The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-20

spunsibility of declining offered COM
trihutions from unknown authors n
every magazine of general literature
and wide appeal IL dependent not so
much upon the authors who nave al
ready distinguished themselves as
upon tho young men n u
women vino will he the distinguished
authors of tomorrow. 4 careless or
incompetent reader easily could decline
manuscripts not wholly suitable per-
haps, hut having somewhere within
them the spark If genius which needs
encouragement, guidance and patient
culture"
Holding this view from the first, MT.
Alden has made il an invariable rule
that his assistants should never OF
their own responsibility decline manu-
scrjDts unless convinced hat they
were wholly unavailable for Hdrp"r's.
Furthermore, these professional read
ers have been under strict injunction
to Law before the editor and every
manuscript, whether or not available,
provided IL showed real promise on the
part IF it's author. In consequence MIR.
Alden has examined every day possibly
from siN to "A dozen or more contriDu-
tons offered by unknown writers.
And IL tales which are ,ru" could be
old many - man and many a woman
to-day holding high rank in contcm-
porary authorship would express graft
tue" for the advice and encouragement
received in past years from this wise,
far seeing editor. often such - struE-
Cling author would continue to send
manuscripts 80 Franklin square for
several Years before arriving AZ the
workman kr quniity whi"ll means ac-
c~optuura. and these f~urtunat" young
pcopl" kept ON writing. kept on sub
mittil. their stories. poems, essays,
simply because of the brief but clair
NuNaut notes that cam" back 10 them
with each declined contribut " n
~ r"ccu; years schools have been
organized t. teach III" art of story
writing by correspondence courses. Eu
one IL thu most successful correspond
enCc schools of. practical literary WORK
ever conduct"i\ Was u.en carried on as
Il matter of love and duty from that
cubiXho.c office down in Franklin
Sujiar, for nearly half a century.
Mr.. Alden has one saying that may
| hlhllS " iAh' IN'iit 'bN' ,
even 10 the average author
Every manuscript that comes to
this Office either accepts itself or de-
clinee Itself. In this part of his wo.k
an editor merely registers the dc"i-
: sion"
In other words. if the story - the
poem, the scientific paper, ths essay.
or other Offering. l. NJ t. the s'InI-
ard in quality n Treatment T. ROM
maudS acceptance, oth"rvis" /. CONF
mands d~cclinatior.
At certain times there L. ~ IN 1T
magazine offices "A d.arth - Manu-
scripts Of one Kind OF another. The
present famin" in good short stories
has lasted for several years. and seems
destined 20 continue. Notwithstanding
Increased prices paid 10y nearly al,
American periodicals,
\ decade axe. for example. many a
writer Of cAC.ilent stories VIZ cons
tent to receive from $50 Ia 500 for
each manuscript. To-day ON Of
those authors, stIli young ana huoyant
in the literary enSc are t-ing paid
from 5000 TO 5000, ~ one man" L.
AN exception, to he sure recently
stated that his present price FOR q
story Running between 5000 and 900
words ~ 500. Furthermore. lie adds.
ne has sold in advance of writi:.g them
all the short stories n" can POSSIBLY
produce during tn" c"ming year.
Eat Mir. A'd"n 'l~ never allowed
.ins"if To- 10" r"tnrrr! 'N am apparent
,hurtag" IN any KIND of manuscripts.
although this may rn' '" tvI', said az
. .., 80 hi ,t.,r.4 .t,rt4..i .ta-tr. 49,.
cia,,S.
'Hdrp,r's has t,"u r"lu.n- uI. month