The Fiction Factory / Being the experience of a writer who, for twenty-two years, has kept a story-mill grinding successfully

XXVI.

PATRONS AND
PROFITS FOR
TWENTY-TWO YEARS

On the 20th of this month (September, 1911) it will be just twenty-two years since Edwards received payment for his first story. On Sept. 20, 1889, The Detroit Free Press sent him a check for $8. On that $8 the Fiction Factory was started.

Who have been the patrons of the Factory for these twenty-two years, and what have been the returns?

A vast amount of work has been necessary in order to formulate exact answers to these questions. Papers and other memoranda bearing upon the subject were widely scattered. During Edwards' travels about the country many letters and records were lost. The list that follows, therefore, is incomplete, but exact as far as it goes. More work was realized upon, by several thousands of dollars, than is here shown. For every item in the record Edwards has a letter, or a printed slip that accompanied the check, as his authority. The errors are merely those of omission.

Titles of the material sold will not be given, but following the name of the publication that purchased the material will be found the year in which it was either published or paid for.

Adventure, The Ridgway Company,
Spring & Macdougal Streets, New York City,
1911—1 novelette.	$ 250	.
All-Story Magazine, The F. A. Munsey Co.,
175 Fifth Ave., New York City,
1904—1 serial.	225	.
1905—2 short stories, 1 serial.	255	.
1906—2 serials.	950	.
1908—3 serials.	1,000	.
American Press Association,
45 & 47 Park Place, New York City,
1905—2 short stories.	30	.
The Argosy, F. A. Munsey Co.,
175 Fifth Ave., New York City,
1900—1 serial.	250	.
1901—1 serial.	200	.
1902—1 serial.	250	.
1903—1 novelette, 4 serials.	1,050	.
1904—1 short story, 1 novelette, 4 serials.	975	.
1905—3 serials, 1 novelette.	925	.
1906—2 serials.	600	.
1911—1 serial.	250	.
Boston Globe, Boston, Mass.,
1897—1 short story.	4	.
Boyce's Monthly, Chicago, Ills.,
1901—1 short story.	10	.
Banner Weekly, The, Beadle & Adams, New York City,
1889—1 short story.	4	.
Blue Book, The, Chicago, Ills.,
1907—1 novelette.	220	.
1908—2 novelettes.	400	.
1910—1 short story, 1 novelette.	240	.
1911—1 novelette, 3 short stories.	350	.
Chips, Frank Tousey's Publishing House,
New York City,
1901—1 short story.	4	.
Chatter, 12 Beekman St., New York,
1890—1 short story.	5	.
—1 short story.	5	.
Chicago Inter-Ocean, Chicago, Ills.,
1898—1 article, space rates.	2	.50
Chicago Record, Chicago, Ills.,
1897—1 short story.	5	.
1898—1 short story.	7	.
—1 short story.	4	.
1901—1 short story.	6	.
Chicago Daily News, Chicago, Ills.,
1898—1 short story.	3	.
1899—1 short story.	3	.50
1899—4 short stories.	14	.50
1901—1 short story.	5	.
Chicago Blade, Chicago, Ills.,
1891—2 articles, space rates, 1 short story.	10	.
Chicago Ledger, Chicago, Ills.,
1891—3 serials.	120	.
1892—2 serials.	55	.
1896—1 serial.	50	.
1904—1 serial.	75	.
1905—2 serials.	80	.
1906—2 serials.	100	.
1907—1 serial.	75	.
Columbian Magazine, New York City,
1910—1 short story.	15	.
Demorest's Monthly, New York City,
1899—1 article.	5	.
Dillingham Co., G. W., New York City,
1903—royalties.	96	.60
1906—royalties.	10	.20

