Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1945-06-29
CHAPTER XIII

see how futile it Is to try to tell an
honest story of ones own life. 1t
can't be done. For instance, there
Is the matter of how many things to
put in it. If I tried to put in all,
William Harlowe Briggs, of Harper
& Brothers, would call me to that
sixth floor room with its long table
and holy atmosphere, and, in no time
at all, would have me down on my
knees, sobbing.
There is the matter of selection.
But how can one tell what is signifi-
cant7 For instance, I published for
a year a magazine for writer's called
The Magazine Maker. I sold it at
a profit, but have wished many times
I hadn't let it go. How I would love
to have it now when the so-called
magazines for writer's are so nearly
trash. Another story would like to
tell is of my experiences in the first
World War. was with the YMCA,
assigned as liaison man with the
Signal Corps. And how, for time,
! wrote the radio version of "Show
Boat" with Lanny Ross as the star.
And would like to tell of my days
with Chic Sale and how he wrote
1.-THE Specialist" and of how Earl
Derr Biggers created the character
of Charlie Chan, the Chinese detec-
tive. Doggone it, I will stop and
tell that Earl had visited Honolulu,
but the idea for Charlie had not
come to him. One day, long after
his return to New York, he went to
the newspaper reading room of the
New York Public Library, and hap
pened to see copy of the Honolulu
Star-Bulletin. AS he was reading it,
he saw mention of Chinese detec-
tive connected with the police de-
partment. Then and there Charlie
Chan was born. Later, when Earl
returned to Honolulu, he found that
a local Chinese on the police force
was receiving great acclaim for be-
ing the Chinese detective Earl had
based his stories on. The two were
photographed together. But Earl
didn't tell him that the original Char
lie Chan was newspaper clipping.
Oh yes! l do want to put in that
! was elected secretary of the Au-
thorS' League of America to serve
with Elmer H. Davis who was presi-
dent; yes, the Elmer who went to
Washington. But, such are the va
carries of ones mind, it was not un-
til several days after my election
that I recalled the first reception
where I seized my hat and ESCAPED
out a side way.
During these years I have come to
some conclusions about the art of
writing. The chiefest is that it can
not be taught, and that anyone who
takes dollar from YOU on the prom
Use of making a better writer of YOU
deserves tar and feathers at dawn.
And that if YOU have to ENCOURAGE
anyone to be a writer, YOU had far
better tell him the field is not for
him. A real writer is born, and the
world does not hold so much dis
couragement that it can get him
down.
And it seems to me the best ouali-
ties to be found in writing are SIN
cerity and truth. And, Quickly 7
want to add a third-simplicitv All
nv life I have been Striving for
simplicity, but l have far from At.
tanned it. Sometimes. when T have
had the courage to turn bsck
through some of nv writings could
hardly find what I had been drivina
at. For the most part I do not re.d
NV "stuff" over after it,s nr;ntaJ
II would be lust too disco,ir. a;na
write it as best can. and ss
feel it when it is flowing and ,;Ls .
cow when she has weaned her cs,f
let the thing shift for itself
Well. here are some of the ha,i.ts
T now have in NV personal croJo ~
.thouph-eoodness knows,NI 80.
heave them ont NJ the w;nd,u, ;u.; 10y
of q wear. The fatalities amona nSo"