The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-02-04
a,ey; TO write for Papers-Perspicuity
ksofntedneSs,a and 8rcviay fndssifsrfsia'
bic QMnlifios.

bic Qualities.
swirl YOU give me some hints in regart
to writing for the parers?' asked lrlcnt
the other dav. "Certainly," replied. will
nv wontcd suayity and if the professions
journalist does not think my suggest lon'
sensible, he will tuck them into his bHch'
basket lust as ruthlessly rs he dld tiose
articles YOU are so wisely seeking 10 liz.
prove. What q world Of nonsense ne Keeps
| Us from seeing! But to by hlli's: lar. var,
| I. Never write for the papers li,less .ou
h,u., something to say. Thoroughly soou
| ncwsDancr articles are only WFlilcn "Hcu I"
| man feel, " Necessity is la:d upon me yea;
| woe is unto me il | write not tnlS articie.
| IF Won have nothing to cay ny all MEANS s"S
| nothing. t,t ro,, ,,ovo
o. s,.. unless YOU are in your best mood. If
YOU were a minister should say 10 you'
cynIicitlv, "Never write for the papers on
NnnGay.n Those of us who gre not minis
tcrs have our " Mondays" though they often
come in the middle of the week. 1t is, |
have sometimes fancied, the custom of most
amateur Journalists to do their newspaper
work when they are too much jagged, men.
tally or physically, for "serious business
The minister. for instance, who IS OIL the
hooks so that he can't prepare sermon Tor
an audience of 500, rushes incontinently (or
would rush but for the buck.basketj before
an audience of 81, 900 or so. Ought this to he
thus?
3. Jot down the points that you wish to
make lat least mentally before you hegin TO
write, See the end of your article from the
beginning. II YOU have no points to got
down YOU have really nothing to say.
4. Put your points in the clearest and
sbarpest way possible. Don't cover them
m with verbiago. Let them stick out.
;. Say what you have to say in the feweSt
nossible words and simplest possible manner.
Never make use Of an allusion, quotation,
or figure of speech which does not dis.
tinctly promote the impression that you are
seeking to make.
6. Stop when you are done. That is, pos
sibly, the great secret Of the true Journalist.
He does not think that be must follow every
thing out TO its last analysis. He contents
himself with suggestive hints which his
readers are competent TO fo!leW out, and
love 10 follow out for themselves. He real
ICES, nowadays. articles are read and priced
in proportion 70 their brevi:y. Of editorial
matter: ...-
A two-column article has one reader in
one hundred.
A column and a half, one reader il Sc
twenty-five. .-..
A column article, one reader i'm fifty.
A threc-quarter column, one reader in
twenty-five ..,
A half column, one reader in ten.
A quarter column, one reader in one.
Boil yourself down, then, before you write
for the papers. ASK yourself with every
fresh page Of copy, cam l not really
through"
7. Cultivate viyacity of style AID variety
of expression. Abound in crisp, tersc, !
epigramnlatic sentences What Blair says
Of preachers is presGinently true of journal
ISIS" IInnsair frat duty is to interest their
audience" Here is where the "borD, not
made" comes in, ',t'g ia
8. Write always with a realizing sense OF
the fact that every. eentence-pay, every |
word--will be subjected to the seyerest |
criticism Of 10000 hostile eyes. Throw |
yourself into the attitude of cynical, cap
iious ;.,;-,..rrant adversary, and carefully |
c.iticise what you have written after it's cold.
You will he amused often to see what nom
sense YOU have writtcn-what loopholes you
have left invitingly open for attack, |
8. Be courteous, even when fealty to truth |
compels you to be severe. Remember that
you are gentleman, whatever the advocate
Of rival opinions may prove himself. Keep
out of controversy as far as possible. 1t |
rarely pays. Never, in any circumstances,
he betrayed into controversy With the edi- |
tor of a paper. he has got you too entirely |
at his mercy.
10. See to it that what you send to news
paper be Photographed, spelled, and capitalized
as it should be. Write on one side of small |
sized paper in neat, clear hand, and shun
Take time to spell out all
words that will have to be spelled out in the
paper.
II. Make up your mind to acquiesce cheeIsd
July to any disposition which the editaSs
IN his wisdom or folly, make Of 81 may,
i6H 70 one, his judgmen1sn 4 our articles.
6Ss - -! - 81 your lucubra-
- lnolS rs st@orlhy than yours. Ger
J. HE knows better than you quod deceit
as Cicero, Horace, and Quintilian would
sayl-that il. what hits the very highest