The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1885-10-23
ADVICE TO A YOUNG WRITER.
Sloep and Food the Essentials of a Liter.
ary 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 ST, les 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-
tions 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 a great deal
of sleep. So does his readers. If the
author can sleep ten hours a day. his
readers, under the law for the preven-
ton of cruelty to animals, are entitled
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 wo k
in hand be an American soc ETY. drama,
the brain OF the writer should not be
used at all. Then the people who 60
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 author
may go to sleep.
About an hour and half day is
as long as any literary man should
work. You should rise some time in
the morning, nibble few biscuit and
down a cup of coffee, and then 60 back
to bed and think until you fall asleep.
Then rise again and take good hearty
breakfast. After breakfast do not go
to work, but lie on your back on the
sofa and read until luncheon is an
nounced. A literary man or woman
requires great deal of food. After
luncheon walk around in the garden
or swing in hammock, or reclne in
an easy chair unit | dinner time, say
three o'clock. Avoid sudden exertion.
Il is apt to develop heart disease. Do
not attempt to do any work immedi-
ately after dinner. Go to your room
and lie down. If yol 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 cigarp" Both, my
! son. You should now rest until tea
lime, 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. Go to the theateI
! and enjoy a nap, OF lounge about the
,, house. OF lie down and rest little. il
!. you feel bit hungry light luncheon
will not spoil your supper. In fact {
! terary person can not be too careful
in this matter of revictualling Mics cs
Always keep a pot of coffee or II kettle
of clam chowder, or some beef tea, o
some hearty soup sizzling on the stove
: ready to your hand and mouth at ;
and rest after eating anything. Suppe
going to bed. Something hearty ant
, Substantial for you have had wearing
/ day. For your life's sake do no
do any work after supper, but g,
right to bed and try to get little rest
, If you feel wakeful during the nigh
, get up and take little nourishme 1T
You can not expect to write with
starved brain. And bear in mind, tina
to the literary man, sleeps as essentia
as food. Eat as much as you sleep.
But" you say, ''all this eat ng am
sleeping does not leave me any time TO
writing"
!. MY son, you have the ear marks c
{: genius. l didn't think there was S
: much in YOU"
"And newspaper men," you say. OF
D well, if you want TO be a newspape
J man. you must learn to eat on the rur
. work eighteen hours day and devot
!, the rest of your time getting rid {
J your salary. thought you only wan c
n to be q journalist or something of thf
). sort --Burdette, in Brooktuat Eagle.