Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-06-16
Twain to Would-be Writers.
General Letter Those Who Aspire Gam Fame and Wealth in
Literature

oNG before 1870 Mark Twain, then
the editor Of a small newspaper
wrote the following sInCe-famous
reply to many Of his voud-be
contributors. To youngsters Of The
present day it may seem odd TIA;
conditions so seemingly up.to-date pres
vailed 50 many years ago, says The
Kansas city star, and Twain may IN
one Of his chucklng moments still
smile to think that the world has not
changed.
Every man who becomes editor OF Z
newspaper or magazine straightway be.
gins TO receive manuscripts from liter
airy asplrants together with requests
that he will deliver judgment upon the
same; and. after complying In eight or
ten Instances, he finally taxes refuge
IN general sermon on the subject
which he inserts I'm his publication ana
always afterWard refers sucn corre-
spondents to that sermon Tor answer
] have at last reached ms station liz
my literary career ana proceed 20 coA-
struct my public sermon
AZ all letters or the sort / am speak
ing Of contain the very same matter
1ief.rou,l,. ,,oraca onsr ss fair
-.
average specimen '"' '"s' O"' nav
Mark Twain ESQ Dear Sir am A
-. d., .,, %, ..hooi aud roody O.,
SON'' 'N'' 'N' - 'N''''
start IN NE / nave looked AROUND
but don't see anything that suits cX-
actlv Ia a literary life easy and pro.
-. g., -. a. a.
h'ao'e' OF u II '"' ""'u ''i''.' ''
generally put up FOR? II must be easl-
or than a good many II not most OF
a.. .,.,,-.,io,. s,A f.e, drawn o.,
'''e O-''pU''0''' NV
launch out on H. make OF Dream s'l"
or swim. survive OF perish. Now, what
ar, ,,. oo,,Ait,ors n, spccess I'm litera.
s'c '''''.'' ,,,-
tuTe' lou heed NOT De ai'a'u 10 pans
the thing Just as Il is. ! can't do any
worse than fail. Everything else Of
,ors ,bo came Whom though, of the
leis 'Ne SAINT VINE" '"Vue' az VI '''e
laW-yes, ana hNe or SIX o'HtI pIoles-
slons-I found the same thing was the
cssa evsrv time viz all fill oyerruu.
everv nrofessIon "a oTammed that slc-
cass "a randerad iu,possibla--too many
tonds ard moi enouVb work Rut
,,,,,s, tr,, so,,sthing ana sn turp AZ
isst ia iitsratt,ra somefhins tells me
tbaf mai h The true bent OF NV
genius N have amy. lncloss some OF
INV nieces wan Won read them over
snd rive me vour candid oplulon Of
them And nov. / hate 10 trouble Won.
but Won have been a Young man your-
self and what want 4. FOR Won % get
,,e q nsvsnsner ,ob ~ writing IN do
You know many newspapar people. ana
/ an, sntirelv unkno,rp. Ana Will Won
,,,aks he hsst torns Won can Tor ma
,bo"gh 7 AZ No. s,neci rbst might he
cslle5 b,sb wases nj frat Of course
XVtii vnn candI5iv say what such artf.
10. a. thsse in,,inse are v,orth9
6sy. rlart, n, thep, II Won should
Iii tbfse ard IL, me KNOW I can send
4, ~, ,n1rs as soo5 and rnaybe hetter
fbS, tbssc Az e.rlv ,spIv etc Yours
,,,,l,. a.
1.,n orsu... ,.ou IN yood fal,h
u',o,ber roy r.,,srks mali nave INV
-, -" a, 80 ~ ,,, ,ugges,,ors
r. a'o-tb foilovirg are problep Milo,
7 ,sk. sraat nlsaeuye An leaving entirely
=, ~ yo,, ,Cr spi,,ion 10 begiS. Tbsrs
20 st,sr,i oues,ions in vour letter
1rblrb univ a mans he experience can