Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-11
FICTION FACTORIES.
Popular Authorship Is Conducted The
Same as a Trade.
STIRRING STORIES TO ORDER.
Genius Driven Ia Earn u Living by
observation-disclosures writers lmf-
tntcd.
tntci.
Washington Post)

Washlngton POst)
"Fiction-factory? Wei. yes. ] suppose
my establishment might truthfully be
called that" admitted It representative
OF one Of New York's great publishing
houses To Post reporter with US
fiction is generally manufactured, bought
and sold as a commodity. whose value
fuctuates with the degree OF demand and
supply. Story writing as an art IS n
thing unknown To us and to the writer's
whose productions we place before our
readers; the trade Of authorship takes
Its place The business of furnishing
ytoiies 10 the American masses grows
. aSpce. Some few writers who have
acquired reputation as popular authors
have made and still make fortunes at the
Kind OF literature We print. but TO the
publishers belong the real spoils.'
Americans are the greatest readers in
fhe world. This IS shown by the power of
ihe press. by the hosts of magazines and
other periodicals in existence, and by
she fact that the publishing business Is
pne OF the most lucrative that may be
Engaged In when the popular chord is
struck despite the fierce competition that
eycry year IL marked by the downfall of
sroTes OF literary enterprises. And the
thirst for fiction. OF high and low grades,
subject OF serious comment by students
pf American sociology. But II Is 10 the
lower-middle and lower classes that the
rphemeral fiction of the day makes its
appeal. in the shape of the great family
~ceklies and cheap libraries, with their
impossible rOmances, startling adven-
lures. and fascinating pictures or lie,
ls IL never was and never Will be. The
Placement was made by the New York
publisher above quoted that high-grade
hction papers do not pay. The field Is
too limited. The masses OF the people,
Including the youth OF the land, whose
,nickies and dimes so weekly into the
pockets OF the publishers OF the family
story paper. demand from him matter OF
the Kind they are accustomed to devour.
There In no happy medium between high
grade and low-grade literature for him.
nor n he cater 10 one class OF readers
NE must lose the other.
WRITER'S OF CHEAP FICTION.
As to the people who write for these
periodicals. the immense host OF them
IL made up OF these who have made this
kind OF literature a profession. OF authors
tot high Standing who lind that legitimate
literature needs an adjunct In ''pot-boii-
ing" and of those who. seized by the
egotisticai desire TO see their names and
productions in PRINT. offer their wares
gratis. ApropOs of the last. IL Is trade
eecret that well-known Boston publisher
has made millions Of dollars out of this
weakness OF his fellows. by never paying
a cent for contributed matter except In
the eases OF authors of wide reputation
and popularity. Notable Instances might
be cited OF men and women who have
been forced 10 prostitute magnificent
literary talents by this kind Of work. be-
cause circumstances neccssitdted an in
come that could not be gained otherwise
until after years Of struggling for recog-
milton from a slowly appreciative public.
Some OF these authors have acquired for
tune. hut II Is too late now for them to
attempt TO win genuine fame
There ~
upon the desk OF the editor OF the ave
rage weekly that II almost gluts the
market Consequently. there - little
money In the business FOR any one except
MN who has reputation as a writer
OF popular romances. recognized among
publishers. at least.
For her, let Il be said that not more
than TWO thirds Of the names which APP
pear above the brilliant serials OF to-
gay belong 10 individual persons Every
house publishing cheap fiction has in II
.inee or AZ its can force OF men and
women ripe OF imagination and ready
WIN pen. who. from the Inerest idea fur
nished them, can dash of a qnanv-thou-
n-~ord serial without plotting or other
preparation. Frequently series OF ,hese
IS put forth In weekly library edition
one writer may conduct the entire
teties, oi1ener number are engaged
npon ,he separate stories. TO each of
"hieh ~ attached the magic name of the
supposed author whose popularity in.
sares their ready sale. There Is one author
MnVse naine Il dear 10 the factory-girls
wa schooliniSses and whose fhrIiiing
sioiies OF dukes and duchcsfes maids ~
io~ly birth and handsome lovers. are mi
Ioith period'cally' and read with an eager
ntss born of n morbid love for the 70.
n@hhc. the original OF whom does not
.Aet IN any one person, but Is The pSeudo
usru 10 cover the output of various work.
~ IN the hction-factory which issues
The novels. SS"Ns
sMiiAIoRS OF POPULAR WRITERS
~. % an easy task for many of these
n.h ana women 10 Initiate 10 "A ,vooder
iui oekfee the style OF a popi,lar wri,s,
or 70 inject strong local color into any
s.o'y they undertake 10 write. Romances
o. TINS character are considered ~ .
hisner order than others which are nrlrts
"a In lo-cent editions. and find their ,vsy
70 class OF readers who Womb no, ,,naSy
sne story-papsr In which they originai,v
appeared. but whose Interest Is caus,h,
under the guise OF the tempting Slceni
novel sold ON the trains. from the hotel
Dcws-staDds. and al the summer resorts
An instance OF this may be mentioned
shortly after Archibald Gunter achieved
DIS hetontshing success with Barnes or
New YORK and similar stories. there an
peareo IN . leading fiction sheet serial ro- |
fnancen which were remarkab BILE limitations
Of the styie and the method OF handling |
situations that marked the other novel. /
~ productions, and In which the Iocali- 4
IHtion was exceedingly clever. These sto-
ne nave since been put out between yell