I promised, earlier in this book, to insert some suggestions about
possible subjects for future Little Blue Books. I add here a paragraph
or two in which I shall state briefly some of the gaps existing in
the series when I write this book (January, 1929). These gaps may, of
course, be filled before you happen to secure and read my informal
instructions and advice. The proper procedure is for you to write for
an assignment, outlining your ability and experience; if you get the
assignment, good luck to you!
The sports titles in the Little Blue Books are sparse. At the moment,
baseball, golf, swimming, and hiking or camping are the only “sports”
covered. Tennis, I believe, will be taken care of shortly. But there
is room for someone who knows sports to handle football, basketball,
winter sports, outdoor games, gymnasium stunts, calisthenics, boxing,
racing (of various kinds), track, angling, etc. Mind you--write to the
Editor first, before you begin work! Even then, you must deliver a
satisfactory manuscript after a subject is assigned to you, or it will
not be accepted.
Many commercial subjects are possibilities. There are stenography,
bookkeeping, accountancy, office management, and so on. Possibly a book
explaining taxes, or telling how to figure your own income tax, might
be acceptable. If you are an accountant and know how to write, there
are some chances here for you!
All sorts of _how to do_ books are in demand. Plumbing, electricity,
repairing automobiles or radios, engineering, aviation, carpentry,
metallurgy, and so on--the field is vast. But you must both know your
subject and know how to write understandably--slipshod methods are not
tolerated in Girard.
We have _How to Play the Piano_. Simple lesson books for other musical
instruments: the drums, the saxophone, the cornet, the trombone, etc.,
might all prove acceptable.
Travel books are a new field, just now being tried. If the first
experimental titles go well, there might be more in demand.
Topics of the hour are often pretty good bets. For example, such
topics as the following have already been covered: Companionate
marriage, prohibition, capital punishment, petting parties, the younger
generation, etc. A new topic may leap into prominence any day.
Hobbies are an untouched field as yet. Some riders of hobbies who can
pound out well-phrased sentences on a typewriter should write to E.
Haldeman-Julius. I think something might come of it one of these days.
You may have other ideas. Perhaps they are good ideas. Write to the
Editor about them. If he takes a fancy to one of your suggestions, you
will be sure to hear from him!