How to Fail in Literature; a lecture by Andrew Lang
page 21 of 31 (67%)
page 21 of 31 (67%)
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behave thus, the man whom you are boring will write to his publisher:
Dear Brown, A wretched creature, who knows my great aunt, asks me to recommend his rubbish to you. I send it by to-day's post, and I wish you joy of it. This kind of introduction will do you excellent service in smoothing the path to failure. You can arrive at similar results by sending your MS. _not_ to the editor of this or that magazine, but to some one who, as you have been told by some nincompoop, is the editor, and who is _not_. He _may_ lose your book, or he may let it lie about for months, or he may send it on at once to the real editor with his bitter malison. The utmost possible vexation is thus inflicted on every hand, and a prejudice is established against you which the nature of your work is very unlikely to overcome. By all means bore many literary strangers with correspondence, this will give them a lively recollection of your name, and an intense desire to do you a bad turn if opportunity arises. {6} If your book does, in spite of all, get itself published, send it with your compliments to critics and ask them for favourable reviews. It is the publisher's business to send out books to the editors of critical papers, but never mind _that_. Go on telling critics that you know praise is only given by favour, that they are all more or less venal and corrupt and members of the Something Club, add that _you_ are no member of a _coterie_ nor clique, but that you hope an exception will be made, and that your volume will be applauded on its merits. You will thus have done what in you lies to secure silence from reviewers, and to make them request that your story may be sent to some other critic. This, again, gives trouble, and makes people detest you and your performance, and |
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