The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-05-24

been engaged III entertaining the read
ing public with his genial stories. but
his personal appearance. as Well rs the
virility of his writing. indicates that he
is still in his prime.
No continued the novelist. in an
swer to Il further question. 4 can't tell
| YOU the title Of the new story or even
its exact course. for the reason that
those matters are never decided with
me until the actual writing is completed,
or nearly 50.
DOESN'T MAP OUT HIS STORIES
IN ADVANCE.
"Mv regular procedure is first to select
the topic Of the story. This IS usually
something that has occurred to me, per
hapS years before. and that has been
developed by occasionally thinking about
it.
The next step is the selection OF
characters. which is the matter OF great
est care and study. and | never map out
the exact course Of the story III adj
vance. Naturally. / ave a more or less
distinct notion of how it IS to 20. but
find that after | begin writing one chap
ter suggests another, and the story
grows of itself.
"po | receive requests for advice from
' tllS ~ ~ 'NN
number Of such inquiries coming to me
affords any indication there IS no dan
ger Of the extinction Of the American
novel of which some critics seem to be
afraid.
''There isn't much that can BE said to
| these young aspirants for literary fame
| The best advice ] know is: 60 ahead.
DO your best, write the truth that yor
nave rs YOU see it: and if one other per
son feels and appreciates it rs You do,
the effect will not have been wasted.
"Writing is 50 different from other
Kinds of work, it depends 50 much upon
individual character and habits OF mind
that it is impossible to lay down amy
hard and fast rules in relation to it. No
sooner have Won done SO than somebody
violates them all and still comes out on
top. Still it may be possible for an old
stagcr. who has kept in more or less
intimate touch With the literary world
for Il good many years to say 4 word or
two. chiefly in the way of encouraging
and reaSSurinG the beginner, that VIII
not be wasted.
40 RULES FOR PREPARATION.
Il vii not attempt to instruct the be
ginner as to how to prepare himself or
herself 1.-TWO mustn't forget the her III
tllIN) W. Nliti1S A. L HtIN' y Ii
erature is bound by no hard and fast
rules. There is no set Of books. as in
law or engineering, from which on"
must get his first principles. | don't
mean that an acquaintance with the
best writing is of no value. but of vastly
greater Importance is the ability and
habit Of observing the life that exists
about one. which nobody has yet put
into 4 book. If the young person We
are discussing has the gifts of mind
which will make him a successful writer
these qualities may he safely left to in
dicate the course which his preparation
shall take. Only III this way can vari-
ETY.. originality and strength be preserv-
ed III our literature.
Prom this YOU may see that / am
not one of those who constantly uphold
the classic standards as models for the
young literary workers. | guess that
fact is well enough known to those who
are sufficiently acquainted with me to be
interested in what | say. The natural
development of the novel has been
from the classic, through the romantic.
to the naturalistic. | like the latter
term better than realistic because real
ism. in the minds Of many persons. is
associated with what is sordid and un-
pleasant. OF course that isn't true. for
reality has its cheerful and encouraging
side as well as the reverse. Realism or
naturallSm being the present. and per
hans the permanent, garb of the novel
IN its highest form. it follows that the
writer's only eXtbOok which he must
never disregard is life. life in some ono
of its infinite phrases. Sincerity is the
great essential. Truth is the one motto
that the young writer should put in biz
letters above his desk. So long as he
| ~ nm 10 that ~, rr1,I -
wholly lost.
PRESENT TENDENCY TOWARD
NATURALISM.
THE tendency of recent years has
been. think. toward naturalism. BY
that | do not mean that it has com
manded the greatest number of RAIDERS.
Mankind. at least the majority of him.
IS conservative. sticks to accepted stand
ards. demands the same kind of food
that he has been accustomed to. But !
think IT an evidence Of advanced and
educated literary taste that the most in
telllGent element of the reading public
now demands. not IN absorbing story.
but Il strong delineation Of character. u
bit of nature or life transplanted to the
pages Of L book. 1t is well for the
young writer to get it thoroughly set
tied in Ills mind that nobody in the
future will be reckoned great who is
false to humanity and that there is n,
true picture Of life which is not. by thar
fact. a work Of art, The question for
the writer to ask himself constantly and
s~earchlngly III contemplating his work
is. Is it true-true to the thoughts and
principles that shape life|
As an example of the tendency t,
subordinate plot take Tolstoi. who is.
perhaps. the greatest Of realists. Some
Of his stories are scarcely more than
exquisite delineations of character and
motives and yet they are masterpieces
Of felton,
You emphasize the Importance of
ing are your characters taken from life2''
Il never copy the character of an in
dividual. That would be to give Il nor
trait. What is taken represents a tvpe.
Every character created by an author