Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-08-01
HARD Times, THESE,
IN LIGHT LITERATURE
The Publishers Are Not Buying
Bright Thoughts Except When
Under Contract But the Sky Is
Clearing Principally Because the
Magazine Stock Of Refrigerated
Literature lie Running Low Some
Experiences.

monthlies were living on "refriger'
ated stuff" and buying nothing. Last
week, however, brought out the fact
that the magazine with the reputation
for paying the highest rates in this
country has not only been relying on
its accumulated store of literature for
its weekly Issues, but has even been
trying to sell of some of its accumu-
lated verse at bargain rates. This
letter was received by the editor of
one of the few magazines which has
been buying throughout the winter:
"My dear -: AS your probably
know from your own experience, we
editors accumulate great deal of
material, which after while we find
to be unsuitable for our use. In look
ing over our accumulated material
find a good deal of verse. Some years
ago we used much, but latterly have
found 1t impossible to give up much
space to rhyme. For this reason
am sending you proofs of some of the
things we now have on hand, thinking
that you may be interested, and that
perhaps you might care to buy some
of IT,"
After this little preamble came the
prices for an absolute slaughter sale
in literature. A verse, bought for
$75, together with the pictures drawn
for 1t by well known illustrator at
the cost OF $3.50, was offered at the
bargain price of $50. There were also
four sonnets, with their accompany
ing "cuts," to be gladly disposed of
at $40 apiece, the magazine having
purchased them at imported rates.
Slight bits Of "vers de societe" would
be knocked down at the extraordinary
sacrifice of 50 apiece. One stray
rhyme, "The Expressman, was even
TO be allowed to disappear for the
really negligible consideration of 81
cash.
A church publication of fair stand
ing has been coming out for some
months remunerating It's writers only
with four perfectly good, new copies
of the issue in which their work APP
peared.
AS a result of this slightly Bo-
hemian state of affairs, one magazine
writer who usually has enough orders
ahead to keep her busy, has tenn
porarily left the fields of literature
for the more certain gleanings of
school teaching. Beginning with De-
eember, her name appeared on the
payrolls of the Board of Education as
q substitute teacher in the high
schools, which place brings her in
some $73 monthly.
at isn't the grandest salary in the
world" she told the reporter, "but at
least 1t comes in every month, and it
pays for bread and butter. Once in
a while receive check for some one
OF my articles, but that is so uncertain
in these days that when one appears
1t is like sure-enough surprise
party"
Another woman writer, whose
name frequently heads the tables of
contents in the popular fiction maya
zines, confesses that last winter she
had recourse to an old-fashioned
refuge in time of trouble.
IL am not even trying to sell any
copy. am living on my husband, :"
she said. II know that the magazines
aren't buying anything, and do not
intend that any editor shall get into
the habit of returning my copy. So
whenever l finish story lay it
gently aside in my bureau drawer.
Some day when this cruel war is over
I'll attempt to market my stuff again,
but not now"
According to the editors, the only
story they will buy is bit of first
class humor. If it Is funny enough to
make them forget their own troubles
they are willing to purchase that tale.
One wielder of the blue pencil says
he will also buy "crackerjack love
story IL / can get one, although |
haven't found one yet quite good
enough to make me buy it. However,
l will take one love story, but it has
got to be a crackerjack.
Another editor makes the state
ment that only one monthly, one
weekly and one funny" paper OF the
legion published in New York, have
received no orders from the financial
department to Ego slow" on purchas-
ing.
One monthly, in need of a serial
novel, took this unusual method OF
getting one for almost nothing. Two
years ago the publication had sub
mitted to 1t a story which was not
quite up to our standard" as they
wrote the author. She was asked,
however, to call and talk over her
future work. The author called. She
turned out to be girl of about TWEEN
ty-two, then junior in college. The
girl Is now a senior. A month ago
she Unexpectedly received letter
from the publishing firm asking If
that novel had been disposed of. 1t
had not, and the young author finally
dug 1t out from beneath the pile of
tennis shoes, racquets and discarded
note books in her closet, and again
submitted her first novel to the edi-
tors. They were not quite so partic-
ular about "our standard" this time.
The matter was arranged. The mag
azine got the serial story, and the girl
is getting glory, but not so much in
the way of worldly reward as she
would have received year ago.
On the whole the men are faring
better than the women. Most of them
with regulations work under contract,
and usually written contracts at that.
Robert w. Chambers and 20. Henry"
are really clever business men when
1t comes to the matter Of contract.
But the man who is probably making
the most out of the magazines this
season is an ex-Washington CORE
spondent of a New York newspaper,
who gave up his post in Washington
to devote himself to magazine work.
The paper offered him an increase of
salary as an inducement to keep at his
usual work. The correspondent de-
clined, displaying contracts with four