Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1899-07-17
FOR STRUGGLING AUTHORS
Oae Suggests Plan for insurInq the
work of Writers.

There may he nothing IN this idea =
said the struggling young author. =
just throw IT out for what its worth.
The idea is of an Insurance company
that would Insure L2 publication II
the work Of unknown authors. We
have companies that insure Us ag:inst
being struck by lightning ard I don't
Sc VIII we shouldn't have companies
that wCEId insure our being struck o.
casional,y. at least. MY idea would
be something like this: The Iiferar,-
Insurance company would Icck ever 4
manuscript upon which 4 valuation
had been placed by .he author and saY
whether thsT would take a risk on it
or not and al what rate. Say. for ex-
ample. that a manuscript that the con-
pany considered insu1lb,a was valued
by the author IT $780, and that tn,
company would insure it for. say. 9715
per cen.. Th5a the author would pay
Into the company $3.50 and take out
Il policy on that manuscript by which
policy the company would guarantee
its publication, with remuneration to
the writer in an amount not less than
that for Which i WAS insured: or. fail
Ing publication, the company would
bind itself 10 pay under certain cJr6i-
tons and within Il specified time Ike
amount.
IT is stipulated in the conditions
that the author shall make every e.
fort 70 dispose Of the manuscript Hnd
II he shall fail he shall turn It over 10
the company with q list of places he
has Sent il to. and they shall try it for
awhile. II neither party TO the con
tract is able 10 dispose Of il wfnin the
specified time. then the company afore-
SAID pays over II the party of The first
part. being the said author her iuhe-
fore mentioned. the sum of S1GO AMI
takes the manuscript. On the face Of
II this looks as though the company
had simply paid out $3.50 for a bunch
q manuscript by IN unknown writer.
Duf mere : where the gamble comes in
me company catalogues that man
uScript and then puts it away and
waits. 1t may finally be worth notlt-|
ing more than its val1e e waste paper
or II may be worth 4 grea deal more.
Ihe>WIit@r makes over 10 the c0nDa-y
all right tide and interest without
power Of withdrawal and the manu-
script is the cOmp3ny'S iTrevOc1bIy.
and If the time ever comes when ii can
be put CT The m8rle- probably. no.
body car stop the sal Of it. PERTAINS
not mora than ore writer in 4 hundred
VIII. except IN occasional odd in
stances. be ANYTHING but a regular in
surer at the highest rates with his
manuscript going finally 10 the com
pany; a-d the manuscripts after the
lapse Of 4 reasonable number CT years
VIII 90 to the paper mills. Bur pretty
soon soma writer heeirs to find his
stuff marketable ard IN prG9OrtiAn -
Ii becomes marketable so Of course.
does the rate of insurance on it de
crease. When It is ar even chance. or
4 little better than even. thai his STUFF
VIII sell. he could get 1t insured for
say 80 per cent: ana as his work I'M
proved and his name grew, tie time
world come. oh. flrpy day, when IL
would insure himself: ana rs his fame
increased. 50 would tie return for his
lat9TS. Until. instead Of his paying
something to have publication insured
the publishers would be Offering him