The Fantasy Authors Handbook Interview Xxi Tommy Hancock

THE FANTASY AUTHOR’S HANDBOOK INTERVIEW XXI: TOMMY HANCOCK Tommy Hancock is doing something nearly no one else has had the braveness to do: run a publishing company from the state of Arkansas. Though solely “geographically undesirable” from the point of view of the lumbering old large of conventional publishing, as partner in and editor-in-chief of Pro Se Productions, Tommy has put himself on the bleeding edge of the small press boom. Pro Se publishes fiction by authors like previous Fantasy Author’s Handbook interviewee Logan L. Masterson and yours really throughout an incredible spread of genres beginning with a foot firmly in the American pulp custom. Tommy Hancock Philip Athans: Define “fantasy” in 25 words or less. Tommy Hancock: In fantasy, something can happen. Noble heroes and monsters often abide, however fantasy can also reside on city streets and alien worlds. Athans: Define “science fiction” in 25 words or much less. Hancock: When truth grows into speculative knowledge and is woven right into a story we are both fam iliar with and new to, that is science fiction. Athans: Define “pulp” in . . . as many phrases as you like, and be happy to add a definition of “new pulp”! Hancock: There was a bunch of contemporary pulp authors a number of years back, myself included, that came up with a definition for pulp and I tend to use it as a common guideline: Pulp is plot oriented fiction that often focuses on some kind of conflict, normally runs at a quick clip, and often options excessive characters on each side of no matter equation is within the story. It’s additionally a mode that isn't afraid of descriptive words, colourful, sharp dialogue, and even being a bit purple. I think that definition suits New Pulp as properly, though I assume New Pulp tends to attempt to strike a balance between plot and characterization driving the stories. But put merely, pulp is a mode of writing. Some attempt to call it a genre, some a “format,” and so on. But for me, it’s a style of writing. Athans: I’ m typically requested by aspiring authors if they need to bypass conventional publishing and simply self-publish their work and I are likely to advise against self publishing. I see the e-e-book and POD revolution ushering in not a new era of self-published successes however a new era of small presses, so-referred to as “niche publishers”â€"is that a good description of Pro Se Productions? And how have these adjustments in the manufacturing and distribution of books helped or harm you? Hancock: Pro Se Productions might be finest described as a niche writer that has grown past where it started. Originally thought of an organization centered squarely on New Pulp, Pro Se has come to be considered a publisher of Genre Fiction, granted much of what we publish still being within the pulp type. Our books definitely run the genre gamut and a few are definitely extra “pulpy” than others. Pro Se tends to color “pulp” with a broad brush so far as the style goes and we’ve taken da ngers on concepts that different pulp outfits wouldn’t touch. Although not each a kind of has taken, we’ve had enough success with some pretty out of the box concepts that I’m comfortable saying that Pro Se is extra a style publisher than a distinct segment publisher, even when we’re simply at the beginnings of that. Athans: This is primarily a weblog for aspiring authors. What is the most common mistake that inexperienced authors make of their writing? Anthology on Sale Now Hancock: You’re in all probability in search of an answer from the technical side of things, the mechanics of writing. But my reply is confidence. Most inexperienced authors believe issues, and so they’re not all the time the same. Some writers have completely no religion in their work or their capacity to put in writing and this leads them usually to continually edit, rewrite, and never end to their satisfaction. Other writers imagine that each word they’ve written is a drop of gold from God’s m outh and nobody can change a single word or query their choices in punctuation, plot, or anything. I see each variations of the arrogance drawback often and unfortunately I’ve watched a number of promising creators either fade away in insecurity or burn up in their very own hubris and simply vanish. Athans: Besides an honest dictionary, and The Guide to Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction in fact, is there one e-book you think each author should keep close at hand? Hancock: No, however there are two. Every author should have his or her all time favorite guide close by. He or she must also have the worst book she/he has ever learn just as shut. Both of these will serve as reminders of what they like as readers and what they don’t like. And each of those ideas should affect all of us as we write. Athans: You and your group at Pro Se Productions have just lately launched into a brand new advertising push and you seem determined to get the word out on Pro Se itself, the books you’ ve published, and the authors you work with. That’s all the time been the biggest challenge for a small writerâ€"for any publisher reallyâ€"what can an creator do to help market his/her e-book, and what ought to he/she count on from the writer? Hancock: Every prospective creator I’ve ever met solely needs to talk about one thing: their story/guide/movie/comedian idea. That shouldn't change for authors just because their books are published. The method authors (and artists, for that matter) might help the most is to talk about their work. Share what they’ve accomplished in any way they'llâ€"on social media, at the coffee store down the street, on a radio station or TV present if they get the possibility. And they should never stop. Even if they end up publishing ten books, they should discuss all of them after they get the possibility with the same excitement they'd before their words hit paper and someone’s bookshelf. As for what an author should expect from a publisher, tha t is determined by the publisher. Pro Se, I really feel, has done more than many different small press publishers have by way of promotion and advertising, however I may also tell you we’ve not been in a position to do nearly enough. Some of that may be blamed on lack of money, limited time (none of us do that full time), and lack of knowledge. We’re taking steps to appropriate all of those and in the next few weeks and months, we’ll be continuing what has labored for us, advertising-sensible, and going a number of new instructions as properly. Will all of them work? No. Will some seem unusual and weird? Probably. But Pro Se might be taking steps to lift consciousness of the corporate itself in addition to individual authors and the titles that are the core of what we do. A Chick, a Dick, and a Witch Walk Into a Barn Athans: Do you read evaluations of novels you’ve printed? Have you discovered any evaluate to be significantly useful or damaging? Do you encourage the authors you're employed with to read critiques? Hancock: Yes, I learn every evaluation I can get my palms on. And each evaluate is both useful and damaging. The best critiques in the world at all times give me one thing to go back to that exact work and search for, to see if I see what the reader noticed. The worst critiques often are lifeless on about a lot of the points the reader finds, however all reviews give us one important piece of data. We study from every evaluation how a guide we’ve printed has impacted a reader. And that’s extremely important. So yes, I learn the critiques and I highly encourage authors to read evaluations of their work. Athans: The Pro Se Web website has a page titled WRITER’S WANTED! How open are you to new, as-but-unpublished authors, and what recommendation can you give aspiring authors submitting work to Pro Se, and then for some other publisher? From Pulp Publisher to Genre Publisher Hancock: Pro Se has had a status since we began for welcoming unpub lished authors and that gained’t ever change. Several of our upcoming titles are by first time authors. And the best advice I can provide any author submitting to any publisher, Pro Se or otherwise, is you should know the work of the corporate you’re pitching to. Not just know who writes for them or like their Facebook web page, however learn what they put out. Pick up a few books, download a few digital titles, whatever you should get a good feel for what the corporate you’re looking at puts out. Then submit. Athans: Where can people go to find out extra about you, Pro Se, and what’s coming up next for you? Hancock: The easiest way to sustain with all things Pro Se can be present in two locations. Our website is prose-press.com and you can like us on Facebook. The best method to keep up with me, although most of what I’m doing recently is Pro Se, is to seek out me on Facebook. Although I wax philosophical sometimes, my private Facebook web page is mostly pulp/Pro Se/writi ng targeted. Thanks Tommyâ€"and now everybody go purchase a Pro Se guide! â€"Philip Athans About Philip Athans