The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-04-25
EVENING STORY
DIR. Briton Gets Advice.
(By Jane Osborne.)

In the corner of DR.. Briton's office
there was typewriter. And tho 1t
was never used for any of his office
routine it did add to the general bust
ness-like appearance of his suite OF
offices. 1t was uncovered only after
office hours were over and when there
was reasonable chance that the doctor
would not be called out again before
bedtime summoned him to his apart
ment three stories above his office.
For DR.. Briton, as much as he liked
his profession as a means of making
money, paying rent and offering a
means of putting away an increasing
little fortune, felt in his heart OF
hearts that Providence had designed
him for the gentle art of letters. When
this bunch had first come to him he
had dreams of writing play. Later
a novel seemed to he the pinnacle OF
his ambition. Then he felt that in the
field of short stories in the better class
of magazines he might find an outlet
for his ambition. he believed Arnold
Bennett, who says that writer writes
because he feels the miraculous inter-
estineness of the univere." He felt that
he too, was charmed with mere eXis-
tence. But it was never his leellng
for the interestinSness of his work ana
life as a doctor, but an interest in the
realms of his imagination Perhaps
that is why none of the manuscripts
that he had laboriously composed and
even more laboriously typed out had
been accepted. He wouldn't have
dreamed of letting a typist read them.
Hard enough was it for him to think
that a strange editor would have to
glance at them. is a matter of TACT
they never reached the hands of an
editor. The first paragraph glanced
LnEeis by the first reader usually CON
81 gned them to the hands of the manu-
script clerk to return.
DIR. Briton felt that if he could once
get to an editor who would make care
full criticism of his stories he would
find enough encouragement to do bet
ter things. Perhaps the fact that he
wrote on doctors stationery kept his
stories from receiving such considera-
ton, he consoled himself. and then
followed the train of thoughts that
finally resulted in the action that did
gain an editors attention.
Some one had told him once that
an appealing letter sent with manu-
script sometimes moved a kind-heart-
ed editor to look with favor on an
otherwise embarrassing manuscript
If the story that was sent off the next
day was not one of thrilling appeal
the same cannot De SAID OF the ielleI
that went with it.
Il am a poor, struggling medical
student" he wrote, land for that rea-
son I am especially anxious to help
pay my expenses by writing l realize
my limitations and 1 have never writ
ten for publication, but will be most
appreciative of any help or sugges-
tions you can give me-
The doctor appeased his conscience
for this falsehood by promising that
whatever money he did receive as
result of this letter he would double
from his own pocket and give to some
struggling medical student who might
need it.
The letter did bear fruit, altho the
manuscript that went with it came
back with the answer. This answer
was from the fiction editor of the
popular periodical to which the doc
tor had made his appeal He signed
himself ]. T. Barton.
Il am writing to you personally.
the letter ran. not because l wish to
accept the manuscript you sent or any
other manuscript like it. For l do not.
l am writing to you because L always
feel an interest in young men who are
struggling to make a success against
odds.
about fiction writing. Perhaps you
may never get it. But l think you
will. Somewhere Arnold Bennett says
that the writer is one who has seen
and felt the miraculous interesting
ness of life. Somehow l feel that you
are aware of the interestingness of
life Your letter shows at least that
YOU are full of the interest of being
poor medical student working his
way. If you are not interested in
things human you would not have
chosen such a long road to success.
You would have gone into some sort
of business-you might have sought
an opening in a bank. Because you
didn't, / think you are of the type of
which writers are made.
My advice to you is this: Find the
material and the inspiration for your
writing from the work you are doing.
Find it in the classroom, in the clinic,
in the dispensary, the hospital. Seek
the things that are really humorous.
really pathetic. Every time you smile
or laugh sincerely put the reason for it
down in your notebook. Every time
you feel your heart cords melt re-
member it, and remember why. Try
to catch these fleeing human emo
tions as they pass and, having caught
them and made them yours, work to
express them in writing for others
And in the meantime, stop trying to
make your stories sound like we'll
known best sellers 1t is the worst and
the most frequent mistakes of young
writers.
IF you follow the suggestion you
may write something We wish to buy.
Because you are working for your edu-
cation 1 shall give all your further
| stories a personal reading"
hi loff I,