IN DEFENSE OF TRADITIONAL WESTERN FICTION by CHARLIE STEEL

This article was first posted in WWA Roundup Magazine April 2009. I am not sure if it later appeared on Western Fictioneers Blog or not. In speaking with Cheryl Pierson, she suggested I post it again. (I recall spending a great deal of time writing this article; hope you enjoy it).
Charlie Steel

There are many articles in magazines, on blogs, and on the World Wide Web that criticize traditional
Westerns and their authors. This is unfair. Certainly John Steinbeck would not be categorized very
well in any specific genre. That great writer also happened to pen some unforgettable Western
stories.

His writing is filed mainly in libraries and bookstores as Fiction. Readers and writers don't really think of him in
any specific genre, other than to judge his work as it stands.

A good well-written story is exactly that---a good well-written story. It stands alone separate from any labeling.
That holds true for Westerns as well. It is unfortunate that we cannot categorize all contemporary, historical, and
traditional Westerns as simply Fiction.

First, it is wrong for anyone, especially writers, historians, professors, and bloggers to publicly make suppositions
that the Western is in an unhealthy state. Its health is fine and will remain fine; it just no longer dominates the
media like it once did.

Most disturbing are statements declaring traditional Westerns as passé. It is repeatedly emphasized that writers
and readers should concentrate on contemporary and historically accurate Westerns written by living authors.
Some discussions seem to declare embarrassment of traditional forms and state they are tiresome, cliché, and
should no longer be promoted. Specifically, some writers today lament the fact that Zane Grey, Max Brand, and
Louis L'Amour seem to continue to dominate bookshelves, book sales, and Western author name recognition.

It is difficult to comprehend why current writers complain about the continued success of these three famous
Western authors. Envy is not an appropriate response to their vast achievements. Wishful thinking is not going
to rescind their continued fame or past triumphs. Negative pronouncements are embarrassing and conceited.
They show contempt and a vast lack of respect for the success of these three writers and their inestimable
contributions to the status of the Western. There is a reason why these three writers continue to dominate sales
and it has to do with their historical timing, talent, and marketing skills, and very little to do with luck. New authors
may someday reach their stature but will never replace them. Such iconic acclaim comes only from an equal
status in sales and public recognition. And, for most living writers, that will be a long time coming.

Authors of traditional fiction have the right to be recognized without ridicule, and to write in any form they choose,
so long as it is tasteful and a good story. The negative statements about writers of traditional fiction will forever
be out there in cyberspace and print, continuing to do damage. This creates an unhealthy separatist
atmosphere and is wrong for modern writers or groups to advocate one form of Western writing over another. It
should be recognized that traditional Westerns represent the very foundation of the Western.

The nearly exclusive interest in Westerns continues from the early 1900s until the 1960s. A shift in the focus on
traditional Westerns is not limited to books. When the movies and television were in their infancy, the primary
event in American history that entertainment portrayed was the conquering of the lands beyond the Mississippi.
The writer who can be attributed to that focus is Zane Grey, the man who primarily made the Western popular.
The concentration on the Western theme, first in the movies and then on television, slowly changed. Publishing
houses also followed this trend. This turn of events is a fact, nothing calculated.

This may seem like a quandary or contradiction, but it is not. Less exposure does not mean people throughout
the world are not reading or viewing Westerns---or that they ever stopped reading or viewing them. This just
means Westerns are not the predominate entertainment they once were. This is far from alarming. With the
massive growth in population, and proper marketing, there will be millions of new readers who will turn to
Westerns.

Money seems to be part of this argument. The one thing that all Western writers, contemporary, historical, and
traditional, realize with great lamentation is that the days of the $5000 short story sale to magazines, or large
book advances from publishing houses, are over. Across the spectrum of the publishing industry, the majority of
writers whose work is accepted must submit a marketing plan and outline of how they, the authors, are going to
promote their books once published. Only a very few writers are going to make a large amount of money in book
sales and residuals. Everyone else has to work for those sales.

