New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-04
WRITINGS THAT RETURN
Authors Stumped by Mystery of
Rejected Manuscripts.

TO make the purpose Of this article
crystal clear ut tho be ginning" says
George Jean Nathan. in The Bookman,
1T must he insisted that the mission is 10
indicate the erroneous conception Of the
contents OF the EDITORS drawer that lin
gers in the mind ~ a vast portion Of those
who suffer constant rejection To indicate
A few surface reasons for such wholesale
rejection and 10 suggest furthcr-at least,
such is tho hopc-thc why and the where
fore Of the birth OF the regret slip that is
hurried back % Mr. John Jones. Of Waco,
Tex Who In thorough confidence has sent
his first literary brain child 10 the editor
Of the magazine for which he subscribes.
The story shall be told through the letters
that we have received. through some u
the letters that have been received recent
~ by several II the magazine editors IN
New York and through chronicling Of
these editors comments There is no in
tent TO rdicule II sober transcripts prove
humorous. tina, is. indeed. no fault OF the
writer. Ills concern * only with what may
he termed the army Of the Nover-Prntod.
tho great body Of hopeful magazine writ
ers who have yet to see their first story.
poem or article In type.
rom EsYlc. 10 M NtlllfS TINS FlAfl
Il have sent my story to nine magazines With
out success cannot understand II have
often read lots q potse stories In the maSd
Knee one editor wrote me that the story |
:, ~ him had a torI idea hut that It was badly
Hnt"n ! can hatdiy t-lsHs M, sh,n nag
mine who f. English instructor n prom
ncnt "omans College
Here. too. have We not uncommon
case-,he case 81 the hopeful young author
who mistakes a correct usage Of grammar.
correct sentence construction and punctua-
ton for effective writing. Any magazine
editor will tell you that some o: the most
POORLY written stories he ever received
were those that were copy book rule per-
feet And this In the magazine circle view
at least. is BY no means paradox. The
editor Of magazine recently received this
letter:
How much do you pay for poetry and What
Kind DO you vant? will write " to order ioF (
YOU and can handle any topic.
The letter indicates to what extent
members Of the regiment Of the rejected
40. one OF the letters bearing on short
stories that was received By the present
writer reads as follows.
have been endeayorinr 70 secure maya
,ino hearing for my work for tao years but
without success VIII YOU glance over the
s,or, am sending you by this mail! under
separate cover. ard l"t me know to what you ;
attribute my failure
The story arrived in due time II was
not entirely devoid of merit and carried
with II suggestion OF definite literary
grace. and ,yc, il seems fair 10 presume
;tat not one editor to whom II was sent
ever read il To go further stu. II may
be guessed with no small degree OF ac-
curacy that no reader in any OF the
magazine offices ever took the trouble TO
consider the manuscript carefully. why
Because the story vas written in scrib-
bly, hand. on sheets of paper Of different
sizes and on both sides OF every one or
these sheets
"Al,hough the statement may bring forth
donials from some magazines. II may re
stated as wellnigh always possible tina, II
kiplins or Arthur Conan Doyle we're TO
usc imuenetratle pen names and were 10
send their products TO any magazine ONCE
in America I'm the form Of the story men
toned TIC next mail would carry their
stories back 10 them \ clear typewriter
is n sine qua non In the magazine accept
ancc feld-unless you happen TO he reg
uIar staff writer or one possessed or a
reputation.
This letter, received by the managing
editor Of one OF the prominent magazines.
.ell It's own story:
win you tell me Why IT y mat ! hnye hc T
ttcn able to fell you one OF my artc!es' Inc
article you rejected most re, ently-dtliins WIN
the grain trnGe In Omahn-"as Tt)ected' III
;u.n by each 81 hyc ni1saL.nes To "hi,h N
submitted T. I knoN the srbie't wen. foT l
have livtd In Nebraska All my me am hisc
i, al and saved every article ",cs printed on thc
sulc,, IN the Omaha newspapers
Here was man who believed that all
that was necessary in the preparation OF
valuable mayazine article vas quantity
of unsubstantiated. uninve"igated news
paper clippings.
one. IRON a woman in. Chicago. con-
tanned the following
..Abou, six months ago decided 10 take up !
maca..ac writing | stuficd several 81 IN.
stof.,s In the leading niaga1ines' py ,he n.:'
authors and modelled M own stories para !
nr,nb Tor naraGrsph after the ones had read !
IT, nv piots / took episodes IN the hNes or ,
Inc al nv close friends, ! have been WON
inr as n slenosrapher in big law once, aai |
II,c,r could snye money 10y pclLg IN tnls I
nos,t. ON ana typewriting my manuscripts myself. |
IN. the tenth year Wine 81 me VINE
GAA nj