Evening star., 1905-10-08

special articles like all the others.
They model their work on what has gone
before. They try to write about some
thing just as somebody else has written
of trying to find something new, or even Of
trying to treat an old subject In a new
way. s..e,-
If they only. knew it this latter is the
secret of most successful general writing.
A great magazine editor said in signed
article the other day that the success OF
his periodical had been made by taking
UP the old subjects and telling the now
who write special articles and fail to sell
them not only take the old topics, but tell
the old things about them and tell them
J in the old way.
, For this reason every editor who receives
a good many miscellaneous manuscripts
can tell just about when a manuscript on
given topic is due. THE Opium Joinr'
a few years ago was bound to turn up on
an average once in three weeks In the Of
flee Of nearly every editor looking for al
legged human interest stuff" and for years
The Growth of Electric Railroading" was
due every five weeks.
Now when DR.. 8. Weir Mitchell described
his experiences with new narcotic the re-
suit was picturesque, full of power, and
read eagerly, but the ordinary individual 5
attempt to do something like 1t is sure to
be f1at. The Growth of Electric Railroad
ing" is good topic when done by the pen
of specialist or trained general writer
Dut WHeu II Is simply rehaSh by uE-
trained writer, as most articles thereon
are 1t is hopeless.
The most serious part of all this" says
my editor. 'is that in sending back un-
available articles know I'm making cne-
mics among a lot OF really good people
every day Of my life. besides many more
who are not of any consequence and about
whom don't care.
You see neither nor any other editor
can AFFORD to take anything we don't really
believe will interest the reader. If f1l up
the publication / edit with uninteresting
matter the circulation will fall or and /
will surely lose my job. can't buy to
help anybody no matter how deserving
how desirable his place In life may be So
cially or how sincere he may be In writing
what he has sent in. in order to further
some reform cause. must buy solely be-
cause the matter will interest the readers
OF my paper and keep UP and add to it's
sales.
II get letters of indignant protest against
my judgment occasionally from the writer's
OF rejected manuscripts. Let me read you
one or these from chap in Michigan:
Dear Sr-Try, try again was the bur-
den of a reading lesson in the little old
second reader, the first reader used in
school. away back there in the dim and
vanishing past But say, son. do you ever
dye your spirit with royal Tyrian purple
when disappointment and defeat crowned
your soul with sorrow?
Does fair Hope show black and blue
spots where she has been up against the
brass knuckles of Destiny?
Queer world, isn't it? i warrant now
that life isn't all radiance OF rainbows
stewed in the sirup of success for you,
even in the city of -, that hades hole
of hustle for the dollar.
I'm submitting .The Power of Wealth"
to your trained commercial instinct mere
ly remark that I hope the sharks of finance
will leave you enough for funeral rites.
| 'Sympathetically yours,
8" p. s.-Rejected "Biackburn" MSS. at
hand
..WeIl did grin!
:" Say. I'd Hike to see one of the things
you do print, and FIJI have to buy copy OF
syour paper some time IL 1 can find one,
just to find out.
q have burning curiosity to see what
you do accept and who authors 1t. have
an impression that Cooper, Dickens. Milton,
Livy and Moses presenting their manu-
scripts to you FOR the first publisher would
get turned down You reject fact, fiction,
fun! What in the name of the prophet do
you want?
II have received many letters charging
me with returning manuscripts unread, with
belonging to an association of editors who
have a black List and of having the name