Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-10-15
ADVICE TO A YOUNG WRITER
sleep and Food the Essentials of Liter
airy Mans Life.


ary Mans Life.
This department is little over
| crowded just now. at time when every
man who has learned to read and
write, and is not under contract to tell
war stories bv the mile, is writing col
umns of instruction to other literary
people. Telling them what how, when
and where to write. But these instruc
tons appear to miss all the vital points
to which now direct the attention OF
all people who aim to excel in literary
work.
A literary man requires great deal
of sleep. So does his readers. lie the
| author can sleep ten hours a day. his
readers, under the law for the proven
to eleven And they ought to take it,
too, every time they pick up his book.
OF all things, the author should be
careful of his brain. 1t should not be
used at all for twelve hours before
going to bed, nor between meals. In
writing for the stage, should the work
in hand be an American society drama,
the brain OF the writer should not be
used at all. Then the people who go
to see the play will not have to use
theirs either. if they are foolish enough
to take them to the theater with them.
In writing tragedy, great care must
be taken in the selection of good
stage carpenter. after which the autho,
| may go to sleep.
About an hour and half a day il
as long as any literary man should
work. You should rise some time in
the morning, nibble a few biscuit and
down cup of coffee. and then so back
to bed and think until you fall asleep.
Then rise agan and take a good hearty
breakfast. After breakfast do not ga
to work, but lie on your back on the
sofa and read until luncheon is an
nounced. A literary man or woman
requires a great deal of food. After
luncheon walk around in the garden
or swing in a hammock, or recline in
an easy chair until dinner time, say
three o'clock Avoid sudden exertion,
it is apt to develop heart disease. Do
not attempt to do any work immedi-
ately after d nner Go to your room
and lie down. Ii you are smoker a
good cigar before your nap will do no
harm, ii YOU will be careful to smoke
another one Immediately after it. '.Af-
ter the nap or the cigar?" Both. my
SON. You should now rest until tea
time, at SIX or seven o'clock, If you
have any regard for your health you
will do no literary work between tea
and supper time. 60 to the theater
and enjoy a nap, or lounge about the
house, or lie down and rest little. If
you feel bit hungry light luncheon
will not spoil your supper. In fact a
LIZ
in this matter of revictualling Nicsies.
ALWAYS keep pot of coffee or kettle
of clam chowder, or some beef tea, or
some hearty soup sizzling on the stove,
ready to YOUR hand and mouth at a
minutes warning. Always lie down
and rest after eating anything. Supper
should always be eaten just before
going to bed Something hearty and
substantial for you have had wearing
day. For your LIES sake do not
do any work after supper, but go
right to bed and try to get little rest.
If you feel wakeful during the night
get up and take little nourishment.
You can not expect to write with a
starved brain. And bear in mind, that
to the literary man, sleeps as essential
as food. Eat as much as you sleep.
But" you say, ''alI this eating and
sleeping does not leave me any time for
writing
my SON, you have the ear marks OF
genius. | didn't think there was SO
much in you"
And newspaper men, you say. Oh,
well, if you want to be a newspaper
man. you must learn to eat on the run.
work eighteen hours day and devote
the rest of your time getting rid of
your salary. I thought you only wanted
to be journalist or something of that
sort.-Burdette. IN Brooklyas Eagle.