Vintage Writing Instruction: Recent Episodes
Baby Katie Media LLC
From the March & April 1923 issues of "Writer's Monthly." Here is "The Function of Setting in the Short-Story" by A.C. Allenson.
"Pessimism in Fiction" by A. C. Allenson. Originally published in the May 1922 issue of "Writer's Monthly". Now in the public domain.
"God's Gift of Words" by Major Arthur J. Burks. Not as much instructional this time, but more historical. Major Burks makes a plea for writers to use their skills to help connect military personnel overseas connect with people back home, and vice versa. It is a solid reminder of what well written fiction can do.
A reminder that not all artists must be tortured and miserable in order to produce good work. By Captain John C. Kofoed.
"Sport Story" by Talbert Josselyn. Originally Appeared in September 1940 issue of "Writer's Digest" now believed to be in the Public Domain.
Mystery Stories for Children, By Ruby Lorraine Radford. Originally appeared in the September 1940 issue of "Writer's Digest."
This is Chapter Seven of "Fundamentals of Fiction Writing" by Arthur Sullivant Hoffman, who was the editor of "Adventure," one of the highest circulating magazines in the heyday of the pulps. Originally published in 1922, now in the public domain. This chapter deals with "overstrain", which is what happens when you make your readers work too hard to understand your story.
This is chapter 6 of "Fundamentals of Fiction Writing" by Arthur Sullivant Hoffman, who was the editor of "Adventure," one of the highest circulating magazines in the heyday of the pulps. Originally published in 1922, now in the public domain.
This is chapter 5 of "Fundamentals of Fiction Writing" by Arthur Sullivant Hoffman, who was the editor of "Adventure," one of the highest circulating magazine in the heyday of the pulps. Originally published in 1922, now in the public domain.
This is the fourth chapter of "Fundamentals of Fiction Writing" by Arthur Sullivant Hoffman. Originally published in 1922, it is now in the public domain.
This is the third chapter of "Fundamentals of Fiction Writing" by Arthur Sullivant Hoffman. Originally published in 1922, now in the public domain.
This is the second chapter of "Fundamentals of Fiction Writing" by Arthur Sullivant Hoffman. Originally published in 1922, it is now in the public domain.
This is the first chapter of "Fundamentals of Fiction Writing" by Arthur Sullivant Hoffman. I'll be posting several chapters from this book over the next few weeks.
Thoughts on enlisting your subconscious mind to help you write. Originally published in a 1920 issue of "Writer's Monthly". Written by D. G. Baird.
By Ewing Cockrell, originally published in the January, 1908 issue of "The Editor". A brief reminder of the important part of telling a story.
The Philosophy of Names by Florence Tabor Critchlow. From a 1909 issue of "The Editor." Musings on naming your characters.
Sixth and final in a series of a fictitious editor writing to his imaginary son. By Leslie W. Quirk. These letters originally published in 1903-1904 issues of "The Editor."
Fifth in a series of a fictitious editor writing to his imaginary son. By Leslie W. Quirk. These letters originally published in 1903-1904 issues of "The Editor."
The fourth letter in the series by Leslie W. Quirk. These letters originally published in 1903-1904 issues of "The Editor."
The third in the series of fictional letters by Leslie W. Quirk. These letters originally published in 1903-1904 issues of "The Editor."
Another of the series of fictional letters by Leslie W. Quirk. These letters originally published in 1903-1904 issues of "The Editor."
Written by the editor of "The Editor", these are letters from a fictional father who happens to be an editor to his equally fictional son as the son begins a writing career.
"The Psychology of the Happy Ending", by James Melvin Lee. From the September 1908 issue of "The Editor."
A Simple Means to True Psychosis, by George Law. Some considerations for making characters feel more real.
"My Murder Chart" by Whitman Chambers. How one successful writer plans the crimes in his novels. From September and October 1933 issues of "Writer's Digest."
By Arthur E. Lawrence. Originally Published in 1904 in The Editor. Some thoughts on crafting sentences for greater impact.
By G. Glenwood Clark. Originally published in the September, 1920 Issue of The Writer's Monthly. Taking the plot-germ and growing it into a story.
Today's article is "Getting Into Print" by famed author Jack London. Originally Printed in the March 1903 Issue of The Editor, and now in the public domain.
Today's article is, "A Climax by Suggestion," by J. Albert Mallory. It originally appeared in the June 1908 issue of "The Editor." and is now in the public domain.
By C. William Harrison Originally Published in the July, 1944 issue of Writer's Digest, now in the public domain. Being a writer vs an author of crime fiction.
By Arthur Wallace Peach. Originally published in the December, 1908 issue of "The Editor". A quick discussion of some things that will never go out of style in fiction.
By Bill Rendered. Originally published in The Writer's Monthly in 1920, and is now in the public domain. I strongly suspect the author's name was just a joke pseudonym of the magazine's editor, or another anonymous author.
By Leon Mones, originally published in the February 25, 1918 issue of "The Editor." Brief discussion of how to shape a horror story for emotional impact.
By Lester Dent. From "The Writer’s 1940 Year Book" This was a follow up to his now-famous Master Pulp Plot, and now in the public domain.
Thoughts on writing better dialogue. By that master of spicy detective stories, Robert Leslie Bellem. Originally published in the July 1944 issue of Writer’s Digest. Now in the public domain.
By John Gallishaw. From Twenty Problems of the Fiction Writer, which is now in the public domain. This article presents the origin of the Scene/Sequel method which would later be popularized by Dwight V. Swain. It describes a way to plan scenes such that the plot is continually moving forward and is providing interesting events for the reader.
By Leigh Brackett. Originally published in the July 1944 issue of "Writer’s Digest," now in the public domain. Winner of the 2020 Retro Hugo Award for Related Work.
How one writer got started, with writing tips sprinkled throughout. By Marjorie Holmes.
What kind of drama actually makes a story interesting? By Louise Montgomery. Originally published in the April 8th, 1922 issue of The Editor
By Marian B. Cockrell. This was published in Writer’s Digest August, 1943, and is now in the public domain. This one is kind of light on how-to details, but is an important concept to consider. It’s hard to get someone to read a story if he isn’t interested in the characters. Marian ended up writing often for TV, including a few episodes from the original Batman TV show.
A simple framework for writing a short story. Useful in any practically any genre. By Nelson S. Bond.
What types of stories arouse interest in readers? By Barry Scobee. Originally published in the June 1916 issue of "The Writer’s Monthly".
By John Gallishaw. Excerpted from "Twenty Problems of the Fiction Writer" published in 1929 and now in the public domain. One of the best articles I have ever found on what makes readers interested in reading your story.
Many rejected stories shared similar weaknesses. By Ward Macauley. Originally published in the April 1903 issue of "The Editor."
It's an age-old debate. Should you strive to impress the literary fiction masters, or write for the common folk? By Thomas H. Uzzell. Originally published in March 1925 issue of "Writer’s Digest."
Setting is not just about accurately describing the physical nature of a time and place, it is also about instilling a feeling in the reader. By Sara H. Sterling. Originally published in the January 1916 issue of "The Writer’s Monthly"