In the Business of Making Literature, the only Quality that presents itself in Abundance is entirely untrained Mediocrity.
The Lure of the Pen
Why They Fail
In the course of a year I read somewhere about nine thousand stories, articles and poems. These are exclusive of those read by others in my office.
Of these nine thousand I purchase about six hundred per annum. The remainder are usually declined for one of three reasons; either,
They are not suited to the policy and the requirements of the publishing house, or the periodicals, for which I am purchasing. Or,
They tread ground we have already covered. Or,
They have no marketable value.