How to write for publication: A course in creative writing for junior college students

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HOW TO WRITE FOR PUBLICATION A Course in Creative Writing for Junior College Students

A Project Presented to the Faculty of the School of Education The University of Southern California

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Education

by John I. Hartley January 1950

UMI Number: EP45863

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This project report, written under the direction of the candidate’s adviser and app r o ved by him, has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty of the School of Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of M a ste r of Science in Education. Date

D SCM M ...

........ ....................

A dvis er

tft.'S U '’ Dean

ii PREFACE This syllabus has been written with the view of pro­ viding the junior college student with a guide in the field of creative writing.

It is a survey, so to speak, of the

possible outlets in current literature and of the methods of writing for these publications.

There are few students who

reach the junior college level without feeling the urge to write for publication,

to put into printed form the hopes,

the dreams, the ideas which are jelling into substantial and worthwhile molds.

All too often, however, the possible con­

tributions of youth are lost to society because writing is made to appear a mysterious vocation, practiced by a privi­ leged few who possess magical abilities which common mortals can never hope to equal.

Because of this false attitude,

many students who have great powers of imagination and are capable of injecting new vigor into current literature and thinking, shun original writing and thus withhold from the world perhaps the very ideas that are most needed. Education, whether for creative writing or mathematics, was considered, until the present century, as a cumulative process in which the student was subjected to a relentless barrage of facts and expected to retain, assimilate, and adjust these facts until he emerged an "educated" man.

He

iii was expected to emulate a ’’cistern"'*' into which would flow ’’the streams of knowledge" from the "spring," or the mouth of the teacher.

There was little in this philosophy to

encourage the student to think or to give him any control over his own schooling, for he was merely a target for the verbal missies of pedants. The twentieth century has seen the rise of a philosophy which demands that the learner be considered as something more than a receiver of facts in the teaching process.

Foremost

among the men responsible for such a change in the educational outlook has been John Dewey, who feels that "education in order to accomplish its ends both for the individual learner and for society must be based upon experience--which is always the actual life-experience of some individual."

This

philosophy is the antithesis of the ’’cistern" theory; for as Dr. Dewey says, "it is part of the educator’s responsibility to see equally to two things:

First, that the problem grows

out of the conditions of the experience being had in the present, and that it is within range of the capacity of the students;

and secondly, that it is such that it arouses in

the learner an active quest for information and for production

1 Edward Randall Maguire; The Group-Study Plan. Charles S c r i b n e r ’s Sons, New York, 1928, p. 1. 2 John Dewey: Experience and Education. Company, New York, 1938, p. 113.

The Macmillan

iv

of new ideas.

The new facts and new ideas thus obtained

become the ground for further experiences from which new problems are presented.” It is in accordance with the ideas of Dr. Dewey and other advocates of the experience theory in education that this syllabus has been written.

It is intended to provide

the student with an opportunity to write in most of the forms found in present-day literature and to help the beginning writer to find a market in which to sell and publish his finished work.

No pretense is made at covering all the

aspects of writing, nor is there any guarantee that mastery of these materials will assure publication;

instead, every

effort has been made to show the fundamentals of the various literary types and to suggest methods for getting into print. Throughout the syllabus the outline form of presentation is used in the manner developed by Dr. C. C. Crawford,

4

who originated the '’how-to” approach to functional education. This method strives toward the teaching of "acts not facts,”® and thus it provides the student with learning experiences which are brought about by doing rather than by absorbing; for true education, which has as its objective the changing 3 Ib i d ., pp. 96, 97. 4 Claude C. Crawford? Functional Education. Crawford, Los Angeles, 1941. 5 Ibid., p. 1-5.

Claude C.

of behavior,

can only be effected by need-satisfying practices

resulting from meaningful, functional performance on the part of the student. Although this- work is primarily intended for classroom use, it may be used to advantage by the individual student as a convenient reminder and as a checklist for particular problems*

The sequence of the parts and chapters, while

natural and logical from one point of view, should not be regarded as inflexible but should be re-arranged in accordance with the needs of the student and the demands of the learning situation.

Within the chapters, the sections on performance

and evaluation should be expanded or changed as necessary to provide the student with sufficient doing to assure learning, and enough checking to provide honest appraisal of work completed.

The lists of books and periodicals given in the

bibliography and the appendix provide considerable reference material, but such lists are never complete nor up-to-date and thus require continual revision and addition. John I. Hartley

vi TABLE OP CONTENTS CHAPTER

PAGE PART I. ESTABLISHING A ROUTINE HOW TO SYSTEMATIZE YOUR EFFORTS

1.

PREPARATION:

How to begin the job of writing . .

2.

ORGANIZATION: How to arrange equipment and materials for your w o r k .......................

2 7

PART II. LEARNING YOUR TOOLS HOW TO MAKE BOOKS WORK FOR YOU 3.

LIBRARY:

4.

DICTIONARY AND THESAURUS: How to find the right words for your t h o u g h t s ...........

5.

How to use this storehouse of knowledge

SCANNING:

How to read rapidly for information

13 19

.

25

PART III. DEVELOPING THE IDEA HOW TO PUT YOUR THOUGHTS INTO WORDS 6. 7.

SHORT STORIES: How to write the most popular type of magazine f i c t i o n .....................

33

ARTICLES: How to record facts in a marketable s t y l e ..........................

8.

POETRY:

9.

CARTOON IDEAS: How to compose jokes for the ar t i s t ’s pen . .................................

56

NEWS STORIES:

60

10.

How to write v e r s e ..................

41

How to write for newspapers

48

...

PART IV. SELLING THE PRODUCT HOW TO MARKET YOUR WORK 11. 12.

REVISION:

How to edit your c o p y ............

68

REMUNERATION: How to find a buyer for your m a t e r i a l .......................................

73

vlf CHAPTER 13.

PAGE

PUBLICATION: the editor

How to prepare your manuscript for .................................

78

B I B L I O G R A P H Y ...........

85

APPENDIX:

91

Market l i s t s ...............

1

PART I. ESTABLISHING A ROUTINE HOW TO SYSTEMATIZE YOUR EFFORTS If a factory is to run smoothly, it must have an organization and a routine which enable each employee and piece of equipment to do the best work possible. Since you are an individual ’’writing factory, ” you must organize your mental and physical equipment in such a manner that your writing products represent the very best of your ability. The next two chapters will help you to set up a system to achieve the maximum output with a minimum of frustration and delay.

2 CHAPTER 1. PREPARATION HOW TO BEGIN THE JOB OP WRITING A»

MOTIVATIONS

Rewards that may be yours for setting up a

personal routine for writing* 1.

HAPPIER FAMILY.

Other members of your household can

adjust themselves to your writing agonies if they know where and when you are working* 2.

GREATER ACCOMPLISHMENT.

A well ordered working

schedule will enable you to turn out more material than will waiting for inspiration. 3.

LESS FRUSTRATION.

There will be time for other work

and play if you do your writing chores regularly. 4.

BETTER GRADES.

Your other courses will be neglected

if you scatter your writing time around the clock* B.

PRESENTATION;

Some recommendations to help you start

writing with a minimum of confusion. 1.

SCHEDULE. a.

How

to find the place and time to write.

Experiment until you find the time of day or night when you do your best work.

b.

Make a schedule for your writing and other work, and stick to it.

c.

Find a place, however small, which you can use just for your creative writing.

d.

D o n ’t let yourself cheat by saying that you c a n ’t find time or a place to write.

(You must.)

FIRST IDEAS. a.

How to put your thoughts on paper.

Write original material with typewriter, pen, or pencil, whichever is best for you.

b.

Type your finished work unless it is absolutely impossible for you to get to a typewriter.

c.

Don't worry about fineness of expression when you are roughing in a red-hot idea.

d.

For convenience, use paper of the same size for all your writing.

e.

Get the notebook habit of jotting down ideas, bits of description, snatches of dialogue, etc.

DISCIPLINE.

How to face the blank sheet of paper as

you start to write. a.

Don't wait for mood or inspiration.

b.

Make yourself keep to your schedule and write something at the appointed place and hour daily.

c.

Resist the urge to read, to talk, to dream.

(The

time for writing on your schedule must be used for just that.) d.

Be alone, if possible, and shun your friends during your writing period.

e.

Promise and give yourself rewards when you have worked a certain time or completed a given amount of copy.

4.

DISAPPOINTMENT.

How to toughen yourself for the

disappointments of writing. a.

D o n ’t be too overjoyed at the high praise of friends and relatives.

(Editors are the ones

you must please.) b.

Look upon rejection slips merely as tokens of non-acceptance, not necessarily as symbols of bad writing.

c.

Write first to tell a story;

then think of selling

it. d.

Remember that rejection slips are well known to full time professional writers,

as well as to

beginners• e.

Strive constantly to improve your work.

f.

Don't listen to friends who say: got to have a name."

,!Ah, you've

(Most editors are looking

for fresh, new material.) C.

ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENTS:

Projects to help you prepare

yourself for the work of writing. 1.

SCHEDULE MAKING.

Draw up a schedule for all your

working, writing, playing, and studying for an entire week. 2.

HELPING OTHERS WITH SCHEDULES.

Collaborate with

classmates in organizing work and play schedules which will give y o u the most and best' time for your writing.

3*

NOTE TAKING.

Make notes for possible story, poem,

or article situation which you want to write up later. D.

EVALUATION;

Samples of check-ups which may be used to

evaluate your preparation for writing. 1.

TRUE-FALSE.

Place X in the correct space for true

or false, T a.

F

( ) ( ) It is best to have

one place to use just

for writing. b.

( ) ( ) A writing schedule

is unnecessary if you

have no outside job. c.

Y

( ) ( ) You should use a typewriter for all of your work if possible.

2.

RATING SCALE.

Place X in each space for which your

pre-writing preparations can qualify. a.

( ) Schedule includes adequate time for all activities.

b.

( ) Place just for writing has been-provided.

c.

( ) Arrangements have been made to use a typewriter for finished work.

d.

( ) Notebook has been provided for jotting down ideas.

E.

SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER:

Where to get further

assistance. 1*

RESERVE SHELF.

Pages in books that are cited

repeatedly in the text: Bedford 15-20,

30-35; Blackiston 3-14, 160-170;

Oppenheim 5-8; Reid vii-ix, 1-3; Woodford 1-23, 186-193, 245-252. 2.

MAGAZINE ARTICLE. a.

Smith, Betty:

"What Makes a Writer?"

Housekeeping, Vol. 129, 3.

(November,

MISCELLANEOUS. a.

Interviews with working writers.

b.

Vocational education literature.

Good

1949) p. 33.

CHAPTER 2. ORGANIZATION HOW TO ARRANGE EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS FOR YOUR WORK ' A.

MOTIVATION;

Dividends that may be yours if you bring

order to your writing. 1.

MORE LEISURE TIME.

A businesslike arrangement of

your writing tools will save many hours which you can use as you please. 2.

FREEDOM FROM PANIC.

That nauseous feeling which

results from the foolish mistake of sending the same story to two magazines at the same time will be u n ­ known to you if you keep careful records. 3.

FEWER EXPENSES.

Thousands of new erasers, pencils,

and typewriter ribbons are purchased every year when the buyers ’ houses contain many of them which are well hidden in topsy-turvy desks. B.

PRESENTATION?

Some advice to help you to make the most

of your writing time. 1.

WORKING SPACE. a.

How to set up your writing materials.

Keep everything you need for writing, paper, pencil, dictionary, arm's reach.

such as,

and notes, within

( I t ’s easy to spend all your time

looking for things and thus to avoid the real work of writing.) b.

Have a ’’place for everything and everything in its place.”

c.

Maintain your typewriter and other equipment in good condition.

d.

