The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-08-13

| addresses a tall, yellow-haired chap, Petersen Marzoni, whose comic golf story, "A Kick at the End" was fea- tured some time ago in the Metropoli- tan. 24. 1 Marzoni shakes his head.
 q have one started, but can't see the end" announces Henry c. Vance, who has written baseball stories for Popular and Peoples Magazines. Then Henry tells his embryonic ] plot. Suddenly he pauses. He is, as he puts it, stuck in the mud" Why don't you give the hero a mo- account brother who, because of some fancied slight, gives away the secret 10 the other side?" suggests Eric Lev inson. author of short stories and mystery novels.
 That's the right angle, I think"
 interposes Valentine Smith, who goes in for negro tales
 All of you are off the track asserts Artemus Galloway, who writes Central American stories. q thinksyou would better can the en- tire plot and begin a new one built around Jones, who now is just a minor character in your story"
 Then Roy Cohen makes a sugges- ton. The debate grows warm, but by the time the factory" has fin- ished with the plot 1t Is in techni- cally perfect form. Its action is plausible and it's outline is both sol i'd and symmetrical. Now 1t is up to the owner of the plot to give it flesh and blood and put on it's lit- erary clothes.
 Every member of the "factory'' has his chance in turn. When Roy's time comes he places his ideas be- fore the group, and 1t is in this circle that most of the famous ne- gro stories received their finishing qonstructional touches.
 T get as much benefit out of this as any one" Cohen explains. "It's great help to discuss plot prob lems with sympathetic group. Often suggestion from another makes you see your way clearer to the end"
 Irwin S. Cobb. in recent visit to Birmingham, attended a session of tho 'Loafers," as this aggregation of deep thinkers Is known. and when called upon for speech. said the club was as unique as anything he had seen in Alabama or points East. Cora Harris, the author of "A Cir cult Riders Wife," said when she visited the "Loafers" that the Fac tory" is the most diverting clement she had met In Alabama or points south.
 Some people have called our work mechanical" remarks Cohen. Well. everything has its mechanics music, painting. sculpture, as well as writing. Neither this group nor any other can give one imagination or the power of observation. which are the essential qualities of any creative artist. But there can be no doubt whatever that such CO., stimulate us, and at the same time teach us the tehcnique of writing salable fiction. That is about as much of an aim as we want"
 The "F'iction Factory" is spon- tsneous growth. Shortly after his series of negro stories in the Satur- day Evening Post had given Cohen national reputation. he was swamped with appeals by Birmingham writers for suggestions and advice. Some philanthropic persons even suggest 4d that Mir. Cohen collaborate with them. Of course. Roy was to do the actual writing.
 It became evident to Cohen that he would have to choose between seeing callers and writing stories. He made his choice, with compro- mise. He found that among many seekers of advice there were few earnest persons without the delusion that fiction could be produced by some magic formula They were willing to serve an apprenticeship. The majority of these were local newspaper men. Cohen set aside Tuesday night or each week for the would-be writers. They came to hts house. about six