Pulp Fiction Rules

 

The Writer's Almanac recently mentioned Lester Dent, an author who "... wrote more than a thousand pulp fiction stories, all with the same formula, which he detailed in an article that explained an exact formula for writing a 6,000-word pulp story." Son Robin found a copy of Dent's essay [1], from which, for list-lovers like me, the rules follow:

Concept

  • A different murder method for villain to use
  • A different thing for villain to be seeking
  • A different locale
  • A menace which is to hang like a cloud over hero

First 1500 Words

  • First line, or as near thereto as possible, introduce the hero and swat him with a fistful of trouble. Hint at a mystery, a menace or a problem to be solved–something the hero has to cope with.
  • The hero pitches in to cope with his fistful of trouble. (He tries to fathom the mystery, defeat the menace, or solve the problem.)
  • Introduce ALL the other characters as soon as possible. Bring them on in action.
  • Hero's endeavors land him in an actual physical conflict near the end of the first 1500 words.
  • Near the end of first 1500 words, there is a complete surprise twist in the plot development.

Second 1500 Words

  • Shovel more grief onto the hero.
  • Hero, being heroic, struggles, and his struggles lead up to:

  • Another physical conflict. * A surprising plot twist to end the 1500 words.

    • Third 1500 Words

    • Shovel the grief onto the hero.
    • Hero makes some headway, and corners the villain or somebody in:

  • A physical conflict. * A surprising plot twist, in which the hero preferably gets it in the neck bad, to end the 1500 words.

    • Fourth 1500 Words

    • Shovel the difficulties more thickly upon the hero.
    • Get the hero almost buried in his troubles. (Figuratively, the villain has him prisoner and has him framed for a murder rap; the girl is presumably dead, everything is lost, and the DIFFERENT murder method is about to dispose of the suffering protagonist.)
    • The hero extricates himself using HIS OWN SKILL, training or brawn.
    • The mysteries remaining–one big one held over to this point will help grip interest–are cleared up in course of final conflict as hero takes the situation in hand.
    • Final twist, a big surprise, (This can be the villain turning out to be the unexpected person, having the "Treasure" be a dud, etc.)
    • The snapper, the punch line to end it.

    ^z - 2008-10-20

    (correlates: TheoreticallyKnown, The Mysterious Island, TwoFluidModel, ...)