Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-12-02
HOW WRITERS ARE MADE.
Not Born, From the View Point Of
James L. Ford
SIDE LIGHTS ON LITERARY LIFE
10 BE Successful Ia Often to study tho
whims Of Editors-Robort L.
Iionner's Philosophy.

There Is a book In press Just now. to be
irsued shortly by George II. Richmond g.
Co. which Is sure 10 be read with In
terest by those who keep pace with cur
rent literature. and II Is almost certain.
moreover. 10 avalon considerable Discus
sion, for It Ia a humorous, bul none the less
positive, statement OF what the author evil
IDENTIFY believes to BIO the truth CONCERNING
modern fiction In its relation to the maya
zines Of the day.
Tho name OF this book is 1.-THE Literary
Shop" and Its author. James L. Ford, Is.
according TO the Book Buyer" "amRn who
has earned his living by his pen for the
last twenty years In one fashion or another
"a very penmnn- abJut-sown." Mr.. Ford ID
best known to the reading public Al an
old-time contributor to Puck" and as the
author OF Hypnotic Tales and two or
three books for boys. one Of which. The
Third Alarm" enjoys great popularity with
juvenile readers.
In Tho Literary shop" he describes in
satirical and fantastic style the rise OF
magazine fiction from tho New York Led
ger" oifcc. whore. according to him, II
had It's origin. 10 the high plane which It
occupies to-day under the domination OF the
editors OF the Century" and other maya
zines who. according to MIR. Ford, set the
pace for the literature OF Sle age.
The cartier chapters Of the book are de-
voted 10 "reminiscences Of what he terms
tho " Ledger period Of American letters.
when the poets and romancer5 used 10
assemble every Friday In Mr. Robert bon
ner'B office to learn the fate OF the manu-
script submitted TO him the day before.
mir. Bonner" says Mr.. Fora. ''poaaesses
one OF the most logical minds 10 the world.
IN the dayB when ne was-uncOusclously,
nm aure- holding the literature OF future
generations OF Americans, he was always
able to give u reason for every one OF his
Official acts; and / doubt II as much can be
said OF all the magazine editors OF the pres.
ent day. II was this faculty that enabled
his contributors to learn so much OF MS
likes and dislikua. Tor II he rejected manu-
scrlpt he was always ready to tel the
author exactly why the work was not suit
able for the Ledger
For Instance; one day a maker OF prose
and verae received from the hands of the
great editor Il atury which he had submitted
to iiim the week before.
an You please, said the poet, politely
I should Hike TO know why you cannot use
my story. 90 that may be guided In the
future by your preferences
" Certainly, replied Mr.. Bonner. 'rhla
story will not do for me because You have
In Il the marriage Of man with his e0u-
" But, protested the young author. 'eou-
sins do marry In real life very often
I'm real nia, yes cried the canny
scotchman, but not In the New York
Ledger"
maker OF prose and verse that he changed
hls hero ana heroine from cousins to neigh
bofa, and the very same night was seen IN
pfana quafiing. smoking and iestlng villa
his iellow-poets. and making merry over
Ana In the rsneroue fashion OF bohemia
he toid ali his comrades that Bonner was
dawn an cotis lns narrying.' and thereafter
mother la, sonn nor story ala Ledger
nora eyer look with anything but the eve
~ hrnthoriv affeetIon an any Woman OF
I'm real life. yes. but not In tho New
Vo.t Il edpsrp
,'That giyes VA A taste OF the milk In tho
caronnut nithouuh IL dOes NOT account far
Inc halr on the outside OF the shell
IA a mater OF fact. Mr. bonner knew
naf rreaf many Of MA suhscrlbera dld
NOT approyo of a man marrying hls own
onusin when there were plenty OF other
foila' oousins Ia he had for Inc asking. nnd
No rather than cause a moment's annoyanco
Ia sinrlc one az the.p mo forbade thc
nrs"t,se N the column AZ his naner'
poeir-, was alvays A etronq feature Of tho
81 ,igrgi, uloratufe AMI ina rrent scotch
editor uged "a ia moro nartiruinr about
ma versas which he nubiished thnn ma Wos
ehott ma prose
n M ii literary sben,, IA IA be boii.ved
rs,n,, az th,, ,,o,,,, ,v,r, wilton Ia. v,n,,.n
~ sltnnio aeti5us hnbIta Of thougbi, mi
\ rre,i many az thn bIrhly mor1l ana in
S,rncl,v, cfJuslons th,t wore an innnrtan,
fr,t,re ~ the manor wer, prenared he mn.
rn1iy and hapny ,ro-luel,y nohemlsns WIN
vnrS dad IA "a. mn ma llynlihnoI rarnsd
nv rrnnrting win an ocrasIonai ,tenner'
frnr, Nr uonnsr,s treas,,ry Theao nnsts
an,Iiod ina rreat editnra neculisriiles and
,,nr'n,,l t,.,ss ~ c,raf,tl, a. the n,os, 80
re,sf,I ,,,,gn,ine rontribuinrs ~ to'J,y
! st,,t,, thNsc ~ ,bo ,,rlous Cllders Iohusors
pnri,,,,,re. sn1 AISc,s ySho dnraIrstn
Amerlcsn letter. in IN, nresent vcsr ror
nYs,nniS ma horses In Il .sdger, nosms wera
| 80, ncrr,itte1 10 ty,t f,sfsr tns,, NH.
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