The Indianapolis journal., 1902-11-09
Guide Books for Authors.
Brooklyn Eagle.


What we need in this literary age" said
the thoughtful theorist thoughtfully. "is
guide book for authors. At the rate novels
are now turned out an author has no time
to bother with a plot, as some of the books
show most conclusively. When the up-to-
date writer who is turning out six novels
a year merely by way OF recreation has
grouped a few characters together and put
them through their PAGES just to show his
familiarity with them he thinks he has done
enough. Now. all this would be changed IL
he had a really comprehensive guide book
TO which he could refer. He could then pick
out plot, slam his characters into IL and
deliver ii to the anxious publisher in no
time at all. To devise plot requires
thought and thought takes time, and while
publishers yelling for books an author
has no time 10 waste"
Perhaps you intend to prepare such a
guide book" suggested the foolish friend,
thereby foolishly giving the thoughtful the
orist the very opening that he wanted.
II have been working on one for two
weeks, was the reply, land / already have
give you the outline for an Interrogation
point novel. OF course you understand that
the !nterrogation-point novel is one where
you leave your hero in the air, so to speak,
and your reader has to grapple with the
problem. 1t was very popular form few
years ago; and it has not been worked TO
line by chapters, leaving a wide field for
detail and Characterization:
Il. The well-to-do citizen loses his key
ring with his house and office keys on II.
~. The professional thief sees him drop
them and picks them up.
SO. The well-to-do citizens Office is en-
tered that night and some money and valu-
n. The next morning the professional
thief drops the key ring in front of the
friendless stranger who is looking for work
He does this purpoSely, of course.
.. The friendess stranger picks them up
and has a struggle with his conscience:
There is return tag on them oner1ng 81
reward for their return TO the Blank Safe
the temptation is great 70 put the keys TO
a nefarious use. The friendless stranger
needs the money, and we will leave him de-
this strengthens the interest
'6. The wise detective, being called in,
makes a careful investigation and an
mitted by some one who had keys to the
office
~. Here is a chance for some fine de-
tective reasoning. All the clerks may be
shadowed, also, and the crime may be prac-
tically fastened upon one of them, who
afterward proves an alibi just as the we'll
to-do citizen remembers about the lost key
'.S The wise detective cries .Ahav and
promptly notifies the Blank Safe Deposit
GomIpany ny to hold any % man who tries dstzs to
compliments the wise detective on his bril-
liant thought.
80. The poor and friendless stranger,
after winning a victory over the tempter
claims the reward and is promptly ar
rested.
10. The friendless stranger is pumped
by the wise detective and the well-to-do cit
izen, and tells a 'fishy' tale about finding
the keys while looking for work.
I'll. The wise detective says 'nervy scoun-
drel,' the public says, too thin,' the we'll
to-do citizen says, it's lucky he didn't en-
ter my house, too. and the prosecuting at
torney says, it's one of the strongest cases
of circumstantial evidence that ever came
to my notice.
'12. The friendless stranger is put on
trial. but is unable to give any satisfactory
account of himself, and-well, when it
comes TO conundrum novels
''13. Where is he now?"