Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 October 1907 — LITERARY FLAVOR. [ARTICLE]

LITERARY FLAVOR.

It la the One Thin* Not’Wanted In Present Day Novels. “I have written a story,’ said th?. ambitious young novelist, “that 1 think you v. ill wish to pabiisb. May I bring the manuscript around for your examination?" “Is the hero a married man who falls In love with a young girl or elopes with another man’s wife T asked the publisher. “No. It Isn’t a aex problem story. I have tried to make it ” *‘l suppose It deals with high finance. Is Rockefeller, thinly disguised, the cent.al figure?*’ “Nj I’m not a financial expert I have kept away from ttMt sort of thing. It seems to me that the financial problem has been pretty well worked out, anyhow. I have triad l " "Oh, I see. It's a political novel. Yon show up tbe methods of the men who Keep themselves In office against the wishes of the people Is the leading character a Senator or a Governor?" “I have kept away from politics, too. My story Is ” "Ah, It takes up the question of rellgloa, I see. Well. I mlg.it be tempted to publish a st ry of that kind If ” "No. It isn't a religious story. I would not feel competent to write such a ” "Then It must be a historical novel. Really, I am afraid that sort of thing has been overdone. Tbe last three historical novels that I have published have fallen rather flat” "No, my story Is Just a romance. A love story, Intended to entertain and to amuse, inhere Is no attempt to deal with any great problem, but I have endeavored to give It a literary flavor, to ’’ "My dear sir, tt Is evident that you don’t understand why we have such a thing as fiction I could-not possibly undertake to publish such a story as yours. You might as well expect people tomboy poetry «s to think they would have a novel that possessed a literary flavor.”