The Lure of the Pen A book for Would-Be Authors   By: Flora Klickmann

THE LURE OF THE PEN

A Book for Would Be Authors

by

FLORA KLICKMANN

Editor of "The Girl's Own Paper and Woman's Magazine"

Who Has Written "The Flower Patch among the Hills," "Between the Larchwoods and the Weir," and Other Works

G. P. Putnam's Sons New York and London 1920

Copyright, 1920, by G. P. Putnam's Sons

DEDICATED TO MR. JAMES BOWDEN

WHO HAS FEW EQUALS, EITHER AS A PUBLISHER, OR AS A FRIEND

PREFACE TO THE AMERICAN EDITION

In sending out this new book to the American public, I feel I am addressing a sympathetic audience, since other volumes that have preceded it have been most cordially received, and have added considerably to my long list of friends on the Western side of the Atlantic.

At first glance it may seem as though the difference between the writings of American and British authors is too marked to allow of a book on Authorship proving useful to both countries but in reality the difference is only superficial, and is largely confined to methods of newspaper journalism, or connected with mannerisms and topical qualities.

Fundamentally, both nations work on the same lines and acknowledge the same governing laws in Literature. American authors, no less than British, derive their inspirations from European classics.

And magazine editors and publishers in both countries are only too grateful for good work from either side.

No one can teach authors how or what to write; but sometimes it is possible to help the beginners to an understanding of what it is better not to write. For the rest I hope the book explains itself.

FLORA KLICKMANN

Fleet Street, London.

CONTENTS

PAGE PART ONE: THE MSS. THAT FAIL Why they Fail 3 Three Essentials in Training 11

PART TWO: ON KEEPING YOUR EYES OPEN A Course in Observation 17 The Assessment of Spiritual Values 24

PART THREE: THE HELP THAT BOOKS CAN GIVE The Bane of "Browsing" 35 Reading for Definite Data 41 Reading for Style 47 The Need for Enlarging the Vocabulary 58 The Charm of Musical Language 68 Analysing an Author's Methods 78

PART FOUR: POINTS A WRITER OUGHT TO NOTE Practice Precedes Publication 97 The Reader must be Interested 116 Form should be Considered 130 Right Selection is Important 139 When Writing Articles 144 Suggestions for Style 156 The Ubiquitous Fragment 166 Concerning Local Colour 172 Creating Atmosphere 178 The Method of Presenting a Story 188 Fallacies in Fiction 197 Some Rules for Story Writing 217 About the Climax 225 The Use of "Curtains" 229 On Making Verse 234 The Function of the Blue Pencil 252

PART FIVE: AUTHOR, PUBLISHER, AND PUBLIC When Offering Goods for Sale 261 The Responsibility 286

INDEX 297

PART ONE

THE MSS. THAT FAIL

In the Business of Making Literature, the only Quality that presents itself in Abundance is entirely untrained Mediocrity.

The Lure of the Pen

Why They Fail

In the course of a year I read somewhere about nine thousand stories, articles and poems. These are exclusive of those read by others in my office.

Of these nine thousand I purchase about six hundred per annum. The remainder are usually declined for one of three reasons; either,