Читать книгу The Selected Works of Arnold Bennett: Essays, Personal Development Books & Articles - Arnold Bennett - Страница 53

In writing a paragraph or article, always have in mind a particular paper, and aim at pleasing that paper. Do not make the produce first, and then try to select a market for it; but select the market, and make the produce definitely to suit the market.

Paragraphs and short articles need not be typewritten. Articles over two thousand words should, if possible, be typewritten. Without making a fetish of typewriting, one may say that it is never a disadvantage, and usually an advantage, to the journalist. And seeing that the best of all typewriting machines may be bought for half the cost of the best machines of ten years ago, the aspirant might well make an effort to possess a machine of his own. One shilling per thousand words is a fair price to pay for typewriting; in most cases to pay less is to countenance sweating.

When a contribution fills more than one sheet, fasten the sheets together at the top left-hand comer only with a paper fastener. Do not stitch or pin the sheets. It is well to protect the white sheets by putting a sheet of stout brown paper top and bottom. When these get ragged and soiled by postal journeys to numerous editorial offices, they can be changed. Never send out a soiled or torn manuscript; its condition always prejudices an editor against it.

Write on the first page of your manuscript the title of the article, your name and address, and the length of the article in words. Write your name and address also on the back of the manuscript

Many papers print in every issue a few brief instructions to contributors. Read these before despatching your article, and make sure that you have complied with them.

Do not save in special instances, send any letter with your manuscript

Merely enclose a stamped, addressed envelope for its return in case of rejection. Note that some papers which state that they will not return rejected manuscripts, often do return them when a stamped, addressed envelope is enclosed. Always use envelopes, and not book-post wrappers, in order to minimise the wear and tear of your manuscript. If you wish to economise in postage (a serious item to the beginner), leave the envelope open and send it by book-post.

Take care that the envelope which you enclose for the return of the manuscript is large enough to hold the manuscript. Scores of beginners annoy editors by their carelessness in this obvious detail.

When a manuscript has been declined by a dozen editors, waste no further postage on it. Put it in a drawer marked “Frosts,” and after a few weeks’ interval examine it critically. You will then probably be able to discover why it failed to attract. I attach much importance to this examination of failures.

Remember that editors often make their preparations many weeks in advance. It is useless to send in Christmas stuff in the middle of December, or an Easter article at the end of March. The aspirant should buy or construct for himself a calendar of notable events, anniversaries, feasts, holidays, &c., and should keep well in advance of it.

When the aspirant has succeeded in contributing to several well-known papers, he should have their names printed on his card, with the words “Contributor to.” A card so ornamented will often assist him to obtain both courtesy and information when in search of material for articles.

Every serious freelance must have access to a large public library, preferably the reading-room at the British Museum, which is an inexhaustible mine of raw material for the journalist The regulations for the issue of tickets may be obtained from the Superintendent of the reading-room.

The difficulty of obtaining personal interviews with editors or their responsible assistants is greatly exaggerated in the popular mind. These sultans or viziers can usually be seen by the man who is calmly determined to see them. But the aspirant should not approach them unless he has a definite proposal to make, and until he can furnish credentials as to his capacity.

All magazines, many weeklies, and a few dailies send proofs of accepted articles for correction. The correction of such proofs— which have already been corrected by a “reader”—is a quite simple affair, and need not frighten the veriest tyro. In the Appendix (pp. 226, 227) will be found a practical illustration and explanation of the principal signs used in proof-correcting.

In the matter of remuneration, one or two papers pay on acceptance, but they are seraphic exceptions. Some papers pay during the week following publication, and some during the month following publication. The accountants of some papers are not to be relied upon. Some papers, even wealthy papers, will never pay until they are asked, and even then as little as possible. Some papers, and among them several of considerable reputation, have invariably to be dunned before a cheque is forthcoming. If the contributor does not receive a cheque during the month following the month of publication, he should send in an account, giving the title, date, and length in inches of his contribution, and requesting a remittance.