1908—royalties.	1	.50
1909—Cloth book rights.	100	.
Detroit Free Press, The, Detroit, Michigan.
1889—1 short story.	8	.
—1 short story.	7	.
1890—2 serials.	203	.
1889—2 short stories.	23	.
1891—1 short story, space rates.	95	.
1892—6 short stories.	48	.50
1893—1 short story.	10	.
1894—1 space rate.	20	.
1895—1 space rate.	22	.
1896—1 short story.	1	.50
1899—2 short stories.	7	.
1900—1 short story.	3	.
Essanay Film Manufacturing Company,
Chicago, Illinois.
1910—M. P. scenario.	25	.
Figaro, 170 Madison St., Chicago,
1890—1 space rate.	30	.
1891—1 space rate.	90	.
1892—1 space rate.	10	.
Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly,
110 Fifth Ave., New York City.
1897—1 short story.	8	.
Gunter's Magazine, Street & Smith, New York City.
1910—1 short story.	40	.
Harper's Weekly, New York City.
1911—1 short story.	75	.
Illustrated American,
1123 Broadway, New York City.
1896—2 verses.	10	.
Kellogg Newspaper Co., The A. N.,
71-73 W. Adams St., Chicago.
1903—1 serial.	115	.
Life, New York City.
1897—1 short story.	3	.
Ledger Monthly, Ledger Building, N. Y.
1899—1 short story.	10	.
Lubin Mfg. Co., Philadelphia, Pa.
1910—M. P. scenario	30	.
Ladies' World, The, New York City.
1890—2 short stories.	8	.
1891—1 verse.	2	.
—1 verse.	2	.
1892—2 verses.	4	.
1894—1 verse.	2	.
1898—1 short story.	2	.
McClure's Newspaper Syndicate, The,
116 Nassau St., New York City.
1901—2 short stories, 2 serials.	295	.
—1 serial.	200	.
McC's Monthly, Detroit, Michigan,
1898—2 short stories.	10	.
Munsey's Magazine, New York City,
1896—1 short story.	10	.
1904—1 short story.	40	.
1910—1 short story.	75	.
New York World, New York City,

1894—1 short story.	5	.64
1897—2 short stories.	15	.02
1898—1 short story.	4	.68
1899—1 short story.	5	.50
Overland Monthly, 508 Montgomery St., San Francisco,
1897—1 short story.	10	.
Ocean, F. A. Munsey Co., New York City,
1907—1 serial.	450	.
People's Magazine, The, Street & Smith,
New York City,
1906—1 serial.	200	.
1907—1 serial.	250	.
1908—2 serials.	600	.
Popular Magazine, The, Street & Smith,
New York City,
1904—2 novelettes.	265	.
1909—1 serial.	200	.
Puck, Keppler & Schwartzmann,
Puck Building, New York City,
1891—2 short stories.	20	.
1892—1 short story.	5	.
1893—2 short stories, 1 verse.	14	.
1896—1 short story.	6	.
1897—2 short stories, 1 verse.	22	.
1899—2 short stories.	17	.
Railroad Man's Magazine, F. A. Munsey Co.,
New York,
1906—2 serials.	700	.
1907—1 serial.	500	.
1908—2 serials.	650	.
1909—2 short stories.	70	.
Red Book, Chicago, Ills.,
1906—1 short story.	75	.
1909—1 short story.	40	.
Scrap Book, F. A. Munsey Co., N. Y. C.,
1905—1 serial.	200	.
1908—1 serial.	300	.
1910—1 serial.	400	.
1911—1 serial.	400	.
Saturday Times, The, Chicago, Ills.,
1907—1 serial.	60	.
Southern Tobacco Journal, Winston, N. C.,
1897—1 verse.	2	.
Short Stories, Current Literature Pub. Co.,
New York City,
1891—1 short story.	5	.
1898—2 short stories.	10	.
1900—2 short stories.	30	.
San Francisco Chronicle, San Fran.,
1896—1 short story.	6	.
Saturday Night, James Elverson Pub.
Philadelphia, Pa.,
1890—1 serial.	75	.
1891—1 serial, 8 short stories.	166	.
1892—5 short stories.	10	.
1893—1 serial, 5 short stories.	160	.
Truth, 203 Broadway, New York City,
1893—1 short story.	3	.50
1897—7 short stories.	57	.
Top-Notch Magazine, Street & Smith,
New York City,
1911—1 serial.	150	.
Translation Rights, 1908.	40	.
Vitagraph Company of America, The,
Brooklyn, N. Y.,
1909—M. P.	10	.
Wayside Tales, Detroit Monthly Publishing Co.,
Detroit, Mich.,

