The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-03-01

calling yourself newspaper woman" and
newspaper writer" and casting slurs
upon those who ''pompously proclaim
themselves. Journalists" That is not
modesty on your part. am aware that
even some sensible writer's ridicule the use
OF the word Journalist" as being pompous
and pedantic. They are sorely in error. A
Journalist is person who publishes, edits
or writes for a journal, and journal is
newspaper. 1t is an honest and intelligent
word, and its EN- ployment is a recognition
of the dignity of the profession.
Your expressed hope that your news
paper work" will be "stepping-stone to
higher achievements in literature" betrays
grievous but common error into which
young writers for the transient press COM
monty fall. If there is relation between
journalism and literature it is too weak to
be OF use in this letter. Literature" is
vague and indefinite term, and the only
sensible relation that journalism bears to
it is that of form. So far as substance is
concerned, each produces its own mental
habit and these are not mutually inspiring.
Without troubling about the numerous
exceptions of journalists who produce ex-
cellent literary work, it is sufficient to say
that as rule the person who is eminent
in one of these professions is not in the
other.
Moreover, the question of adaptability
must not be ignored. The newspaper in
stinct'' is thing Of itself. 1t is true that
many journalists cherish the belief that
their wide observation ard their acquired
ease in writing and thinking fit them for
the production of a wonderful novel,
which. had they only time to write it,
would make them famous and rich. 1t
should be evident that if it were in them
to write such novel nothing under the
sun could restrain them. 1t should be
equally evident that they have uncon-
sciously fallen so profoundly under the
spell of journalism as to be slaves to its al
lurements. That undoubtedly explains
why they are successful as journalists. 1t
often happens that writer abandons Jour-
nalism for literature, but rarely after he
has proved conspicuously successful as
journalist.
This brings us back to the matter of
signing what is published. The indi-
vidual in literature, as in all other kinds
OF pure art, is necessary part of his
product. tits not so in journalism, because
newspaper, instead of being the product
OF an individual, is that of mum Der of per-
sons working in harmony and dominated
by guiding hand. 1t is this combination
OF intelligences that makes it valuable and
strong. The true journalist is but one of
the wheels in mighty machine. There
fore, il is contrary to the spirit of journal
ism to give it that personal quality which
a signature represents.
1t is common and right, however, to
leaven the practice of anonymity with
signed articles produced by writers who
have special qualities more valuable in in
dividual dress than as combined and
level product. But it is evident that the
individual product must have distinctive
and strongly personal quality, and that by
reason of that fact the signature is valua-
BILE to the reader as well as the publisher.
Hence it requires prodigious hardwood
on the part OF the young writer to assume
that his work possesses such value.
believe that as you grow older and &C
quire more experience you will become a
successful journalist; but I insist that if
you are aiming to make journalism but a
"stepping-stone to higher achievements in
literature the sooner you drop. journal
ism and take up literature the better
litterateur you may hope to become.
The pressure brought to bear upon
newspaper editors by girls who are
ambitious to become writers is beyond
comprehension. For every untried male
applicant for position there are probably
ten female. Perhaps 1T is because the OPP
portunites open to girls are much more
restricted, but this does not alter two i'm
portant facts: First, that comparatively
few women are in journalism, and second,
that the work is exceedingly laborious and
wearing.