John ShaqiResearch Library

Opening the text

The Fiction Factory: Being the experience of a writer who, for twenty-two years, has kept a story-mill grinding successfullyCook, William Wallace

Philosophy

The Fiction Factory: Being the experience of a writer who, for twenty-two years, has kept a story-mill grinding successfully

Name: The Fiction Factory: Being the experience of a writer who, for twenty-two years, has kept a story-mill grinding successfully
Author: Cook, William Wallace

Cook, William Wallace

Authorship; Fiction

Your Nemesis,
                                      Theo. Roosenfeldt,
                                      Pres't Trust-Busters' Asso."

Readers have usually the courage of their convictions and not many
anonymous letters find their way into the office of the Fiction
Factory. Edwards remembers one other letter which was signed "Biff A.
Hiram." At that time Edwards did not know Mr. Biff A. Hiram from Adam,
but he has since made the gentleman's acquaintance, and discovered how
wide is his circle of friends.

If praise from a reader has a tendency to exalt, then how much more
of the flattering unction may a writer lay to his soul when approval
comes from a brother or sister of the pen? With such a letter, this
brief symposium from the Factory files may be brought to a close.

  "Mr. John Milton Edwards,

  Dear Sir:--

  Allow me to congratulate you upon your success with the novelette in
  a recent issue of the _Blue Book_. It is to my mind the BEST short
  story of its kind I have EVER read. As I try to write short stories I
  see its merits doubly. The modelling is splendid. Will you pardon my
  display of interest?

                                           Very truly yours,
                                                        K. B----."

  =Rules for Authors.=

  Dr. Edward Everett Hale, author of "The Man without a Country," and
  other notable books, gives a few rules which are of interest to the
  author and the journalist. Dr. Hale's success in the literary world
  makes these rules, gleaned from the field of experience, especially
  valuable to young writers:

    1. Know what you want to say.

    2. Say it.

    3. Use your own language.

    4. Leave out all fine phrases.

    5. A short word is better than a long one.

    6. The fewer words, other things being equal, the better.

    7. Cut it to pieces--which means revise, revise, revise.




XVI.

  GROWING
  PROSPERITY


The years 1902 and 1903 were busier years than ever for the Fiction
Factory. Nineteen-two is to be remembered particularly for opening a
new departure in the story line in _The Argosy_, and for placing the
first book with the G. W. Dillingham Company. Nineteen-three claims
distinction for seeing the book brought out and for boosting the
Factory returns beyond the three-thousand-dollar mark. But it must
not be inferred that the book had very much to do with this. Edwards'
royalties for the year were less than $100.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

The Fiction Factory: Being the experience of a writer who, for twenty-two years, has kept a story-mill grinding successfullyCook, William Wallace

Philosophy

The Fiction Factory: Being the experience of a writer who, for twenty-two years, has kept a story-mill grinding successfully

Cook, William Wallace

Authorship; Fiction

Your Nemesis,
                                      Theo. Roosenfeldt,
                                      Pres't Trust-Busters' Asso."

Readers have usually the courage of their convictions and not many
anonymous letters find their way into the office of the Fiction
Factory. Edwards remembers one other letter which was signed "Biff A.
Hiram." At that time Edwards did not know Mr. Biff A. Hiram from Adam,
but he has since made the gentleman's acquaintance, and discovered how
wide is his circle of friends.

If praise from a reader has a tendency to exalt, then how much more
of the flattering unction may a writer lay to his soul when approval
comes from a brother or sister of the pen? With such a letter, this
brief symposium from the Factory files may be brought to a close.

  "Mr. John Milton Edwards,

  Dear Sir:--

  Allow me to congratulate you upon your success with the novelette in
  a recent issue of the _Blue Book_. It is to my mind the BEST short
  story of its kind I have EVER read. As I try to write short stories I
  see its merits doubly. The modelling is splendid. Will you pardon my
  display of interest?

                                           Very truly yours,
                                                        K. B----."

  =Rules for Authors.=

  Dr. Edward Everett Hale, author of "The Man without a Country," and
  other notable books, gives a few rules which are of interest to the
  author and the journalist. Dr. Hale's success in the literary world
  makes these rules, gleaned from the field of experience, especially
  valuable to young writers:

    1. Know what you want to say.

    2. Say it.

    3. Use your own language.

    4. Leave out all fine phrases.

    5. A short word is better than a long one.

    6. The fewer words, other things being equal, the better.

    7. Cut it to pieces--which means revise, revise, revise.




XVI.

  GROWING
  PROSPERITY


The years 1902 and 1903 were busier years than ever for the Fiction
Factory. Nineteen-two is to be remembered particularly for opening a
new departure in the story line in _The Argosy_, and for placing the
first book with the G. W. Dillingham Company. Nineteen-three claims
distinction for seeing the book brought out and for boosting the
Factory returns beyond the three-thousand-dollar mark. But it must
not be inferred that the book had very much to do with this. Edwards'
royalties for the year were less than $100.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The Fiction Factory: Being the experience of a writer who, for twenty-two years, has kept a story-mill grinding successfully

The Fiction Factory: Being the experience of a writer who, for twenty-two years, has kept a story-mill grinding successfully

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