The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1889-01-26
HOW SOME BOOKS SUCCEEDED.



At one publishing house IL was said that the
greatest success In American authorship were the
two books "Uncle Toms Cabin" and ben Hur."
Mrs. Stoves book sold about 100000 copies and
Melted her at least $4,000, while General Wallaces
religious novel sold over 100000 copies at 81 so,
and brought him about $4,000 "Ben Hur" did
not sell well for q year or two. IL has been said
that its popularity was started by the remark Gen.
eral Garfield Ia said to have made-that he gave
Mr.. Wallace @ foreign mission because he had read
his book Ii Is not fair, the publisher thought to
ascribe the success of merit to any such thing.
such great book would make its way without
any help. Ii would be q slow process, perhaps,
but 1t would be just as sure in the end.
Gladstone's magazine article about "Robert Els
mere' FASTENED the of that work but ii had
to he anyhow One lady would have read IL and
told another, and both would have told other
ladies and men, and SO the sale would grow. "You
might well ask me-" said the publisher, whether
IL would be worth your while to write a book If
you were a second Charles Reade, as TO ask me how
to make Ben Hur' or Robert Elsmere' sell we'll
Both are things that can't be stopped. III you
q Charles Reade nothing could stop you writing
books and nothing could stop their selling. Merit
is masterful 1t forces every thing before IL. Just
30 Is the answer TO the question: Does 1t pay to
write novel; No, if the novel Is not great yes,
IL 1t is great. 1t pays Howels, it pays Mrs. Bur-
nett, il paid +. z. Roe"
This publisher was reminded that novel writing
can scarcely be said to pay Mr.. Howells Without
his retainer OF $4,000 year from Harper Broth
his income outside from royal ties on his books
would not suffice for him to live like gentleman.
With this guarantee of $4,000 and his habit of
writing books and short stories to be colated into
books he does we'll and yet not so well as to tempt
a from commercial life to become another
Howells for ii is hard work this writing of nov
els Some light thrown on what Is called
the phenomenal sale of Roe's books. An edition of
900 of one of his books sold on the in
paper at fifty cents a copy. This has always been
discussed remarkable. AS matter of fact, II Is
talked of in the publishing trade simply novel
form of advertising The cheap book was put out
with list of ROes other books in the back at
$l.50 each to introduce that author to new readers
and to tempt them to pay the full price for other
books from the same pen.
Another piece of gossip Is to the effect that Wal
lace's first book, "a Fair God" did not make any
impression the reading world until "Ben Hur"
came out and carried 1t along in its train. Amee
Rives hanler is credited in the trade with having
been brought to the surface by Thomas Bailey
Aldrich in the Ahdntic-an institution where
manuscripts said to be actually read and where
there is continual search for new talent 1t Is
conectured that Miss Rves Is yet to make money.
The rumor is that she did not get more than
81 500 out of "The Quick and the Dead" Mrs.
Burnett on the other hand, is believed to be GER
tain of $4,000 year, beginning with year ago
and ending no one knows when.