The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-09-20
Magazine Writers.


The other day | observed statement
that Bret Harte had made an arrange
ment with the proprietors of the Allan
TIC, by which he was to receive $l2,OOO
year for twelve articles to be con-
tributed-one a month--to that maya
zine. venture TO say that the founda-
ton for this story is very slight. The
atlantic people are not inclined TO pay
any such price for contributions and,
though they gave Mr.. Harte a very ex-
travagant rate last year to write ex-
clusively for their periodicals, neither
they nor he, understand, were satisfied
with the engagement, and both were
glad to discontinue it at the close OF
the twelve-month. The literary men
ard women who have written exten.
sively for certain publications have, so
far as | know, been much pleased at
| the expiration of the time of THEN con-
| tract. They say that they always feel
not only cramped and confined, but as
| If something extraordinary were ex.
pected of them. They lose, to a large
extent, the stimulus and motive for
composition, and feel convinced that
under the circumstances they cannot
do their best work.
One Of tho most desirable engage
ments follower of the quill can make
Il have long been looking for just such
one, is to be restricted 10 single
publication, and not TO write even for
that. Were | immensely wealthy, and
phil inthropic at the same time, / should
certainly buy up, in this way, many in
dustrious and conceited scribblers, who,
in season and out of season, infiict their
productions upon a patient and long
suffering public.
To return to the atlantic. 1t is not in
the habit Of bestowing any such mu-
nificent price upon authors as that asso
ciated with the name of Mr.. Harte.
The highest rate which it allows to its
most favored contributors, like Emer-
son, Lowell, Holmes, and others, never,
if | am rightly informed, exceeds $3.50
an article, while 800 is regarded by
them as handsome figure for a first.
class contribution.
Few things are more delusive than
writing for the magazines, unless one
likes TO write for pleasure, which as
suredly is not the feeling of profess
sional. her almost every day ambi
tious desire. and rash menaces 10 make
livelihood by this sort of labor. The
livelihood so made would, | opine, be
meager and unremunerative indeed.
In the whole country there are not
more than eight or ten monthlies, and
of these only five or six are really pros
porous, and capable of purchasing man
uscripts at fair rates.
1t is hardly possible, under the most
favorable circumstanc to get more
than three printed year in any one
perio iical so that, at the very highest,
fifteen would be the amount Of achieve
ment. The contributions would not
average more than $50 apiece-in all
probability not so much-and conse-
quently their authors would realize
81 200 per annum. He or she who
should have fifteen articles a year in all
the magazines would seem to be per-
petual scribbler, and however we'll they
might be written, might provoke hostile
criticism from their frequen y.
question if anybody has any such
number printed, and | am sure that the
majority of Hherot>urS who are consid-
cred regular contributors TO the month
lies do not usually earn $1,000 or even
5000 per annum in that particular field.
can't see how any one not lifted above
daily wants and weekly needs can afford
10 pursue literature save as recreation.
Whenever | hear man talk Of living
by his pen, outside Of a journalistic po
sition, | have shuddering suspicion
either that he ID vaporing, or that he
has found some extremely economical
method Of supporting eXistence.-BoS-
ton Cor. Chicago Tribune.