Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-29

column considered the plight Of the man
who did one thing for living and
longed to do something else. We
pointed to the man who clerked and
wanted to sing opera, the bread-wagon
driver who pined to tread the boards
of the legitimate drama, and the writer
who wanted to be an architect, but we
forgot to include the clerk who wanted
to be writer.
AS a matter of fact, in this age 1t
seems as II every one wants to write.
The universal education upon which
this country was founded has bred a
race of ready readers and almost as
ready writer's. The same is true, of
course, the world around.
At no other time in world history
were there SO many men and women
who could write we'll Any one can
ctring words together, but real writing,
Of whatever degree, means something
more. It means saying what one wants
to say In such way that the reader
will get exactly those ideas,
If piece Of writing also makes a
reader think for himself, IL has achieved
the pinnacle. If an article, or an essay.
or story, or q poem gives O reader a
bit Of exaltation In addition, although
it may last but brief while, it Is great,
or approaching greatness.
Two Of the great faults Of the anna
teur writer are diffuseness and GER
tain inability TO say what he wants to
say. Only those who have had some
tons" CT such aspirants can realize to
the full the truth Of the above state
ment.
Instead Of getting right down to the
point and saying in as few words as
possible what he has in mind, such a
man or woman beats around the bush
often, 1t would seem, for the sheer
pleasure Of beating around the BUSH
No doubt he has become confused by
his lessons in school and feels that
description" must be attended to at
ton to take care Of itself, which 1t
often does by completely eliminating
itself.
The ability OF the amateur writer to
string words after words Is nothing
less than awe-inspiring. Newspapers
throughout the land daily receive
masses of amateur writing for consid-
Grafton which are marvels of word
Neutrality-suspicious., that Is, that any
one should require so many words to
say 80 little.
All such material, if the facts are
WOrCn using, must De rewritten by an
experienced hand who understands the
necessity for condensation. Often such
'rewrite man" is required to take a
fact from the last sentence ana COM
bine it with one from the first sentence.
When he gets through he has written
what the original writer meant to write
in the first place. The aspiring anna
teur must know, first of ALL what he
wants to say, and then to say 1t as
directly as possible.
He must not make the mistake, how
ever, of thinking that curtness of ex-
preston Is the desired thing. Nothing
could be further from the truth. 4
book OF 100000 words may be so well
done that 1t is perfect, but a brochure
of 900 words may be redundant.
The way to write, after all, Is to
write. This has been said 90 many
times that it appears trite, but 1t Is the
fundamental advice which must be given
the amateur. There Ia no other way.
The greatest curse to the aspiring
amateur is home praise. There is moth
ing which seems so sweet to him, but
also there Is nothing which will so lull
his ability to sleep. II man such as
our correspondent longs to write, We
wish him God-speed. but We would also
say beware his friends! Let him take
his work to an enemy rather, and he
may hear the truth about It,