The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-03
JAMES
Do Magazine Editors Believe Too Firmly
IN the Maxic Of Them?

IN inc MAGIC OF 1ncng
To THE EDITOR or The sUN-Sir: The
letters In The SUN about the fate OF manu-
scripts, the grievances and compensations OF
authors and the troubles and defences OF the
editors and publishers, have been interest
ing. amusing. and IL Is to be hoped In some
degree instructive TO both sides.
IL has occurred TO me. and doubtless to
many others. that one class Of persons whose
opinion might possibly have a little weight
on such a question has not yet had a hearing.
1 refer with some difidence to those OF us
who merely buy and read the magazines:
For after all the whole discussion boiled
zines. their contributors. editors and pub
fishers. To the magazines we must look for
new talent In most instances; and 1t Is in the
magazines that we fnd the highest develop
msnt OF the present system Of commercial
exploitation OF the writings Of any author
whose work gives even the slightest evidence
Of literary excellence. although we
sometimes hope even that Is not totally
~barred-but Of advertising possibilities.
We are led to believe. according TO the au-
thorittes on both sides. that certain names
are names TO ~conJure with; that the appear
pearanoe OF these on the cover OF q periodical
In q guarantee of numerous sales. and that
for that reason the newcomer has little or
no chance. In other words. he must produce
something sufficiently striking or novel in
matter or method OF treatment to warrant
the risk attendant upon the temporary dis
placement of even one Of these names.
Now some Of US are getting a little tired OF
the names. because they mean, In most In
stances, second rate efforts to reproduce In
wesrisome similarity and without the Gisht-
est vestige Of newness q story or two stories
which originally secured attention and seemed
. little out Of the common run; at least there
ADnA N- a. ala nAE hlA
comment. whereupon the fortunate author
was strenuously urged by the rejoicing edi-
tor and all his fellow editors to give US an
other OF those '~So-and-so' stories: and for
. year or two thereafter IL became almost I'M
possible to buy any Of the ten best known
magazines without having the duplicate Of
the -So-and-so" story thrust upon us.
The result of this sort Of thing 10 obvious
to-day. At this season the magazines are
advertising widely what they are to give US
during the coming year. A slight examina-
ton OF the prospective literary treats In store
for us will suffice. We are TO have In 1907
Q very considerable amount Of what we had
In 1905 and 1905. Same old themes, aame old
people, anne old chestnuts.
Does IL never occur to those who write and
those who print that this Is a workaday world.
and TO most OF US a commonplace one7 10
IL not possible to surfeit us with depictions
OF the commonplace Can't some one write
and somebody else print something that lifts
us Oh the earth just for a few moments once
in q whLep And wouldn't IL pay to publish it1
To go back to names. / 4 believe that many
OF those most widely advertised exert by
no means so potent a spell az the editors
believe. There are thousands of readers who
never write the editor gushing letters, but
do long for something a little different from
the repetitious tables of contents which now
invariably greet their eyes. To many, many
readers who turn YEARLY from the sight OF
these same names a magazine that pub
lished q list Of stories and Of articles with
new names In the authors column would be
eagerly welcomed and gladly purchased. And
so long as the general quality Of the matter
printed continued to be even fair and not
month after month simply the same old things
over again. the interest In such a magazine
would grow instead OF waning as it does now
In many instances.
There must be among the great army OF
writer's many who have something to say
better and more worthy of reading than what
is now 30 constantly offered us. VIII not the
good editors let the names" rest a While and
give some ofthe others a chance2
NEW YoRK December 1. j. D.. L.