lol ;-)
I find the publishing market in that era fascinating, because of the deadlines, limitations imposed in the writers by the publishers, and the tech they had to work with.
But from that friction great creativity was generated.
It was a system that persisted until a few decades ago. I started in that system so I know it well…at least the way it had evolved. My mother and ex-mother-in-law were also part of the publishing world (back to the 1950s) so I was kind of brought up in it. I even worked in newspapers from back when we pasted up pages by hand (all night! LOL) There was a camaraderie to it that is largely missing today, and that’s a shame.
That's the feeling I get, that there was a sense of being a team, and writers probably helped each other and competed with each other to push each other to be better.
I do really like the term pulp archeology. Im impressed by how involved you are in this. Even giving talks at conventions? Im not sure i could do that. Special interest rant to someone? Heck yah lol
I have yet to aquire a Ten Detective Aces magazine yet. Its certainly on my list.
I like giving talks, I've spoken in front of crowds for a long time, even at big venues like Seattle Center. I have yet to speak internationally...that's on my list. :)
Ten Detective Aces is an expensive pulp. Fortunately, Steeger has some nice reprints that are easier on the budget and you don't feel so bad reading them.
Oh, i forgot. On the subject of repeated mannerisms, In one of my favorites, Victor Maury, Detective in France from 1888, someone underlined every time he bite his lip. Which was like 5-6 times throughout the novel lol
They are expensive, but i don't want to get into reprints. Im a patient person. I will wait until i find one at a level i can afford. I was able to procure an issue of Spicy Detective for remarkably cheap this way lol
congratulations on reaching 100 episodes. very appropriate to use The Gernsback Continuum for this one. I never knew anthropology was annexed to connecting things. that makes me a sort of anthropologist too, though I am on the trashier end of the spectrum.
It’s not the anthropology, per say, but more my temperament that leads me to enjoying puzzles. Anthropology is more about examining culture, just as archaeology is about examining material culture.
You know, I knew a famous garbologist once. His work was interesting—studying trends in garbage over time. There are so many interesting studies and yours with AI and creativity as a brand new one so, cheers for that. :)
Ok so there is something about anthropology to what I do because I'm interested in seeing how certain TV shows and movies begin to influence the culture, and in return writers and filmmakers pick up from street culture and sevd it back to people through media.
That is an interesting study, and I imagine you can see cultural trends in garbage.
Now I imagine a landfill full of beanie babies after the speculation market around them crashed😸
The pulp writers had it going on. I'm not a slave to nostalgia. In fact, I find it a lazy excuse to lean on it or throw in the towel to the claim, "it's all been done and better/everything's terrible, now". What they had going on was how they were lucky enough to be pioneers. However, those pioneers had a tough hill to climb because those pulp writers not only had to deal with heavy restrictions about what they could write, but they also had to build an audience when their work was regarded as fare to be read by immature minds. What writers have to deal with today are less limits, but a dwindling readership. That sounds like an excellent challenge, not an excuse to give up -or never start. The myth of being published so you can make a career as writer is another one that needs to be quashed. The sad fact is is FEW writers make a living solely as writers. A writer is acting on a calling, not a well compensated profession (artists know this only too well). Thank you for sharing the excellent advice from those authors in the past. As your 100th episode it's another great great one under your belt. I look forward to more. I apologize for not responding in a while. I've been engaged in an act of futility. I'm moving on.
Thank you, Rick. :) I also feel that writing is a calling and that makes publishing professionally always a challange, no matter the decade. It's not something you can stop doing easily...no matter the resistence. We persist anyway...no matter what. lol ;-)
I find the publishing market in that era fascinating, because of the deadlines, limitations imposed in the writers by the publishers, and the tech they had to work with.
But from that friction great creativity was generated.
It was a system that persisted until a few decades ago. I started in that system so I know it well…at least the way it had evolved. My mother and ex-mother-in-law were also part of the publishing world (back to the 1950s) so I was kind of brought up in it. I even worked in newspapers from back when we pasted up pages by hand (all night! LOL) There was a camaraderie to it that is largely missing today, and that’s a shame.
That's the feeling I get, that there was a sense of being a team, and writers probably helped each other and competed with each other to push each other to be better.
Congrats on the 100th post/podcast. Wish I could make it to WorldCon. Digging through my pulps tonight in your honor.
Aww! That's very sweet. Glad you liked the episode. :)
Nice radio show :)
I do really like the term pulp archeology. Im impressed by how involved you are in this. Even giving talks at conventions? Im not sure i could do that. Special interest rant to someone? Heck yah lol
I have yet to aquire a Ten Detective Aces magazine yet. Its certainly on my list.
I'm glad you liked the podcast today. :)
I like giving talks, I've spoken in front of crowds for a long time, even at big venues like Seattle Center. I have yet to speak internationally...that's on my list. :)
Ten Detective Aces is an expensive pulp. Fortunately, Steeger has some nice reprints that are easier on the budget and you don't feel so bad reading them.
Oh, i forgot. On the subject of repeated mannerisms, In one of my favorites, Victor Maury, Detective in France from 1888, someone underlined every time he bite his lip. Which was like 5-6 times throughout the novel lol
See, good advice! :-)
They are expensive, but i don't want to get into reprints. Im a patient person. I will wait until i find one at a level i can afford. I was able to procure an issue of Spicy Detective for remarkably cheap this way lol
congratulations on reaching 100 episodes. very appropriate to use The Gernsback Continuum for this one. I never knew anthropology was annexed to connecting things. that makes me a sort of anthropologist too, though I am on the trashier end of the spectrum.
Thanks! :)
It’s not the anthropology, per say, but more my temperament that leads me to enjoying puzzles. Anthropology is more about examining culture, just as archaeology is about examining material culture.
You know, I knew a famous garbologist once. His work was interesting—studying trends in garbage over time. There are so many interesting studies and yours with AI and creativity as a brand new one so, cheers for that. :)
Ok so there is something about anthropology to what I do because I'm interested in seeing how certain TV shows and movies begin to influence the culture, and in return writers and filmmakers pick up from street culture and sevd it back to people through media.
That is an interesting study, and I imagine you can see cultural trends in garbage.
Now I imagine a landfill full of beanie babies after the speculation market around them crashed😸
Funny! :-)