The Fiction Factory: Being the experience of a writer who, for twenty-two years, has kept a story-mill grinding successfully — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
The Fiction Factory: Being the experience of a writer who, for twenty-two years, has kept a story-mill grinding successfully
John Stuart Mill · en
The spirit of John Milton Edwards swelled within him. He feasted his
eyes on his printed picture (the rapid newspaper presses had made a
smudge of it), he read and re-read his lean biography (lean because not
much had happened to him at that time) and he gloried over the boldface
type with its message regarding the new star (he was to learn later
that many similar stars are born to blush unseen) and he felt himself a
growing power in the world of letters.
Verily, a pat on the back is a thing to conjure with. It is more
ennobling, sometimes, than a kingly tap with a swordpoint accompanied
by the words, "I dub thee knight." To the fine glow of youthful
enthusiasm it opens broad vistas and offers a glimpse of glittering
heights. Even though that hand-pat inspires dreams never to be
realized, who shall say that a little encouragement, bringing out the
best in us, does not result in much good?
And in this place John Milton Edwards would make a request of the
reader of fiction. If you are pleased with a story, kindly look twice
at the author's name so you may recall it pleasantly if it chances
to come again under your eye. If you are a great soul, given to the
scattering of benefactions, you might even go a little farther: At the
expense of a postage stamp and a little time, address a few words of
appreciation to the author in care of his publisher. You wist not, my
beloved, what weight of gold your words may carry!
From the summer of '89 to the summer of '93 Edwards wrote many stories
and sketches for _The Detroit Free Press_, _Puck_, _Truth_, _The
Ladies' World_, _Yankee Blade_, _Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly_,
_Chatter_, _Saturday Night_, and other periodicals. In 1890 he was
receiving $10 a month for contributions to a little Chicago weekly
called _Figaro_; and, during the same year, he found a market which
was to influence profoundly a decade of work and his monetary returns;
James Elverson paid him $75 for a serial to be used in _Saturday Night_.
Undoubtedly it was this serial that pointed Edwards toward the
sensational story papers. A second serial, sold to _Saturday Night_,
Oct. 21, 1891, brought $150; while a third, paid for July 20, 1893,
netted a like amount. These transactions carried the true ring of
commercial success. Apart from myth and fable, there is no more
compelling siren song in history than the chink of silver. Edwards,
burdened with responsibilities, gave ear to it.
The serial story, published in the _Free Press_ in 1891, had made
friends for Edwards. Among these friends was Alfred B. Tozer, editor of
_The Chicago Ledger_. Through Mr. Tozer, Edwards received commissions
for stories covering a period of years. The payment was $1.50 a
thousand words--modest, indeed, but regular and dependable.[B]