The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-09
SIMPLICITY IN WRITING.
some Hints which ~Preparers of Copy
Might Heed.

II has always seemed singular to me
that when a man has a good story 10
tell he should labor over IL so nara.
Let a writer, or raconteur-it makes nj
tie difference which class Is used IN IL
Iustration-cume into possession OF a
really good thing. and il is a 10 to shot
and no limit, that he will struggle with
language. to the Disagreement or the
warn. A really good story, whether you
view II from a news sense or the run,
science. wit. humor, pathos or what not,
needs no art on the part OF h1m VINO Is
TO put IL in shape for public use. Not
that a finished style in writing or re-
lating are things to be despised, or that
educational advantages do not assist.
THESE. indeed, extend the vocabulary
and aid the writer or ~racOnteur IN
dressing the story just enough.
Perhaps the best illustration of the
idea advanced herein is to tell a story
and leave 1t to the reader to discover
the meaning. If he does so discover,
the argument is complete. If not. the
man who produces this falsifies his orig
inal statement. Few men in the United
States were better judges of n good
story Of any kind than the late David
r.. Locke. known to fame as Petroleum
v. Nasty. Years age when ! was first
filled with a desire to break into print,
IL was my fortune to do some work for
Mr.. Locke. one day l entered his edi-
torial room i'm Toledo filled with a story
which, from a strictly news standpoint,
was Of comparatively little value. Yet
the settings were ludicrous and locally
pointed. j told the story just as II ap-
peared to me. MIR. Locke pulled on his
pip thoughtfully, after / was through,
and then said. Think you can write
that story in the words you have just
used?" was astounded at first, but
after n minute of reflection to regain
the thread of my narrative, | replied:
Yes. sir" "All right" he said, go do
II. Now mind, don't attempt to write
that yarn. If you do. you will utterly
ruin it. A good story will tell itself,
and doesn't need any trimming. You
just tell il for print as you told ii to me,
without any notion IL would ever break
over a case in that FORM
How many men i'm public rife realize
the truth of that saying Of Nasty?
What reporter who has ever interview
ed a man of national prominence has
not found himself seriously Handicapped
by "A wad of copy paper" II is with
the statesmen as with the young report.
err. both have a species OF literary buck
fever when they realize their sayings
or writings will be seen by hundreds u'
eyes. You go out under instructions &
get an expression from some leader n
the nations affairs on a topic Of pro.
i Aoilii lAAtAt~As tlt - NNEN'AAA'' ~ 81
interviewer, for he meets him every
where. but he cannot. viii not. or doe
not know when To tell a straightfor
ward story. Produce your card, ask 70
an interview ana flash a wad of papo
and your man is hopelessly cntangle,
i'm n mass Of words which he woul,
willingly repudiatt when he sees then
reproduced by the deadly matriN.
The COPY paper has the same effec
on the eminent parsonage that an ic,
/, Pavement has on the fat nav. he lose
his head at once. He hems and haws
runs his hands through his hair-if n
has any-struts about the room an
then nlungCs into a mass Oi tlOs
things with the funny Greek name
= which Professor Gomez discusses 4
his work on rhetoric. Plainly the emf
. rent parsonage becomes oratoriCaL II
forgets that the most forceful MANN
. Of stating a case is nearly always Sor
NtrSational He may be brilliant /
conversation renowned for the cas-
and heaut. If his diCtion and for IN
absolute lack M aftectatinn IN his talk
a But get him up before the public can
era with a reporter holding the flash
light and he becomes prosy, stupid an
r meaningless. He strives 20 be class
& cally literary when he might be COZ
d versationally classic.
II not infrequently happens that
is the EFFORT TO dress un a good story
u combination somewhat resembling
dress coat over a blue flannel shirt