The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-21
in THE LITERARY FIELD
WRITING PLAYS HORE PROFITABLE
THAN WRITING BOOKS.
Condensing Novels Into Short Stories
an Interesting Industry-Sci-
ence and Fiction.

A remarkable thing about the discussion
which has been aroused over the question
of modern literary rewards is the fact that
the publishers have refrained from enter
ing into it. says w. II. Crane. the actor. in
the New Orleans Times-Democrat They
know they cannot benefit their own case
by doing.
1t was pointed out the other day that,
after all of his years of prolific labor. Will
liam Dean Howells was only lately able to
purchase a home in New York. Henry
James once remarked that if it had not
been for a small private patrimony he
would have starved to death in devoting
himself to literature, and Frank P. Norris.
shortly before his death, declared that the
average author nowadays had to take to
the short-story habit to keep himself to-
gether while he endeavored to find a mar
ket for his more ambitious wares. DR.. S.
Weir Mitchelrs literary earnings are as
nothing compared with the revenue from
his professional practice.
While the rewards of the man who writes
fiction may be slight, those of the man who
writes for the theater are many times
greater. 1t is claimed, and truly, that Paul
NJ. Potter received more money for his
Maurier from the publishers of the work,
and this despite the books vast sales. In
deed. it was asserted at one time upon most
excellent authority that Potter had received
over 100000 in royalties from the play, and
this is not stretching truth, for at one per-
iod there were three four companies nre-
senting the play throughout the G IN
try. . .
A reader for a publishing house told me
ddY
woman and child who could hold a pen be-
lieved he or she had mission in life, and
that that mission TO write a book. He
was mistaken, told him, for if he saw the
manuscripts that came to me he would
think they thought their mission was to
write plays. And when one thinks of the
rewards OF successful play-making there is
little wonder that every man, woman and
child who could write should turn to evolv-
ing something in the play line.
The question has been asked me, who is
the better paid, the man who writes for
the reading public the one who writes
for the theater? The man who writes for
the theater, by large majority, L answer
From every point of view the successful
playwright has far and away the best of
IT.. Even the moderately successful DRAM
atist fares much better than does the man
who turns out successful! and marketable
fiction.
OF course, managers have way of doing
business with authors. The author comes
along with his idea for a play, the manager
thinks favorably of it, and the author is
asked TO get up scenario. or rough draft
of the work This, when submitted, is ac-
cepted, and a first payment made on adj
vance royalties, usually about a thousand
dollars. The play, when completed and
produced, may be a distinct and unqualified
failure, being relegated to oblivion in a
week, yet its author has had something for
his labor. If his play is success he re-
ceives a statement of its receipts weekly
and with it check for his royalties.
How different 1t is with the writer of
books.
1t was only the other day that met a
young man whose book, when il came out
about six months ago, was favoraby re-
viewed all over the country. His friends
continued to congratulate him upon his
success. He told me that congratulations
could not keep him alive, and that he was
| yet TO hear from the publishers and get
| statement of the sales of the work.
Bronson Howard was paid 81 500 down for
1.-The Henrietta" before that play was
| placed even in rehearsal, and his contract
called for the payment of a fixed sum every
| time the comedy was performed. A book
| that will last ten years and continue
| throughout that time to enjoy large sales
would be considered a marvellous work.
1.-The Henrietta is over thirteen years old,
| and, as it is still being played. Mr.. Howard
| continues to find it means of keeping the
wolf very far from his doorstep.
The amounts paid authors in royalties
differ, of course, very much. The young
| man who is unknown and in whose work
| a manager feels that he is taking some
risks cannot expect to demand or receive
II
| cessful writer, who has proved that he has
| the technique of the stage down to his fin
/ ger tips.
| / was informed that Hall Game received
/ from the performances of 1.-The Christian"
/ on an average of 81 coo a week throughout
| the first season his play before the
public. AS the play is now going the rounds
| of the stock companies, it is adding to Mr..
/ Gaines worldly wealth.
| There was period in New York two sea-
/ sons ago when five of Clyde Fitchs plays
A asking attention time.
| All were successes and it was figured that
/ Mr.. Fitch's earnings on the year would
| amount to fully 100000. Mr.. Fitch, by the
| way, is probably the best paid of all of our
/ native dramatists at the present time.
1 Look at "Ben-Hur' and its enormous
| earnings. At time when the sales of the
/ book had fallen considerably, and its sales
/ were almost confined to the holiday time,
/ one of the most prominent firms of theat-
| rical managers in the country conceived the
/ idea of dranatizing it,
| They agreed TO pay General Wallace D
| per cent. of it's gross receipts, not it's earn
| ings, but its receipts. In one week the
| spectacle, while in ST. Louis, played to
| s27 900, and General Wallace's share that
| week reacned the tidy sum of 81 1850 There
/ is not the slightest doubt but that the roy
alties on the play will foot up before IL is
/ shelved over $1,000 Had General Wallace
| himself done the work of dramatization,
4 instead of supervising IL, his royalties would
/ undoubtedly have reached double that sum.
The best paid dramatists of to-day are
| Chambers and. as L have previously said.
| Clyde Fitch. They demand sliding scale
| of royalties. such as per cent. on each
|