, 1874-01-18
WRITING For THE PRESS.

Almost every person who is known con-
trbutor to the prcsB receives more o: less often'
1etters like tho following: 81 am not earning
onouch to pay my expenses, and, TO make the
t.yo ends meet, would like to write for the
nrcss. Can YOU give me some hints ?" The
number of persons who, when at their wits ends,
in despair Of eking out living in any other way,
look to Journalism as q last resource,
IS LEGION.
The passionate appeals which are made per-
sona1lv or by letter to the naSing-editor Of
leading journal, beFeeching him to buy articles,
uine-tenths of which are utterly worthless. and
niucty-pine hundredths Of which conld not be got
into the paper, we're thcyeyer interesting, make
his place ANYTHING but q bed Of roses: Even in
the o|d-fashioned rcwspaper-establishme
vhare four or FIVE steep, dark, and dingy' stair
cases must bo climbed to reach the editorial
den. come would-be contributor, male or female,
may bo seen painting up the steps almost hourly
but in the modern Offices. in which the steam
elevator has placed all the floors on level tne
swarms OF writer's that beset tho MANAGER
coaxing, imp1oring, almost inslstlnS, that thelr
MSS. shall be used, gender his situation abso-
1ntey appalling. To ninety-nine out OF every
hundred Of these persons he must return
an MEMORABLE 40.
No wonld-bo contributor, however, dreams that
he is doomed to be one Of the ninety-nine; and
because II is useless, therefore, to begin with
Puneh's advice to those about to marry,
tspon't!" we offer the following suggestions:
First. consider we'll whether you have the
peculiar qualifications required IN newspaper
writer. Writing for the press has grown TO nc
IN art by itself; it is one whose rules and pr1n-
cples, like those OF music, sculpture, and paint
| ING. must be mastered by Intense, patient, and
persistent study by those who aspire to success
| 70 write q really good editorial or contribution
ia like scaling m Alp, which. in it's clea1nes8 OF
atmosphere, seems so near, and yet ls 30 1af anu
| SO inaccessible.
IT Is GREAT MISTAKE
to suppose that, because the greater 1ncludes
the less. the talents which qualify man to write
= first-rate book will maize him good article
| writer. Many IN author OF reputation
| who has reasoned TINS, has started OIL
| brilliantly in tho career Of journalism
| but. after q little smart writing
aod display OF bookish ability. has fallen ha'
md shamed his worshiperB." because he could
not seize aud condense the spirit and moral o
nasslne history. As Carlyle complains OF the
ncedle-women Of England, that there are seam
stresses fow or none, but botchers in abundance
capablo only Of 'sa distracted puckerinS ant
| botchipc.-not sewing, only fol1acious hope
it fond imagination of tho mind !" SO in liter
arv labor, especially journalism, it ia but TOT
trno that there are many botchezs. and fe7
skilled workmeu,-vcry little good artic]e-"11t
ing. and deal OF distracted puckeE1ng ami
botchinc." 1t ia true there is no mystery IN til
craft when we hare once learned it. as there
none in Walking on tisht-rope, turning douol
back -summereault, or vaulting through hoop
upon a running horse. The difficulty is
TO LEARN.
II may seem a very easy thing to trim bonnet
hut hundreds Of expert worknen. who can
things far more difficult md complicated, fa
utterly when they try to trim bonnet A ma
NAV be q brilliant review OF magazine wr1tel
and vet not show a particle of skill OF tact
conducting daily or weekly newspaper. It
o,a thing to elaborate an article at leisure
.with malice prepense and aforethouglt," i
one,s study, hedged in By books on every sid'
with other appliances and means to o'oS;
and quite another to cope with the hydrcstat
pressure tue prompt selection OF eallent polnt'
md the rapid. glaucing treatment OF them, oe
manded By 3 daily journal
Which. indeed, are the most popular pape1
OF the day? Is it the journals TINT are lille
, mainly with long and ponderous disqulsltlol
i that smell of the lamp; articles crammed wit
statistics. and useful knowledge Of the "penn.
magazine stamp, which it is more painful
: read than it was to write them2 No; they az
} almost without exception, those whose merit A'
? in condensation which, with full reports
news and limited number OF elaborate dlscn
I sions, give the npices rerum. the
CREAM AND ou1STEssEscE OF THINGS;
whose pithy paragraphs, squeezed INTO u
5 emaIlest possible space, may be taken IN bT tt
: eve willis the reader is occupied in discussing
9 cnn OF coffee, or devoured like sandwich b
,ween two mouthfu1s OF bread and butte
,s] These arc the papers which are sought for "i'
av;dty. and deyoured with keen relish Wh1s
Il ara nassed from hand to hand and read till thu
J arc worn out; and to serve up the spicy repa
s they furnish, is Sisyphan task which requlr
ceaseless industry and d peculiar combination
t,,a,ta which not one educated man in tho
sand possesses.
r T. is tho lack Of these talents and The ne
lect of these principles which explain the falin
of 80 many newspapers and newspaper-"rltel
The rock On which they split Ii lg'orance
g foroetfulness OF the very end OF ne"spape
- Tho first thought which should be uppermoss
q tho miud of every writer for the press ls tn
IA this map Of busy life" is thing not to be re
j. or studied, but to
BE GLANCED OVER.
T. 1-,a contents must be such rs at once to cat
Q fbo a+tantiou. Take care, then, at the beg'
ming. not to frighten the render By long Al
l. cle. Big guns make loud noise, but rite-ba
n often do the greatest execution. tremendo
A...ah+ r,,v ha narked into 4 small cOmpa