Buy paper and other materials in economical quantities, but d o n ’t overstock foolishly.

e.

D o n ’t clutter your working space with unnecessary trivia.

PILING.

How to keep track of your important

papers.

a.

Set

b.

Use manila envelopes or an expanding file.

c.

Make duplicates of. all your stories, poems, etc., and

up a simple filing system.

note on them the date mailed and

to which they were sent*

the address

(It's very unethical

and possibly embarrassing to send the same story to more than one magazine at the same time.) d.

Prepare a small card index for addresses of magazines,

story ideas, and other material for

which you need quick reference. REFERENCES.

How to provide yourself with the

essential tools. a.

Get an up-to-date edition of a good dictionary, such as Merriam Webster's,

b.

or Funk and Wagnall.’s.

Purchase a R o g e t ’s Theasaurs, either regular or pocket edition.

c.

Keep at hand a grammar book in which you can quickly find the answers to problems of usage and construction.

9 d.

Obtain a rhyming dictionary if you intend to write verse.

e.

Don't buy every so-called writer's aid on the market.

(Too many ideas from others are often

more confusing than informative.) C.

ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENTS;

Projects to help you set up your

writing essentials. 1.

BUYING MATERIALS.

Go shopping and purchase the basic

items that you will need in doing your writing assignments• 2.

ARRANGING YOUR WORKING SPACE.

Set up your materials

and equipment in an orderly and practical manner in the spot selected for your writing. 3.

PREPARING PILES.

Make a simple filing system for

your materials. 4.

WRITING.

Prepare rough synopsis or outline of

proposed stories or articles from your notes. D.

EVALUATION:

Samples of ways in which your organization

of your materials and equipment may be checked. 1.

TRUE-FALSE.

Place X in the correct space for true

or false. T a.

P

( ) ( ) It is wise to keep essential writing materials within arm's reach while writing.

10 b.

( ) ( ) You should make duplicates of all your stories and poems.

c.

{ )( ) Y o u should not send the same story to two magazines at the same time.

d.

( )( ) You should always maintain your typewriter in good condition.

2.

RATING SCALE.

Place X in each space for which your

organization for writing qualifies. a.

( ) There is a "place for everything and every­ thing in its place."

b.

( ) A good dictionary and a thesaurus have been provided.

c.

( ) A simple filing system has been set up for use in writing.

d.

( ) Typewriter is clean and in good working condition.

E.

SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER;

Where to get further

assistance. 1.

RESERVE SHELF.

Pages in books that are cited

repeatedly: Bedford 112-118; Blackiston 15-17; Oppenheim 8-15; Woodford 127-132. 2.

MISCELLANEOUS. a.

Free pamphlets on office procedure from manu­ facturers of stationery,

office machines, etc.

Interviews with writers, teachers, and office, workers* Discussions with fellow students.

12

PART II. LEARNING YOUR TOOLS HOW TO MAKE BOOKS WORK FOR YOU Often a good mechanic with a screwdriver can make your car run when you, with a garage-full of tools, have failed. The mechanic knows how to use his tools and where to look for the trouble, while you are unable to diagnose the difficulty or to employ the elaborate sets of wrenches at your disposal. The tools of the writer, in the main, are books, which he uses to improve and perfect his own work. The next three chapters will aid y o u in learning to handle these invaluable literary implements.

13 CHAPTER 3. LIBRARY HOW TO USE THIS STOREHOUSE OF KNOWLEDGE A.

MOTIVATION;

Dividends that may accrue to you through

learning to use the library. 1.

FINGER-TIP INFORMATION.

The truly educated person

is not a walking catalog of facts, but one who knows how to find facts and put them to use. 2.

WRITING ACCURACY.

You can quickly clear up doubts

regarding the factual material in your articles and stories by consulting the library. 3.

MORE TIME FOR ACTUAL WRITING.

A library user who

can quickly find what he wants spends less time wandering aimlessly in searching for information. 4.

STORY IDEAS.

A purposeful browse through the stacks

can often pay off by rejuvenating a fatigued mind. B.

PRESENTATION;

Some pointers to help you make the best

use of. the library. 1.

CARD INDEX.

How to find the book you want by using

the card catalog. a.

Know what you are looking for:

the title of a

book, the name of an author, or a particular subject. b.

Find the drawer of cards which contains the letter of the alphabet with which your subject, author,

or title begins.

(For example, the

drawer might be marked "SIO-SOM."

You could find

"Slavery" here, but not "Swimmingj" "Smith," but not "Shakespeare.") c.

Flip through the cards, which are in alphabetical order, until you come to the author, title, or subject you seek.

d.

Don't forget that authors' last names are first, and that the articles, a, an, and the, are placed at the end of the book titles in the card index*

STACKS. a.

How to find the book after locating the card.

Copy down the "call number" which is usually found in the upper left corner of the card. (For example: (

b.

808.1) D 49)

Go to the stacks and move immediately to the 800 section, working from there to 808, then to 808.1, and thence to D 49.

c.

Don't waste time looking for these numbers on every book because there will be large numbers, showing the major divisions in the stacks, on the ends of the shelves*

d.

Look for the numbers on the backs or spines of the books*

e.

If you cannot find the book, ask the librarian to help you.

(In some libraries you will not be

permitted in the stacks.

In that case, take

your card to the desk and the book will be gotten for y o u . ) COMPILATIONS. pedias, a.

How to find information in encyclo­

and biographies.

Look for these books in the main reading room or in the. "reference” room.

b.

Check the card index to find what ones are available.

c.

Ask the librarian or at the reference desk.

d.

Find the index volume which will tell you which book, by number,

contains information on your

topic. e.

If there is no index volume, use the alphabetical guide letters on the various volumes to find your subject.

(For example,

"Eisenhower" might be

found in a book marked "Dakar to Fjord.") f.

Locate and read the cross references in addition to the material given in the one volume, (1) "See" references will refer y o u to a longer article on the same general topic. (2) "See also" references will refer you to related literature.

PERIODICALS.

How to use the guides and indexes to

periodical literature.

16 a.

Look for them in the reference or periodical rooms•

b.

Have a subject,

title, or author in mind before

thumbing the pages. c.

Find the guide most applicable to your field of interest.

d.

Check the front of the volume for the key to abbreviations used in the entries in the text.

e.

List the articles on your subject and check out the magazines in which they are printed.

C.

ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENTS«

Projects to help you learn to take

advantage of the library facilities at the school and public libraries. 1.

CARD CATALOG.

Go to the library and use the card

catalog to look up (and check out) several books on a subject of interest to you as possible story or article material.

Outline or write a story idea for

one or more writing projects. 2.

ENCYCLOPEDIAS.

Find material in encyclopedias or

biographical dictionaries which you can incorporate or expand Into an article or story.

Prepare a rough

outline for the story or article, using this data. 3.

READER'S GUIDE.

Make a survey of the stories or

articles printed during the past five years on some

phase of your vocation or hobby.

Make a short list

. of ideas which you can possibly write into acceptable articles. D.

EVALUATION:

Samples of tests which may be used to check

on your ability to use the library. 1.

COMPLETION.

Write in the long blanks ahead of the

items the answers that should go in the short token blanks within the items. a.

Before looking in the card index you should have in mind a title, and author, or __ .

__________

b.

In the stacks you should look on the __ of the books for numbers and titles.

___________ c.

In using encyclopedias it is wise to locate your topic first in the __ volume.

2.

TRUE-FALSE.

Place X in the correct space for true

or false. T a.

F

( ) ( ) To find ’’The Articles of Confederation," you should look under the T ’s in the card index.

b.

( ) ( ) It is wise to copy down the call number on the card for the book you are seeking.

18 c.

( ) ( ) You should read the !,See also*' references for material on a topic related to yours.

E.

SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER:

Where to get further

assistance. 1.

RESERVE SHELF.

Pages In books that are. cited

repeatedly: Woodford 240-244. 2.

SPECIAL BOOKS.

Titles related to this particular

chapter: a.

Smith, Lloyd E.:

How to Find What You Want in a

Library, Little Blue Book No. 1475.

Haldeman-

Julius Publication, Girard, Kansas, No Late. 3.

MISCELLANEOUS. a.

Free pamphlets distributed by public libraries.

b.

Directories and

instruction sheets posted in

most school and public libraries. c.

Interviews with

librarians and assistants.

19 CHAPTER 4. DICTIONARY AND THESAURUS HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT WORDS FOR YOUR THOUGHTS A.

MOTIVATION:

Rewards that may come to you from learning

to use these b o o k s . 1.

AVOIDANCE OF CLICHES.

By using the thesaurus

habitually you will find fresh, new words which will add .zest and individuality to your writing. 2.

BETTER CHANCE OF ACCEPTANCE.

Editors are more

inclined to buy material which is devoid of m i s ­ spellings, incorrect usages, and tired, out-dated expressions. 3.

ACCURACY OF DETAILS.

Constant reference to these

books will save you the embarrassment which comes from hasty and inaccurate choice of words in your writing. B.

PRESENTATION:

Suggestions to help you find information

in a dictionary or a thesaurus. 1.

DEFINITIONS.

How to use words correctly and

exactly. a.

Use a reputable standard dictionary to get exact meaning of your word.

b.

Speed your search through the alphabetical lists by using the thumb index and by watching the guide words printed at the top or bottom of the pages.

c.

Wad© through the various meanings until you find the one which suits your purpose.

d.

Avoid using the word if the definition is preceded or followed byr (1) O b s .

Obsolete, no longer in use.

(2) Colloq.

Colloquial, used only in speech and

informal writing. (3) S l a n g .

Popular but unauthorized vogue of

strained expressions. (4) A r c haic. D i al®ct. (6) R a r e . S.

Old-fashioned. A local word, not widely used.

Seldom used.

Find the correct part of speech of the word by checking the abbreviations which precede it. (For example, rn_ for noun, v.t. for verb transitive, etc.)

f.

Read front pages of the dictionary for explanation of additional abbreviations.

PRONUNCIATION.

How to find the correct pronunciation

of a word. a.

Study the syllable breakdown and the accompanying accent marks of the word.

b.

Look at the bottom of the page to find common everyday words with pronunciation marks corres­ ponding to those used on the word y o u are checking.

21 (For example, the nu ,r in slumber will be marked and pronounced as the "u" in u p .) c.

When two pronunciations are given, use the pre­ ferred one, which is usually given first or marked p r e f .

3*

V A R IETY.

How to find synonyms in a thesaurus or

Hword storehouse.11 a.

Look up the word you have in mind by using the thesaurus as you would a dictionary or an index.

b.

Find your old word, which will be listed under its particular part of speech and surrounded by other words similar in meaning.

c.

Select a fresh, sparkling new word from the list.

d.

Avoid using the new word in exactly the same sense as the old one unless you are sure of its meaning.

e.

Read the front pages of the thesaurus for help in locating words dealing with broad categories, such as, emotions, force, space, time, property, etc.

C.

ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENTS I

Projects to help you improve your

ability to use the dictionary and the thesaurus. 1.

DICTIONARY.

Look up and write sentences for five un­

familiar words which you encounter in conversation or reading in a day.

2.

.THESAURUS.

Go over something you have written,

whether it be a personal letter, a class composition, or a story, and check all words, other than articles, conjunctions, and prepositions, which occur more than twice.

Find appropriate synonyms Tor these words in

a thesaurus. 3.

READING.

Select from the works of Shakespeare,

Dickens, Browning,

or any other author of stature

passages which show brilliant use of words.

Attempt

to imitate the style. 4.

EDITING.

Re-read your story outlines and check

usages of any words of which you are doubtful. Attempt to substitute more appropriate words for any which are overworked in your writing. D.

