Before there were Kindles and eReaders, before mass market paperbacks, before serialized TV, and before comics, there was pulp. Pulp, named after the kind of cheap paper they were often printed on, started as comic book sized magazines and were available at newsstands, train stations, and bus depots. They were action packed, violent, and quick to read. These lasted through the 20s, 30s, and 40s, but then the format changed to paperbacks.

Today pulp is having a revival. It lives on as “Men’s Adventure Fiction” (or the Harlequin romance novels for women). The ethos is to write fast and publish often, cranking out story after story. Men’s Adventure Fiction writers are dedicated to keeping the form alive while providing the sort of stories men want to read.

(For a more thorough summary, read this article from thepulp.net.)

Pulp is a broad category which includes any action and adventure story, from Tarzan and King Kong, to Indiana Jones, The Mummy, Zorro, and the Lone Ranger. From Conan the Barbarian to Cthulu. Our modern story telling (think Longmire, Reacher, and even Yellowstone) all have roots in the pulps.

If you want to read more, check out my stories here. You should also check out the Men’s Adventure Fiction Podcast, thepulp.net, and Pulp, Pipe, and Poetry.