“Unless you are so absorbed in your work that you utterly forget the
existence of critics or reviewers, you have no right to call yourself
a genius. Talent thinks with fear and fawning of critics; genius does
not remember that they exist. One bows at the shrine of existing public
opinion, which is narrow with prejudice. The other bows at the shrine
of art, which is as broad as the universe.”
“How do you think a young author should proceed to obtain recognition?”
“In regard to the practical method of getting one’s work before the
public, I would beg that you would not send it to any well-known
author, asking him or her to ‘read, criticize, correct, and find a
publisher for you.’ If such a thought has entered your head, remember
that it has entered the heads of five hundred other amateurs, and the
poor author is crushed under an avalanche of badly-written manuscripts,
not one of which he has time to read. No editor will accept what he
does not want, through the advice of any author, however famous.
“Do not attempt to adopt the style of anyone else. Unless you feel
that you can be yourself, do not try to be anybody. A poor original is
better than a good imitation, in literature, if not in other things.
“Expect no aid from influential friends in any way. The more wholly you
depend upon yourself, the sooner will you succeed.
“It is absolute nonsense to talk about ‘influence’ with editors or
publishers. No one ever achieved even passing fame or success in
literature through influence or ‘friends at court.’ An editor might
be influenced to accept one article, but he would never give permanent
patronage through any influence, however strong.
“As I receive so many hundreds of letters asking how I found my way
into print, and through what influences, it may be pardonable for me
to say a few words regarding my own experiences. In the first place, I
never sent a manuscript to any human being in my life, to ask for an
opinion or influence. I always send directly to the editors, and I am
not aware that any influence was ever used in my behalf. I have often
had an article refused by six editors and accepted by the seventh. An
especially unfortunate manuscript of mine was once rejected by eight
periodicals, and I was about to consign it to oblivion, when, at a last
venture, I sent it to the ninth. A check of seventy-five dollars came
to me by return mail, with an extremely complimentary letter from the
editor, requesting more articles of a similar kind.”