Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-06
MAGAZINE MANUSCRIPTS.
Precious Few Of Those Hopefully sent I'm
Ever Get Read.

Precious Few NJ Those Hopefully Sent In
Ever Get Read.
Il have had something to do with the busi-
mess of story writing IN my time. both mr. a pro-
ducer and as a judge Of other peoples worL. -
said a man of letters to a writer for THE STAR
The latter occupation I finally abandoned.
because the labor of inspecting manuscript
contributions in bulk was too wearing don't
think it is found particularly SO. NJ a rule. by
readers for magazines. because they neglect IT,
Often it is impossible that il should be other
wise. One great monthly in New York CITY re-
ceiyes 100 manuscripts every week in the
year. III Its reading staff were multiplied by
SIX proper examination could NJ: be given to
them all. As il is il Is the exception that is 40
fortunate to be looked Mt.
Persons send contributions TO the big maya
zines with the notion that they will be read.
They are victims of a delu-ion. usually. L. vino
have seen the inside works of such concerns Say
it, The task Of getting through the va, number
of manuscripts submitted is 30 hopeless that
little more l. attempted with the great major
ity than TO return them. ordinarily after many
days. III YOU are at all known by reputation
Your Offering is likely to be inspected. hat not
otherwise.
GEO. W. CABLES ExPERIsn.Nr
''Games have often been tried upon the great
monthlies for the purpose of seeing whether
author. published the results If a few such ex-
periments of his own awhile ago. n. sent two
or three of his stories. under assumed name
the rounds of the New York magazines. Thry
were refused by every one-found not ayaila-
ble'-whereupon he dispatched them over his
own signature and they were promptly ac-
cepted Before he achieved hIs reputation he
unable &c secure the printing Of many OF
the tales which have since come % be regarded
as classical Poison JOne WIS hawked about
the metropolis in vain; Hut an editor would buy
it, IL was tits early experience which led Mr..
Cable to his subsequent experiments. the resul;
of which pointed TO the conclusion that CON
tribution offered 10 one of these monthliss had
scarcely the slightest show upon its merits M
less a known name was attached TO il.
Several years ago. when Il altogether
unknown, ] myself used TO try some little tricks
upon the magazine readers, such AZ putting
the smallest possible daub OF glue between two
Of the pages of my manuscript or turning one
of the leaves upside down. Invariably upon
the return of the contribution would lind the
two pages still stuck and the turned leaf ~ he
fore, proving that il had really not been an
spected. Ii was Encouraging. though not 80
much so az 10 suppose that my work had been
fairly read by an expert and pronounced not
worth publishing. lou may try the trick your-
self and you will find that il will goevery time
Bull II THE TITLE
"On one occasion sent n story to a certain
important monthly entitled The CRYSTAL Ball.
The editor returned il with the usual thanks,
saying: We are sorry 10 find that your couiri-
button called The Cheerful Bull is not avail
able for our purposes. IL reminded me Of the
famous translation of '1riste Lupus by a
class mate 81 Tom Brown at Rugby, as The
Sorrowful Wolf
Il wish 1 could remember all the funny
things 1 came across in the manuscript snb-
mitted to me for perural when Tor time
served as reader for n magazine. There was
one story that reached it, dramatic climax
when the hero and his family were besiseed in
wooden cabin by Indians. The sayages sew
eral hundred IN number. had lighted fire all
around the dwelling and were breaking in
through the roof with axes. At this critical
juncture the hero remarked, thoughtfully:
Ny Godi Ii is time that escaped