1901—3 short stories.	23	.
1902—2 short stories.	35	.
1903—1 short story.	15	.
White Elephant, Frank Tousey's Pub. House,
New York City,
1897—2 short stories.	30	.
Western World, Chicago, Ills.,
1900—2 serials, 7 short stories, 1 space rates.	308	.80
Woman's Home Companion, New York,
1905—1 serial, space rate.	205	.
Yankee Blade, Boston, Mass.,
1890—2 short stories.	20	.
1891—3 short stories, 2 verses.	13	.
1893—1 short story.	6	.50
—1 short story.	4	.
Powers Company, New York City,
1910—M. P.	25	.
Street & Smith, New York City,
1909—34 issues "Motor Boys"	2,550	.
1908— 7 paper-book rights.	700	.
1909—21 paper-book rights.	2,100	.
1910— 2 paper-book rights.	200	.
1911— 5 paper-book rights.	500	.
Dodd. Mead & Co., New York City,
1904—Cloth book rights.	200	.
Harte & Perkins, New York,
Nickel Novels:	$ 23,964	.44
1893— 4 @ $ 50 each,.	200	.
1894— 3 @ $ 50 each,.	150	.
—31 @ $ 40 each,.	960	.
1896—24 @ $ 40 each,.	960	.
1897— 2 @ $ 40 each,.	80	.
1898—16 @ $ 40 each,.	640	.
1899—38 @ $ 40 each,.	1,400	.
1900—51 @ $ 40 each,.	2,040	.
Completing story.	20	.
1901—10 @ $ 30 each,.	300	.
— 8 @ $ 50 each,.	400	.
—16 @ $ 40 each,.	640	.
1902—31 @ $ 40 each,.	1,240	.
1903—44 @ $ 40 each,.	1,760	.
1904—26 @ $ 40 each,.	1,040	.
— 4 @ $ 50 each,.	200	.
1905—10 @ $ 50 each,.	500	.
1906—18 @ $ 50 each,.	900	.
1907—33 @ $ 50 each,.	1,650	.
1908—45 @ $ 50 each,.	2,250	.
1909— 9 @ $ 60 each,.	540	.
1910—54 @ $ 60 each,.	3,240	.
Ten-Cent Novels:
1893—13 @ $100 each,.	1,300	.
1894—10 @ $100 each,.	1,000	.
1895— 2 @ $ 40 each,.	100	.
Serials for "Guest:"
1894— 2 @ $300 each,.	600	.
— 2 @ $500 & $400	900	.
1897— 1. 300.
1895— 2 @ $300 & $200.	500	.
1898— 2 @ $300.	600	.
1899— 1.	300	.
1906— 1.	250	.

1907— 1.	300	.
Juvenile Serials:
1893— 2 @ $100 & $75.	175	.
1894— 1.	175	.
1894— 1.	100	.
1901— 4 @ $100 each,.	400	.
1902— 4 @ $100 each,.	400	.
Miscellaneous:
1897— 4 magazine sketches.	40	.
— 1 magazine sketches.	6	.16
1900—10 trade-paper sketches.	100	.
1901— 9 trade-paper sketches.	90	.
1902— 1 trade-paper sketch.	10	.
—————
Total	$ 65,859	.60

The finest music in the room is that which streams out to the ear of the spirit in many an exquisite strain from the hanging shelf of books on the opposite wall. Every volume there is an instrument which some melodist of the mind created and set vibrating with music, as a flower shakes out its perfume or a star shakes out its light. Only listen, and they soothe all care, as though the silken-soft leaves of poppies had been made vocal and poured into the ear.—James Lane Allen.

When William Dean Howells occupied an editorial chair in Harper's office, a young man of humble and rough exterior one day submitted personally to him a poem. Mr. Howells asked:
"Did you write this poem yourself?"
"Yes, sir. Do you like it?" the youth asked.
"I think it is magnificent," said Mr. Howells. "Did you compose it unaided?"
"I certainly did," said the young man firmly. "I wrote every line of it out of my head."
Mr. Howells rose and said:
"Then, Lord Byron, I am very glad to meet you. I was under the impression that you died a good many years ago."

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