Consolidation and harsh procedures of large publishing houses can also create obstacles. Writers are turning to
small publishers and to self promotion. Some handle book sales very well; others don't. This is a reality of the
publishing world. In this respect, Zane Grey, Max Brand, and Louis L'Amour had an easier time in gaining income
from their literary efforts. The end of that old publishing era is something to regret. On the other hand, writers
who partner or work with creative presses, buy back or publish and market their own books, can earn up to 70%
return on the sale of each book. A phenomenal salary potential has arrived in this computer age. This is
something that all Western authors should consider taking advantage of instead of lamenting the past.
Publishing and marketing are presently more fluid. Authors may have a book with a publishing house and
another they are marketing on their own. In either case, once greater renown of a title is achieved, a writer or
small publisher may or may not allow contracts with bigger publishing houses, (or larger book distributors) and
their work may end up on bookshelves beside the great icons. But, for most authors, this may not be where they
would receive the most reward for their efforts. Creative marketing with author owned books, and direct book
sales at special presentations, for many authors seem to have far greater income potential.

Grey, Brand, and L'Amour certainly established a deep seated connection with their readers by writing stories
that captured the reader's heart. In the first half of the twentieth century their stories dominated the printed
market. Their stories sold around the world and many were turned into film. They remained famous and their
work still sells because their stories contain themes and ideals that continue to appeal to readers. Rather than
turn their backs on these authors, contemporary writers desiring to reach their readers need to study and
emulate what these famous writers have done.

Jon Tuska writes in a forward to Tales of the Golden West: Book Seven (Five Star, 2006):
The greatest lesson the pioneers learned from the Indians is with us still: that it is each man's and each woman's
inalienable right to find his own path in life, to follow his own vision, to achieve his own destiny---even should one
fail in the process. There is no principle so singularly revolutionary as this one in human intellectual history
before the American frontier experience, and it grew from the very soil of this land and the peoples who came to
live on it. It is this principle that has always been the very cornerstone of the Western story.

Tuska maintains this is the reason Grey, Brand, and L'Amour continue to be successful because their writing
contains all of these elements. These writers made vast contributions not only to the Western but to all fiction.
Everyone can learn from their prose and descriptive writing.

The reason all three authors remain in print is because they wrote exciting uplifting stories that will never die. It is
the financial force of the readers that directs the publishers to continue to print books written by the three noted
authors. The writers may have passed away, but their literature has not; they breathed life into their Western
stories that continue to sweep the world over.

Unlike Hollywood scenarios, success for most of us will not come overnight. For some, it may come after death.
For the rest of us, we will have to be content with a series of books or stories in print and be gratified that we are
published authors. We write our stories as well as we can and look for a place among our peers. Not
unexpectedly, some do better than others. One of the most acclaimed living Western authors, Elmer Kelton, has
documented that it took a lifetime to earn recognition.

It is recommended that Western writers persevere, be supportive to ALL styles of tasteful writing, and make a
positive contribution in whatever form. We should be more conciliatory to all Western authors: contemporary,
historical, or traditional. Let posterity and our readership determine what happens to our work.

Addendum:
Since the writing of this article, digital publishing has taken over the publishing industry making it
much easier for writers to publish their own work. Now a writer can choose between submitting to a
publisher or to self-publishing digitally and in print form. Amazon.com continues to dominate this field. Also note: Since the writing of this article, Elmer Kelton has unfortunately passed away.



Historical Perspective of the Influence Three Icons Had on Literature About the West:

ZANE GREY, starting with Betty Zane (as a self published novel) was slow to reach the reading public. But Grey wrote very well and readers responded to his later books about the West. He nearly single handedly---during his lifetime---developed the Western for mass audiences, provided stories and scripts for the very first movies, and briefly owned his own movie studio which eventually became Paramount. In his time, he was incredibly famous and he earned enormous amounts of money---the first American writer to be so well-known and so well paid. For many years in the early 1900s, he explored and researched the West on horseback. He was the first one who scouted and filmed Monument Valley, even if the credit goes to John Ford who happened to make better movies at that location.

