Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-07-03

i ing the fact that the big man is writ
Ing for that ma gazine, and they usually
care very little for wna. he writes.
1t Is the same in all matter of bust
ness. When Albin. the first man to-
ride bicycle on one wheel, was CHI
gagged by Barnum, he wanted to show
the public what he could do on Wheel
but the manager told him he could
have only three minutes.
I've don't care a cent for your act, !"
the manager told him. All we, want
|is8tos show the public that we have got
what we adyertise. = ~
i q ,rllas secret of ifthe success Of. any
tnaas;azine4 lies:aii i'll indy dualtt y.3Pso-
I Die Come to sfieeogaize 1t as different
from the others and they do not feel
that any other magazine will take Its
place. $50
/ What makes this individuality? The
editors power of selection,ghis ability
to pick out the stories and articles
that carry out his conception of what
would do FOR any old magazine. as
some writer's seem to imagine, what
would become of this distinctive trait?
Unless a writer who sends a story
to a magazine has studied this peculiar
touch that gives the magazine its
character and has written something
that fits in with 1t he Is simply vast
ing time and postage stamps. He may
have made a. beautiful churn, but the.
woman who lives in Central Park
West does not think it fits into ideat
of what should be in her household.
sOne great cry of the novice in
authorship is that the editor will not
tell him what is the matter with his.
story when 1t is.rejected. This is only
hair a truth. The editor would gladly
tell him, NUT he knows the author
would not believe 1t. The editor, Of
the Popular Magazine told the writer
that he once made the mistake Of.
telling a new writer what was the
matter with his story.
The man seemed very modest and
anxious to learn. and the editor told
him the exact facts. Instead of be-
ing grateful for this expert criticism.
which was valuable. the author of
the story became abusive and told the
editor that he had never printed such
a good story in the Popular, which was
rotten magazine anyhow. and much
more to the same effect. Such authors
are hopeless, because they will never
learn.
told the writer that one had to be
more cautions about mentioning the
defects in an authors stories to$5tho
author himself than one would ls
about remarking upon the defects III
a Wonan's appearance II she asked
You. aDOut II. IN lact, ne glIiousCt lHe
author would be the more Vindictive
OF the two.
at the same time, he had found.
when he was sure that he was talk
ing to the right sort of man., who
would not be misunderstood, that hG
could Put his finger on the weak spot
in a story. and that more than once
he had been rewarded by the author
going home to think 1t over and
bringing him Just the kind of story he
wanted.
John s. Phillips of the American
Magazine tries authors out with hints
such as that the story would be linz
proved If 1t began al such a place In
stead of where the. author begins It
If. the author watches the blue pencil
cut its way across the page without
ifinching and sees his beautiful adj
jectives crossed out without serious
objections, Mr.. Phillips knows that tho
man will stand the gaff and be