EVALUATIONt

Samples of check-ups which may be applied to

your mastery of the dictionary and the thesaurus. 1.

RATING SCALE.

Place an X in each space for which you

qualify in using the dictionary and the thesaurus. a.

( ) Use thumb index in locating general area v where word may be found.

b.

( ) Watch guide letters at tops of pages to speed search for the word.

c.

( ) Look up abbreviations used in the front of the dictionary or the thesaurus.

23 d.

( ) Check pronunciation by syllable breakdown and by key at bottom of page.

2.

TRUE-FALSE.

Place X in the correct spaces for true

or false. T a.

( )(

F ) After selecting a synonym

in a thesaurus

you should check the word's meaning in a dictionary. b.

( )(

) It is wise to avoid using

a word marked

"Obs." c.

( )(

) The best pronunciation to

use is the one

given first by the dictionary. d.

( )(

) A word marked "v.t." should not be used as the subject of a sentence.

E.

SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER:

Where to find further

assistance. 1.

RESERVE SHELF.

Pages in books that are cited

repeatedly: Bedford 42-45. 2.

SPECIAL BOOKS.

Titles related to this particular

chapter: a.

Smith, Lloyd E . : for Y o u .

The Secret of Making Words Work

Little Blue Book Ho. 1444.

Haldeman-

Julius Publications, Girard, Kansas, Ho Date.

b.

Roget,

Peter M.s

and Phrases*

Thesaurus of English Words

David McKay Company, Philadelphia,

No Date, c,

Webster, Noaht

Dictionary of Synonyms; a

Dictionary of Discriminated Synonyms with Antonyms and Analogous and Contrasted Words. G. & C. Merriam Company, Springfield, Mass., 1942. MISCELLANEOUS. a.

All reputable dictionaries.

(See the material

preceding word lists.) b.

Textbooks of English grammar and composition.

25 CHAPTER 5. SCANNING HOW TO READ RAPIDLY FOR INFORMATION A*

MOTIVATION;

Gains that you may make by mastering the

technique of searching books for information. 1.

WIDER READING COVERAGE.

Your articles will have a

ring of authenticity if you are able to gather material from a large number of sources. 2.

MORE TIME FOR WRITING.

The ability to read rapidly

for specific information will cut down the time necessary for tedious research. 3.

MORE ACCURATE SLANTING.

A fast reader can quickly

get the "slant" of a magazine and thus write his stories accordingly. B.

PRESENTATION:

Some tips to help you make the most of

the time y o u spend in gathering material from written sources. 1.

TIME SAVER. a.

How to study the table of contents.

Glance quickly through the contents,

checking

the parts into which the book is divided. b.

Compare the number of chapters or pages devoted to the various topics to find the main emphasis of the book.

c.

Peruse the information which follows the chapter title.

d.

Examine the. tables of maps, charts, figures, and illustrations to get an idea of the type and amount of visual material in the book.

FRONT PAGES.

How to read a preface, foreword, or

introduction. a.

Scrutinize them as if they were personal letters.

b.

Find the a u t h o r ’s reasons for writing the book and the means he used to develop his material,

c.

Search out the a u t h o r ’s recommendations for using the book.

d.

Note the acknowledgements which may suggest other sources or authors for you to check.

PUBLISHING DATA.

How to find the vital statistics

of a book. a.

Read the title pages to find the correct and complete title, the name of the author, the publisher, the place of publication, and the name of the illustrator,

b.

if any.

Turn to the back of the title page for statements regarding dates of the various editions, copy­ right,

c.

and permission to quote from the book,

D o n ’t rely upon the title and name on the outer cover for completeness and accuracy.

BACK PAGES. want.

How to use the index to find what you

Phrase your question or topic as specifically as possible. (1) D o n ’t think, ’’the assault of German-held Europe by the Allies in 1944," if you have in mind "the Normandy Beachhead.’1 (2) If you fail to find an entry under your selection, look in a more general category, such as, ’’World War II” or ”U. S. Army.” Find the material in the text from the page numbers in the index* (1) If the Index lists several page references, such as, 4, 39, 78-84, and 228, read first the largest entry, in this case, pages 78-84. (2) Cross check for more details to related people or events.

(For example,

"Eisenhower,”

"D-Day,” etc.) (3) Jot down page and chapter numbers given in the index to save thumbing back to check succeeding references. Look in the appendix for additional information. (The appendix Is usually located between the end of the last chapter and the beginning of the index.) Don't look under the T's to find ’’The Articles of Confederation," because the articles a, an, and t he, are omitted or placed at the end of the entry in the Index.

28

5.

SKIMMING.

How to increase your general reading

•speed and coverage. a.

Head the boldface or italicized headings as you turn the pages rapidly.

b.

Get the "big picture" by reading these headings.

c.

Don't become absorbed in details unless they are. the ones you are seeking.

d.

Don't move your lips when reading.

e.

Cover each line with a glance without moving eyes right or left when reading narrow columns, such as those in a newspaper.

f.

Punctuate with your mind as you read, but keep eye movement smooth, not jerky.

C.

ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENTS:

Projects to help you get the most

out of your sources of information in the shortest time. 1.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.

Prepare a bibliography,

complete with

page and chapter numbers, for the books which you have checked out to read in gathering information for an article or story. 2.

SPEED READING.

For a class assignment requiring the

reading of a certain number of pages, read only the boldface or italicized headings in a chapter, about two to four minutes for fifty pages.

taking

Then

write a short paragraph giving what yo u believe are

29 the main thoughts of the chapter, and check back to verify your work. 3.

COMPREHENSION.

Pair off with another student.

Read

a four page article from the R e a d e r ’s Digest in three minutes;

then answer questions on the articles put

to you by your partner. 4.

WRITING.

Read a new story in class against time,

and attempt to rewrite it, getting in the main ideas of the original author.

Compare your rewriting job

with the work of other students. 5.

SLANTING.

Take a magazine which is new to you and

spend five minutes skimming through it.

Write a

’’market ad” for the magazine, listing the probable types of stories, articles, and poems which would most likely be successful if submitted. D.

EVALUATION:

Samples of tests which may be used to check

your ability to read rapidly for information. 1.

BEST ANSWER.

Place the number of the hest answer in

parentheses• a.

( ) To find the correct date of publication of a book you should looki contents.

(1) In the table of

(2) On the back of the title page.

(3) On the front of the title page. the preface.

(4) In

30 b.

( ) In using an index it is not a good idea tot (1) Phrase your question specifically. (2) Look under the T ’s for "The Articles of Confederation.” details.

(3) Cross check for more

(4) Jot down page and chapter

numbers. c.

( ) In scanning a chapter of a book you should: (1) Read all footnotes carefully. carefully for minute details.

(2) Look

(3) Read the

boldface headings as you turn the pages rapidly. 2.

RATING SCALE.

(4) Ignore graphs and charts.

Place an X in each space for which you

qualify in your reading. a.

( )Keeps eye movement smooth.

b.

( )Does not move lips when reading.

c.

( ) Covers each line with a glance when reading narrow columns.

d.

( ) Ignores petty details when scanning.

e.

( )Checks table of contents and preface before reading book.

f.

( )Uses index to locate specific items in the book.

E.

SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER:

Where to find further

assistance. 1.

SPECIAL BOOKS.

Titles related to this particular chapter:

a.

Broening, Angela M. and others: Skill*

Noble and Noble,

Reading for

Inc., New York, 1936.

MISCELLANEOUS. a.

Timed reading assignments in school edition of the R e a d e r 1s Digest.

b.

Sections of English textbooks devoted to reading practices.

c.

Visual materials prepared for tachistoscope (flash-cards).

32

PART III. DEVELOPING THE IDEA HOW TO PUT YOUR THOUGHTS INTO WORDS There is an old saying that ’'the world is full of good intentions,” and undoubtedly the heads of would-be writers are full of good ideas. But an unwritten idea for a short story or article or poem never accomplished any­ thing; it is like a seed that has fallen on the sidewalk, for it will never grow to maturity in the form of published material. If you would like to know some of the ways to make your thoughts available to others, study the next five chapters.

33 CHAPTER 6. SHORT STORIES HOW TO WRITE THE MOST. POPULAR TYPE OF MAGAZINE FICTION A.

MOTIVATION:

Gains that you may make by learning the

fundamentals of short story w riting. 1.

BETTER CHANCE OF PUBLICATION.

Your story is more

likely to be purchased if you observe certain essential steps in writing it, 2.

BIGGER PIGGY BANK.

If you can get your ideas into

salable form, you may collect some of the dollars spent by editors in purchasing free-lance short stories. 3.

PERSONAL PRIDE.

A good idea which is truly your own

becomes even more valuable to you and to others when it is expressed in a well written short story. B.

PRESENTATION:

Suggestions to aid you in writing your

short story. 1.

IDEAS.

How to find ideas and materials for your

story, a.

Look closely at yourself and your immediate surroundings for the story-making conflicts of everyday life,

b.

Observe people, noting what makes them laugh, love, hate, cry, kill,

c.

Read newspaper stories and editorials for ideas which can be fictionalized.

d.

Talk with people and find out the decisions they have made which greatly influenced their lives.

e.

Study the town "characters’1 to find out how they influence others.

f.

Give free rein to your imagination and let it mix characters and situations into possible story proportions•

g.

Head widely all types of literature.

VIEWPOINT.

How to choose the viewpoint from which

to tell your story. a.

Let the main character tell it in the first person.

(This narrows your scope, for the hero

can only guess what others are thinking and feeling.) b.

Have a minor character tell the story.

(This

approach suffers from the same shortcomings as the first person m ethod.) c.

Relate the story as the all-seeing, all-knowing author.

(This is perhaps the best of the three

possible choices, but yo u must be sure to remain a story-teller and not become a preacher or a commentator.) LESSON.

How to give a theme or moral to your story.

a.

D o n ft state a moral directly to your reader.

b.

Let the actions of the characters, and the things

that happen to them because of these actions, point the moral, c.

Have in mind as you write your story the point you are trying to make, moral lesson,

(It need not be a great

such as "crime does not pay" or

"virtue Is Its own reward;" but it can simply be the lesson that cheating on school exams can cause one to lose a valuable friend.) d.

Allow the reader to figure out the lesson your story teaches,

CHARACTERIZATION.

How to make your characters seem

alive and real. a.

Permit them to reveal themselves by their actions. (For example,

it goes without saying that a driver

who deliberately runs down a dog is not an animal lover.) b.

Have your other characters talk about, and thus describe, the hero or the heroine, and vice versa.

c.

Paint your characters by the vocabularies you put in their mouths,

d.

Write briefly a straight description of the character.

DIALOGUE.

How to write dialogue for your story.

a.

Make it natural and sincere.

b.

Don't put 6-syllable words into the mouth of a three-year-old.

c.

Avoid writing in dialect -unless yo u are absolutely sure of yourself.

d.

Keep to just to

e.

the point of the

story;don't

use dialogue

fill up space.

Use everyday words for the everyday people who are your charac t e r s.

BEGINNING-.

How to begin your story.

a.

or near the point

Open at

begins to take hold.

where the theme

(For example,

or

idea

if cheating

on examinations, and it's consequences,

is the

theme, start just before, during, or just after the cheating episode, b.

depending on your story.)

Insert action or dialogue near the beginning and bring in necessary descriptive details later. (Seize your reader's interest in the first paragraph or he may not be with you for the second.)

c.

Show your main character in trouble or faced with a situation which requires action or decision.

d.

Don't start with a long descriptive passage.

CONFLICT.

How to impart suspense and movement to

your story. a.

Build up a conflict which may be between the hero and the villain, the hero and himself, the hero and nature, the hero and the situation, or a

37 combination of these.

