The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-03-19
How Magazines Handle Mss.

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scripts are received by recorder. who
enters in a book the name and address
OF the writer. the name of the article. and
the date OF its receipt. An acknowledg-
ment is then sent 10 the writer, explaining
that the article will be read and decided
on as soon as possible. The manuscript
is then put in an envelope with its name,
that Of the writer, and the date on il, and
across the end. scrs wled in blue pencil,
its number from January l OF the current
year. II is then sent 70 the head manu-
script-reader. he indicates by an initial
written on the envelope which one of the
readers under him is 70 read it first II
goes back then 10 the recorder, who sorts
the manuscripts, making up a bundle"
for each reader. and charging him with
them. then sending them back TO the read
ers' room.
The manuscript-reader. except in special
cases. may reject manuscript entirely
on his own responsibility. On the first
reading he either prepares it for mailing
back to the writer with a rejection blank.
or writes a brief summary OF the story
or article together with his opinions as
10 its merits. and whether il is available
or not, ending with his vote Yes" or
No This comment" he incloses in
the envelope with the manuscript. The
ments. are collected by the head reader.
and the comments looked over. Each en-
velope is then marked with the initial Of
another reader and sent TO the recorder
again. He charges them 10 the second
reader. and redistributes them in bundles
with the new manuscripts that have come
in that day. These bundles are returned
TO the readers room and read the next
day. Then, if a manuscript passes its first
reader, ii gets three readings on three
successive days, unless the head reader
sees fit either to reject IL or send IL up
for final judgment sooner. The final
judgment is passed either by the managing
editor or his assistant. and the manu-
scripts then come back TO the readers
for the last time for them 20 see whether
their judgment has been sustained or re-
versed. The accepted manuscript Is then
duly labelled and filed until it is wanted,
and check is sent the successful writer.
All other manuscripts are returned to the
writer's The reader who sends a manu-
script back returns the envelope which
contained it 10 the recorder, marked with
a No" his initial, and the date. The re-
corder then closes his record of ii. Thus
a manuscript may be traced from its first
entrance into the recorders hands, and.
if It is lost-a very rare occurrence-the
responsibility may easily be placed
Manuscripts are returned, either with
the pIain-addressed circular of rejection
or with more or less courtesy. according
to the circumstances. Editorial courte-
sizes may in general be classed under three
heads. the conventional note" the good
note and the cordial letter. The
whole object of the system" as the head
reader puts it. sis to make everybody feel
good a far as possible
The conventional note is written on the
regular circular, and really signifies moth
ing. 1t usually says merely: I'VE are
very sorry that we cannot use your
charming little story" or We have read
this story with interest and appreciation,
but 10 our sincere regret it does not
prove quite available" The good note"
is a little more personal in tone, and the
cordial letter is written on letter pa
per, and is more or less explicit and per-
sonal, according to the necessities Of the
case. The reasons for according these
courtesies are many. 1t may be that the
story is a particularly good one, but is
untitled in some way for the magazine /;
it may be that the writer is well known.
or known personally TO one of the editors,
or is introduced to one of them by some
friend. 1t is generally supposed that these
personal considerations lead to the pur-
chase of unworthy stories by magazines,
but this is another vulgar error" they
simply procure honeyed phrases which
cost nothing in case of rejection. Another
courtesy which friendship may prodkre is
the rushing" of manuscript. TN en-
velope is marked Rush in great red let
tiers. and is passed directly from one read
er to another without going to the record
er, the final decision thus being reached in
a few hours instead of days or weeks.
These courtesies are secured by the in
dorsement Of the envelope with the name
of one of the editors. which prevents its
summary rjection without the note Of re-
greet.
The readers vote on a manuscript is IN
variably an unqualified Yes or No. g"
He may explain in his comment that the
story has its merits or dement's. and that
under certain conditions IL might be used,
but his vote is without ifs or butts. The
only common exception TO this is in cases
where he thinks the material too good
TO let slip, and thinks it should be bought
and put into useful shape by one of the
staff writers. In this case he votes "As
material Yes" A manuscript bought as
material. of course, commands a much
lower price than the finished product. Be
sides the readers and staff writers there
is a corresponding editor" with assist
ants, whose business Is to keep in touch
with writers who are likely to have good
manuscript for sale, and 10 use every
means ne can to get them 10 offer it TO
his magazine. Another editor has pleni-
potentiary powers to deal with great men.
and get manuscripts from them at any
terms he can.
Most OF the manuscript that passes in
the ordinary course Of events through the
readers room runs in certain types, nU-
merous. but pretty clearly defined. Out
side Of these types come the curiosities.
Among the types there are stories and
articles from i,literate people Of all sorts
and conditions; some have something 70
say and some have not. Their distin-
gushing mark is that they do not know
how 10 say il. Some are in their first
childhood, and some are in their second;
they are farmers. sailors, hunters. miners,
and mechanics; they are cooks. mattresses
and washerwomen. and school children.
Sometimes they are funny, sometimes pa
thetic. but more often dun. crude. and ex-
asperating. Their manuscript is dirty
and crumpled; II IS usually written in
blurred pencil. and frequently on both
ides OF the paper. Another type s. the
vould-be professional writer. who as
sUmes the "feiiow-craftsmsn" attitude
with the editor Another f. the man who
would like to make his article or story
zone OF a SERIES he usually expstiStes
on the merits Of the plan. showing how
his characters would be conducted
through a long series q interesting eX2s-
rieuces, along the lines on which he has
started them. Akin 70 him IS She man
who happens 70 be IN some interesting
place. and wishes % be a correspondent
He usually sends IN several q his 'lef-
ters'' before he gets the first one back
with the editors clesr-cut note % rejec-
ton Then there are ne hEndreds Rho