New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-09
The High Cost of Authorizing.

One Of those statistical persons who
get comfort out of the piling up of figures
and the dissection of decimal fractions
has estimated that there are not less than
one hundred thousand men and women in
the United States who practise author
ship as a regular means Of livelihood
earning their bread and Jam, as it We're,
by their brains and typewriters. We do
not know that this is so; the number Of
writing folk may be five or ten times as
large. or only half as large. It is imma-
ter.al, except as it affects the money mar
ket now and in future; but there can be
no question that the multitude, large yes
terday, is larger to-day, and will be still
larger tomorrow. Yet, in apparent de-
iance Of the law of supply and demand,
prices paid for MSS. continue to rise, if
reports be true which float around where
editors and publishers gather
Ten or twelve years ago the sum Of
$50 was deemed fairly good payment for
an average short story by an author not
really famous. The author who was ia
vorably known to the reading public could
obtain 5000 or $3.50 without much diff
Guilty; and of course the true literary
celebrity could obtain almost anything in
reason. To-day the situation is changed
fairly good short story, if marketed in
diligently, is worth 5000 or $3.50, it Is
said the well known but not celebrated
author finds little trouble in selling a
5,OOO-word tale for $3.50, $40O, even $500,
according to current reports; while the
elect of the fiction producing fraternity
are said to command their own payments.
Indeed, one author is cited who refuses to
part with magazine rights of short
story for less than $1,000; and certain
periodical is said to have paid another
man as high as $4,000 for a single one Of
g series which became very popular, and
deservedly so.
The average man. if Of sympathetic nat
ure, is glad TO see that at last the author
is recognized as being worth a little more
than the proverbial bread and salt upon
which formerly he was supposed TO exist
while creating a masterpiece. Yet to
those who look beyond the immediate fore
ground, other considerations occur. How
about the unfortunate editor, who is sup
posed to buy literary material with as
much business acumen as the buyer for a
contracting firm displays when he pur-
chases lumber cement and steel girders?
Consider, also, the publisher whose money
pays for the manuscripts; consider the
keen competition between publishers TO
obtain those Of the most popular brands,
bearing the trademarks of names well
known. Many an erstwhile naughty edi-
tor must feel a sharp pang when he tries
70 scramble on board a humble, over
crowded surface car Of cold, rainy even
ing and sees skimminR past a powerful
/ limousine in the depths of which indo-
lently lounges the well-fed, cheerful per
son whose proof he had read just before
/ leaving the Office. Yet it may not be edi-
tors and publishers who are the worst
victims Of the high cost of authoring.
Mr.. Howells is reported as having said
"a day or two ago, that, instead of being an
incentive TO the best literary work, hard
grinding poverty is exactly the opposite
II is too bad that he should have stopped
there, instead of going on TO speak Of the
disadvantages young author labors I'M
der when his income is suddenly raised
from nothing at all TO fifteen or twenty