Showing posts with label Doc Savage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Doc Savage. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Lester Dent Rocked the Pulp House

 Fun with Fiction Formula

 

Craig McDonald   
Crafting a short-story using the plot formula attributed to pulp king Lester Dent. Back in the last century, Dent wrote a veritable oil tanker-load of fiction under various pen names such as Kenneth Roebson. 

You break down a 6k word short story into four 1500 word segments. Add an antagonist, the bad guy's goal, a good guy determined to stop him, but seemingly overwhelmed by the villain's resources. 

But the doomed hero wins out. Toss in a plot twist at the very end, sending the reader away with the warm feeling of not having squandered his time.

In a way, the Dent formula is like constructing IKEA furniture. First assemble all the parts, follow directions, and gaze with pride upon the finished item. 


 

 

James Bama

 

 

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