MAX BRAND (Frederick Faust) was born to write. He was a genius. His Western stories gallop across the written page at a furious and powerfully entertaining pace. He wrote like a madman, millions of words, and is attributed to have written 500 plus books under 19 pseudonyms and in many themes (genres) other than the Western. A letter recently received from a publishing house that prints his work indicated that Max Brand Westerns are being discovered by young readers and it is they who are becoming the new book buyers for his thrilling work.

LOUIS L’AMOUR wrote some fantastic books. Look at Reilly’s Luck, one of his best. His short stories are wonderful and a few of them would stand up to any writer in the world. For the skeptic, read Trap of Gold. This author is revered by loyal fans who have passed his books down through at least three generations. His unique ability to make the reader feel uplifted after reading one of his stories, perhaps accounts for his continuing fame.


Addendum:
Wikipedia estimates that Louis L'Amour has sold over 330 million books. That would make him not only the best selling Western author of all time, but also among the twenty top selling authors, from any genre, in the history of mankind.


Charlie Steel is the author of Fight for Wet Springs, Desert Heat, Desert Cold and Other Tales of the West, as well as many short stories.

Text Copyright © 2010 by CONDOR PUBLISHING, INC

LIVING WITHIN HISTORY: INTRODUCTION OF AN AUTHOR By Shayna Matthews

"LIVING WITHIN HISTORY: INTRODUCTION OF AN AUTHOR"
By Shayna Matthews

     The center within oneself does not begin with birth, but rather with the histories of those who have trod before us. To fully understand—to appreciate—who we are, we must examine their stories. Reflect on them, for they are the breath of past lives. Of our lives, yours and mine.

     This is my first blog for you, Western Fictioneers reader, and I thought to introduce myself. A feat easier said than done, for to understand who I am, one must be willing to glimpse within the memories of childhood. I was three years old in 1983 – the year I started living within history.

     My parents, with attire and camp accurate for the 18th Century, began taking me to reenactments throughout the east coast. We would camp, up to ten days at a time, in fields sometimes over a mile long. Imagine, as a child, a mile’s worth of valley nestled between mountain ranges, littered with white canvas tents. Our meals were cooked (and smoked) over a campfire, and we dressed in clothing accurate for the era. No modern conveniences, no matter what the weather. Those were the days of perfection.  I recall the days at Schroon Lake, with sandy beaches and broad lake, running and canoeing with my small band of Patriots, chasing Lobsterbacks through the fields and woods. Our play was imaginary, recreating forts from firewood, aided by sticks serving as muskets. A few of the lucky ones had replica wooden rifles with which to keep the enemy at bay. I wrote specifically about these memories, life-changing adventures, and impenetrable bonds in a story entitled “A Spot in the Woods” from the Memories From Maple Street: Leaving Childhood Behind” anthology.

     When we weren’t playing Patriots and Lobsterbacks, (the period edition of Cowboys and Indians), my dearest friend and I would catch grasshoppers in tin lanterns, or weave daisy chains for my hair. By day it was play, but when night fell across the campsite, and the soft glow of a thousand candle-lanterns and campfires illuminated the tee-pees and lodges scattered throughout the valley, magic happened. Friends gathered around the fireside, passing jugs, playing music, and telling stories. History came to life…I could hear the whispers of our ancestors on the wind, and in the crackling of another log fed into the fire. This feeling that settles over a camp after nightfall is the embodiment of everything I am made of. The adults would tell stories, and I would huddle in a wool blanket, nearly burning the soles of my moccasins in effort to keep warm, and sustain a comfortable silence…listening. The quieter I was, the better chance I had at staying up late. When my mother remembered to put me in bed, I would lie against the wall of the tent, ears trained to the stories told by adults when children were “asleep”. This is, coincidentally, where I gained the most valuable education of my life. Ahh, blessed be for the grown-ups forgot how thin the walls of a canvas tent truly are!
                                     
