The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-16
THE STRUGGLING YOUNG AUTHOR
He Tells Of Seven Accepted Articles and
Polite Letters From Publishers.

He Tells Of Seven Accepted Articles and
Polite Letters From Publishers.
IF another man should come to me, with
my experience" said the struggling young
author, and ask my advice. l should say
to him kindly but solemnly:
~'Young man, cut IL out. Take up saving
wood or some other modest but at least in
some measure remunerative employment,
but don't waste any more time on letters
For such, no doubt, would be my verdict
on my own last ten years experiences
{ l could look at them with al impartial
eye.
in all that time out Of the hundreds-hun-
dreds? Thousands, l guess-of pieces that
l rave sent to the publishers only seven
little articles rave been accepted-seven
little pieces.
yet | rave no feeling but Of friendliness
for publishers, for from them I have re-
ceiyed nothing but kindness. To be sure,
l have received two or three gentle jolts,
including one hat at the time was quite
a shock to me, this being in the form Of a
most politely worded circular telling me
that they used nothing but the work Of
accepted writer's, and, alas! / was not yet
one OF these.
From another publisher, to whom I had
been sending constantly, l got a note,
this equally polite in terms, saying that they
were all stocked up with my line OF goods
and would l kindly refrain from sending
any more for about four mOnths2 Which.
OF course, / did, resuming not until that
time had fully expired, but then keeping
on as before, to receive a month or
two later another most kind note saying
that now they were kept fully supplied with
material like mine by members OF their
regular stan.
but with nothing unkind about any Of them.
On the other hand, ! have received a far
! greater number of letters OF most gentle
neutrality-suspicious., every one, to me-with
returned manuscripts, telling me o good
the articles were, but
Even the printed slips OF declination,
with which am most familiar, have all,
without exception, been oouched in words
of polite courtesy; and 80 from the pub
fishers, one and all, l have received moth
ing but kindness and courtesy. But as the
actual result OF my ten years campaign l
have sold seven articles only.
you would think, wouldn't you that with
that staring me in the face l would now
give up the pursuit Of ~literRture2 Neverthe-
less the only drawback | have had TO
the complete enjoyment OF the ten years
some three months age, when with so
little coming in and so much going out I
found myself in a financial situation that
was, in a way, acute.
Now l have provided against mat.
I have, temporarily, accepted a position
in a canning establishment, in which my
duties consist in the inal closing Of packed
cans.
Il 60 along with a soldering iron by long
rows of filled cans, each with a little opening
the size Of a pinhole left in the top, and when
from each can by the action OF heat the
/ last Of the air within It has beer expelled
I drop a little drop OF solder. 20 close IT,,
on that tiny opening find this employ
ment not uncongenial, while the pay for the
same Is helpful.
AT night I exchange the soldering iron
for the pen and keep right at IL; for / know
I've got IL in me and | have no doubt Of
the result. am still the struggling young
author, Not quite 40 young. perhapei
just a. hopefully, and with a heart as young
a. ever"