El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-02-13
Success As a Writer
Aspirant With Ideas. Industry and
Patience Cannot Be
Checked.
ILLS Ella NNhnaIer WIIIcnr
BY Ella wheeler WnIe,

- OUBTLESS every man or woman
who writes for newspapers, mag
- azines or other periodicals re-
ceives hundreds of letters like the one
given below, which came in the morn
ing mail;
L should be very grateful if you
could advise me how to make money
by my pen Z nave occasionally sold
stories and articles, but as L am capable
Of work 1 think / ought to be making
a more regular income by some other
sort of writing, only I do not know
how to 90 about it,
1t is always a bit discOuragfns to re-
ceive such a letter, because it indicates
the existence Of one more leaner in the
world; one more God endowed indi-
vidual who yet looks out, instead of
within. for help, and the army is so
vast already, one dishkes to think Of
new recruits.
There is but one way to go about
any kind Of business. and that way is
to go about it
And TO go about il yourself.
No one can help you, no one can
hinder you
The very first requisite for a writer
is ideas and the power to express them
in a grammatical concise. interesting
manner The ideas need not be new
(fOr, in truth, there are no new ideas)-
But there must be something new in
the manner Of expression. or at least
something interesting TO readers.
Back Of this must lie an intense de-
sire to be heard, and a determination
to make place in the world of letters,
whether as a reporter. correspondent.
author, poet playwright or essay1st-
Then the aspirant must himself make
all the effort to arrive at the desired
goal.
A youth came to New York a year
or two ago, with only debts and de
sires to recommend him. He had made
a partial place in newspaper work in
another portion of the states. but he
wanted a metropolitan field He asked
no aid of anyone. He read all the mag
azines and Weeklies and dailies which
were popular with the public and he
decided what he was capable of doing
for all Of them.
Then he wrote accordingly, and when
an article came back, he sent it out
again in the next mail
Today he has regular contracts with
several editorial concerns and an as
sured income besides being a free lance
and sending out his mental freight
ships TO new ports continually.
A girl, aged IA, on a western prairie,
felt she had a message for the hearts
OF the people. She was five miles from
a postOffice and had never seen an
editor or a literary person, yet she
wrote her crude articles and verses
and sent them to editors in the east
every time the mail went out.
To one magazine in the east she sent
q manuscript every month for five
years. At the end Of five years one
was accepted
Meanwhile others began to accept and
she began to grow in ability of eX-
preston, as one must who writes con-
tinuaIly, II there is any talent what
ever. and so she gradually found her
way into success. Had anyone taken
her manuscripts and sold them for her
she would never have developed her
own character, or learned the technique
OF success.
If you want to be a successful writer
and If you possess any talent, or even
ability end enormous industry and CO.
lOssal patience. you will succeed, and
no one can help you or hinder you
And the same is true of any other
occupation yor are seeking--C Copyright
ed, 1913, by the Star Co.