First Steps in Fiction

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22823, 23 September 1939, Page 17

First Steps in Fiction

The Fiction Editor, The Literary Gazette, Dear Sir,. — Now that there is a war on, If wonder if you would he interested in a new story I have written. You should be, because it is all about how a young farmer captures a German spy who is trying to retard wheat production by sowing thistles in the crop, It is packed full of action. with a stirring final scene, in which one of the spy's agents presenting in Berlin some stolen documents fram Wellington takes out of the envelope he is handing to Hitler not the secret plan of the defences of the harbour, but a signed photograph of Mr Savage, The story at present runs to 4000 words, but if your usual length is more than that I could easily fill it out, The patriotic keynote it strikes should appeal to your readers, I have never had a fiction story published before, but at school I always had good marks for essays, and I would like to do my part in this war by keeping up morale, Sincerely yours, DENIS BLURPINGTON. Mr Denis Blurpington, Dear Sir,— The editor of the Literary Gazette regrets that so far he is unable to avail himself of your kind offer to submit a patriotic short story, The Literary Gazette never publishes fiction, end is not disposed at the moment to turn from that long-established policy even to give to the world your patriotic saga. The editor suggests that you study your markets and send the spy story to a fiction magazine. Sincerely yours, C. ensob. The Editor, Scenario Department, Magnum Opus Films, Ltd. Dear Sir,— - The motion picture industry has a great chance to exploit a new market now this war is on. I am enclosing a synopsis of a patriotic film which I feel confident, properly produced, would knock them edgeways in their seats. It is all about the unmasking of a spy, who is engaged in the double for a foreign government of wrecking farm production and stealing confidential

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plans. How he is foiled is the story. The hero is a young farm lad, who finally outwits the spy, The feminine interest in the story is provided by the spy’s beautiful assistant, who falls in love' with the young farm boy, recovers the stolen plans, and at a great patriotic rally persuades the farmers to. double their output of mangehwursels, thus saving the rabbit industry, She finally is pardoned and renounces international espionage for ever, to live on the farm with the young farmer's lad. No other film company has bad the chance of seeing this scenario, which I am sure will he to your liking. Hoping soon to bear from youX am, Sincerely yours, PENIS BLURPINGTON, P.S—Clark Gable and Myrna Loy would find this story just written for them. —D.B. Mr D. Blurpington, Pear Sir, — Our scenario editor wishes me to advise you that he regrets there is little chance of your scenario as outlined to us being accepted. We have 713 war scenarios already in stock, not including 176 left over from the last war. Besides, our film audiences in the Middle West would not be at all sure where New Zealand was. For the scenario editor. Josephine Bristle, REJECTION EDITOR, The Editor, Chickabiddies Page, Tiny Tots’ Fortnightly, Pear Sir or Madam,— With the war a present topic of interest to all children, would you be interested in a 150-word (all onesyllable words) fiction story about how a Boy Scout’s younger brother foils a spy? The thing is told in a combination of the Grimm’s fairy tales, Hans Andersen’s fairy tales, and Edgar Allan Poe’s mystery stories-— adapted for the very young, of course. I am sure all your young readers would love it. Sincerely vours, P. BLURPINGTON. Pear Mr Blurpington. Space on our Chickabiddies Page for the next three months is reserved for a special Peter Rabbit

series, on a war basis of course, with Peter Rabbit manning a coastal battery. So we regret your story, much as we would like to see it, would be of np value to us at this Juncture. Yours, etc., -1 AGNES YfILMINGTON. j Thg Editor, The Temperance Fortnightly, * Pear Sir,: — I wonder if your readers would be interested in a war story, with the temperance angle strongly emphasised, for next issue. It deala with how a young farm worker, through addiction to beer, almost gives away to an international spy valuable secret military information- Finally he is brought up with a round turn, abjures the liquor traffic, has the spy arrested- Falsa information is sent on to Hitler, and the enemy suffers a great defeat thereby. I am sure your readers would appreciate the story. Sincerely yours. P. BLURPINGTON. | Pear Mr Blurpington. I am sorry that the Temperance Fortnightly never prints fiction, eyen about the liquor traffic. Therefore, you would Only be wasting postage sending on the story. In my spare time I am a keen mathematician, however, and as a point of interest, I wonder if you could explain in geometrical terms just what “an emphasised temperance angle" would look like in a triangle. Yours for purer English, W. HISKY. Editor. Mrs B, Blurpington, Cotswolq-on-the-Weald. Dear Mother, _ , Thanks for the remittance, which paid the rent on my room and bought me a new pair of braces. I am abandoning in the meantime all attempts to make a living by selling fiction, but from Tuesday I start in a permanent job— at night school as a teacher in the free-lance writing class, J could do with another 10s to keep me until the first week’s wages come in. Your loving son. . DENIS. J