The record-union., 1897-01-07
NEWSPAPER PAY IN LONDON.
Articles Worth Printing Are Well
Paid For.

Paid For.
There can be little doubt that the great
| literary boom, concerning which that
| veteran journalist, James Payn, prophe-
| sled some sixteen years ago, is now in
our midst Nearly every day sees the
| birth of some new issue, and hence in
London, where papers on the book
stalls are returnable, the bookstalls at
the railway stations threaten to extend
into the tunnels, so great is the strain
| upon their accommodation. 1t is still,
| however, the custom to speak slight
| ingly of journalism as an all-paid and
half-starved professions; Mr.. Stead has
said that man must be unusually active
and ever on the alert to make t4 or to a
week; but the latter observation was
made some years ago, and hardly ap-
| plies to the present state of affairs in
the journalistic world. In fact, an en-
ergetic and capable free lance can
pick up very snug little income, un-
trammeled by any of the drawbacks of
an office life; and while all cannot be
members of the regular staff of news
paper, it should be remembered that
there is always room for good copy,
even in the most exclusive of journals.
UnQuestionably most of the best writ
, ing for the press in done by the free
lance; his articles must be good or
they will be rejected.
The Times" will pay from ) to 10
guineas for an article contributed by a
correspondent, and rather than lose a
good one, considerably more. If one has
really got anything to say of great
public interest, or any information of a
peculiarly exclusive character it is al
ways better to begin with the Jupiter
of the Printing House Square No
paper is more prompt and courteous in
| returning unsuitable manuscript, pro-
vfded, of course, that the golden rule of
always inclosin- a fully stamped and
addressed envelope is carefully attended
TO- The rate on the other great London
dailies is as rule, 2 guineas per col
umn, the Daily Telegraph" the Daily
News" the Standard" and the Morn
ing Post" all paying that sum. For
merly the Daily Chronicle" would have
nothing to do with that obsolete coin.
the guinea, reckoning its remuneration
in pounds, and that at the rate of one to
column; but with increased circula-
tion the rate has probably made cor
responding advance. Articles exceed
ing calumn in length, or at the most
column and stick" are not encour-
aged. AS well-known newspaper
| manager once told the writer. articles
should just turn the column and no
more, space being an important con-
sideration with all editors, and there
fore allowance for copy excepting the
column is rarely given, payment being
in reality guineas for an article rather
than per column; though the Daily
News always gives it's contributors the
benefit for all that is printed.
The "half-penny" mornings vary so
much in size that it is difficult to lay
down any hard and fast rule concern
ing their scale of enumeration. A
guinea and a half per column will be
found near the mark, the latter being
the rate on that extremely PROSPEROUS
venture, the Daily Mail" while the
provincial dailies rarely exceed an hon
orarium of one guinea. The daily
morning journals, however, take very
little from outsiders. having large staffs
and correspondents of their own i'm all
parts of the world; therefore the free
lance will do far better by bombarding
the evening papers with his lucubra-
items, since for their copy these subsist
to far greater extent upon that sent
in from eXtraneous quarters.
Among the London evening news
/ ma pn No
pride of place fer most munificently re-
warding its contributors, two guineas
per column being the usual rate, while
Tor special articles good deal more is
given. The Evening Standard" whose
literary matter is practically confined to
the entertaining essays that form the
leading feature of its outside page. paws
for them at the rate of two e.uineas a
column, but contributor fortunate
CROUCH to receive a proof will have 10
wait some time before his article will
appear The "St James Gazette,' at
one time was said to pay as much as
three guineas for an article. now the
remuneration is a guinea and a half.
while should the copy submitted be
converted into a leader" two guineas
will be allowed. The Westminster Ga
zette" pays a guinea and half per
column: and during Baron Grants re-
gfme this was the sum given by the
Echo" which now rarely renders more
than a guinea The Globe rewards
the writer's of its 'Fturnovers'' with a
guinea; and as with such a small paper
space is very cramped, litterateurs
should be careful to cut their effusions
intended for this journal as short as
possible.
The weekly reviews, the Spectator.
the Saturday Review" etc. give as
much as five guineas for accepted ar
ticles, but in their case special attention
should be drawn to the editorial warn
ing that the sending of a proof is no
guarantee of acceptance. During its
early years 'Tit-Bits," the forerunner
of innumerable similar productions.
orly paid one guinea for its weekly
prize story, outside contributions for
its other columns not being invited;
now, however. one guinea per column
is the rate throughout the paper, and
quite recently a special premium page