The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-20
THE "CANDID OPINION,
Never BE Beguiled Into Giving 1t to
a Literary Aspirant.

New Orleans Time Democrat.
'As son as q writer acquires the slightest
vogue" said well-known magazine con-
tributor who was in the city recently, he
is morally certain to become the target of
the candid-opinion' fiend. This individual
is one of the real banes of Woodworking
literary mans life-a hundred times worse
than grinding publishers, autograph buc-
cancers, cheeky interviewers, or any other
evil can now call to mind. Candid-opinion
fiends are the literary aspirants who force
manuscripts upon you on the prelext OF
securing unbiased criticism and advice.
Here's little thing Of mine wish you
would look over is the usual formula, and
/ want you to promise that you'll give me
your candid opinion of its merits. oh! you
needn't be afraid of hurting my feelings!
frank, honest CRITICISM Now, the cold,
frappe fact about the matter Is simply this:
The average literary amateur believes firm
ly that he is a heaven-born genius and the
only thing that keeps him out OF print is
a base conspiracy among the publishers
and a clique of pampered favorites, like
yourself. For your candid opinion he cares
not copper, and his actual purpose In in
fiicting his manuscript upon you Is simply
to show you what an amazingly clever per-
son he really Is. Once trapped into taking
the stuff, you must either give him dose
of nauseating hattery or make ferocius
enemy for life When / was younger and
greener than 1 am at present 1 was taken
in several times by the bland assurances OF
these individuals, and the aftermath was
painful. A close friend, who had dissem-
bled his fendishness for years, suddenly
asked me for a candid opinion on some
verses, and / was fool enough to tell him
they were rot, which they most undoubted-
ly were. He received the information with
mingled wrath and amaZement and wrote
me a sx-page ironical letter, In which he
apologized for mistaking me for a person
of taste and discrenment. Since then we
have not spoken. On another occasion L
was cajoled into looking over a short story
written by young lady. DO you really
want me to be honest?' asked. Certainly.
she replied. Then it won't do said /. She
turned scarlet Thank you she said, sar-
castically, Il will assume that you have read
it'-with a strong emphasis on the assume
At the next meeting of the Mount Par
nassus Literary Circle she delighted the
members with paper on Quacks ana
Charlatans," devoted chiefly to a yivacious
pen portrait of myself. My last adventure
was possibly the most annoying. Against
all my better Judgment allowed myself TO
persuaded to read a little tale by young
man in whom I have taken a good deal or
interest 1t was amateurish and badly
handled, but unlucykily 1t dealt with
theme which was the basis OF sketch
myself had just completed, and, In fact,
had already sold. i knew could never re-
lieve the young fellows mind of suspicion
If printed my story, so quietly put IL in
to the fire. AS far as know, every writer
of any prominence in the country has
cast-iron rule against criticising manu-
script. other aid they will give freely, but
l,aS-