The sun., 1919-09-28

''Why Authors Go Wrong"

VI course, this is ridiculous, and nobody
will take it seriously. If there were an
author so dishonest, you may be sure that
he would get his own punishment. Every
body has heard authors make remarks like
this in an airy way; nobody, SO far as
the present writer ever heard, knows Of
an author who has deliberately stultihed
his work and succeeded in fooling the
public. Perhaps this argument is open
for much discussion, and Mr. Overton is
entirely right when he admits that an.
author may be fairly truthful in describ-
ing his work as worthless junk.
In this first chapter the writer of this
diatribe on the trade of the author goes
forward and back touching these various
points of writing for money, and some
times we think that he himself enjoys
most the harmless little fooling; but, of
course, when he comes to such subject
as the chapter he entities What Euery
Publisher KnoWs then he runs into the
real tragedy of life.
The sympathy with that hard, working
book merchant we are sure will please
and soothe the heart Of this gentleman,
who at the present moment is going
through such trying experiences, though
we can thank merciful Providence that
just now the authors have not taken up
arms against him in association with the
printers and the American Federation Of
Labor, as they once threatened to do.
And yet, after reading this chapter
somewhat carefully, the question arises
whether the publisher really knows any
of these things described. The writer dis
cusses, for example, how much money can
be spent on advertising, what should be
the price of book, how serials affect
sales, and many other topics which prob
ably no publisher knows and his success
or failure depends largely on his ability
to make wild guesses.
And so Mr.. Overton goes on through
the various fields trod by the author, sue
cessful and otherwise, describes the art
of book reviewing, the normal literary
editor by one of them, the secret of the
best seller, &C., &C., and finally ends up
with some good common sense observa-
tons about writing a novel which will
do most authors good to read, but which
if they do read, they will be more thar
human if they adopt Mr.. Overton's sug.
gestions.
1t is not for one outside of the pal,
to discuss such chapter as that on bool
reviewing, since the fortunate editor O.
the literary review must always have TIL
last word, but after all, even if one coult
say some caustic things and be a bi
smart, all the people interested in tn
writing and publishing and selling o.
books must be grateful to the present da.
newspapers for their attention to literar.
matters. Even in these days of striking
and sensational news they go faithfully OIL
to describe the book output, which come
inyast amounts from the presses. And her
literary editor has run even beyond hi
usual field of publishing gossip and strik
ing news of authors and writes a Who'll
book which he seriously sends out for tn
consumption of people who are followin
the trade of authorship. May it hav
abundant success and bring to the gentle
man who wrote it an ample reward, bot
financial and literary.
WHY AUTHORS go WRONG AM
-. OTHER EXPLANATIONS. BY GRAN
NJ OyERroN Moffat, Yard & Co.