The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-25
SHOULD AN AUTHOR PLEASE
HIMSELF OR HIS PUBLIC?

IL ccnsiderihG-ccnditions in business
and IN the book trade claim his attention
as well as the intrinsic value and appeal
Of the book. II his judgment approves
the book goes presently 10 the final
court, the Public, where both author and
publisher are Judged.
Here In hurried outline ot the prog
rees Of q manuscript from the author
who creates Il. through the pub.
Usher who makes n into a book
and sells II TO the public which reads
IL. Now you have doubtless pleased
| yourself or YOU wouldn't rave written
the book. you have pleased the publisher
or he wouldn't have published it-and
then. at last, YOU must please the public
or the book will not ~ a success. I'll
not undertake to draw fine distinctions
In the matter ~ a success or course II
In frequently urged that IA book may he
an artistic and literary success but a
popular failure. The fact IL that such a
book must please the artistic or literary
public II II IL to achieve an artistic or
literary success, So after all the out
come of the whole matter IL that a book
should please all three parties IN in
terest, the author. the publisher and the
public.
YOU Ia ASH whom should the pub
''f'A' ~ - 'A' shs' ~ 's' q
Manifestly II he Is conducting q business
and not a philanthropy he must please
the public. otherwise he will hasten The
day of>a re"etvsrship. Now this doesn't
mean that tho publisher need Get up low
standards and undertake to cater to
cheap and shallow tastes. lie should
set up true and high standards and
strive nightly to bring the public up
to a real appreciation OF them. II his
Il sfRtxtnO To hu,ksAt h.
fulness and unfailins persistepcy the
chances are hat he will succeed. and
this despite tho creaky and unsatisfac-
tory machinery OF book distribution.
81 presume that We all wonde at
times whether the public hasn't changed
utterly from tn. days when it hailed
with 10, each new romance Of SCOTS
when 1t assembled In crowds as a fresh
volume OF M~acaulay's history came
from the press when II awaited eagerly
for Copperfeld or Nicholas Nickelhy or
some other member OF that immortal
family Of Charles Dickens. Has tho
public changed or have author and pub
Usher changed in the ability TO please
! II" That is indeed n big question and
! can give II hut passing ana hasty
consideration. suspect that the real
answer TO that question ~ found In the
, fact that su,hor and publisher have
bcvll extremely puSS Tor my Years
4, past. Tit result has been that prob
ably scores Of books are now published,
In English speaking countries, TO every
one published u generation ago, This
has brought every book MO COMPETE
ton with so many more books than
ever befote since Tho printing press
started Its revolutions. to take no ac-
count OF literally millions OF magazines
and newspapers, that II is increasingly
difficult for any book Ia make an over
whelming impression. And II mas b."
true also that the rush and whirl OF
writing, now on the typewriter. again
ny dlctation, always at least at dash
Ing speed. may fail In producing books
~ tho human quality and appeal that 80
stirred our grandmothers, our mothers
and ourselves,
Isn't it possible that both author
and publisher are too much concerned
with III, public of to-day and too little
rncsrnrd with that va,suc, shadowy.
far m public in he onculn.ny genera
tons n "" could haN, some Thought
for tlat future public 1t is possible 10
hrlicvr that books might rome from, au-
thors' pens and publishers presses that
would be more interesting aud stimu-
lating. and VI might also ind them
more pleasing to the public Of to-day"