The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-28

that has ever shared the romradc>hip of her work
is her dog JOY. She writes rapidly and in large,
masculine hand
Rapidly, perhaps, but not finally. Nearly every
bit of Virginia and life and GGbricHd was re-
written at least three times, some parts more and
chapter was rewritten thirteen times. II sounds
incredible, but Miss GLASGOW says so herself. She
used to write with pen, but now does her first
draft in pencil and revises after it has been type
written.
And always novels Il cannot write short
stories,'' Miss GLASGOW explains. ''Thcy bore me
excruciatingly The whole technique of the short
story and the novel is different All the best of the
short stories must be painfully condensed with
slight regard for the evolutionary causes bringing
about this that effect Everything that | see
see in the form of novel-aS large canvas.
want to trace the process of cause and effect and
that is why both Virginia and Gabrielle were JOY
in the writing These books do not deal with prob
lems | do not ever let a problem get into my
novels-there is none, except, of course, as some
problem of an individual life may present itself to
the character | am not concerned with any propa-
ganda. A book should never serve any purpose but
the telling of life as it s-beng faithfully realistic
"And realism is only the truth of life told,
and is the writer's true business. HAWTHORNE
was strongly realistic He did not try to be pleas
ing or pleasant He wrote things as he saw them
The How of Her Stories.
Il must live with character a long time. Then
the desire to write comes and begin after that to
shape the background, and the details of plot
weave into their proper places. ! never force my
self to begin piece of work nor force myself to
keep at it when the something within stops And
never get an idea by looking for one. They just
come, always unexpectedly and always at the most
inopportune times and places-at reception, on
the train, on the street.
When Miss GLASGOW says that she does not let
problem get into her novels she that she does
not put it there, consciously put it there. She
selects her people, who have their individual prob
lens she comedies, and brings them into relation
with each other and from that relation problem
may arise probably does. But that is a natural
and artistic procedure the perfect antthesis of the
propagandst s methods. Once to MoNTRosE j.
MOSES Miss GLASGOW talked rather freely about
novel writing and her literary ideals
There are three things novelist has to do to
prove himself" she declared First, he must
show ability to create personalities; second, he
must exhibit sincerity of style; and third he must
cvince the capacity for an intelligent criticism of
life. Without these he is not worth very much in a
serious big way. TO contribute to the knowledge
and understanding of life-that should be his
motive in writing, not primarily to create pleasant
impression.
There have been several stages in our growth
since the special type of fiction evolved. There
the sentimentaty of RICHARDSON; then came
my favorite, FIELDING our first reaist and finally
arrived the critical period with its early represent
tative in JANE AUSTEN and more recent upholder in
MEREDITH. We had to pass through stages far from
real life before reached the time of direct deal
ing with life, of real criticism of life Take such
men WELLS and GAIswoRTHy-and maybe
ARNOLD BENNETT-are they not trying TO life
through and through | do not believe in the real
ism that merely depicts for the picture. Realism
of the kind | mean not only depicts but nterprets
as well.
Fielding the Great.
How about FIELDING, your favorite?' asked
Mr.. MOSES.
"Oh, he had his faults, but they were honest
ones" Mr.. MOSES remarked Miss GLAsGow's en-
thusiasm she talked. He was the first to teach