The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-02-03
GBTTInG INTO PRINT.
A Magazine Editors Useful ADVICE
to Young Writers.

In reply to the question, care per-
sonal introductions helpful to young
axthors?" an editor of one of the geat
magazines said the other day: There
ia 40 fallacy so great as the idea that be-
cause an editor is introduced to an as
piring contributor he will be more
favoraly inclined toward his work. only
speak. Of course, of my own case, bnt
I believe the experience of others in my
unhappy walk of life is about the same.
II were giving advice to young gu
thor, whose success I had much at
heart, should say: Prepare your man
US ript and have it copied by type
writer, and in readingit over you will
have almost the same sensation which
comes from reading proof-cold print
or cold typewriting q correct view OF
your works: if your corrections are
many complicated have it copied afresh
and send it to the magazine which to
your mind 1t is best fitted for. Don't
20 to q friend who knows the editor
and get letter of Introduction; it will
bore the friend, the editor, and even
Gually yOuTScll. IL yOO SuS6ccs tAo
value friend at court remember that
the editor has met this scheme thous-
and time. II means that you ask him
to make exceptions in your case against
his Judgment, and this annoys him to
begin with. If you want to sell firm q
bill of goods, you do not feel that you
need u letter of introduction to the
buyer, and an editor is in exactly the
position of one who is always buying
what he thinks is saleable. l have be-
come something of a cynic, l fear be-
cause / never make an acquaintance
without saying to myself, some day
this man or a friend of his will want
me to consider favorably' a manu-
script. l always feel that l make ten
enemies day but I confess l do not
see why an editor should be put in an
embarrassing position any more than
other business men who cannot posi-
bly, accept all things offered to him
even if the would be sellers have some
personal acquaintance with him."
Continuing in the same strain, this
editor said: "Mr. Jas Payn, a man of
the greatest experience not only as
writer but as an editor, who has filled
many important positions on periodi-
Gals, says in q recent article entitled
Getting into print:' Solomon tells us
that thsre is nothing new under the sun,
but he spoke from insufficient data.
When he enumerates the various
vanities to which human nature is sub
jscted he omitted to mention the desire
of seeing ones self in print, for that de-
sire was born good many years after
his time. The exact date is not known,
bus i. was probably not much after
1852, in which year printing was inven-
ted He goes on to speak of the most
universal characteristics of the race
vanity and of the young writer who,
being decorated with his first proof,
receives the congratulations OF bis
female friends and emerges from the
ruck of mankind and becomes an su-
thor. l believe if the vanity was re-
moved instead of receiving about six
thousand manuscript year, as We do
now, ne would not receive one thou
sand.
It is the opportunity of displaying
ones cleverness to ones friends that Ia
mainly attractive to the would-be au-i
thor; If it were not so he would write bee
cause he had something definite to say
and his satisfaction would exist In
writing and publishing it and not in the
glory it might bring him among his
small circle of friends. Editors are like
readers; they are attracted when they
are interested, and the moral of this
should be, therefore. Begin your story
in the FIRST paragraph. clothe your plot
only with the words which help to
tell the tale; attempt no by
play-only great writer's can do this
and be sure the interest of the subject
will last until the end. or you waste
your paper. A graf deal is said nova
days about magazines having enough
m aterial to last for years in the safe.
think there is great deal OF humbug
about this statement for il an editor
admits this he must admit that much
of this overstock is of little or no value;
but let this be as it may, you never
heard OF an editor refusing a really
good story or article on subject which
is fresh and of public interest because
his safe is full of manuscript. The
more good contributions offered the
higher becomes the standard-that is
the only result. "-Philadelphia Times.