The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1874-01-29
Writing for the Press.


Lecture delivered before the Jackson County
Teachers Association, by w. d. Phillips, Nd-
tional Normal, Cincinnati.l
Be SURE YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY 1t
is fact worth noting. that the number
of persons who annually attempt to rush
into print" is greater than the aggregate
editions of books, magazines, and papers
in the United States. 1t is safe to say,
that for every article accepted, three are
rejected The different editions alone of
books, magazines and papers,-to say
nothing of the number in each edition,
or the circulation, amount to 225 900
copies annually. To make the compari-
son as favorable as possible, we leave out
of our calculation the number of articles
in each publication. We have then 675,-
600 rejected manuscripts. That is an
enormous mass of verbiage, tremendous
waste of brain and nerve forcel The
paper is not quite total loss-being
worth four cents a pound. The ink,
probably, is the most serious loss. What
we mean by something to say" is, lst
Ideas, not words merely. I'd. Facts, not
falsehoods of the Imagination. 3D. FTc-
ton that is founded on Fact. 4th. Truth,
which is stranger than fiction; and the
writer of fiction has yet to learn this.
5th Neacs items, bristling with points
9th Illustrations, drawn from everyday
life. 7th. "IHOughts, that breathe and
words that burn.
WRITE ONLY ON ONE SIDE OF YOUR PAPER.
This may seem extravagant, but to do
otherwise is false economy that defeats
itself 1t is most convenient for the COM
positors They make better time fewer
mistakes, and are less liable to leave out
a paragraph or a page. All the time
spent in making corrections, over-run-
ming pages, is lost to the typo" and ought
to be charged to the writer who is virtu-
ally. responsible. In closing up a para
graph or chapter, it is absolutely neces-
sary at times to divide page of manu-
script. If it is written on both sides, it
is absolutely certain that there will be
break in the matter set up, and it will
not likely be discovered until a number
of pages have been made up. Again.
the printers are not gifted with more
virtue, grace and knowledge than the
average tradesman. They need all the
favors they can get in their business. An
editor of a country paper frequently has
occasion to say-"Thanks to Mr.. David
Reynolds of Jefferson township, for a
choice dish of catwaba grapes. We pub
lish in another column his views on
Grape Culture" Ask the printer who
set up that article what kind of copy it
was, and he will say that, 'if David Rey-
nolds knew one-tenth as much about
writing for the press as he does about
Grape Culture he would stand better
chance of getting to heaven
NEVER USE LEAD PENCIL.
A letter of friendship written with a
lead pencil is gross insult, and is in
variably accompanied with an apology.
Reports of religious associations are near
ly always semitic the printer, written with
q lead pentil, interlined, erased, defaced
by rubbing the sleeve across it, by carrying
it in the pocket, or by a journey through
the mall until it is absolutely heathenish.
And moreover the printer is asked to do
the work at so per cent. discount from
regular rates 1t may be all right when
it leaves your hands, and it may do great
good in the world, but wish that religious
associations might hear for once the bene-
diction of the compositor who set up
their report. Write in black ink on plain
white paper.
ABBREvIATIoNs AND ERASIoNs.
Abreviate only those words that you
wish the printer to abbreviate. If you do
otherwise he will use his own Judgment
and taste, and most likely, spell every
WOfu OUT IN lulli IHuS auuinS TO bue cOSG
of composition. 1t is bad taste, false
economy, and if the typo would follow
copy strictly you would be amazed at
your own folly in print OF course the
printer must take the blame. Never
erase with lead pencil. A doubt is
raised at once as to the propriety of it.
Use ink, drawing your pen horizontally
through the words to be stricken out.
Don't erase one word or letter too much,
or too little 1t is best never to erase or
interline but to rewrite the words and
paste them over the ones to be erased.
if YOU must erase or change a word, try
to substitute another of the same length.
WRITE PLAINLY AND LEGIBLY.
That is to say, use no Hourishes or
doubtful characters. Your hand writing
is good index to your character. While
the TYPO" is lodging around your -four
ishes or skirmishing with your cramped
and nervous scrawl, he is reading you
like book The same thing guides the
business man who advertises, From fifty
answers to his advertisement he will un-
erringly select five or ten perhaps, with
no other guide than the hand writing.
There are exceptions to this rule Ne:v-
Gus or paralytic affections, are the princi-
pal causes Those who never learned to
write are not included in this class,
. ifar