The mirror., 1923-07-05

and write plainly and clearly. Use
typewriter if possible; if not, then pen
and ink. Leave margins of at least an
inch at sides of paper, and plenty of space
between words and lines. These matters
may appear to be trivial, but they always
help to avoid the waste basket.
Make your plot conform to life; weav-
ing your story around the principal char
acters. Do not create too many charac-
ters And never enter the story or mar
rative yourself except as a character; in
other words, never say "The writer saw,
or did, or said anything whatsoever"
1t detracts from your story.
Do not enter into long and detailed
descriptions of scenes or people! 1t bores
the reader. State only what description
is absolutely necessary, and let the reader
himself imagine the details. He may be
better at imagination than yourself. Be-
sides, if you strive to enlist his magma
ton it will interest him in your story.
Don't try to write about things you
don't understand. Almost any subject
can be made interesting if you write SIM
ply and naturally.
Read good books, of high order, and
note the method used in composition and
the style of narration.
Humorous plots, such as comedy scenar-
los with laughable situations, are in great
demand, bring the highest price, and are
in truth the most difficult to write. In
fact really humorous authors are very
rare!
Heavy drama is popular and saleable
when pretty little scenes are included at
unexpected intervals. Paint, with quick
deft stroke, word pictures and action
lots of action! Bright, pithy snatches OF
conversation should run through your mar
rative. Break long and sometimes neces-
sary dialogues with snatches of action or
physical expression. Don't let your story
drag!
Let your theme be CHEEKY and whole
some. Brighten a sad, melancholy, or
commonplace incident by having lively
or hope-inspiring one follow! If you are
witty, make use of it But remember
that vulgarity is not wit; nor is being
silly at all funny! Neither can you sue
cessfully camouAage obscenity or immodes-
ty by calling it "spice!" Any salacious
reference or remark capable of double,
lewd, or sinister meaning is not "pep,"
but "smut!" Suggestive "breaks" are an
objectionable .offense To refer to girls
or women as females, is to invite the scorn
and contempt which it deserves! If your
vocabulary, or habit of speech, is so i'm
poverished that you do not readily refer
to the feminine sex as girls, ladies, DANES,
ETC., buy yourself dictionary and study
the score of synonymous terms therein.
And then if you cannot avoid being rude,
coarse, vulgar, or insulting, don't avrite!
Coarse, offensive, and ill-bred expressions
are permissible only when portraying
character with such traits. For instance,
you would not make Mollie Quinn ex-
claim, "My Gawd Wouldn't that jar
your Stats ?"-or Tena Olson bubbled over
in delight, and spout, "'Darn my shinplas-
ters If that isn't jest too spify for any
thing!' Such cackling marks your char
acter as coarse and ill-bred. "Ralph Cen
tleman," and "Miss Miriam Welbred,"
do not use those expressions. Nor do they
pump hands high in the air and gush-
"Pleased to meet you!" Oh this is de-
lightful" They shake hands without
affectation, and remark-"How do you
dol" "Thank you for coming" etc. Only
"Mr. Vulgar Newlyrich," or "Mrs. Lofty
dime," resort to ostentation!
In your narrative, avoid slang as you
would the smallpox. Big, high-sounding,
and catchy speech is NOT USED in good
society. The user of such never did and
never will belong therei IF character