James Oliver Curwood, Disciple of the Wilds

by Hobart Donald Swiggett

The very first thing which he always did upon arriving at his studio of a morning was to have a fifteen-minute conference with his secretary, during which he gave out his daily instructions and explained just what was most important for her to do during the course of the day. Then into the tower study he went where he immediately disconnected the telephone and locked the door. This was a precaution he used so that he would not be disturbed. Here Jim buried himself until eleven-thirty in the morning. Under no consideration could anybody get in to see him unless it was the most urgent business which could not possibly wait. All morning hours were devoted entirely to his writing and he disliked very much being disturbed during those hours.

Once inside his study, Jim always looked over the previous day’s correspondence, checked it and then carefully filed it away. Upon completing this he would pick up his notes and yesterday’s planning for today’s work and study it carefully for several minutes. Then he would clear his desk of all unnecessary materials and begin the work which did not let up until four-thirty in the afternoon, except for a brief lunch period.

Some days Jim’s work would come easily, clearly and distinctly; but on other days he would feverishly wrack his brain in order to drag forth words one by one.

For the most part, the majority of authors hurriedly write the first draft of their story, check it thoroughly and then carefully write the second draft. Finally the third and final draft is written and then the yarn is ready for the publisher. Such a procedure was against Jim Curwood’s policy, for he did not believe in writing a story too hurriedly, checking it and later revising it. He was a slow, deliberate worker and never averaged more than five hundred words per day, or only two full-sized manuscript pages. He slowly and methodically built every sentence and every paragraph as he went along. He never returned to rebuild that which he had already constructed.

“I build every line and page of my manuscript to the best of my ability, with the result that I am a very slow worker, as compared with many. I average only about five hundred words per day. Often I have spent an entire forenoon on one paragraph of a dozen lines. I stay with a difficult passage until it is done satisfactorily. I never put off until to-morrow what I find hard today, for to-morrow rarely brings the needed skill.”

At noontime Jim would always lay off from his work for a half an hour. This always afforded him ample time to look over his gardens, which consisted mainly of onions and radishes. The raising of onions and radishes was his hobby and one of which he was indeed proud. He always took particular pride in his ability to raise the finest of these vegetables in the surrounding territory.

Promptly at four-thirty of an afternoon, Jim was up and away from the studio, unless he had a story which he felt must be completed, or else some important business matter that must have his personal attention. And when he did leave his studio, he immediately looked for recreation, which as a whole was not very hard to find. He was very fond of a brisk walk, a swim, golf, or a horseback ride. His two favorite sports, however, above all others, were horseback-riding and handball. On many of his trips into the wilds he would take along a few horseshoes and a handball outfit to help keep trim as well as to provide relaxation. Jim played handball with a vengeance and could never quite get enough of it. Regardless of what sport he participated in, he always played hard, industriously and squarely. As it was with his writing, Jim never knew quite when to call a halt to his recreational activities.

As twilight would begin to break forth Jim always liked to sit out on the terrace that he loved so well or else take a long walk or a drive in his auto. Twilight would lengthen into dusk and unless he had something else more important to do he would spend the evening with his wife and children before retiring. But Jim did not retire to rest and to sleep as most men do. Instead he went to bed to think and meditate and ponder over his problems.

On one particular occasion, Ray Long visited Jim at his home in Owosso. The two men sat up late one night in order to develop a plot for the new novel Jim had in mind. It had to be something different from anything previously written, and so for many hours Ray and Jim studied earnestly and tirelessly over the possibilities. The new work Jim had in mind was to be entitled “Nomads of the North.” Mr. Long eventually suggested a situation that appealed to Jim’s vivid imagination and so together the two of them developed their idea for all it was worth. That night both men went to bed elated and highly satisfied over the prospects of the new story. Mr. Long later explained how surprised he was the next morning when Jim appeared at the breakfast table and informed him that the plot would not do. Obviously he had gone to bed the night before and had laid awake for most of the night turning the plot and situation over and over in his mind. Then at last he had come to the conclusion that the animals involved would not be likely to do the things that he had planned for them to do.

The very popular and famous Ray Long, who published numerous James Oliver Curwood stories serially in his magazine, once spoke of Jim: