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
We shall now expect to receive from you at an early date, the
detective story, and to follow this we will forward you material,
in a few days, for a Ten-Cent Library story. We forward you to-day,
under separate cover, several numbers to give you an idea of the
class of story that is suitable for the Ten-Cent Library. Such scenes
in your last story as where Glim Peters succeeded in buying a
mustang and defeated the deacon in so doing, are just the thing for
the Ten-Cent Library; the same can also be said of the scene in which
Meg, the girl in the bar, stands off the detectives in a vain attempt
to save the villains. That is the sort of thing, and we feel that you
will be able to do it when you know what we want.
I forward you, also, a copy of Ten-Cent Library No. 185, which I
would like you to read, and let me know whether you could write us a
number of stories for this particular series, with the same hero and
the same class of incidents. If so, about how long would it take you
to write 40,000 words? It is possible I may be able to start you on
this series, of which we have already issued a number.
About May 1 Edwards sent the first detective story. On May 10 he
received a letter, of which the following is an extract:
We are in a hurry for this series (the series for the Ten-Cent
Library) but after you have finished the first one, and during
the time that we are reading it, you can go ahead with the second
detective story, "The Capture of Keno Clark," which, although we are
in no hurry for it, we may be able to use in about six weeks or two
months. You did so well with the first detective story that I have no
doubt you can make the second a satisfactory one. However, if we find
the series for the Ten-Cent Library O. K., we will want you to write
these, one after the other as rapidly as possible until we have had
enough of them.
As to our method of payment, would say that it is our custom to
pay for manuscripts on Thursday following the day of issue, but,
agreeably with your request, we mail you a check tomorrow in payment
of "Glim Peters on His Mettle," and will always be willing to
accomodate you in like manner when you find it necessary to call upon
us.
So Edwards made good with the publishing firm of Harte & Perkins,
and for eighteen years there have been the pleasantest of business
relations between them. Courteous always in their dealings, prompt in
their payments to writers, and eager always to send pages and pages of
helpful letters, Harte & Perkins have grown to be the most substantial
publishers in the country. Is it because of their interest in their
writers? Certainly not in spite of it!