For example;

(1) Should the hero marry the girl and lose his inheritance? (2) Should the hero submit to persecution by an unjust boss to keep his job and support his family? (3) Should the hero risk his life to rescue an enemy ? (4) Should the hero stay in the cabin and perhaps starve or fight his way through the blizzard? (5) Should the heroine go home to mother or try to make her marriage work? b.

Show this conflict arising in the mind of the characterj don't address yourself, as the writer, to the reader.

c.

Reveal to the reader,

through the words and

actions of the characters,

the courses of action

open to the hero to solve his problems.

(Many

of these may be implied rather than openly stated.) d.

Bring the characters to a climax in the story where a decision must be made or an action taken to resolve the conflict.

e.

Make your character ACT to get out of his trouble. (This should be a logical action for the character to take, but an unexpected one for the reader.)

38 f.

Don't let outside forces settle the issue.

(For

•example, don't let. your hero's financial problems be suddenly solved by an unexpected fortune from a giveaway radio program.) g.

End your story by showing your hero briefly after he has made his decision, allowing the reader to assume what his life will be now that he has passed the turning point,

i.e. this conflict

which you manufactured for him. C.

ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENTS;

Projects to help you develop your

ability to write short stories. 1.

POINT OF VIEW.

Re-write a short short

story and

change it from the first person to that of the allseeing author, or vice versa. 2.

GATHERING IDEAS.

Write a very brief outline or

"synopsis" of story ideas which you have gathered as a result of following the instructions in B (1). 3.

WRITING THE PARTS OF THE STORY. beginning,

4.

CRITICISM.

the climax,

up the

and the ending for your story.

Give and receive criticism of dialogue,

construction, plot, 5.

Write

FINISHING THE STORY. to a magazine.

etc. in class. Complete your story and send it

(See Chapters 11, 12, and 13.)

59 D.

EVALUATION;

Samples of checking devices which may be

used to measure your mastery of the short story technique. 1.

TRUE-FALSE.

Place X in the correct space for true

or false. T a.

F

( ) ( ) The best place to find material for

short

stories is in motion pictures. b.

() ( ) It is best to begin a short story with detailed description of the scene.

c.

() { ) You should not openly state a moral

for

your story. d*

() ( ) It is unwise to insert superfluous dialogue into your story in order to give it greater length.

2.

RATING SCALE.

Criticize your story on the following

points and give 1 point for poor, 2 points for good, and 3 points for excellent, a.

First paragraph captures attention.

b.

Characters reveal themselves by their actions.

c.

Dialogue is natural and logical.

d.

Main character's problem Is solved by his own action.

e.

Author remains story-teller, not a preacher.

f.

Descriptive passages are clearly written.

)

Total points.

40 E.

SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER:

Where to find further

assistance. 1.

RESERVE SHELP.

Pages and chapters in books that are

cited repeatedly; Bedford 36-45,

65-87; Blackiston chaps. 2-16;

Oppenheim 17-40; Reid 4-14, 37-65, 140-145; Woodford 78-86, 91-100. 2.

SPECIAL BOOKS;

Titles related to this particular

chapter. a.

hammerman,

Sylvia E.s

S t o r y . ' The Writer, b.

Tarleton, Fiswoode:

Writing the Short Short

Inc., Boston, 1942. Short Story Writing for

Beginners; Little Blue Book No. 1240.

Haldeman-

Julius Publications, Girard, Kansas, No Date. c.

Finger, Charles J . :

Hints on Writing Short

Stories; Little Blue Book No. 5 2 6 .

Haldeman-

Julius publications, Girard, Kansas, No Date. d.

Reid, Mildred I.; Humphries,

e.

Inc., Boston,

Heath, Eric; Writer,

Writers; Let's Plot!

Bruce

1943.

Story Plotting Simplified.

Inc., Boston, 1941.

The

CHAPTER 7. ARTICLES HOW TO RECORD FACTS IN A MARKETABLE STYLE A.

MOTIVATION;

Benefits that may result from knowing how

to write articles for magazines. 1.

BUSINESS CONTACTS.

A soundly written article

published in a trade journal is one of the best ways to advertise your interest and competence in the field. 2.

JOB PROMOTION.

An article which promotes an employer*

business will perhaps influence him to reward the author. 3.

POCKET MONEY.

Magazines devoted to your particular

vocation pay well for expert opinions, especially when set down in readable style. B.

PRESENTATION?

Some hints to help you in your article

wr i ting. 1.

SUBJECT. a.

How to choose a topic to write about.

Study the market.

(See Chapter 12.)

(1) Slant your work at one particular publication or family of publications. (2) Don't write a factual article without a definite market in mind. b.

Select a subject in your own field of interest. (For example, d o n ’t attempt an article on cement

42 construction if your closest connection to the business has been as a treader of sidewalks.) c.

Talk with men who are in businesses with which you have some experience or interest in order to get possible ideas for articles of interest to all men so engaged.

d.

Consult R e a d e r s 1 Guide and other compilations or index books to find amount and type of recent articles in your fields of interest.

e.

Don't try to write an article on a subject which you cannot discuss with expertness and factual information.

2.

MATERIAL. a.

How to gather information on your subject.

Interview the businessman or other individual who is connected with your article. (1) Get facts, names, addresses, correct titles, proper technical phrases. (2) Take copious notes which include personal anecdotes, opinions,

direct quotations, sketches,

customer

directions, etc.

(3) Obtain pertinent written material, charts,

such as

advertising circulars, consumer

letters• (4) Stay long enough to see what is really going on.

43 b.

Read widely, in the trade magazines and related material,

c.

such as advertising, sales promotion*

Go to the library and look up historical data on the subject.

d.

Take business trips with the salesmen,

if you

can obtain permission. e.

Attend sales conventions or other meetings of members of the vocational group for which you intend to write.

f.

Talk with consumers of the merchandise or users of the service and get their opinions.

g.

Make experiments with the product or process you intend to write about.

3.

FORM. a.

How to write the article,

Stick generally to the style of writing found in the magazine to which you will send the article.

b.

Fictionalize your article as much as you can without distorting the facts.

(Follow short

story plan as given in Chapter 6.) c.

Insert dialogue and anecdotes whenever possible without straying from the point of your article.

e.

Use the technical language common to the trade journal*s readers.

f.

Illustrate your article if possible, (1) Take large, glossy, bright pictures which

44 clearly show the product, process,

etc.

(2) Hire a photographer to take the pictures if you want to gamble.

(They enhance the value

of your article.) (3) Make neat, simple, pen and ink charts or graphs, g.

if appropriate.

Be specific, methodical,

and exact, not "clever"

and wordy. C.

ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENTSt

Projects 'to help you in writing

articles. 1.

SURVEY.

Study the magazines in your fields of

interest and select one or more topics which might be suitable for articles to be written and submitted for publication. 2.

QUERY.

Write a letter to the editor of a magazine

in your field of interest and get his opinion regarding your proposed article. 3.

INFORMATION. by reading,

Gather the information for your article interviewing,

experimenting, etc.

(See B (2.)) 4.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Take pictures or make drawings to

accompany your article. 5.

WRITING THE ARTICLE*

Complete your class-criticized

article and send it to a magazine.

45

D.

EVALUATIONS • Samples of check-ups which may be used to evaluate your ability to write articles, 1.

TRUE-FALSE.

Place X in the correct space for true

or false. T a.

F

( ) ( ) It is unwise to write an article on a subject with which you are not familiar.

b.

( ) ( ) Wide reading in your field of interest should be avoided,

e.

( ) ( ) You should try to include personal anecdotes in your article.

d.

( ) ( } It is best to illustrate your article if possible.

e.

( ) ( ) Your article should not contain any technical language.

f.

( ) ( ) It is advisable to query an editor before submitting an article.

g.

( ) ( ) You should make experiments with the product or process about which you intend to write.

2.

RATING SCALE.

Place X in each space-for which your

article qualifies. a.

( ) First paragraph catches interest.

b.

( ) Language used is technically correct.

c.

{ ) Illustrations are clear and understandable.

46 d.

( ) Names and addresses given are complete and correct.

e.

( ) Credit is given for material quoted.

( E.

)Total

SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER:

Where to find further

assistance. 1.

RESERVE SHEEP.

Pages in books that are cited

repeatedly: Blackiston 20-39; Oppenheim 41-43; Reid 15-26, 66-75, 83-86, 126-128; Woodford 87-90. 2.

SPECIAL B O O K S :

Titles related to this particular

chapter. a.

Campbell, Walter Non-fiction.

b.

The Writer,

Bailey, Robeson: D.

c.

S. (Stanley Vestal):

Writing

Inc., Boston, 1944.

Techniques in Article-Writing.

Appleton-Century Company, Inc., New York, 1947,

Silvers, Earl Reed:

The Editor Accepts.

Rutgers

University Press, New Brunswick, New Jersey, d.

Brennecke, Ernest:

1943,

Magazine Article Writing.

The Macmillan Company, New York, 1930. e.

Crawford, Robert

Platts

The Magazine Article.

McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., New York, 1931. f.

Hidey, Paul M.r

How to Write Articles that Sell.

Exposition Press, New York, 1949.

g.

Orth, Frederick Alves: Publications.

How to Write for Business

The Mercury Press, Chicago, 1934.

MAGAZINE ARTICLE. a,

McKelvey, Nats

uMy Personal Formula for the

Magazine Article.”

The 1949 Writer's Year Book,

XX (March, 1949), 66-76.

48

CHAPTER 8. POETRY HOW TO WRITE VERSE A.

MOTIVATION;

Returns that may be yours through mastery

of verse w r i ting. 1.

EMOTIONAL OUTLET.

Many persons achieve an inner

peace by putting their best and finest thoughts into poetry. 2.

BETTER APPRECIATION OP GREAT LITERATURE.

By sincere

imitation it is often possible to gain a better in­ sight into the works of the master poets of the past and present. 3.

PIN MONEY.

Although few poets own yachts, you may

be able to earn a few dollars by writing verse, especially that in the lighter vein. 4.

SELF-SATISFACTION.

The pride which comes from seeing

your brainchild in acceptable form and perhaps in print is of great value in strengthening a sagging ego. B.

PRESENTATION: 1.

METER. a.

Hints to aid you in writing poe t r y .

How to master the meter of verse writing,

Learn the most common types of poetic feet. (1) Iambic, ta turn. (2) Trochaic, turn ta. etc.

e.g. beg i n , to he, alert, etc, e.g. porter, tiger, Roger,

(3) Anapestic, ta ta turn.

e.g. introduce, which

began, etc. (4) Dactyllic, turn ta ta.

e.g. attitude, dignity,

m e r r ily, etc. b.

Read aloud good poetry of all types, exaggerating the accents.

c.

Practice writing single lines of the various meters. (1) Keep lines of common length of 4 or 5 feet; seldom 3 or 6.

d.

Mark accents (in your less valuable books)

as you

read silently in order to get the meter correctly. e.

Lay aside the stilted rigidity of exact accent and read, write, and punctuate for the natural sense and rhythm of the line, mastered the underlying,

once you have

ever-present pulse of

the meter in verse. RHYME. a.

How to select words for rhyme and meaning.

Base rhyme on pronunciation only.

(Sight rhymes,

such as "bare” and "are”; ’’earth'1 and "hearth,11 are out of fashion.) b.

Avoid hackneyed rhymes such as, love, dove; moon, June; bliss, kiss; burn, yearn, etc.

c.

Make free use of rhyming dictionary to find new rhymes, but check dictionary for meaning of doubt­ ful words.

d.

Don't use forced expressions or stretch your "poetic license;" write in living language.

VERSE FORM. a.

Hot/ to arrange y o u r lines into stanzas.

Imitate common stanza forms.