     In the modern world, I went to public school and suffered in silence. It was not so much an education for me as it was day to day survival. I was quiet, far-removed from aspects of childish peers and their relenting bullying. I survived, day to day, at best. Only at the reenactments did I dare to breathe...save for one thing. My grandfather, an avid western reader, began sharing his full collection of hardbound Zane Grey novels with me. Zane reeled me in from page one of Riders of the Purple Sage. The die was cast--my grandfather and I forged a tighter bond through the love of the Western. Zane was my daily escape; together we rode horseback through the desert sage. I latched onto the western classic films, novels and lifestyles.

     Over the years people commented about my quiet manner, little did they know I was building entire worlds within my mind, fed a little at a time, by their stories. Our tight knit group of friends raised me, educated me, made me who I am today. Who I am, is a writer. A storyteller, an author, photographer, weaver of period straps and sashes, a mother, an explorer, and a historian…of sorts. I weave history into fictional tales of the past. Westerns are my passion, and I strive to build characters who jump off the page, unconsciously teaching the reader a thing or two as they story progresses. Historical accuracy paired with a well-told story is a must, and the constant research to undertake such a strict point of view—what a ride! You never know what you will uncover beyond the veils of the past, what nugget of history will inspire you to write with the whisperings of your ancestors over your shoulder.

      I am driven by the sounds of spring peepers at dusk, and of wooden tent stakes being hammered into the ground. The scent of leather, horse sweat and campfire smoke sends me into a tailspin of memories, both sweet and bitter. The sight of a thousand lanterns, glowing faces in the firelight, it all reminds me that we are but one grand chapter woven into the coverlet of life. May we live with the grit, love and endurance of those who came before us, and keep the sparks of their stories alive. May we be known for the tracks we leave behind.

This is who I am. Who are you?

Written by Shayna Matthews, author of “The Legend of Venture Canyon” and “A Spot in the Woods”.

MY FATHER'S LIBRARY by CHARLIE STEEL

This is a quickly written piece to fill a void in WF Blog for today.

My father was a difficult man to describe, perhaps just like the many fathers of so many families in this harsh world. Mine was born in 1912, a very long time ago, and he passed away in 1998 at the age of 86.

In those days, long ago, reaching the eighth grade was for most young people, the culmination of their education. My father didn't go that far, instead he dropped out of school at age twelve to help support his family of a widowed mother and thirteen sisters and brothers. It was a small town and he supported them by cleaning out three different churches, milking cows, cutting firewood, delivering food, working in a bakery, and any odd job he was offered.

When he became a bit older (it was a very small town) he began helping others. Despite his own poverty, when he saw a child without a coat in the fall or winter, or without socks and shoes, he would go to a mercantile owner named Blumenthal and say, "See that kid over there..." an old man, Blumenthal would, on credit and at a discounted price to my father, give the item the child needed. I know this to be the absolute truth and for the rest of my life, my father performed such anonymous gifts of kindness. My father grew up being a very active server of the principles of the New Testament, but never in an intrusive or public way. The only exception, was that he loved to greet people at church on Sundays, to be the doorman and usher, and shake everyone’s hand on the way in and on the way out, saying hello to every man, woman, and child who would speak to him.

My father was a simple man but also a complex one. Had he the opportunity of an education, I am sure he would have made a terrific politician (an honest one). What he became was an oil field worker, a roustabout, a man of physical labor. All his life he was very muscular, very strong, and very fit. He used to show his bicep and say, "Feel that, can't kill me with a pickaxe!"

Strange for a physical laborer, was my father's love for the news, for reading, and for books. How he loved to sit and read a good book after dinner. Then, it was early to bed and early to rise, six and seven days a week, rising at five in the morning and returning home (when he could) around five or six at night. This continued until he reached his sixties and was seriously injured.

My father not only loved books but poetry as well, and later in life he collected and memorized poems and would recite them at a drop of the hat, at church, at gatherings, at a restaurant, in line at a store---and people stopped and listened---because father had that kind of magnetic personality. As I live and breathe, he made hundreds, thousands of friends by doing so. My father was a very well-liked man, all his life.

When my father courted my mother, he did so with books. Inside, he would put words of endearment and then he would cite certain pages for her to read and tell her, "This is how I feel about you."

