Vintage Writing Instruction

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."

Another of the series of fictional letters 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."

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."

The Expression of Pathos by Emily Vaile. From the May, 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.

A simple framework for writing a short story. Useful in any practically any genre. By Nelson S. Bond.