The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-07

An interesting event in the American
literary world occurred when Miss Viola
Roseboro' announced recently that her
services as manuscript reader and ad-
wiser were open to the public AT large
For Miss Roseboro' stands unique in
many regards. As fiction reader FOR Nc
C,urc's for many years she made herself
famous for her ability TO catch the hrst
promising gleaJrs OF new talent. 'discor-
ering'' many unknown writer's VINO since
have become OF the most famous How
much OF their fame many NJ these writ
ers owe to her IL not calculable. for one
OF Miss Roseboro's prime qualifications
, always has been to suggest. edit, 80 as
TO deyelop their gifts In a really helpful
way. Later she served as Action editor
OF Golfers and as manuscript adviser
10 members of the Authors League OF
America.
But all this while her services were
open only to a limited few. Now that
she is connected with The Editor. a
journal for literary workers. and CON
ducts a reading service. open TO tne
whole American public, Including estab-
llshed authors and noytces alike. an
indubitable advantage Is placed in the
hands of writers.
II don't believe there is a critic alive
like her" says .\melie Rives. who Is
defeating her new book TO Miss Rose
boro' ..
"When saw a list OF the authors
she had discovered saws Boom larh,
among them"
~ know OF no one who Is At once
accessible to all writer's and so uniquely
qualified to help them says Juilar
Street.
'Nis. Roseboro' Is the hest crlticaI
editor in the country" says Maude itao'
ford Warren, whom Miss Roseooro ne
gan TO ncourag fifteen years ago wher
the writer's first work. though NOT de,,
yeloped enough for publication. showed
promise. "She Is a wonder or keenness
kindness and prophecy
Perhaps a partial explanation OF THESE
unusual tributes. a partial reason fo'
Miss Roseboro's unusual success IN crit
cal advising, lies In the fact that she
herself writes stories. She won one OF
the prizes In the last Golfers WeckiJ
contest: has published many shor
stories OF exceptional artistry and
charm-so II able TO contribute a sym
pathetic insight into the creative sidt
OF the matter as well as techn'ca'
acumsn.
Miss Roseboro'. when seen a. her homt
n, the HolIey House, Cos Cob. Conn.
where she carries on her work. discussed
In an Illuminating manner the posi-
bilities OF developing tho talents or stor!
writer's.
IT believe much can he taught abou'
story writing she said. "and mucr
time and teasing. blind experiment car
he saved intelligent and even talented
novices; yet I'm not meaning to concedt
a single prop to the absurd Idea that I'M
right recipe Is all that is needed u
enable Tom. Dick and Harry to write
stories and make money out OF them
Il don't deal In recipes or rules a
all. There are no rules hut had ones
hut there are n few principles drawn
from the facts OF human psychology
or course you can spin out a great dea
OF analytical theory that Is perfect:
good theory, but ! think in the majorit'
OF cases all that sound analysis may b.
AS harmful or more harmful than fals'
rules. The truth is that telling stories
and Analysing them are two processes
about as different as bringing forth
babies and dlssectlng human bodies-ant
the one tends to stop the other. We al
know the hiRhbrows who can tell yol
all about the principles OF the Greeks
and who couldn't make up a story t
tell young ones at bedtime-not anythin:
the Young ones would listen TO. Tn
negro cook could, infallibly.
"This does not prove there IL no goo
in teaching-neither, for that matter
that there is no good In far reachin.
enthusiastically for the most part tn
two things should be very different proc
esses.
"My nrxt step Ia to find out what tn
beginner wants to tell and I set him T.
try to tell II. II there In nothing h
wants tn tell. II he wants me- to furnis