The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-09
Best plates SO. DR.. Wix.
HOW NOVELS ARE JUDGED.
Manuscripts Are Read by Three Experts
Before Being Passed Upon.
From the Chicago Chronicle.

Before Being Passed Upon.
From the Chicago Chronicle.
With the advance of education the
number of men and women aspiring to
be particularly prolific In this Line. Not
a day passes but the book publishers in
this city reject manuscripts by the doz-
en-. But still they come, the number
seeming to increase in proportion to
the number of reflections. "Since the
first of the year have averaged about
Is novels a day." said quiet looking
gentleman to reporter. The quiet
looking gentleman holds the position
of reader in one of the largest book
publishing houses in Chicago, and he
was referring to the works of fiction
upon which he passed sentence daily.
"Of course. don't pretend to read
that many NOVELS he continued. for
the availa bilty of nearly three fourths
of all the manuscripts we receive can
be determined in the first few pages.
If the start is hopelessly bad 1t would
be folly to waste time on the balance.
When l strike anything that is the
least promising l run through 1t rap
idly, and If my first impression Is con-
firmed lay it aside for careful reading.
Should my opinion still remain favor
able I prepare a brief written report
and turn it over to another reader, who
subsequently passes it to third. The
matter of acceptance or rejection is
then determined by the two heads of
the firm, having before them all three
of the reports.
at sometimes happens that I encoun-
ter a story totally unsuited to our pur-
poses, yet well adapted to the needs
| of some other house. For instance, We
| do not handle any light, sensational
novels of the Duchess brand, but now
| and then something rather clever in
hot
| cases / usually take pains to suggest
| the name of another house to the au-
| thor. Other readers do the same thing
| for us, and IN that wty we are fire.
| quently of considerable mutual service.
| Just at. present there seems to be
| quite a drift among writers toward
| the religious problem novel, and we
receive great many manuscripts of
| that character / noticed the same
thing after the success of Robert Els
mere and The Story OF IN African
Farm but it died down, and it is only
lately that it has exp ,rienced revival.
| That reminds me, by the way. that
readers always look for what they call
first and second crops after the APP
| pearnce of a successful book. ! can
explain the thing best by an illustra-
ton. When Rider Haggard's She
made such a hit some years ago all
the big publishing houses were immedi-
| dteIN ueluStu WITH taieS VI az Siitui e
| introducing the supernatural element
Then there was a lull, followed, five
or six months later, by another down.
pour of the same kind of stories. The
explanation is exceedingly simple The
first lot of manuscript was old stuff
that the writer's had already on hand
or had possibly marked over LITTLE
to suit the reigning fad. The SECOND
output represented the stories tina
were conceived and written after the
furore created by Haggard's books, ant
were obviously the result of sugges
tions. 1t happens so every time. ant
when any new work scores with thu
public We prepare our minds for thu
dual aftermath"