But my father never lacked for words and he could spin his own tale and charm anyone, child, woman, or man.

This leads to the title of this short piece. Some of the collected books my father gave to my mother eventually ended up in a small linen cupboard, the linens having to be stuffed elsewhere. These books that survived (most destroyed by my wicked maternal grandfather---another true story) were placed there for my father to read and reread at his pleasure. When I was eight, against my father's wishes (thinking me too young) I discovered these books. Such authors as James Oliver Curwood, Jack London, Gene Stratton Porter, Margaret Mitchell, Zane Grey, and William MacLeod Raine, I found on those shelves.

From reading the first two novels, Zane Grey's Light of the Western Stars, and Jack London's Burning Daylight, I fell in love with literature, and believe it or not, went on to read four books a day for years and years and years, totaling well over 20,000 books consumed.

My father was an incongruity, a juxtaposition of two very different things, a workman and lover of literature. It's totally his fault that I went on to become a writer, and looking back over all these years, I realize that I loved my father very much indeed.

Western Writer Jerry L Guin

1.   What was your first Western novel or story and was it published?

My first western short story was “Caught Red Handed” published by Western Digest of Calgary back in 1995.

2.   What Western writer or writers of the past were the biggest influence on your work?

Douglas Sharp (Western Digest).  He not only critiqued my work but challenged me to do more.  He taught me to speak more western; for example, using (most likely) instead of probably; limit the use of ain’t in dialogue and cut down my use of commas.    “Write the way people talk,” he said.  Eventually Western Digest published seven of my short stories before ceasing publication.  That’s how I got started in western fiction. 

Robert J. Randisi took a chance and included my story “Likker Money” in the anthology “White Hats” in 2002.  That gave me a big boost.  I’ve been trying to equal it since.  I’m very grateful for that opportunity.

Harry Drago – I love his factual authenticity.

Louis L’Amour  - A true master of fiction.

3.   Is there a particular scene from a Western novel that was so powerful when you read it that it stuck with you? Perhaps has become a scene you've tried to live up to/equal in your own writing?

It wasn’t a novel.   It was the short story “Wine on the Desert” by Max Brand.   The whole story is full of intense drama, very effective.   

4.   What's the first Western you remember reading from cover to cover?

Zane Grey’s “The Thundering Herd.”  I was in high school at the time.

5.   Who is your favorite historical Western figure, and why?

Bat Masterson.  Despite the call that he was a quick draw artist and killed untold numerous others, I believe history shows that he only shot and killed one man, in self-defense, after he was wounded by the same.   Why do I like him?  He was a standup guy that would not back down from anything.  I believe that he did more good than his embellished gunslinger reputation shows.   Bat, like Luke Short, was not a tall overbearing man but his demeanor and undoubtedly no-nonsense facial expressions and eye contact, when confronted, helped to make others think things over rather than push to conclude the outcome.

6.   How much historical research do you do, and how do you go about it?

I read a lot both historical and fiction.  If it is old west 1850 through 1900 then I’m interested.  I use the internet and Wikipedia.  I read reviews.  I go to libraries to look up facts.  Haunting used book stores is a hobby that I’ll never get over.  My desk is littered with historical findings.   

7.   How important is setting? How important is it to get setting right? What's the best use of setting in a Western as far as you're concerned?

You have to get it right.  Setting is a difficult thing, if not impossible, to talk about if you’ve never been to that locale.  When reconstructing the past, I feel that it is my duty to at least get things historically correct even if it isn’t pretty.   All those John Wayne westerns filmed in Monument Valley made good setting. 

 8.   How do you choose where to begin your story? Do you use prologues?

I try to show who my character is and why he is there then build the story from there.  Prologues will certainly set the stage to time and locale.  I usually do not begin a story with a prologue.  

9.    Do you do all your research ahead of time, or as you go along?

Mostly as I go.  Each story requires different facts to support the setting.  The cowboy era was different than the gold rush of 49.  Both time periods had their share of miscreants but oh so different. 

10.   Which of your characters do you identify with the most, and why?  Was there a role model for this particular character?

