Читать книгу The Selected Works of Arnold Bennett: Essays, Personal Development Books & Articles - Arnold Bennett - Страница 79

When the book is written the troubles of the author are nearly over, but the troubles of the merchant with a piece of merchandise to sell are about to begin. Let the aspirant recognise clearly that the remainder of his enterprise is not artistic but commercial. Let him grasp the fact that he is going forth to encounter men of business on their own ground, and that it therefore behoves him to act like a man of business and not like a man of genius.

He should see that the typewritten copy is accurate, and that the sheets are fastened together in such a manner as to be easily handled and read by a person sitting in an arm-chair. His name and address, the title and description of the manuscript, and the length of the manuscript in words, should all be prominent on the first leaf, and the bundle as a whole should look smart, fresh, and attractive.

In selecting publishers for experiment, the aspirant should begin with the best and work downwards in the scale of importance. The best publisher is usually the publisher who publishes the works of the best authors. But of course he must select a suitable publisher; he can acquire information as to the suitability of publishers by studying the advertisement columns of the Athenaeum, the Publishers' Circular, or other literary papers. From the character of the lists of the various firms there displayed, he will be able to form an idea which firm is likely to suit him best Having decided that point he should despatch his manuscript to the chosen firm with the briefest possible letter. Under ordinary circumstances this letter should contain nothing but the offer of the manuscript with a view to publication and a request for its return in case of refusal. Of course it may happen that some explanation of the manuscript is necessary; if so, the explanation should be quite short All minor explanations, all suggestions about terms and so forth, should be left to a later stage of the negotiations. The beginner sometimes has a foolish trick of stating in full what terms he is prepared to accept from a publisher.