The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-02-07
CRUSHED CONTRIBUTORS.
a Reasonable Talk to Writers of Rejected
Articles for the Press.

A Reasonable Talk to Writers of Rejected
Articles for the Press.
There Is constant complaint from
new and ambitious writer's that they can
not get proper hearing in the maya
zines and newspapers. They send their
wares TO one market after another only
to have them repeatedly declined; and
out of these successive disappointments
they evolve the belief that there is
conspiracy against them on the part of
the editors who thus complacently dis
pose of their pretty dreams 1t seems
impossible to them that there can be
two opinions about the value of the pro-
auctions to which they have devoted
so much time and thought.
Now and then, to be sure, they re-
ceive nice little notes from these
vailed autocrats, commencing their
work and regretting that it is not avail
able, and that simply strikes them as
insult added to injury. If their manu-
scripts are really worth praising, they
argue, why are they not worth buying
and publishing? The inconsistency of
the thing is palpable, from their point
why editors should take the trouble to
disclaim sincerity in such deliberate
and conclusive way. They see material
used by these same editors which they
are sure does not surpass theirs in lit
erary merit. Perhaps they detect some
of their own ideas in the accepted con-
tributions; and it is difficult for them to
avoid the conviction that they have
somehow furnished fuel to boil the pots
of lurking and favored competitors.
In certain sense, these Industrious
poets, essayists and novelistS are rot to
blame for harboring the feeling that
some sinister influence is at the bottom
of their numerous disappointments.
They are often right when they think
that their efforts are at least equal to
the average of those that find purchas-
ers. Many of them do really good work,
and it is no wonder that they are sur
prised and chagrined when it comes
steadily back to them. But they do not
understand the conditions which oper-
ate to their disadvantage. They are on
the outside, and the controlling facts are
on the inside. 1t is not impossible for
them to realize the circumstances
under which their manuscripts
are necessarily considered. They
do not know how many other people are
capable of doing work as admirable as
their own in every respect, and how
little out of the abundance of such mat
ter that is offered the editors can make
place for. 1t is possible that the best
choice is not always made; but when
mistakes of that kind are made they are
not intentional. So when editors write
complimentary notes they are actuated
by honest motives, and mean just what
they say. They can not furnish an ex-
PLANTATION in detail; but they do the
next best thing, and may safely be
taken at their word when they assure
contributors that given productions,
though meritOrious, are not available.
The whole matter is one of demand
and supply. There is no sentiment in
1T and no discrimination except on strict
business lines. The editors are not less
anxious to buy good things than con-
tributors are to sell them; but they can
utilize only a stipulated amount, and
that is very small in comparison to the
quantity from which the selections are
made. During recent years there has
been wonderful increase of the writing
habit in this country. The time was,
and not very long ago, when the people
who could perform literary service of
reasonable merit were exceptional,
whereas they are now plentiful in every
section. This causes over-production,
and the multiplication of manu-
scripts that truly deserve praise is
greatly in excess of the wants of the
editors. A thing of superior quality is
certain to be taken at a fair price, no
matter where it comes from. But liter
airy miracles are scarce, and the editors
must accordingly purchase what they
need out of what they find in the mar
ket-not all that meets their approval,
but only so much of it as is essential to
their purposes. They give preference
to writers of established reputation,
naturally enough, for reasons of a
practical sort, which prevail in every
business; and beyond that they do their
choosing with trained intelligence and
degree of impartiality that leaves no
just cause of omplaint.-St. Louis