THE ART OF WRITING

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1935, Page 7

THE ART OF WRITING

SOME MISTAKEN IDEAS STANDARD OF WORK HIGHER. ENGLISH PUBLISHER’S VIEWS. MR. JONATHAN CAPE IN TARANAKI < Publishers, says Mr. Jonathan Cape, head <sf the London publishing house of that name, who is paying a visit to Taranaki, are continually receiving requests for guidance or for assistance from people who think the work of creative writing must ensure immediate publication of their efforts. That is not the case. His advice to those who think the career of a Writer a quick passage to affluence is that they should try almost any other profession or trade. People read of the large earnings of a few well-known writers and think they have hidden talents also capable of bringing them wealth. It is the publisher’s duty to disillusion them, and to point out the difficulties in. the way of success. To those who felt they had something worth recording, said Mr. Cape to a Daily News reporter last night, his advice was not to confuse the art of writing with the work of publication. To be a successful writer meant first of all. the knowledge of the subject chosen and then the faculty of giving it expression. A genius could take the simplest of facts and make them of absorbing interest because of his skill in expression. The writer who lacked that skill might have material packed full of incident and adventure but his writings would never command the interest of the public. MUCH HARD WORK REQUIRED. Therefore, said Mr. Cape, before a writer could justify publication he must not only have. something to say, but he must know how to say it. To acquire that knowledge implied much hard work, and even then the chances of success were few. The standard of letters was always rising, and it was rightly so. Education was more widespread than ever before, the proper use of leisure was becoming recognised at its true Importance, and the reading of books was one of the most important aids to successful occupation of the increased leisure that a mechanised age was likely to have at its disposal. Publishers were always on the lookout for writings of special ability, continued Mr. Cape. Any manuscript submitted to a reputable firm could be sure of consideration, and if it showed exceptional promise, though not suitable for publication in<its present form, a publisher would give advice that was in many cases of benefit to the writer. .Even merit could not always ensure success. ■ Sometimes a writer’s work was not rec-, ognised at its true worth until some notable public man referred to it and set the ball rolling, and sometimes the value was not recognised Until after an author’s death. The demand for books was increasing, and so Was the output, said Mr. Cape. He thought that on the whole public libraries and other well-organised book-lending agencies aided the sale of books. Such agencies stimulated interest, and it was, after all, upon the interest shown in his writings by. the public that an-author’s success depended. Moreover, such agencies permitted more adventure on the part of publishers. They gave the unknown writer the chance of getting before the public and the publisher of taking a risk with him that would not otherwise be justified. RECOVERY SET IN. The years of depression in Great Britain had not affected interest in books, although they had undoubtedly reduced sales. Recovery had sei in, and publishers had tried to assist this by issuing books in special and cheaper editions than were desirable when the books included in such an issue were first published. Such reprints, gave, the book buyers some confidence. They were fairly certain that the books had created interest, and though they were.not the latest to be published they were still fresh enough to be welcomed by those who had to consider ■ very carefully whether expenditure upon books could be justified. His firm had not met with any out-' standing work by a Dominion writer lately, continued Mr. Cape. He had received many requests while in New Zealand to peruse manuscripts and to advise writers what was best to be done to secure publication and success. One writer made a journey Of 150 miles in order to see him, and others had . also taken considerable pains to submit their work for consideration. To all who felt they had something within them that deserved expression, whether it brought them reward or not, should be encouraged to persevere. If their work proved of interest to the few it might appeal to a larger public. The more they perfected expression, the more likely was it that their writings would be worth publication. Of the class of book likely to win success publishers had their own opinions. Mr. Cape had his, but no one could dogmatise on such a subject. There were certain characteristics that; must exist if success were to be possible; there were certain probabilities that experience taught; the rest lay with the public, and whether its judgment was considered sound or otherwise it had usually to be accepted by writer and publisher asfinal