(1) Couplet, two adjoining rhymed lines written in many meters and feet. e.g.

"Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree."

(2) Quatrain, four lines in which the second and fourth lines rhyme, or the first and third and second and fourth. e.g.

"The sun now rose upon the right: Out of the sea came he,

(a) (b)

Still hid in mist, and on the left (c) Went down into the sea." (5) Triplet or tercet,

a 3-line stanza,

(b) all

1 ine s rhyming• (4) Sonnet,

14 lines of iambic pentameter.

(a) Italian rhyme scheme is abbaabba cdcdcd. (b) Shakespearean rhyme scheme is ababcdcd efefgg. b.

Choose a verse form which fits the idea y ou are trying to put into your poem.

c.

Sketch out your verse pattern before you actually begin the poem.

d.

Avoid choppiness by using "runover lines" r a t h e r . than making a sudden halt in thought at each rhyme.

For example:

"Earth has not anything to show more fair: Dull would he be of soul who could pass by A sight so touching in its majesty: The city now doth, like a garment, wear The beauty of the morning; silent, bare, ... e.

Don't cling too closely to your chosen meter; drop or add a syllable now and then to avoid sing-song monotony.

TOPICS. a.

How to choose a subject to write about.

"Look in'thy heart and write," as Sir Philip Sidney said he did.

b.

Select simple,

inconsequential things,

such as

the cry of a baby, a leaf, the thrill of bob­ sledding, etc., which can be made to appeal to the emotions by careful use of rhythm and words. c.

Avoid topics which will need more than 25 to 30 lines to develop,

if you hope to publish the

poem in a magazine.

(Most periodicals, except

those devoted exclusively to poetry, do not publish longer poems.) d.

Read the magazines which publish some poetry and note the general theme of most of the poems.

HUMOR. a.

How to write light verse.

Follow same general methods as used in writing serious poetry.

52 b.

Use odd rhyme schemes if it contributes to the humor of the piece,

c*

Select themes which highlight human foibles. (For example,

shopping, raising unruly children,

m a n ’s futility in the kitchen..)' d.

Strive for a chuckle instead of a guffaw.

e.

Keep the poem short, 2 to 30 lines.

f.

Make title eye-catching, humor provoking, and particularly appropriate after the poem has been read.

g.

Parody well known serious poems.

(This must be

done well and in good taste or you will be branded an irreverent iconoclast.) h.

D o n ’t use complicated stanza forms or uncommon meters.

(One of the most popular forms for light

verse is the ballad form, a four line stanza of alternate lines of 4 and 3 iambic feet.) C. ■ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENTS:

Projects to aid y o u in learning

to write poetry. 1.

IDEAS.

Select one or more ideas from your list which

may be good topics for a short poem. 2.

METER.

(See B (4))

Write the prose idea into poetic form in as

many different meters as possible. most appropriate.

Select the one

53 3.

RHYME.

Take the key words of your poem idea and, by

using the thesaurus and the rhyming dictionary, prepare a list of rhymes which you can use in writing your poem. 4.

WRITING THE POEM.

Complete your poem, after class

criticism, and send to a magazine,

newspaper,

or

school publication. NOTE:

These assignments are not to be considered as un­ related; they are to be carried on concurrently, with the exception of number 4.

D.

EVALUATION:

Samples of testing devices which may be used

to check up on your poetry writing. 1.

TRUE-FALSE.

Place X in the correct space for true

or false* T a.

F

( )( )

The meter of a poem should not be broken at any point.

b.

( )( )

You should have a pause in thought at each rhyme.

c.

( )( )

For publication, verse should be kept below 30 lines in length.

d.

( )( )It is wise to avoid complicated stanza forms when writing light verse.

54 2.

RATING SCALE.

Place an X In each space for which

your poem qualifies. a.

( ) Avoids hackneyed rhymes,

such as, love-dove,

moon-June.

E.

b.

( ) Contains

some run-over lines.

d.

( ) Contains

no forced rhymes.

e.

( ) Follows definite metric pattern.

f.

( ) Title is

suggestive and descriptive.

SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER:

Where to find further

assistance. 1.

RESERVE SHELF;

Pages in books that are cited

repeatedly; Blackiston 15-27, 91-99; Oppenheim 43-45. 2.

SPECIAL BOOKS.

Titles related to this particular

chapter. a.

Wood, Clement:

Hints on Writing Poetry; Little

Blue Book No. 5 1 4 .

Haldeman-Julius Publications,

Girard, Kansas, No Date. b.

Armour, Richards Writer,

c.

Writing Light V e rse.

Inc., Boston,

Lewis, C. Day;

The

1947.

Poetry for Y o u .

Basil Blackwell,

Oxford, 1944. d.

Andrews,

Clarence Edward:

of V e r s e .

The Writing and Reading

D. Appleton and Century Company,

New York, 1937.

Esenwein,

Joseph Berg and Roberts, Mary Eleanor:

The Art of Versification. School,

The Home Correspondence

Springfield, Mass., 1916.

56 CHAPTER 9. CARTOON IDEAS HOW TO COMPOSE JOKES FOR THE ARTIST'S PEN A.

MOTIVATION:

Gains that you may make by mastering the

technique of writing gags for the cartoonist. 1.

LESS MARKET TROUBLE.

Most artists are in great need

of ideas for their drawings, and thus there is a ready outlet for your jokes. 2.

POCKET CHANGE.

Although the pay is not large, it

is

possible to make extra dollars by writing ideas for the thousands of cartoons which appear weekly in magazines and newspapers. 3.

LESS WORK.

If you have the Ideas, the actual writing

of cartoon quips is the least demanding of all forms of "literary” expression. B.

PRESENTATION;

Tips to aid you in writing gags for the

cartoonist. 1.

FORM. a.

How to write up the idea.

Use sheets of paper not smaller than 3" x 5 ”. (Full-size sheets of regular typewriter paper are acceptable.)

b.

Place your name and address in the upper left corner.

c.

Number the sheets, upper right corner.

one idea on each,

in the

d.

DoubleSpace the para g r a p h describing y o u r idea.

(1) Write SCENE in caps, and describe briefly and clearly what the artist is to draw. (2) Follow in the same paragraph with TITLE in caps, and give in quotes the comment or dialogue which accompanies your idea for the drawing.

If the cartoon requires no title,

write NO TITLE in caps. e.

Don't leave anything to

f.

Be specific but brief.

MATERIAL. How to get ideas a.

the a r t i s t ’s imagination.

for cartoons.

Check the types of cartoons

printed in the

magazines you read. b.

Note the humorous events on the campus and in town which could be converted to cartoon humor.

c.

Write down the things you laugh at and figure out a scene with or without comment which could reproduce the funny situation.

d.

Combine in your imagination two or more incongru­ ously irrelated people or things and devise a situation which might bring the two together. (For examplet

A smart bridge party attended by

well dressed, snobbish ladies being interrupted by a decrepit and redolent fishmonger.)

3.

DRAWING. a.

How to by-pass the artist with your ideas.

Draw the cartoons yourself if you have the ability.

b.

Enlist the aid of a talented friend to collabo­ rate with you.

c.

Ask the art teacher to help you find a partner for your work.

d.

Check cartoonists' magazines for aid in preparing and submitting your drawings.

• G.

ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENTS;

Projects to help yo u learn to

create ideas for cartoons. 1.

STUDYING THE MARKET.

In your favorite magazines

study the cartoons and note the general ideas, if discernible, of the cartoons used.

Write down ideas

which are similar but original. 2.

CRITICISM.

Read and illustrate to the class at

least four ideas.

Be

prepared to be criticized for

your ideas and to criticize constructively the ideas of others. 3.

COMPLETION.

Write up

mail to a magazine or D.

EVALUATION:

your ideas in proper form and cartoonist.

Samples of check-ups which may be used to

evaluate your cartoon ideas. 1.

RATING SCALE:

Place X in each space for which your

cartoon idea can qualify.

59 a.

) Written on proper size paper.

b.

) Follows correct form as given.

c.

) Description is brief,

d.

) Title is appropriate and well stated.

e.

) Complete idea gives artist all that he will

clear, and concise.

need to draw the picture.

( E.

)

Total

SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTERS

Where to get further

assistance. 1.

SPECIAL BOCKS.

Titles related to this particular

chapter. a.

Crosby,

Percy:

A Cartoonist's Philosophy.

Percy Crosby, Publisher, McLean, Virginia, 1951. b.

G-reene, Frank F. :

How to Create Cartoons.

Harper and Brothers, Hew York, 1941. 2.

MISCELLANEOUS. a . ’ McCormack, Charles:

’’What's So Funny?"

The 1949

Writer's Year Book, XX (March, 1949) 118-143.

60 CHAPTER 10. NEWS STORIES HOW TO WRITE FOR NEWSPAPERS A.

MOTIVATION:

Benefits that may be yours if you master

the newsman's writing techniques. 1.

CAMPUS JOBS.

The school paper and yearbook editors

will be on the lookout for students capable of writing good news stories. 2.

FICTION TRAINING.

Many writers regard their news­

paper experience as the most important factor in their climb up the ladder of free-lance success in the short story and novel fields. 3.

CORRESPONDENCE WORK.

Metropolitan dailies often

employ qualified representatives in outlying areas to report the news in their localities. 4.

BUSINESS SUCCESS.

The ability to write newspaper

stories will help you to devise more successful advertising for your business. B.

PRESENTATION: 1.

FORM. a.

Some tips on newspaper writing.

How to write a straight news story.

Get the 5 W's into the first sentence or paragraph. (1) Who.

Give the name, address, and other

identification of the individual concerned in the story. (2) What.

Tell what this person did or was in­

volved in that brings his name into the news.

(3) Ytfhere.

Orient the reader as to the location

of the event. (4) When.

State the exact or approximate time

the story took place. (5) Why or How.

Describe the means or motives

which explain the occurrence. b.

Begin with the one W which is most likely to catch the reader's interest.

(For example, if

the President does something, the "who" angle would, be stressed first; but if an unknown child falls into a well casing,

the "what" approach

would probably be best.) c.

Give all this essential information in one sentence or paragraph,

juggling the sentence

order to bring out the one aspect you intend to emphasize. d.

Be specific and exact.

e.

Avoid flowery words and hackneyed phrases.

f.

Follow the lead paragraph with the remaining details of the story, writing them in descending order of importance.

(If space in the newspaper

requires your story to be cut, it will be cut from the bottom.) FEATURES. a.

How to write a human interest story.

Don't use the straight news story technique.

b.

Follow generally the methods outlined for the short story.

c.

(See Chapter 6.)

Play on the reader's emotions rather than his thirst for news.

d.

Incorporate dialogue and action into your story, if possible.

e.

Bring out the humorous aspects of life as a contrast to most of the general news, which is often tragic and depressing.

f.

Keep the tone of your story kindly, whimsical. (The feature story gives yo u a greater opportunity than any other type of newspaper writing to inject your own personality into your w o r k . )

INTERVIEWS.

How to interview a newsworthy person.

a.

Make an appointment in advance if necessary.

b.

Identify yourself to the person interviewed before proceeding with your questions.

c . ' Have specific and general questions in mind before appearing for the interview. d.

Beware of taking notes openly if your subject shows the slightest objection.

e.

Make notes during,

if possible, and immediately

following the interview. (1) Get names, places, dates, etc. correct,. (2) Be sure that your direct quotations are accurate.

63 f.

Write up your story as soon as possible after completing the interview. (1) Avoid overuse of the first person singular in your copy. (2) Give details in good taste of the life and eccentricities of your subject, but don't go out of your way to flatter or condemn. (3) D o n ’t seriously quote the opinions of a twelve-year-old on the international situation.

4.

POLISH. a.

