New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-16
LONDON LITERARY NOTES
Il Flood of amateur Fiction-Sir-
hence Without Picture.

merciless to his reader. I do not mean the dear.
guileless fmpressionabIe reader who buys or
borrows new publications but the patient, per-
severing and docile reader who acts as mis- 1T
erary adviser and examiner. The publisher, in
his eagerness to befrfend unknown and strug-
Cling authors has exposed this long suffering
servant 20 eight months Of unremitting toll in
reading manuscripts of amateur novelists At
the opening of the year the stories came in re-
Spouse 10 an offer OF a hundred pounds as a prizs
for the best novel from unpractised hand
whose work had never seen the garish light OF
publicity; and day after day the typewriter
packages were brought into Paternoster Build
ing by scores and hundreds From London
boudoirs and garrets. from provincial libraries
and nurseries, and from colonial ranches Con
tinentaI hotels and American high schools the
first novels" were sent in competition for the
distinction Of publication with a substantial
premium and an advertising blare Of trumpets
The well dictum that every man or woman
can write at least one good story as the re-
suit Of personal experience had apparently been
accepted by unrecognized genius in every quar-
ter Of the English speaking world Tie foods
of amateur fiction clapped their hands in Pater-
nOster Row. and one human will was ourdened
with the responsibility Of directing their on
rush and subsistence. This was the crushed
spirit Of the literary adviser who was ruthiessly
condemned 20 .he labor of reading the stories
and deciding which the best.
Evidently the has turned There ara
signs Of revolt against an intoIersble bonfage
which has not been rivaIIed in the traditions Of
Grub Street The victim of THIS eight months,
lottery in fiction is rehearsfng his woes and
appealing for sympathy. There are doieful
estimates of the number of MANUSCRIPTS ax-
amined and the time REQUIRED for dfsnoeI-s NJ,
them; the percentage of what was pu5IfshabIs
is roughly set down as one-trentieth ~ t6a
whole mass; the typewriter pages are nv
pothetlcally set lengthwise and measured an
proximately as something under thirteen mile.
and the total output OF amateur fiction caIe5
out by the offer of a hundred pounds ~ caIcp-
lated at not less than twenty millions OF words
wicked people may suspect that the energetic
publisher is overanxioUs to arouse public inter
est in new forcing house OF fiction ,.hf,h =.
more stimulative than pseudonyne libraries and
sets OF First Novels. There is however p siroDl
pathos in these estimates too moving IN he rrdv
set down as the calculated effect of ADVERTISING
devices or tricks Of the trade The arbifer in
thls unknown authors competition could not be
suppressed after completing his thirteenth mile
ana chalk1ng off his twenty millions Of words
words. words, He was entitled TO con,r7fsara-
tloh from sympathetic hearts after this remark
aoIe 1eat or human endurance He deserved fna
homentary distinction Of being classed as a ,tr-
Th4~
heroic martyr, Mr. George Alexander Redfor,1
Court Examiner Of Plays. who reads t5opsa,,,s
or new dramas in the course of q wear and b.
D9en known TO dispose Of hundreds Of rba,, D..
single week --1H -
Inc prize has been awarded to Mrs. Rauua
saunders. wife Of the chaplain Of NIarv1aboro
Old Chapel While she has never before r-t-
ten a story, she is an experienced author baving
compiled history of Marylebone contributes
FoluIne TO the library of Dickens literature and
published a book of essays. She has received
win singular lack of enthusiasm the an
nouncement of her success in winning The prize
She Is reported as apoIogtzing for the fndIsere
uon OF writing n-veI and as explaining that
while she dashed it off in two months rha char
acters had been in her mind for long time and
We're troubling her. She speaks of the hook "a
though II We're an aching tooth and confesses
that II is relief TO have it out and done for
Her theme in Saints in Society is a con-
trasted effect Of wealth and prosperity in a
husband and wife of different remDersnents
The suburban printer as he rises to higher
social levels and larger opportunities Of power
and influence deteriorates steadily in charac-
ter While his wife, instead OF being spoiled by
good fortune, is sveetened and ennobIed by it
1t Is study of social problems in the metrop-
oils. the author having looked about her and
own ground. Such merit as it has comes from
the quiet realism of the local color and the
authors sincerity and dignity OF purpose. Her
competitors whom she has passed in the thir-
teen mile contest OF typewriter pages VIII
hardly be prepared 10 admit that 1t is better
work than their own; but the arbiter. who has
been submerged for many weary months in the
turgid Hood of amateur fiction, is confident that
it is and there is no appeal from his decision.
How curious:y modern the literary world has
become when an author is discovered by q COM
petition of this kind and put in the way of OBJ
Gaining effective introduction 10 the public
ard handsome royalty on the sale Of a first
novel. The promise OF a small premium has
set thousands of pens in motion 10 the accom-
paniment OF the clicking of typewritng ma
chimes; and the energetic publisher is credited
with sagacity in adapting his business to new
methods and IN escaping the reproach OF being
old fashioned and humdrum. The successful
author is now a man of business. selling his
books oy their titles before line is written and
forcing the publishers TO advertise them enec-
lively under threat of carrying his wares into
another market The publisher may be his
banker the literary agent is his broker Tor
the author sometimes finds it convenient TO have
sources Of credit while he is producing his
work but literary patronage has ceased for
the times have changed since Grub Street hacks
We're hirelfngs making Obeisance to their EN-
ployers There must be evidence that the OLD
publishing houses have practical intelligence ana
are abreast with the times. newcomers u
the trade who have shown their skill in com
manding attention for well advertised BOOKS
will take business away from them. 1t IS 81
most % necAsSarv for The publisher to keep up