Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-02-05
BELIEVES EDITORS SHOW
CONTRIBUTORS JUSTICE
Interesting Interview with Mrs Idea Parkhurst Cross
this City.--Her Writings Appear in Leading
Publications of the United States
household word which | can look upon
without the slightest tremor.
THE JOURNEY OF A MANUSCRIPT

household word which | can look upon
without the slightest tremor.
THE JOURNEY OF A MANUSCRIPT
"Some of my early articles were
studies from nature and a few found
places in farm and household journals
The compensation was generally
flower seeds, a years subscription OF
the honor of seeing my thoughts in
print
Are all my articles now accepted
at once? Not by any means. I have
one Of the finest collections of refusal
letters in the state and in these can
be read the many courteous ways an
editor rejects manuscripts. In the
beginning young writer's feel rebellious
when they receive these slips, but
they soon become reconciled to the
inevitable. 1t is never good policy t.
believe that an editor is yearning tC
accept Il story from yOu-very likely
he will send it back. have always
a place open for a refused story-I
ship it off ut once on journey to some
other publisher, and thus these manu-
scripts are kept on their WeariSome
march until at last the right haven
is reached. | have prepared sort of
hierarchy of paperS-the story first
journeys to the best publication of a
certain class, and, if refused, down
the scale it is compelled to go.
HER EXPERIENCE WITH EDITORS
"Of course some papers pay better
than others, and also have different
methods of payment. Some will pay
when the article is accepted, while
Others after it has been published:
there is also class that does not pay
at all or merely credits you with a
years subscription. None of the
regularly established papers are
dishonest in the payment of their
contributors. Care, however, should
be exercised in the selection of public
atiunS, for there are crooks in all
professions.
Il have found the editors gentle
manly and pathetic-in many
cases ready to give adYice and help.
1t is said that only the best known
writer's receive consideration at the
hands of the better class of magazines
and paperS-I do not believe that
this is true. Editors, as rule, read
most of the manuscripts sent them
and accept those of the greatest merit
and best suited for their publications
1t takes time to go through the
hundreds of these manuscripts, and
it often happens that d writer loses a
possible sale by being too Over-anXiOuS
on account of the delay.
AN EDITOR FOUND WANTING
"Once in while you will find an
editor who will refuse your article
without ever readlng it. / recently
an editor of this fault anu
sent him manuscript SO folded that
| could tell whether it had been read
or not. My friend came back unread
Another publication bought that
same article. A little later Tile editor,
who had ScOrned to read it, reprinted
it in his magazine. Such experiences
are rare, but they add spice to a
writer's life."
Mrs. Cross stories appear in many
of the best publications of the country.
She is d regular contributor to the
New England Magazine. That paper
recently published an illustrated story
by II. McRoSS." 1t was entitled
Handsome Felix" and compares
favorably with any of the stories
in other Inagazines. There
is an artistic blending of humor and
pathoS characterizing Mrs. Cross
literary work which makes it both
pleasing and entertaining to the
reader.