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Fantascience Digest, v. 3, issue 1, whole no. 12, January-February 1940
Page 19
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FNATASCIENCE DIGEST Page 19 of it. Thus, "your story, ________," stunk. The only good yarn you ever wrote was ???????, in Suchandsuch magazine. That was a gem." Note that the above correspondent didn't trouble to write me when ?????? appeared, even though he thought it a gem. But he devotes two pages to telling me what's wrong with story ________. Case records show that story ___________ was sold to a top-notch magazine at the usual cent a word, while story ???????, after being rejected by everyone else was finally bought by a fly-by-night concern at half-rates on publication. So even if I agreed with the vituperate writer of the letter, I would be foolish to write yarns of the ??????? class at a half-a-cent on publication (if then) when I might receive better rates with less effort from a better house. The fact that Suchandsuch Magazine is now defunct is added proof. Fan letters are often less coherent than the above. Many of them are from persons who object to your scientific theories. These may be headed off by simply quoting your references, with page number and edition, as, "Sir James Jeans," "The Mysterious Universe, page?." I once received a six-page treatise from a gentleman in the west who was attempting to prove to me that there was no such thing as the fourth dimension. He enclosed pictures and diagrams. I gave up after the first paragraph, thanked him, and referred him to Einstein. For all I know he may have been right, but it was too deep for me. And once I received a letter from a person in a rural district who claimed to be a witness to the most astounding heavenly disturbances and wanted my opinion of them. If what he saw had actually occurred, it would put the most lurid s-f writer to shame. Unfortunately his handwriting was so unintelligible that I could not figure out his address. Which is a pity, since I would like to meet him. Offtimes one receives letters asking why certain stories are given such corny names or why they are so garbled. These, one refers to the editors, some of whom feel that the only way to convince the publisher they're on the job is by rewriting and renaming the stories they buy. Authors come closest to suicide when they read such "edited" yarns. The expressions of which you are the most fond, the nicest bits of literary effort are invariably cut. I wish that space permitted me to give a few classic examples of why my hair shows signs of turning grey. Getting back to the self-appointed critics, I usually find that they are disappointed authors, who, unable to sell yarns of their own, take it out on persons who are successful in selling their output. Once they make a sale or two, receive a few letters of their own, they cease to hurl their thunderbolts. An author is tempted to reply to some iconoclastic adolescent who has been heckling him, "If you don't like it, write one yourself." Unfortunately, since the letter writer is one of your customers, you can only reply with honeyed words, promise to try and do better, and beg for a second chance. This makes an iconoclast swell with ego and he becomes your friend for life. It is often good to ask the heckler for his advice. This also increases his self-esteem. Many letters in an author's mail accuse him of selling himself for gold, of not turning to the great work of which he is capable. I thought so once, myself. So I began turning out very well-written pieces, character studies, ironic tales, laid on the various planets. No great inventions, no monsters...and no sales. I dreamed of the problems of people on other
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FNATASCIENCE DIGEST Page 19 of it. Thus, "your story, ________," stunk. The only good yarn you ever wrote was ???????, in Suchandsuch magazine. That was a gem." Note that the above correspondent didn't trouble to write me when ?????? appeared, even though he thought it a gem. But he devotes two pages to telling me what's wrong with story ________. Case records show that story ___________ was sold to a top-notch magazine at the usual cent a word, while story ???????, after being rejected by everyone else was finally bought by a fly-by-night concern at half-rates on publication. So even if I agreed with the vituperate writer of the letter, I would be foolish to write yarns of the ??????? class at a half-a-cent on publication (if then) when I might receive better rates with less effort from a better house. The fact that Suchandsuch Magazine is now defunct is added proof. Fan letters are often less coherent than the above. Many of them are from persons who object to your scientific theories. These may be headed off by simply quoting your references, with page number and edition, as, "Sir James Jeans," "The Mysterious Universe, page?." I once received a six-page treatise from a gentleman in the west who was attempting to prove to me that there was no such thing as the fourth dimension. He enclosed pictures and diagrams. I gave up after the first paragraph, thanked him, and referred him to Einstein. For all I know he may have been right, but it was too deep for me. And once I received a letter from a person in a rural district who claimed to be a witness to the most astounding heavenly disturbances and wanted my opinion of them. If what he saw had actually occurred, it would put the most lurid s-f writer to shame. Unfortunately his handwriting was so unintelligible that I could not figure out his address. Which is a pity, since I would like to meet him. Offtimes one receives letters asking why certain stories are given such corny names or why they are so garbled. These, one refers to the editors, some of whom feel that the only way to convince the publisher they're on the job is by rewriting and renaming the stories they buy. Authors come closest to suicide when they read such "edited" yarns. The expressions of which you are the most fond, the nicest bits of literary effort are invariably cut. I wish that space permitted me to give a few classic examples of why my hair shows signs of turning grey. Getting back to the self-appointed critics, I usually find that they are disappointed authors, who, unable to sell yarns of their own, take it out on persons who are successful in selling their output. Once they make a sale or two, receive a few letters of their own, they cease to hurl their thunderbolts. An author is tempted to reply to some iconoclastic adolescent who has been heckling him, "If you don't like it, write one yourself." Unfortunately, since the letter writer is one of your customers, you can only reply with honeyed words, promise to try and do better, and beg for a second chance. This makes an iconoclast swell with ego and he becomes your friend for life. It is often good to ask the heckler for his advice. This also increases his self-esteem. Many letters in an author's mail accuse him of selling himself for gold, of not turning to the great work of which he is capable. I thought so once, myself. So I began turning out very well-written pieces, character studies, ironic tales, laid on the various planets. No great inventions, no monsters...and no sales. I dreamed of the problems of people on other
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