The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-23
II HE day before he sailed back TO
England Barry Pain talked about

England Barry Pain talked about
some or the Difficulties which he
set story writer. Mr. Pain is a lig
man in the ffties, with a black beard
and surprisingly thin. almost nasal,
voice. His ability to look serious whl,
saying funny things shows mat he has
at least one qualification for the pro-
fessional humorlst. Indeed he admits
that in the earlier stages of his literary
career he very nearly succumbed to the
curse Of being reckoncd humorist.
There it," said Mr.. Pain, zone Ques-
ton which every English writer has to
face, and no other question can mako
him so wild. suppose the same situa-
ton holds here. Imagine crowded
drawing room. In the background y our
famous author wishing he hadn't come.
The hostess approaches some charming
lady and asks to present her 10 the dis
tinguished one. The charming lady ac-
quiesces. but asks: DO YOU by chance
know anything he has written on, no
says the hostess. But he's gif.el.
Noull manage
so the charming lady when pre-
sented being charming lady. tells the
author how she has been looking for
ward TO meeting him. lie knows she
right answer to that How nice he
says. She then tells him how she has
read every line he ever wrote. lie l.kes
her remarks, though he knows them 10
he untrue.
"She then asks the fatal question The
lady prefaces it by terming II an unusual
question at is put to an author every
day)
" DO tell me- she says. how do YOU
come to think OF all the things YOU
Drlte~
He tries t. hc humorous: he
'supposcs it's "a mcroh'.' or something
Ike that Then. aftcrward. the migrate
ful beast quotes The question as ratuous
NJ matter Of fact rs not fatuous
lie quite legitimate to he curious as to
how any kind ~ machinery works but
this Is \ hard one on ,hc author ", may,
In despair lay II all on imagination
Did YOU ever observe a father trying to
explain something to q child about which
he himself knows nothing? why is IT,
asks the child. that ( can SO through
the window aud can't see through tho
WALL The poor parent elucidttes: the
window is Transparent, the wall opaque
TIL child is more mystihod than ever,
and the father is distracted. It's pathetic
So IL he author when he tries to eN-
plain his mental machinery.
so the author has to discard magma
ton a. being ana unsatisfactory 'NulaItd-
tion. He wishes that there were a ROYAL
Commission to lool, into the causes and
prevention OF authorship. lie thinks over
the subject. lie Guys-uo. borrows-
text books. Then he arrives at the trium-
phaut conclusion.
"'Cume To- think he says IT'S because
| I'm susceptible to certain mental stimuli
| which bring about n rapid suffusion Of
| IDEAS which. sporadic and fortuitous In
| their working, may chance upon the ma
terial for a story
In that very good explanation said
Mr. Pain. are embodied all the best words
| OF his vocabulary Yet fhe meaning is
simple See: Susceptible TO certain mem
tai stimuli means that certain things
make his thoughts start rapid suffuson
OF ideas is equivalent 20 q wandering Of
| ,he mind sporadic and fortuitous Is the
same ~ saying that once in a thousand
! times and he never knows when his mind
will come on a story or the material for
- story.
AT any rate that's the way my mind
works: ana M only acquainted with
the WORKINGS Of my own mind
Mr. Pains first word OF advice to TIA"
beginner Cand he gave 1t. realizing that
beginners nearly always reject adyice)
Is: Don't try to get your plot first.
Get your characters 10 mind. They'll
make their own plot. And then YOU
won't find your characters doing things
that they'd never do in real life.
Beginners are apt 10 work crudely."
he said. Let villain appear on the