How to make your news copy more readable.

Use many names, correctly spelled and identified in the story.

b.

(Remember that names make news.)

Follow the general style regarding capitalization, spelling, punctuation,

etc. of the paper for

which you are writing. c.

Make sure your sentences are grammatically correct.

d;

Keep your paragraphs short, fifty words approxi­ mately.

e.

Double space all copy.

f.

Be accurate.

(Retractions are painful and always

inadequate.) g.

Use concrete, vivid terms, but avoid slang, except perhaps for sports.

64

C.

ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENTS:

Projects to help you master the

technique of newspaper w riting. 1.

ANALYSIS.

Select five .newspaper stories and find the

5 W ’s in the lead sentence or paragraph.

Re-write

the lead and rearrange the order of the 5 W's. 2.

WRITING.

Cover a local or school function and write

it up in a newspaper story.

Submit to the campus or

local paper, if practicable. 3.

INTERVIEWING.

Prepare questions and arrange an

appointment for an interview with a well known local person.

Interview him and write up your story.

Submit to campus or local paper, 4.

HUMAN INTEREST.

If practicable.

Search for some of the tragedy and

humor in the town and write up a feature story. Bring to class for criticism,

and submit to campus

or local paper.

D.

EVALUATION:

Samples of check-ups which may be used to

evaluate your hews writing ability. 1.

TRUE-FALSE.

Place X in the correct space for true

or false. T a.

F

( ) ( ) A good news story should begin by telling ’’w h o .”

b.

( ) ( ) You should include the 5 W ’s in your first sentence or paragraph.

c.

() (

) It isbest to write a human interest story in straight news style.

d.

() (

) You should have

specific and general

questions in mind before an interview. e.

() (

) It is

-unwise to use direct quotations

when writing up an interview. f.

() (

) Names

should be included in news stories

only when it cannot be avoided. 2.

RATING SCALE.

Place X in each space for which your

news story qualifies. a.

( ) Lead paragraph contains all

5 W ’s.

b.

( ) Copy is double spaced.

c.

( ) Paragraphs are short, averaging fifty

words

or less. d.

( ) Names and addresses are correctly spelled, accurate,

e.

complete.

( ) Least important details are

contained in last

paragraphs. E.~

SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER:

Where to find further

assistance. 1.

RESERVE SHELF.

Pages in books that are cited

repeatedly: Blackiston 95-100, 2.

SPECIAL BOOKS; chapter.

175-180; Woodford 74-78.

Titles related to this particular

a*

Bing, P. C . : The Country W e e k l y .

Appleton,

New York, 1917. b.

Bond, Prank Fraser:

Breaking Into Print;

Modern Newspaper Technique for Writers. Hill Book Company, Inc., New York, . c.

Harrington, H. F.:

McGraw-

1933.

Chats on Feature Writing.

Harper and Brothers, New York, 1925. d.

Sheehan,

Murray:

Hints on News Reporting; Little

Blue Book No. 34 2 .

Haldeman-Julius Publications,

Girard, Kansas, No Date. MISCELLANEOUS. a.

Visits to local and metropolitan newspapers.

b.

Interviews with newspapermen, both amateur (school) and professional.

67

PART IV. SELLING THE PRODUCT HOW TO MARKET YOUR WORK Your finished manuscript is a salable piece of merchan­ dise; and like an automobile or a loaf of bread, it must be presented to a prospective customer before it can be sold. The editor, who is your customer, is mainly concerned with the content of your story, article, or poem; but he will be more inclined to purchase your material if y o u have taken the pains to determine whether he is at all interested In the type of product you have produced, and if you submit your merchandise in an attractive "package." If you want to give your manuscript a better chance of survival In a fiercely competitive selling field, read the next three chapters.

CHAPTER 11. REVISION HOW TO EDIT YOUR COPY A.

MOTIVATIONS

Good fortune that may result from knowing

how to correct your manuscript. 1.

HAPPIER HINDSIGHT.

Careful revision will lessen the

probability of thinking of a better title or better phrasing after the story is in the mail. 2.

EDITORIAL GRATITUDE.

Although he may not always

accept your work, an editor will look upon it more favorably if it does not irritate his ulcers with glaring, unforgivable mistakes. 3.

LESS WASTED TIME.

A methodical check of your work

is much faster and surer than a haphazard thumbing which trusts to luck to find mistakes. B.

PRESENTATION?

Some suggestions to aid y ou in working

out the final draft of your writing. 1.

GRAMMAR.

How to check your work for

mechanical

errors• a.

Call in a literate friend to help you.

b.

Use the original and a carbon of your final draft•

c.

Read your copy silently while your friend reads his copy aloud. (1) Read,

aloud and silently,

all punctuation,

capitalization,

italics, hyphens,

etc. as

well as the words. (2) Go slowly and re-read and correct when necessary. d.

Be alert for inconsistencies in names, spelling, grammar, punctuation.

e.

Mark

clearly and distinctly with a colored pencil

errors which CONTEUT.

will have tobe corrected.

How to detect flaws and make changes in

the text

of your material.

a.

View your fini s h e d w o r k as objectively as y o u can.

b.

Re-read it slowly and critically.

c.

Question the story, article, or poem,

as follows:

(1) Is language appropriate and natural? (2) Is the plot logical? (3) Is any of the material just "padding?” (4) Will the casual reader follow your thought &s expressed?

(5) Do the characters behave as real people do? d. -Re-write those portions of the material which y o u have m a r k e d in y o u r reading.

e.

Don't overdo your own revision or you will never be satisfied with your work.

CRITICISM. work.

How to get unbiased criticism of your

a.

Send it off to a magazine.

(A rejection slip

contains no details usually,

but at least you

can regard the work as '’criticized’1 in that it is unacceptable in its present form for that magaz i n e .) b.

Have it read by a willing,

selling author who

writes the same type material.

(Don't strain to

find an author to look at your work.

It is a

bore to him and of doubtful value to y o u . ) c.

Mistrust the praise of friends and the invective of enemies.

d.

D o n ’t bask in the glow of ’’wonderfuls

I”

heaped

upon you by your family. C.

ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENTS;

Projects- to help you in correcting

and improving your written w o r k . 1.

CHECKING.

Go over your finished work and check it

for spelling, grammar, punctuation, readability, accuracy, etc.

Make revisions and corrections as

necessary. 2.

HELPING OTHERS.

Edit the finished copy of classmates

to help them find errors and shortcomings. NOTE:

It is intended that the material in this chapter be used continuously in conjunction with the work in Chapters 6 through 10.

71 D.

EVALUATION»

Samples of testa by which your revising

work may be checked. 1.

TRUE-FALSE.

Place X in correct space for true or

false. T a.

( )(

F ) When checking copy

with a friend, it is

best that both read silently and then compare findings* b.

( ) ( ) Y o u should mark items to be corrected or revised with a colored pencil.

c.

( )(

) A rejection slip should

be regarded as a

sign that your work needs revising. d.

( )(

) It is wise to take

with a spoonful of

salt the praise of friends in regard to your work. e.

( )(

) Completely revised

work should be re-typed

in the original only. E.

SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER;

Where to find further

assistance. 1.

RESERVE SHELF;

Pages or chapters in books that are

cited repeatedly: Blackiston chaps. 3, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14; Oppenheim 19-24; Reid 15-36, 32-36, 137-139, 147-163; Woodford 74-78, 95-108.

SPECIAL BOOKS.

Titles related to this particular

chapter. a.

Hamilton, Anne: The Writer,

b.

How to Revise Your Own Stories.

Inc., Boston, 1938.

Smith, Lloyd E.:

How to Read and Correct

Little Blue Book No. 1431. Publications, c.

Proof

Haldeman-Julius

Girard, Kansas, No Date*

Smith, Lloyd E . :

How to Hyphen and Divide

English Words; Little Blue Book No. 1 4 5 2 . Haldeman-Julius Publications, Girard, Kansas, No Date. d.

Poerster, Norman and Steadman,

J. M. Jr.:

Writing and Thinking; A Handbook of Composition and R e vision. York, 1941.

Houghton Mifflin Company, New

73 CHAPTER 12. REMUNERATION HOW TO FIND A BUYER FOR YOUR MATERIAL A.

MOTIVATIONt

Windfalls that may be yours by learning to

market your writings successfully. 1.

FEWER HEARTBREAKS.

Even the strongest often falter

under an avalanche of rejection slips, but many of these ill-omened notes can be avoided, perhaps, by pointing the story, article, or poem at the proper outlet. 2.

MORE MONEY.

It means dollars in your pocket to send

your story first to the editor capable of paying the highest price. 3.

MORE RECOGNITION.

The better the magazine in which

your story is published,

and the more people who

read it, the greater will be your acclaim by friends, relatives, B.

PRESENTATION;

and possible employers. Some ideas which may help you in marketing

your w o r k . 1.

SURVEY.

How to study the market.

a.

Read the magazines to which yo u hope to sell.

b.

Analyze the stories for plot, characterization, length, vocabulary, amount of dialogue, etc.

c.

Study the amount and type of advertising in the m a gazine.

d.

Try to visualize the people who read the magazine and buy the products advertised therein.

e.

Check writers' magazines for comments about that magazine as possible market.

f.

Write your material to conform with the standards of the magazine as revealed by your study,

QUERY.

How to find out whether a magazine is in the

market for your work. a*

Write a short letter to the editor and ask him if he is interested in what you have written or are about to write.

(This is particularly a

good idea in the case of factual articles for trade magazines.) b.

Send with your letter an outline or synopsis of the article you have in mind,

c.

Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope if you hope for a reply.

d.

Read articles in w r i t e r s ' magazines in which representatives of publishing houses frequently set forth their needs from writers.

SLANTING.

How to give your work a better chance of

reception by the editor. a.

Slant your stories or articles or poems at what you honestly believe to be the "average” reader of the magazine.

(This does not mean to "write

down" to your readers.)

b.

Submit seasonal stories well in advance of the time when they will be appropriate.

(For example

a football story, which will be popular from Sep­ tember through November,

should be sent in from

6 weeks to 3 months before date of publication.) c.

Avoid, when you can spot them, the taboos of certain magazines.

(For example, d o n ’t have a

line about ’’the strong sweaty odor” of your hero for a story in a magazine loaded, with deodorant advertising.) C.

ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENTSt

Projects to help you find the

best outlets for your w o r k . 1.

W R I T E R S ’ MAGAZINES.

From the market lists in these

magazines, prepare a personal list of possible markets for the type of material that you are writing Make this list a part of your files. 2.

LETTERS TO EDITOR.

Write a letter to the editor of

the trade journal to which you wish to contribute and get his opinion concerning a proposed article which you are writing. 3.

CALENDAR.

Prepare a simple calendar on which you

list the deadlines for seasonal stories,

articles,

or

poems that you intend to write. NOTE*

The material in this chapter is to be covered con­ currently with the work in Chapters 6 through 10.

76

D.

EVALUATION:

Samples of ways in which your ability to

study the market may be evaluated. 1.

BEST ANSWER*

Place the number of the best answer in

parentheses. a.

( ) The best time to submit a football story to a monthly magazine is: publication.

(1) 2 weeks before

(2) 6 weeks before publication.

(3) 1 month before publication.

(4) 3 months

before publication. b.

( ) The best outlet for light verse would probably be: (3) Argosy.

c.

(1) Time.

(2) Reader's Digest.

(4) Saturday Evening Post.

( ) The worst ailment which your hero could suffer in a story for C o l l i e r ’s would be: (1) A cold.

(2) Heart Disease.

(3) Halitosis.

(4) Boils. 2.

TRUE-FALSE."

Place X in the correct space for true

or false. T a.

F

( ) ( ) It is unwise to violate deliberately the advertising taboos of magazines.

b.