Charlie Cox “Drover’s Vendetta.”  He is just an ordinary cowboy caught up in circumstance that inspires him to do things others would shy from.  With a little luck he becomes a hero by just doing what he feels is the right thing to do.  I don’t have a particular role model.  If I had a wish it would be to emulate Charlie.

11.   Do you outline and plot your story or do you write as the inspiration or MUSE leads?

I rarely outline a story.  I let the story lead me where it goes.  I usually have the beginning down pat and sometimes I know how it should end.   The middle is the tough part.  I am used to writing short stories; I write the whole story then edit to cut out the unnecessary.   If I am working on a novel then I have to re-adjust, slow the story down in order to tie all the pertinent facts together without giving away or hurrying up the ending.    

12.   Are you a conservative in your writing and stick with traditional ideas for your characters and plots or do you like to go beyond the norm and toss in the unexpected and why?

I write conservatively following history, for time and place, as close as possible.   My stories are set in the traditional old West.  Its fiction so anything imaginable is fair game.  The unexpected can be refreshing and necessary to the story as long as it can be made believable.  Some of the stuff coming out lately has to do with vampires or science fiction.  I’m not opposed to some of it.  I just prefer to write about things the way they may have been traditionally.   

13.   Do you need quiet when you write, listen to music, or have the TV on and family around?

I don’t mind noise.  I have been doing something, my whole life, while noise surrounded me.  I’m usually alone in the room when I write.  I can tune out what goes on in the house.  

14.   Have you experienced the "dreaded" writer's block and how did you deal with it?

When I was in the Navy I was aboard a destroyer.  The ship’s motto was “This Can can do.”  So whenever I think of writer’s block I just sit down; edit the story I’m writing to the point I’m stuck at.   It helps to go to the beginning; by the time I get to the stopped part I usually can pick it up from there.  Sometimes I’ll take a break from writing for hours or days even.  The story doesn’t leave my mind though and often a new inspiration allows me to just get in there and get it done!  

15.   Who is your favorite fictional character that you have created?

Colonel Ben Buffington in the short story “All the Water you Want” in the anthology Award Winning Tales.  He’s so full of it he impresses no one but himself.

16.   Who is your favorite fictional character that someone else created?

Tyrel Sackett.  Circumstance dictated his response.

17.   Do you address "modern" issues in Westerns? Racism. Feminism. Downs Syndrome. Mental disabilities. Genetic disorders. Sociopathy. Immigrant questions. Brutality. Pedophilia. Any more?

Brutality and bullying, in some way, are addressed in most of my stories.  I will mention other touchy issues if they can be put in a favorable light for the victim.  I’m still trying to learn how to do that.

18.   Have you found that being able to self-publish through Kindle and Nook that you find yourself writing more of what you want rather than what the agent, editor, and publisher wants?

Yes, somewhat.  It is disheartening to sit and wait on editors, hoping that you have a chance but often do not even get a reply other than a printed form letter.  I’ve a novel set in 1853 titled “River Whiskey” that has sat for over a year at a publisher without word one way or the other.   Self-publishing is okay but you have to promote the work yourself.  It is much more satisfying to successfully write a given assignment and then see it in print.  

19.   Do you make a living writing? If not, what is your day job?

I’m compelled to write but I guess I never considered that I could make enough to live off the proceeds alone.   I’m still learning.   My day job was as a wholesale lumber trader.  I was fortunate enough to work for three different sawmills and made a decent living for my family for 30 years.  I later managed a propane distribution plant for a few years before I retired.

20.   What are you writing right now?

A novel about an 1870’s cowboy who collects on a bounty then learns there has been a bounty put out on him in return.    

21.   What do you plan to write in the future?

Western fiction; both novels and short  stories.   At some point I will write a sequel to “Drover’s Vendetta.”

22.   What made you decide to write Western fiction?

I can’t get enough of the Old West.  Western history is our heritage.  I like to see how western fiction is imagined then put to life.  I began by trying out the magazine markets then short story anthologies and decided that I would like to give it a try and work my way into novels.   So here I am.