The Indianapolis journal., 1896-06-14
In THE LITERARY MARTS
THE KIND OF BOOKS MOST POPULAR
NOW WITH THE PUBLIC.
A Flood OF Novels I'm Manuscripts
Showing the Public Taste.


Sent to the Publishers-Signs
Showing the Public Taste.
New York Sun.
When a publisher of long experience-one
who was. in fact, born into the business
was asked what were the most striking Pc
culiarities of the market for literary wares
in recent times, he replied that at present
the most marked feature was the dull sale
for books, but that if the market for the
last twelve or fifteen months were con-
sidered its most interesting feature would
be found in the enormous offerings of fic-
tion from both known and unknown au-
thors. Beginning late in 1894 there was a
flood tide of novels of various lengths and
of an infinite variety of subjects, and the
tide continued to swell for at least twelve
months, and only within the last few weeks
has the number of manuscripts offered re-
turned to the proportions known before the
tide set in. While no census of writer's
could very well be made, even by an asso-
citation of publishers, it is reasonable to
suppose that some tens of thousands of
Americans were in some way infected with
desire to write stories. and did write
them, to the advantage of dealers in paper,
pens and ink, and to the advantage of no
one else, unless. indeed, some specially IA
vored publisher had to hire additional read
ers to consider the offerings.
An inquiry as to the cause of this sudden
increase in the number of would be story
writers could not be answered. either by
this publisher or by others with whom the
reporter talked, in an altogether conclusive
manner, but it was supposed to be due in
part, at least, to the stories of the large
sums of money realized by certain popular
writer's from the sales of their works-sto-
ries which were printed in about every
newspaper Of the land. 1t appeared that
the scribbers, the publishers called
| them, suddenly concluded that novel writ
| ing had money in it, and so, since novel
| writing was easier physically, at leasD
than digging clans or harvesting wheat or
| ballasting railroads-moreover because 1t
| would sure get a fellows name into the
papers" great mob dropped their accus-
| toned tools for the unfamiliar pen and
| went to work.
II is an interesting fact that out of the
host many did really succeed so far as
| TO get printed and a few did something
| more Nor was the increase in the number
| or novel writers confined to America. In
| deed, of the total number of offerings, il
| relative population be considered, the far
| greater proportion came from the English
But there was one cause for the flood of
| novels that was entirely aside from the
| desire for either money or notoriety and
| that was the wide interest aroused in a
| considerable class of readers by the sue
cess of the stories which obtained an
ephemeral success chiefly through their au-
dacity. Reading novels of any sort. IL is
said. incites TO the writing of similar stories.
| but apparently those who read the amorous
rot of the daring writer's became
| straightway bursting with pent-up feelings
that had to find vent between the paper
| covers, which were thereafter put on sale
| at the news stands with stunning success.
| The extent of the outpouring was accur-
| ately stated in the annual summary num-
| ber of the Publishers Weekly covering
1895. The classified table of book production
| for this country printed therein shows that
| 1,05O new books of fiction were printed in
| 1895, against 513 printed in 1894. Just what
| proportion OF these novels were of the
eGotc G9td class s I is not stated but the erudite
| quality of the novels of the year was gen.
| orally noticeable"
| JUVENILE LITERATURE
1t is an interesting, and at the same
time somewhat startling fact, that part
of the extra flood of novels was made up of
juveniles. as the trade styles the books
written for children and young people, and
| that out of ''the overwhelming numbers
offered for sale. scarcely q dozen will be
remembered another year."
| How does the demand for light fiction
| compare with that for books of solid
worth?" was asked at the headquarters
| from which the various railroad and other
| news and book stalls obtain their supplies
| q sell al of RI
| one OF real educational value. You can see
! what the people want If you will look over
/ the displays on the elevated railroad or any
| other railroad book stalls about the city.
| People who patroniZe us don't care for any
| thing solid except as they get it in the mag
| aZines."
If this were all that could be said of the
| demand for printed books the taste of the
| Yankee reader would seem TO be in q very
bad state. But the truth is that only the
worst that may be said has been given SO
| far. To give a fair view OF the matter one
| need only refer once more TO the statistics
furnished by the Publishers Weekly. In
| the table referred to 1t appears that the
| total number of new books, including new
| editions. printed in 1895 was 5.46e. of which
1 36S were new editions. OF fiction, including
| sixty-four new editions, there were Lila
books, to which must be added thirty-eight
| books of sports and amuselnents, thirty
two of humor and satire. s75 of Juveniles
| and 800 books of poetry to complete the list
| of lighter literature. OF course. many. OF
| the Juveniles were Observation-Disclosures
! works of religious instruction, etc.-and sc
| anything but light reading, but allowing
| them all to be classed as light, IL appears
| that the whole light list numbers but l S6S
| There were 1901 books that were devoted
| to law, theology. literary history. political
| and social science. history and biography
| medicine, useful arts. travel and all the
| other departments of the book makers
| warehouses. And that is TO say that wher
| the American taste is judged by the com
| bined catalogues of the book publishers, In.
| stead OF by the display on the counters
Of the news stands patroniZed by people
| bound on journeys. it is found TO demand
| more than twice many books or the
| educational class as of the light or anus
| ing class.
| However, the man behind the booksellers
counter says that the list OF books in the
catalogue gives view of American taste
| that is altogether flattering. He says that
| there is demand for the solid books
| which warrants q publisher in issuing
| twice as many different works OF that
class of the light class, but that to ac'
curately guage the taste OF the peopl,
| the number of copies sold of each work
| must be considered. Just how many copie:
of any class of works are sold is a matter
| no one can learn by fair means. becaus'
| the publishers are justified in refusing Il
make public such matters. Nevertheless. 1
| is matter of common knowledge that th'
books of greatest circulation are usual,
novels and works of real humor. "Trilby'
| and .s(>hfmrnip Fadden' and Jude. ths