The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-11-11
Newspaper Writers.

| fDor World
The complaint has gone forth that the every
lay young men Of the press, and some OF tho
Id ones are "color- blind" They miss in their
lightly toll that subtle flavor, that graphic
duality, that aroma Of description, which is beat
abelod scolor"
While the justice OF this complaint is freely
omitted by the editorial profession, they
claim that outsiders cannot possibly estimate
the difficulties which lie IN the way of secur-
ing news writing Of uniform descriptive excel
ence. Tho man who can write correctly, con-
ciaely, rapidly, and graphically, docs not null
tiply himself to any great extent Tho first
then Of these qualities arc indispensable in
daily, and indeed periodical work; the latter
is certainly very desirable. But when one has
to keep time with his :pen TO the modulations
of the press in the basement while it runs of
the first half u the paper, he does not pause
very often or long in the hope of drawing "tho
aroma of description" from the bottom of his
pikstand, as it were. There are many men
who, while they even do excellent work if left
to their own time and way, notably fail when
:hey attempt to provide music for press that
raus seven nights in the week. The bost
newspaper style il not formed in day or
yer. Surprising young man just from col
lyS', joins the press gang" of first class
OiI"' The words Of his commencement stage
| Il. .,ud arc still ringing in his ears and they
Ir.':s,ont his highest ideals Of style He IL
! g "cr 10 produce them IN all editorial; for he
| l,ri- down on mere gathering as be-
h.. tlvH htf.l. tutn ~ lnnts 0a
| himself, and does not always remember that
t..'ra j. 40 present vacancy in the chair OF
managing editor. He would not be human
| l. .H failed 10 work considerable "hightalu
| '.' ip.p HE items which he writes. The mex
o,Hbts hiuo pencil cuts all OF this out, and the
You, Ia soon settles down to hard facts and tho
hC,iness Of his own department, coming in
tEo 10 have horror of dorid newspaper
J.. hsh" Then comes tho danger that ho
viii go 10 tho other extreme and his work be-
come devoid of all color, on the same princl-
Pc tuat the traditional Yankee, once noted for
a ,kiHS questions while abroad, now travels
with his lips so closely sealed that the natives
have hard work to find out what no j. like
Bat il the beginner has anything in him he
will gradually learn his forte and come to
wnlyc into his work q color Of his own that Is
Il the more acceptable for its originality.
Hhe man who sees u thing well can usually
lcs rho il well Habits Of close observation
AID o wr.I-tralaed memory make up tho toun
tlioa. Of success of all brain workers And
IT,. journalist who can store up any bit Of
DIR i.c may chance upon for instant use
when il is most needed, is fortunate, indeed
ne is like tho lawyer, who, when he was con-
calculated on the exceeding appropriateness
% "a story he had told jury replied: "Oh,
we'll, | have been waiting fifteen years for a
nance to tell that story" And doubly fortu-
NJ ,ie il tho news chronicer who, seeing and
remembering events well, also SENSES their
cor Get relations to each other
1f.at the tone of our periodical news writ
& 10 improving no one will deny The quail
y al The men who devote themselves TO it is
c'.,1aatly rising, both as regards character
= olucation. The reporter il growing
, YET, and he will yet come to stand on par
y .. l,ro b'st of editors. Indeed. he should be
I..'r 20 p,sy the editor at sny mo.nan5, and
q, %. a. allowed but expected to MAKE ed
lori i comments on the events which are oc-
earring in his own field