The Editor's Relations with the Young Contributor (from Literature and Life) E-Book

William Dean Howells

• Herausgeber: DigiCat
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

In "The Editor's Relations with the Young Contributor," part of his broader work "Literature and Life," William Dean Howells delves into the intricate dynamics between editors and emerging writers. Employing a conversational tone that is both instructive and empathetic, Howells reflects on the editor's crucial role in shaping literary voices and the challenges faced by fledgling authors. This piece not only illuminates the ethical responsibilities of editors but also underscores the evolving nature of literary criticism during a period marked by the rise of realistic storytelling at the close of the 19th century. Here, Howells's nuanced understanding of the publishing landscape is evident, making the text a valuable resource for both aspiring writers and established professionals alike. William Dean Howells, a prominent figure in American literature and a champion of realism, drew upon his extensive experience in the editorial world to craft this insightful discourse. Throughout his career, he has supported and mentored numerous writers, advocating for a literary culture that values diverse perspectives. His commitment to fostering new talent resonates deeply in this work, offering guidance based on both his editorial pragmatism and his artistic sensibilities. This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in the art of writing and publishing. Howells's thoughtful exploration provides not only practical advice but also profound reflections on creativity and the interconnectedness of the literary community. Readers will find themselves equipped with both inspiration and insight, making it an essential addition to the library of any aspiring writer or literary scholar.

Leseprobe

William Dean Howells

The Editor's Relations with the Young Contributor (from Literature and Life)

 

EAN 8596547327851

DigiCat, 2022 Contact: [email protected]

Table of Contents

I.

II.

III.

IV.

VI.

PG EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS

I.

Table of Contents

The new contributor who does charm can have little notion how much he charms his first reader, who is the editor. That functionary may bide his pleasure in a short, stiff note of acceptance, or he may mask his joy in a check of slender figure; but the contributor may be sure that he has missed no merit in his work, and that he has felt, perhaps far more than the public will feel, such delight as it can give.

The contributor may take the acceptance as a token that his efforts have not been neglected, and that his achievements will always be warmly welcomed; that even his failures will be leniently and reluctantly recognized as failures, and that he must persist long in failure before the friend he has made will finally forsake him.

I do not wish to paint the situation wholly rose color; the editor will have his moods, when he will not see so clearly or judge so justly as at other times; when he will seem exacting and fastidious, and will want this or that mistaken thing done to the story, or poem, or sketch, which the author knows to be simply perfect as it stands; but he is worth bearing with, and he will be constant to the new contributor as long as there is the least hope of him.

The contributor may be the man or the woman of one story, one poem, one sketch, for there are such; but the editor will wait the evidence of indefinite failure to this effect. His hope always is that he or she is the man or the woman of many stories, many poems, many sketches, all as good as the first.

From my own long experience as a magazine editor, I may say that the editor is more doubtful of failure in one who has once done well than of a second success. After all, the writer who can do but one good thing is rarer than people are apt to think in their love of the improbable; but the real danger with a young contributor is that he may become his own rival.

What would have been quite good enough from him in the first instance is not good enough in the second, because he has himself fixed his standard so high. His only hope is to surpass himself, and not begin resting on his laurels too soon; perhaps it is never well, soon or late, to rest upon one's laurels. It is well for one to make one's self scarce, and the best way to do this is to be more and more jealous of perfection in one's work.

The editor's conditions are that having found a good thing he must get as much of it as he can, and the chances are that he will be less exacting than the contributor imagines. It is for the contributor to be exacting, and to let nothing go to the editor as long as there is the possibility of making it better. He need not be afraid of being forgotten because he does not keep sending; the editor's memory is simply relentless; he could not forget the writer who has pleased him if he would, for such writers are few.