The sun., 1919-01-19
WRITING A NOVEL.


IL novel as there are novelists and doubtless
there are more, for it is to be presumed that every
novelist varies somewhat in his methods of labor
The literature on the business of novel writing is
not extensive Some observations and advice on
the part of Mr. ARNOLD BENNETT are indeed about
all the average reader encounters we have forgot
ten whether they embedded in\ The Truth
About an AuthOr or in that other masterpiece HOu
to LtUe on 2,400 Words Day. 1t may be re-
marked that there is difficulty in living on 2 400
words day, none at all, where the writer receives
five cents word or better.
But there we 60, talking about money a shame
full subject that has only a backstairs relation =,
art. Let Us ascend the front staircase together
first. Let enter the parlor of Beauty-Is- Truth
Truth Beauty which, the poet assured u.s. is all we
know need to know. Let us seat ourselves in
lovely aesthetic surroundings. If later we have TO
60 out the back way maybe we can accomplish it
unObserved.
There are only three motives for writing novel.
The first is to satisfy the writer's self, the second
is to please instruct other persons the third is
to earn money We will consider these motives in
order.
Birth and Begetting.
The best novels are written from blending Of all
three motives. But it is doubtful if good novel
has ever been written in which the desire to satisfy
some instinct in himself was not present in the
writer s purpose
Just what this instinct is can't SO easily be
answered. Without doubt the greatest part of it is
the instinct of paternity. Into the physiological
aspects of the subject We shall not enter though
they are supported by considerable body of evil
dence. The longing to father-or mother-certan
fictitious characters is not often to be denied
Sometimes the story a story, an entity is the
beloved child Of its author. Did not DICKENS
father Little NEIL? How, do you suppose, BAR
RE has thought of himself in relation to some of
his youngsters? Any one who has read Lore of
PrOserpina not only believes i'm fairies but under
stands the soul of MAURICE HEWLETT. The rela-
ton of the creator of story to his persons is not
necessarily parental 1t is always intensely
human,
o. HENRY was varously Big Brother (before
the Big Brothers had been thought off, a father
an uncle, friend, distant cousin, mere
acquaintance, sworn enemy Of his people. 1t has
to be so. For the writer lives among the people he
creates The cap of FORTUNATUs makes him in
visible to them, but he is always there-not to in
terfere with them to shape their destinies but
to watch them come together or fly apart, to hear
what they say, TO guess what they think (from
what they say and from the way they behave) to
worry over them, applaud them, frown but forever
a recorder.
Tarkingtons Poison Bottle
None of the author 5 troubles must appear in the
finished record. Still wearing FoRTUNATUs's cap
he is required to be as invisible to the reader as 10
the people he describes. There are exceptions TO
this rule DICKENS the most notable. Many
readers prefer to have tale told them by a mar
rator frankly prcjudiced in favor of some Of the
characters and against Others. Many-but not a
majority.
In the best novel that BOOTH HARRINGTON has
40 far written, The Flrt the dominating figure is
heartesS young woman to whom the reader con-
tinuOusly itcheS TO administer prussic acid in a
fatal dose. But Mr.. HARRINGTON does not scald
CORA MADISON with boiling invective nor blister
L. !