A Convergence Of Prose Styles For The Doomsday Gizmo

As  I read through the first rough draft of my current story(rough being the operative word) I am noticing there is a collision of writing styles taking place. The clash is interesting. The prose is part Spillane tough guy, part dramatic and exaggerated purple prose, part hipster jazz, and part spine tingling cinematic horror, on the level of something you might see at a drive in movie years ago.

What I believe I have achieved is a true pulptastic piece. I truly feel that when I read through this draft I am hearing Whit Howland's voice and not others. Granted, the writing needs some refinement and the styles need to be blended into a palatable literary "smoothie", but it is hard not to marvel at my handy work.

With retro pulp, I believe I have found my happy place. Almost as happy as when I am writing about Huey Dusk. I can't stress how much fun I am having crafting this tale, and how much fun I will have penning the other stories in this series. It's just pure enjoyment!

Dealing With Other Story Ideas

These days I like to stick to one story at a time. That is hard. So many ideas whip around in my head while I am working on a piece. The funny thing is that they never materialize when I'm between stories.  So, here is how I address this situation( I say situation and not problem because I think getting ideas is always a great thing and it doesn't matter when they come).

Years ago I used to keep a computer file of synopsises. But today that doesn't work because I find those ideas buzz in my ears like gnats and I eventually and start writing a first page of a story I will never finish. Here is what I today.

Now I go to my Write It Now Program and I start planning the second story. I mean meticulously planning it. I do this in my off hours when I am not working on my other story. Out of this plan comes an exhaustive outline. And I do a template for the story as well. Once all of this is done, I just leave it and go back to writing my current piece. Eventually I finish a draft of the story I am working on, and after a week's break, I go to the notes of my other story idea and I begin writing my first chapter based on the outline that I created days ago. Then the story, to use a shop worn cliche, practically writes sitself.

This strategy is responsible for my ever increasing story output. I don't know to me it's actually so important to see your ideas through.

Commas

Ok. I have had it with commas. From now on in  my posts, I plan to use them as little as possible. I understand I need them in a story for clarity-- but in my posts I am going to channel my ee cummings and start flagrantly breaking grammer rules. As for commas, I plan to violate that rule in the most unspeakable manner. I have come to this conclusion about grammer rules because I have the inability to self edit. So, I am just not going to care anymore. I think this will help bring out my rawest most inner thoughts.

Musings About The Next Huey Dusk Story

The time draws nearer to pen another Huey Dusk tale. I am thinking of returning to the story's roots which means going back an rereading the original, and rediscovering what made it so magical. But you can't go back completely. So, what I plan to do is to revisit the story and then take the concept even farther and twist it some more. With my story Twinkle Twinkle Faded Star, I tried to channel David Goodis, and I think I will do the same with this next Huey piece.

Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer(The 80's Television Series)

Last night I watched a Mike Hammer movie based on the TV series. I had forgotten what a gem of a show that was. Contrary to being made in the 80's, it really captured the feel of the books and the spirit of the 1950's. This was before Guilianni cleaned up the Big Apple and the show also captures the grime that was the NYC before the invasion of all things Disney.

There are alot of things I miss about this program that you do not get in today's TV. What we most lack is the colorful characters in the crime dramas of yester year. And there seems to be an absense of adults. These shows were written by adults about adult topics.

Even though the show is tame by today's standards, there was an element of sleaze to it that was implied without having to get too gratuitous.

I love this show. There are no important insights to glean from it. Just a tongue in cheek honest portrayal of the work of a great writer.

Mickey Spillane, Pulp Fiction And Purple Prose

As with my last post, my love and desire for pulp fiction grows. And I am talking about the real stuff. The hard stuff. Lately, I find myself going back and reading stories from the Golden Age. The era of ten dollar words and purple prose. As a result, I want to write that kind of pulp.

Because of this, I find my prose style evolving yet once more. I used to write in a spare, bare bones style. Very similar to Hemingway. But now I have moved to a more Mickey Spillane style but I mix in a little purple prose and cinematic verse. With this, I think I have found the sweet spot.

While I am on the subject of Spillane, I have to remember that while I loved his writing, he had a lot of bad writing habits. The most glaring one was the use of passive voice. At my writer's group I get dinged for using passive voice. In Spillane's case, I think it works. It works because his style of writing was true tough guy prose. And as we know, that even though tough guys are strong, they carry around a little extra flab-- never have I known a tough guy to be a slim good body. They are rough and tumble and all action. But, ironically will express themselves in passive language. So, it is only appropriate that Spillane did the same in his writing.

Well back to me. Since I haven't quite achieved the fame of Mick, I have to employ active voice and a little more muscular writing. But, I am not adverse to writing a sentence  like " The moon is full and cast a sick light through the window". Other than writing it this way, "The full moon cast a sick light through the glass pane." Sometimes passive voice reveals the human side of a writer and shows vulnerability.

I used to write poetry and purposely used passive voice in my work. I wanted to point out that the action was happening outside of the poem and in lots of instances, we spend alot of time watching life go by as opposed to participating in it.

Now purple prose, as we all know, is another enemy of fine writing. But, I am starting to seek it out. And that's why I love pulp so much. There is something about having the ability to dramatize even the smallest detail with  overly flowery language. But, as with passive voice, I intend to use purple narrative judiciously. Throw a little in here or there-- especially in the obligatory water color moments.

The Doomsday Gizmo

My desire to write 50's noir grows. As does my thirst for true blue pulp. Well, as I mentioned on my Facebook page I'm working feverishly on my new story called The Doomsday Gizmo.  It will be a marriage of pulp action, noir and good old fashion fifties paranoia. It's funny before coming up with this idea, I was completely bereft of ideas. Now they are coming in on top of each other; each one  stronger than the other.