New-York tribune., 1900-05-01
THE TALE OF A LITERARY ASPIRANT.


THE Independent" prints sprightly and
readable article describing the difficulties Of the
literary aspirant by an anonymous writer who
signs himself "One of the Brotherhood" His
conclusion In brief, is that the literary asprant
is persona grata in editorial offices, and II
he comes TO the metropolis from the country, as
he often does. with dreams Of awaking some
morning to find himself famous he had better
take the precaution of providing himself with n
return ticket unless he enjoys walking. To
prove that this conclusion Is justified the writer
gives his own experiences. One after another he
first tried the leading dailies, only to be turned
down." and he refers with some apparent bitter
ness to the fact that almost the only persons
with whom such literary aspirant can come in
contact ARE boys, often impertinent and gen
orally Indifferent" But neither the weeklies
nor the mOnthlies are much better. Once in
while the aspirant can editor, who, how
ever, wears the hunted look of the typical busy
man. But seeing the editor does good. Either
the periodical Is already overstOckcd with ar
ticles or the article submitted by the aspirant is
not Just suitable the regular staff furnishes
everything needed. Some editors are chilling In
manner; others keep articles until they are stale,
and others are accused of filching the ideas from
articles which they reject. Summing it all up,
the writer says:
With industry and ideas. but without other
favoring circumstances, such as a speciality, a
literary asprant may, with more or less conf
dence, however. hope for $50 to 81 900 per an
mum. With ideas, but lacking industry, the sum
easily dwindleS and becomes $500 or less that
when all is said 1t finally remains true that the
same energy that is sgnied by and required for
literary success on the part of the aspirant ap-
piled In other directions, according to Rossiter
johnson. who is himself something of author
ity, will yield fruit some sixty and some one
hundred fold hetter.
no
the implied assumption that editors are at fault
when they do not always personally those
who call upon them. Doubtless they would like
to do so in many cases; but they are busy men
and must be economical of their time The
main thing is that they should get the article
submitted. and if on examination it proves to
be unavailable it is certainly not their fault
At a recent gathering in this city most excel
lent woman arose and denounced the newspa-
pers because. she said, they rejected long ar
tcles on social reform that came from .the
heart of humanity Many who would smile at
this extreme statement of the case nevertheless
entertain some such vague notion Of news
paper. They believe that it is In duty bound 10
print everything that is submitted to it. or.
rather, everything which they submit to it. For
by curious mental twist these same people
often wax wrathy if newspaper happens TO
PRINT something which they do not like OF
course, the literary aspirant who tells his story
in The independent is better informed But
even he seems TO feel that men like himself are
treated with somewhat scant Justice by the
average editor.
Nor can contributors complain because their
articles are declined on the score of unaysiIa-
bility. Why did THE Independent" publish this
literary aspirant's article? Simply because IL
was available; in other words, il was q fresh
topic and written in way that was sure 70
interest or please its readers. We venture the
assertion that the Editor Of THE independent"
dld not hesitate moment In accepting It, For
editors are always glad to get good interesting
articles But they have learned from a long OK
per1ence that many articles which are good in
themselves do not possess the qualities that
would make them available The editor Is al
ways sorry for the man who submits such ar
ucles-perhaps he literary aspirant once
hlmself-but he must do his duty The truth is
it is almost waste of labor for writer's to turn
out general articles on general topics No peri
0dical wants such contributions 1t NAV be ths,
the unfortunate contributors are treated with
Scanty politeness by some editors and therefore
nave some cause for complaint. On the whole
however, the editors do their duty and If writer's
persist in submitting articles that are not wanted
such articles are rejected