The _writing_ of a story is not, to me, the most important part of it. If the story is there, careful editorial work will smooth out many of the crudities of expression or careless short-comings of its author, but no editing can supply a plot where none exists, nor make human or interesting characters that are obviously mere wooden puppets to their creator. Of course, the better written a story is, the larger is apt to be the check that is sent in return for it, because naturally, an editor, like the buyer of any commodity, cannot afford to pay as much for raw materials requiring a great deal of work to put them into usable shape, as he can for a finished and perfected article. To sum up, I would say that before writing a story an author should first have a story to tell, and then be as careful as possible in the telling. The main quality needed after that, if one is to become a successful writer, is, I should say, inexhaustible perseverance. WILLIAM M CLAYTON. _Telling Tales._ 114 Bible House, New York City. TODAY’S HOUSEWIFE You ask me to give you some indication of the fiction requirements of _Today’s Housewife_. I can give you this very briefly: About all that we require is that the story shall be clean and interesting. It may deal with the home and child interest, it may be a married love story, a young love story, a humorous story or one of adventure and mystery. There must be no sex problem; no repulsive crime. It may be as much of a thriller as any one can desire, but it must lead to ultimate good; it must leave the reader in a satisfied frame of mind, although this does not necessarily mean that it needs have a “happy ending.” It must have a satisfactory ending and it must lead the reader along an upward path. We like our stories to be full of action, plenty of sparkling dialogue, and they must be well written. We use but few stories in _Today’s Housewife_, but we demand that these be of an excellent type. DELLA T. LUTES. _Today’s Housewife._ Cooperstown, N.Y. TOP-NOTCH MAGAZINE It always seems to me so futile to talk to people who do not know how to write stories about the way they should be written. I feel that when I attempt it, I speak a language they do not understand. I never have a feeling that I am being understood when I talk on the subject to amateurs. And experience tells me that I am not understood. I must ask you, therefore, to excuse me from holding forth on this very illusive topic. Thanking you for the compliment you pay me in asking me to write something, I am Yours very truly, HENRY W. THOMAS, _Editor_. _Top-Notch Magazine._ 79-89 Seventh Avenue. New York City. THE TOUCHSTONE