The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-05-29

comes assistance and suggestions. but. my
young friend. you who are about 10 senu
out your first manuscript let me tell you
one truth: An editor can stand q tremen-
dous amount of letting alone Send MIN
what you like in the way OF manuscript,
but don't bother him with unnecessary
documents that count with him Just aDout
as much as does water on q duck 8 Dack.
HOW MANUSCRIPTS X READ.
A manuscript sent to an editor gains
nothing by the letter of inroduction which
accompanies il. No matter what may be
said in praise of an article, it must stand
or fall on its own merits. 1t will receive
not a particle moro attention by
having something tackled to 1t.
Despite all the rubbish written TO the
contrary. manuscripts sent to the maya
zines of to-day are, In every case. read. ire
ousntIy more carefully read than the an
thor imagines or ever knows. Editors
know that, from the stand point OF policy
alone, IL Is unwise TO return a manuscript
unread. Literary talent has been found
in many instances where II was least
manuscript received by a magazine is read
from first page to last. There Is no reason
why it should be SO. The title of an ar
ticle sometimes decides the fate OF o manu-
script. IL the subject discussed is one en-
tirely foreign to the character of the maya
zine, IL 10 simply o case OF displacement
ON the authors part. 1t would be foolish
for the editor to waste his time reading
something which he knows from its very
character he cannot use. This, of course.
applies more To articles than to other
branches of literary work. although suit
ability or merit in a poem is as quickly de-
unpromisiDg they may appear at
the beginning. are generally. read
through. since gold In q piece of fiction has
often been found almost at the close. This
manuscripts In editorial Offices is fixed by
rules, and an authors Endorsement, an
editors recommendation or q friends
Judgment, never affects the custom. SO
far as editors are concerned, have always
held tie theory that there should exist
between them an unwritten law providing
against the giving of letters of intro
duction or recommendation OF writer's to
each other.
The influence which SO many young
writers consider as valuable to their work
is. as a matter of fact. utterly worthless.
Editorial respect is far more speedily won
suspicious OF q manuscript which carries an
Endorsement with 1t. He at once con-
cludes that it probably needs it.
and. as q rule, it does. And even In
instances where this Influence" is
worked to success 1t is never lasting. The
first manuscript may be accepted. If the
editor thinks IL a good business point not
TO offend the recommending author or
n IIlcDQ, Dub Tic 6ecOuQ mauuecIlpt IdTeS
differently. and such success is decidedly
temporary. The circumstance surrounding
the first manuscript Is liked In the editors
mind, because be remembers how grudg-
ingly he accepted it. and hence the authors
name. whenever it Is brought before him.
recalls the incident. and his feelings are
never of that character most conducive to
that authors best success.
SECURING H EDITORS FAVOR.
There 10 but one way for an author to Sc
cure an editors favor. and that is by the
merit of his work. There is no golden
road to literary success. There exists
no literary back-stairs. Good work alone
tells. And the only method of bring
ing good work to our editors attention
is to send it to him. He will see it.
don't fear, and If your work Is clever,
my friend. you may be surprised to find
how quickly the editor does see q manu-
script, no matter how flooded with mate
rial may be his office. He will lose no time
In finding you out, and an author sought
by an editor has much more value than an
author who seeks an editor. Keep your
work before him. but keep yourself away.
Don't haunt the editorial office. The
than to talk with you. Besides that
you have nothing to say TO him except that
you want him to read your manuscripts,
and that you can tell him just as well by
mail, and that method will be far more ac-
ceptsble to him. Don't get the foolish
idea that . manuscript Is only safe when
it is personally placed in the hands of the
editor. The moment you turn your
back it Is handed to the person
who would have received it had
you sent il by mail. Thus. You gain moth
ing. but have consumed valuable moments
of the editors time. which fact may linPer
unpleasantly In his mind when he reaches
II reads yonr manuscript. Don't write
al editor what this friend thinks of
your manuscript, or what Is the
Judgment of lone of the best liter
airy critics" regarding it. or that you
have been a subscriber to his paper for
years. Take my word for it. he doesn't
care q rap. He knows what he wants, and
the friend and "%critic" do not. The fact
that you are q Subscriber is pleasing to
him. but his salary would 60 on just the
same If you were not.
Don't ask an editor to read n long letter
abont yourself or your work; it is enough
that you ask him tonead your manuscript.
and let I'm devote his time to that. Don't
make him tired before he reaches your
manuscript. Better than all you can say
TO him is to send an article on some fresh
topic. a story with q new plot tersely
told. a poem In a new vein, or q
striking new idea. II ese are the things
which the modern editor is looking for,
and Just in proportion as yOu satisfy his
quest will he satisfy your ambitions. He
is Just as willing rs you are anxious. But
go to him on your W merits; approach
him In the regular way. and demonstrate
for yourself the fallacy of the idea that
there is anything In having Influence"
with an editor. EDWARD w. Box.
TCoDuriohtl