( ) ( ) Y o u should attempt to write all your stories In what you believe is the vocabulary of the average fourteen-yearold.

77 c.

( ) { ) When querying an editor in regard to an article it is wise to inclose an outline or synopsis of your idea.

E.

SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER:

Where to find further

assistance. 1.

RESERVE SHELF'.

Pages in books that are cited

repeatedly: Bedford 21-29, 88-94; Blackiston 82-90; Oppenheim 55-60; Reid 123-132; Woodford 126-132, 2.

SPECIAL BOOKS.

169-193.

Titles related to this particular

chapter. a.

Goldberg,

Isaac:

Getting Into Print; Little

Blue Book Ho. 1 5 2 8 .

Haldeman-Julius Publications,

Girard, Kansas, No Date. 3.

MISCELLANEOUS. a.

Careful study of comments in market lists in writers' magazines.

b.

Interviews with selling authors.

78

CHAPTER 13. PUBLICATION HOW TO PREPARE YOUR MANUSCRIPT FOR THE EDITOR A.

MOTIVATION?

Rewards that may be yours If you learn to

prepare your copy properly. 1.

BETTER RECEPTION OF YOUR STORY.

Busy editors cannot

waste time deciphering illegible manuscripts. 2.

ASSURANCE OF DELIVERY.

A securely sealed envelope

with sufficient postage will take your copy through the mails safely and without delay. 3.

AVOIDANCE OF ERRORS.

The care exercised in typing

your story neatly will also aid you in finding and correcting blunders in spelling,

punctuation, and

phrasing. 4.

PROMPT RETURNS.

Whether the mails bring you a check

or your rejected story, you will receive it in the minimum amount of time if you type and mail it properly. B.

PRESENTATION;

Some pointers to help you in typing and

mailing your m a t e r ial. 1.

TYPING. a.

How to type your copy.

Use a good paper of medium weight,

size 8 1/2" x

11 ". b.

Make sure your typewriter is clean and equipped with a black ribbon in good condition.

c.

Double-space all copy, writing on one side of the sheet only.

d.

Set margins at 1 l/2" on the left and 1 ” on the right.

(Top and bottom of page should be 1 1 / 2 ” .)

e.

Make a carbon copy for your own records.

f.

Indent for paragraphs about 5 spaces or 1 /2” .

S*

Underline words which you wish to have italicized when the material is printed,

h.

D o n ’t overdo the use of underlining or CAPITALIZING.

PAGE ONE.

How to prepare the first page of your

manuscript. a.

Type your name and address in the upper left corner.

b.

Show the estimated number of words in the upper right corner.

c.

Below the estimate writes

’’Submitted at your

usual rates." (1) For manuscripts of book-length,

substitute

"First Serial Rights offered at usual rates." (2) D o n ’t quibble over rates until you are. established with an editor. d.

Write the title of your article,

story, or poem

in CAPITAL LETTERS about 10 spaces below the last line of the material at the top of the page. sure it is centered on the page.)

(Be

e.

Type your name or pen name and the word "By” two spaces below the title.

(For examples

By Charles

Q. Zilch.) f.

Begin the body of your copy about an inch below the by-line.

PAGING.

How to type the remaining pages of your

m anuscript• a.

Write the page number of all except page one in the upper right corner of the page.

b.

Place a "guide'’ or "tag” line, which can be either your name or the title of your story,

in the

upper left corner of each page. c.

Leave blank pages marked "Insert A , ” "Insert B , " etc. for drawings, charts, etc. which you mail under separate cover#

d.

Insert footnotes immediately below the line in which the reference is made.

e.

Number footnotes for each page, not for the entire manuscript.

(For example,

if yo u have

three footnotes on page 4 and two on page 5, number 1, 2, and 3 on page 4, and 1 and 2 on page 5.) MAILING. a.

How to mail your manuscript.

Use strong manila envelopes, letter size for manuscripts up to 5,000 words, 9" x 1 2 ” for longer stories.

large,

clasp-type,

b.

Fold short manuscripts twice as yo u would a letter.

c.

Place in envelope so that the copy will be right side up when removed by the editor.

d.

Mail longer stories flat in large envelopes. (1) Don't use clasps, pins, or tape of any kind on the sheets. (2) Protect your work by stiffening the envelope with pieces of cardboard on each side of the sheets of manuscript.

e.

Enclose self addressed envelope (with shorter materials)

f.

and sufficient return postage.

Keep your manuscript businesslike;

don't dress it

up with foolish decorations. g.

D o n ’t enclose a letter to the editor;

let your

story speak for itself. SUBMITTING.

How to give your manuscript a better

chance of acceptance. a.

Re-type a worn manuscript which has been sent in several times.

b.

Submit your manuscript to a magazine only after you have studied it and feel sure your story is of a type the editor can use.

c.

Don't send in copy which is smudged with carbon or full of strikeovers and errors.

82

d.

D o n ’t send more than one editor your story at the same time.

C.

ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENTS:

Projects to help y ou in typing and

mailing your finished material. 1.

WORD ESTIMATES.

Prom some of your own finished work,

prepare a table to help yo u in making a rapid estimate of the number of words in a story or article, 2.

FIRST PAGE.

Prepare a model first page from one of

your stories to use as a guide in future work. Bring to class for criticism. 3.

FOOTNOTES.

Prepare a model footnote entry from one

of your articles to be used as a guide for future work. 4.

MAILING.

Prepare one of your stories, articles,

or

poems for mailing. NOTE:

The material in this chapter is to be covered con­ currently with the work in Chapters 6 through 10*

D.

EVALUATION:

Samples of means which may be used to check

your ability to prepare the final copy of your manuscript. 1.

INSPECTION ROUTINEi

Check your finished copy by some

of the devices listed below. a.

Margins:

Place prepared guide sheet over com­

pleted pages. b.

Blackness of imprint: typed with new ribbon.

Compare with trial sheet

c.

Indenting:

Measure with ruler.

d.

Rigidity of

packaged manuscript:

Drop dummy

manuscript on floor and walk on it; check for damage. e.

Title page:

Check against model

sheet prepared

in class. TRUE-FALSE.

Place X in the correct space for true

or false. T a.

( )

F ( ) All

items to be italicized in print

should be placed in quotation marks when typed. b.

( )

( ) You

should place the number of words in

your manuscript in the upper right corner of the first page. c.

( ) ( ) It is unwise to begin your story on the first page of the submitted manuscript.

d.

( )

( ) A self-addressed, stamped envelope should be included with each manuscript you send in.

e.

( )

( ) The

manuscript sheets which you place in

an envelope should be held securely together with paper clips.

84 E.

SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER:

Where to find further

assistance. 1.

RESERVE SHELF.

Pages in books that are cited

repeatedly: Bedford 47-64,

94-96; Blackiston 124-136, 189-198;

Oppenheim 56-60; Reid 32-38, 125-136; Woodford 143-168. 2.

SPECIAL BOOKS.

Titles related to this particular

chapter. a.

Milburn, George:

How to Prepare Manuscripts;

Little Blue Book Ho. 1143.

Haldeman-Julius

Publications, Girard, Kansas, Ho Date. b.

Shillin, Marjorie E . :

Words Into Type; A Guide

in the Preparation of Manuscripts.

Appleton-

Century-Crofts, New York, 1948. 3.

MISCELLANEOUS. a.

Interviews with teachers and professional typists.

b.

Interviews with competent clerks in stationery stores.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

86 BIBLIOGRAPHY NOTE:

Those entries which are preceded by an asterisk (-55-) are cited throughout the text by authors 1 names and page numbers only.

Adley, Elmer: Breaking into Print. New York, 1937.

Simon and Schuster,

Andrews, Clarence Edwards The Writing and Reading of V e r s e . D. Appleton and Century Company, New York, l937\ Armour, Richards Writing Light V e r s e . Boston, 1947.

The Writer, Inc.,

Babcock, Robert Witbeck: Creative Writing for College Students. American Book Company, New York, 1938. Bailey, Robesons Techniques in Article-Writing. Century Company, Inc., New York, 1947. Bankers, Dorothy; Earn as Yo u Learn Wri t i n g . Claremont, California, 1940.

D. Appleton-

Saunders Press,

* Bedford-Jones, H.s The Graduate Fictioneer. The Author and Journalist Publishing Company, Denver, Colorado, 1942. Bing,

P. C.;

The Country W e e k l y .

Appleton, New York, 1917.

Bittner, Archie Herbert: What an Editor W ants. and Journalist, Denver^ Colorado, 1924* vf Blackiston, Elliott: Teach Yourself to Write. Inc., Boston, 1940.

The Author The Writer,

Bond, Prank Fraser: Breaking into Print; Modern Newspaper Technique for Writers. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, 1933. Brande, Dorotheas Becoming a W r i t e r . Company, New York, 1934.

Harcourt, Brace and

Brazleton, Ethel Maudes Writing and Editing for W o m e n . Punk and Wagnalls Company, New York, 1927. Brennecke, Ernest: Magazine Article Writing. Company, New York, 1930.

The Macmillan

*

Brittain, Veras On Being an A ut h o r . New York, 1948.

The Macmillan Company,

Broening, Angela M. and others: Reading for Skill. and Noble, Inc., New York, 1936. Brown, Rollo Walters The W r i t e r ’s A r t . Press, Cambridge, 1921.

Harvard University

Bryant, Margaret M.s A Functional English Grammar. Heath and Company, Boston, 1945. Burack, A. S., ed.s Boston, 1941.

The Writer's Handbook.

Campbell, Walter S. (Stanley Ves t a l ) : The Writer, Inc., Boston, 1944.

Noble

D. C.

The Writer,

Inc

Writing Non-Fiction.

Charnley, Mitchell Vaughn and Converse, Blairs Magazine Writing and Editing. The Cordon Company, New York, 1938 Cheyney, E. Ralphs Hints on How to Advertise. Little Blue Book No. 894, Haldeman-Julius Publications, Girard, Kansas, No date. Cox, Sidneys Indirections for Those Who Want to W r i t e . A . A . Knopf, New York, 1947. Crawford, Nelson Antrim: How to S t u d y . Little Blue Book No. 1319, Haldeman-Julius Publications, Girard, Kansas, No date. Crawford, Robert Platt: The Magazine A rticle. Book Company, Inc., New York, 1951. Crosby, Percy: A C a r toonist’s Philosophy. Publisher, McLean, Virginia, 1931

.

McGraw-Hill

Percy Crosby,

Esenwein, Joseph Berg and Roberts, Mary Eleanor: The Art of Versification. The Home Correspondence School, Spring­ field, M a s s . , 1916. Finger, Charles J . : Hints on Writing Short Stories. Little Blue Book No. 326, Haldeman-Julius Publications, Girard, Kansas, No date. Foerster, Norman and Steadman, J. M. J r . : Writing and Thinking; a Handbook of Composition and Revision. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1941.

88 Goldberg, Isaacs Getting Into P rint. Little Blue Book No, 1528, Haldeman-Julius Publications, Girard, Kansas, No date, Greene, Prank P.: How to Create Cartoons, Brothers, New York, 1941.

Harper and

Gundell, Glenn: Writing, from Idea to Printed Page; Case Histories of Stories and Articles Published in the Saturday Evening Post, Doubleday, Garden City, New York, 1949. Hamilton, Anne: How to Revise Your Own Stories, Inc., Boston, 1938. Harrington, H. F.s Chats on Feature Writing, Brothers, New York, 1925, Heath, Erics Story Plotting Simplified. Boston, 1941.

