The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-15
WRITER AND EDITOR

+ AuUlllOuS young Writer'S WllOSe plcCoo ~
have not yet been ravenously accepted by
editors, who have not been amazed at the
magnitude of the checks they have re-
ceived or the promptness with which pay
ment is made will find balm for their
wounds in a spicy paper in the February
Bookman. Under the caption GIN the
Camp of the Enemy young woman who
is engaged in conquering the New York
magazine world tells some of her expert
ences and incidentally, sWeetly revenges
herself on the discourteous, grasping and
niggardly editors with whom she has come
in contact.
She tells of one firm of publishers who
accepted one Of her poetical contributions
as complimentary contribution Of
poem and assured her that copies of the
tissue containing it" would be sent her
on publication. 1t seems it was the in
violable rule of this house not to pay for
poetry. Yet it printed all the good verse
it could get. Then she finds fault with
the magazines that do not pay for contri-
buttons upon acceptance but keep the au-
thor waiting for publication for months
and, sometimes, years Another objec-
tionable class of editors are those who
steal ideas. These will talk with an
author about plan for an article and,
after having seen and appreciated the idea
at the bottom of it, detail member Of
the regular salaried staff to go out and
work up an article along the same lines.
It is to the honor of the editorial calling,
however, that our witty accuser has found
only one such thief of ideas in all her
experience. Ideas are an authors stock
in -trade-they are the raw material of
which finished compositions are made. In
negotiating with an editor for the sale Of
his wares the author necessarily exhibits
his ideas. For the editor to appropriate
them without compensation and the au-
thor's permission is not unlike inspecting
a tailors bolts Of cloth with the presumed
intention of ordering suit and then car
, , rying off the fabric that pleases to have
some other tailor make it up.
The accuser of editors discusses the old
question of the effect of personal acquain-
lance with editors on the accept ability Of
copy. She finds that it has marked
| effect in teaching the literary aspirant the
meaning of the word "available,' which
editors generally used coupled with mot -
| or the prefix tun." 1t probably has
more of an effect than that. 1t is simply
human for an editor to give more careful
and sympathetic attention to contribu-
| tion from person he favorably knows
| than from one he knows only, by manu-
script and signature. If the Jung author
| can obtain a personal acquaintance with
! the advantages of the author of estab-
lished reputation. The latter has a
strong presumption in his favor when he
submits an article, because the editor
| knows that his name and reputation,
alone, may we'll carry the article. He
acceptable and that therefore the chances
are that the particular piece of copy lying
on his desk will be acceptable. So if the
young writer is able to make a favorable
personal impression on an editor he has
established a probability of somewhat
!
| than he would otherwise have That does
not mean that it will lead to the accept
ance of poor matter, but it does mean
that good work will stand better chance
of acceptance in that particular shop. In
business personal visit or the enjoyment
of personal acquaintance leads to results
that no end of telephoning, telegraphing
and writing would ever accomplish So
direct personal relations with the editor
influence, the meaning ofthe word "availa-
ble' as applied to copy. But the con-
tributor whether he be a space writer for
a daily paper or compounder of heavies
for the grave ma gaines must be careful
mot to make an unfavorable personal i'm
pression-and the easiest way to do that
! is to stay too long, to talk too much, to
! destroy the EDITORS time with no results
to him. Forever after, the editor being
but human after all, copy from that per-
son will be consigned with feverish haste
to the limbo of the unavailable"