The Writer,

Harper and

The Writer,

Hidey, Paul M.s How to Write Articles that S e l l . Press, New York, 1949. Hodges, John C.s Harbrace Handbook of English. Brace and Company, New York, 1941,

Inc.,

Exposition

Harcourt,

Hogrefe, Pearl: The Process of Creative Writing; Growth Through SeIf-Understanding• Harper and Brothers, New Yo rk 7 l 9 4 r. ----------Holliday, Robert Cortes and Van Rensselaer, Alexander: The Business of Writing; A Practical Guide for Authors. George H. Doran Company, New York, 1922. Kamerman, Sylvia E . : Writing the Short Short Story. Writer, Inc., Boston, 1942. Leacock, Stephen Butler: How to W r i t e . Company, New York, 1943. Lewis, C. Day:

Poetry for Y o u .

The

Dodd, Mead and

Basil Blackwell,

Oxford, 1944,

Markun, Leo: Hints on Writing Book-Reviews. Little Blue Book No. 764, Haldeman-Julius Publications, Girard, Kansas, No date, Milburn, George: How to Prepare Manuscripts. Little Blue Book No. 1143, Haldeman-Julius Publications, Girard, Kansas, No date.

Oppenheim, James: How to Write for the M a r k e t . Little Blue Book No.' 1131, Haldeman-Julius Publications, Girard, Kansas, No date. Orth, Frederick Alves: How to Write for Business Publications. The Mercury Press, Chicago, 1934. Patterson, Helen Marguerite: Writing, and Selling Special Feature Art i c l e s . Prentiee-Hall, Inc., New York, 1939. Perrin, Porter Gale: W r i t e r s Guide and Index to English. Scott, Foresman and Company, Chicago, 1942. Pruette, Louise: Working with Words; A Survey of Vocational Opportunities for Young W riters. Funk and Wagnalls Company, New York, 1940. s Reed, Harry B. and McCorkle, Julia Norton: Readings in E xposition. Harcourt, Brace and Company, New York, 1946. Reid, Mildred I.: Writers: Help Yourselves! Follett Company, Chxcago, 1942. Reid, Mildred I.: Boston, 1943.

Writers: L e t ’s Plot

Reynolds, Paul Revere: Boston, 1949.

I

Wilcox and

Bruce Humphries,

The Writing T r ade.

The Writer,

Inc.,

Inc.,

Shaw, Harry Jr.t Writing and Rewriting; A Handbook of Good U s a g e . Harper and Brothers, New York, 1937. Sheeham, Murray: Hints on .News Reporting. Little Blue Book No. 342, Haldeman-Julius Publications, Girard, Kansas, No date. Silvers, Earl Reed: The Editor Accepts. Press, New Brunswick, 1943.

Rutgers University

Skillin, Marjorie E . : Words into Type; A Guide in the Preparation of Manuscripts. Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York, 1948. Smith, Lloyd E.: How to Find What You Want in a Library. Little Blue Book No. 1473, Haldeman-Julius Publications, Girard,■Kansas, No date. Smith, Lloyd E . : How to Hyphen and Divide English Words. Little Blue Book No. 1432, Haldeman- Julius Publications, Girard, Kansas, No date.

90 Smith, Lloyd E.: How to Read and Correct Proof* Little Blue Book No. 1431, Haldeman-Julius Publications, Girard, Kansas, No date. Smith, Lloyd E . : The Secret of Making Words Work for Y o u . Little Blue Book No. 1444, Haldeman-Julius Publications, Girard, Kansas, No date. Tarleton, Fiswoode: Short Story Writing for Beginners. Little Blue Book N o . 1240, Haldeman-Julius Publications, Girard, Kansas, No date. Wayne University, Department of English: Writing from Observation. Harcourt, Brace and Company, New York, 1942. Wilhelm, Donald George: Writing for Profit. Book Company, Inc., New York, 1930.

McGraw-Hill

Wood, Clement: Hints on Writing Poetry. Little Blue Book No. 514, Haldeman-Julius Publications, Girard, Kansas, No date. Woodford, Jack: How to Write for M o n e y . The Marcel Rodd Company, Hollywood 28, California, 1944. Woodford, Jack: Plotting; How to Have a Brainchild. House, New York, 1939. Woolf, James Davis: Writing Advertising. Company, New York^ 19267

Carlyle

The Ronald Press

Woolley, Edward Mott: Writing for Real Money; Adventures of an Author in Advertising. Edward Mott Associates, Passaic, New Jersey, 1928.

APPENDIX MARKET LIST

92 MARKET LIST WOTEs

The following are token lists only. Attention is again invited to the material presented in Chapter 12. I.

ARTICLES

THE AMERICAN FIELD, 222 West Adams Street, Chicago 6, Illinois. This is a possible market for well-written articles on hunting with dogs and the rearing and training of pure­ bred sporting dogs. AMERICAN HOROLOGIST & JEWELER, 226 16th Street, Denver 2, Colorado. Articles and anecdotes about the work of w a t c h m a k e r ’s and jewelers are required by this magazine. AMERICAN RIFLEMAN, 1600 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W., Washington 6, D.C. This publication requires factual and informative articles on gunsmithing, hand weapons, and hunting equipment. BABY POST, 55 West 42nd Street, New York 18, New York. Short articles on all phases of child care are used by this magazine. THE DESERT MAGAZINE, Palm Desert, California. This publication wants first person, human interest articles dealing with desert life and personalities. FORTNIGHT, 4304 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles 27, California. A market may be found here for articles on little-known places to visit in California. FUTURE MAGAZINE, Akdar Building, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Articles on business, sports, humor, and adventure are needed by this magazine for its audience of men readers. GOLFER & SPORTSMAN, P.O. Box 444, Bellflower, California. This is a possible market for articles in story form which accent the participant sports, such as, bowling, hunting, golfing, etc.

93 HOME DESIRABLE, 836 Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. Designed for the housewife reader, this magazine is interested in articles on subjects such as, household cleaning methods, personal beauty hints, etc. INDEPENDENT WOMAN, 1819 Broadway, New York 23, New York This publication desires informal treatment of articles appealing to business and professional women. Inter­ views are used. NATIONAL MOTORIST, 216 Pine Street, San Francisco 4, California. A n outlet may be found here for articles of interest about people and places on the Pacific Coast. PEN, P.O. Box 2451, Denver, Colorado. This is a short title for ’’Public Employee News, ” and the magazine uses articles of interest to Federal and public workers. PHILATELY, 200 South 7th Street, St. Louis 2, Missouri. A magazine for stamp collectors, it; offers a market for short articles on the subject up to 1,600 words. PROFITABLE HOBBIES, 24th and Burlington, Kansas City 16, Missouri. This periodical is interested in articles dealing with the information necessary to learn a particular hobby which has some money-making possibilities. WESTERN TRAILER LIFE, 3150 West 6th Street, Los Angeles 5, California. The writer may find a market here for articles treating with travel, vacationing, and business as carried on by people who move frequently. II.

CARTOON IDEAS

BOOKBINDING & BOOK PRODUCTION, 50 Union Square, New York 3, New York. This is a trade magazine for printers and binders and ideas should conform to this theme. THE CATHOLIC BOY, Notre Dame, Missouri. For boys from eleven to seventeen, this magazine is interested in good, clean humor appealing to this age group.

94 ESQUIRE MAGAZINE, 366 Madison Avenue, New York 17, New York. This is a magazine for men which uses humor that is slightly satiric. FUTURE MAGAZINE, Akdar Building, Tulsa, Oklahoma. This is the national organ of the Junior Chamber of Commerce and it requires cartoons slanted at young business men. HOLLAND'S, Main at Second Street, Dallas, T e x a s . This is a general family magazine which uses humor similar to that found in The American, but it must have a Southern touch. KING FEATURES SYNDICATE, 235 East 45th Street, New York 17, New York. Ideas for this organization should be simple commentaries on domestic life, dating and girls, etc. THE NEW For the may

YORKER, 23 West 43rd Street, New York 18, New York. the cartoonist, this magazines represents the top of ladder. Ideas may be on a variety of subjects but be more subtle than those for most other publications.

OUTDOOR LIFE, 353 Fourth Avenue, New York 10, New York. This is a possible market for ideas on hunting, fishing, camping, etc. VARSITY MAGAZINE, 52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York 17, New York. Cartoon ideas for this magazine should be on subjects of interest to young men of 17 to 22 years of age. III.

POETRY

THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE, 1 Park Avenue, New York 16, New York. This magazine uses light verse appealing to the male veteran of World Wars I and II, EXTENSION, 1307 South Wabash Avenue, Chicago 5, Illinois. Serious poetry in good taste on any subject.is used by this Catholic family magazine. GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, 958 Eighth Avenue, New York 19, New York. Catering mainly to mature women, this magazine uses short verse both light and serious.

95

JACK AND JILL, Independence Square, Philadelphia 5, Pennsylvania. This publication is interested in good yet simple poems for children of primary and intermediate age groups. LADIES' HOME JOURNAL, Independence Square, Philadelphia 5, Pennsylvania. Both light and serious verse in short forms may find outlet here in a magazine for home-makers. LINE, 634 North Juanita, Los Angeles 4, California. .This magazine is devoted exclusively to serious poetry. RAILROAD MAGAZINE, 205 East 42nd Street, New York 17, New York. Using both light and serious verse, this publication is for the professional railroader and the model railroad enthusiast. THE SATURDAY EVENING POST, Independence Square, Philadelphia 5, Pennsylvania. Both serious and light verse are looked for by this circulation giant. TOMORROW, 11 East 44th Street, New York 17, New York* Serious poetry is used by this magazine which is devoted to literature, public affairs, and the arts. WESTERN STORY MAGAZINE, 122 E. 42nd Street, New York 17, New York. Ballads of the cowboy type are used by this magazine. IV.

SHORT STORIES

ALL SPORTS, 241 Church Street, New York 13, New York. This magazine uses stories of all lengths on little-, known as well as popular sports. AMAZING STORIES, 185 North Wabash Avenue, Chicago 1, Illinois. This is a market for stories up to 5,000 words with scientific background. THE AMERICAN MAGAZINE, 250 Park Avenue, New York 17, New York. All types of quality fiction are used by this familytype publication.

96 ARGOSY, 205 East 42nd Street, New York 17, New York, Fast moving fiction on nearly all subjects is acceptable for this magazine which is slanted at a male audience, BLUE RIBBON WESTERN, 241 Church Street, New York 13, New York. Stories dealing with the "old West" are needed by this publication. COLLIER'S, 250 Park Avenue, New York 17, New York. This is one of the best paying markets for quality fiction on all subjects. COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Independence Square, Philadelphia 5, Pennsylvania. Stories for this magazine should have a wide appeal for both sexes and be of excellent writing quality. GRIT, Williamsport, Pennsylvania. This publication uses stories up to 7,000 words on subjects of romance, mystery, and adventure. LADIES' HOME JOURNAL, Independence Square, Philadelphia 5, Pennsylvania. Top quality stories for women readers may find an'outlet here, MASTER DETECTIVE, 205 East 42nd Street, New York 17, New York. This magazine uses good mystery stories which have element of suspense and which show logical detective work. OUR NAVY, 1 Hanson Place, Brooklyn 17, New York. Stories of interest to Navy enlisted men may be submitted to this magazine. SATURDAY EVENING POST, Independence Square, Philadelphia 5, Pennsylvania. All types of excellent fiction are sought by this magazine. SEVENTEEN, 11 West 42nd Street, New York 18, New York. Quality stories written for teen-age girls are needed by this publication. THIS WE E K MAGAZINE, 420 Lexington Avenue, New York 17, New York. This Sunday supplement uses quality stories of adventure, love, and timely humor.

TODAY'S WOMAN, 67 West 44th Street, New York 18, New York Slanted at young married women, this periodical print quality stories on a variety of subjects. University of Southern California Library