Srit gan atl
SUNDAY MAGAZINE
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 1923
Sage Advice o Scri es
If there is any one thing that an' Aith Hugh ' Another o the more common qes-
aspiring young writer desires more n In terView vith ugh M Walpole ions which orinaily ariseinthe
than any other, it is the opportunity minds of the aspiring novelist or short
to have a real heart-to-heart talk with JOHN A BACON story writer concerns the building of
a man who has "arrived," so to speak, a Pict. On that score, according to
in the field of letters and who is grac- Mr. Walpole, there is a glaring mis-
ions enough to answer the inevitable conception on the part of novices in
questions with the sympathetic rom- the art of story-telling.
placency of one who has gone through "One of the greatest faults of the
the same experience and who, in a fra-! 'k1 inexperienced writer," Mr. Walpole
ternal spirit, listens to his inquisitor said, "is that he places too much stress
and answers him without a scowl. on the plot. ie tries to lay out his
Hugh Walpole uring his visit to whole story without regard to the per-
the t'niversity last Friday, left some ssonality of his characters, spending
excellent thoughts with those to whn 'hisi ame on the mechanics of the writ-
he talked. It is a bit of advice that ting rather than in developing his
hits at the center of many of the puz-7characters.
zles wehirht confront our ambitious in "nHere is an example of the way a
ts s a iplot should be built," he continued.
o f letters. It is just a wee glimpse
into the mind and the heart and the Tabc a woman it place tier in a
soul of a true literary artist and car- -room with two men, say. Begin to
ries with it br'gt etncour'gsoent so othk of the situation. Any number
ieswiths ringhmt sthatare ton-of conditions might exist. She might
those strutgglinig minsds that ar e on- a unotne of the men to leave so that
stantly striving to express their wantt be en the oth O
thoughts and feelings in beautiful andg sin she asiht wat th otet. o
expressive words. .ai, she mnight want both of them to
er v o remain in order that she would not
There are just three types of writ- e to he atone wits either the one
ers. Mr. Walpole tells us. The first 'rthe other of them. Still again, she
ifottuds r those persons iswho 'rite might be married to one of the men
rom a purely creative input.se, who and be in love with the other. These
are so completely absorbed in the idea and numerous other combinations are
that they must write that they do so ' the starting point of a plot.
without regard for financial or appre- No'," cte novelist explained,
ciatory reward. The second type com- "'hen once the plot is started in this
prises that group of individuals which simple way, hat remains is to think
els thtt to b an author isr a pretty of the participants. They should be-
nig tlkng, that It gives prestige and come real live flesh and blood human
social position which are worth striv beings living in the brain. In this
'ng for. The third type is a rather way the plot of the story will grow
large circle of persons who have no f I ttsnd the characters rather than
genuine artistic sense, but who are having the latter conform to a given
deeply impressed with the idea that set of circumstances. Character de-
they must present some great moral i lineation of this type is what makes
issue or a definite phase of political for great writing, and the lack of it
social or economic propaganda. brands other of our writings as super-
"In the first group," Mr. Waptule P. ficil."
said, "we find the true artists of th( Mr. Walpole's works are highly im-
type of Dostoevsky. These persons d aginative. There is nothing fantastic
not need any suggestions or advice in inhis stories as in the case of some
order to feel the impulse to write.It less skillful writers. Contrarily his
is a part of them. They express them- imagination, while coloring his whole
selves regardless of whether they willj story, remains subservient to a reaT-
ever receive a cent of compensation or istic presentation of his characters
a word of praise or nothing. They and" setting.
write for the love of writing. In that connection Mr. Walpole ex-
"Writers of this kind," he continued - '-plained how it is possible to stimulate
"receive an idea; it grows upon them; HUGH WALPOLE the imagination in cases where It ex-
and they must put it into definite ists, but is virtually dormant.
form. The things they write are not By Rosemary Lalprence "One of the biggest incentives to
labored, but are the children of their imagination is travel," he declared.
brains. They receive an idea from an !the day. "To writers in this category," touch, that they thoroughly under- "That is why I am insistent that Am-
outside contact; it grows within the Mr. Walpole declared, "I would sug- stand their subjects and that they write eican authors should make it their
brain through months of conscious gest that they do not lose the common in as beautiful a style as possible." business wherever possible, to visit
and sub-conscious pondering; and it England and other foreign countries.
is born into the world a work of art." Incidentally, that is also the reason
"Such artists," le predicted, "never why I came to this country.
need have any fear of failure, unnless ina.t. Lures in, xM ozart~J, "Furthermore, I woud advise that
they fail to continue their work long all authors and aspiring authors
enough. I have found it a general CARL E. GEHRING should spend six months each year in
troth that artists who continue to t'-^^ fscivity where there are
wrte are always found and annre1i- A return to the music of Wolfgang would also be cut out in square blocks. l 'rgeonumbs n he montan the other
ether ot artist or havesu eedhoare Amadeus Mozart is like coming back cubist, if you will. Paul Rosenfeld other quiet place where they have
too early in their careers." to nature. Which rather pts me in calls this progress. I doubt it myself time to think and allow their imagina-
On the other hand, in Mr. Walpoles mind of a conversation I had with Although we seem to be doing it at tions to run rampant.
opinion, individuals of the second clas- one of our pianists, Jan Sickesz by present, we cannot get away from nas "Another way of stimulating the im-
sification must always be on the alert name. He seemed inclined to believe ture for any great length of time. As agination," he said, "is by forming
lest they lose the faculty which will the cubist art, the impressionstic, and we are creatures of the soil, so must some close friendship or some great
make their writings popular and suc- all the rest of the modern schools, was we return to it. love. The association of an active
cessful. The professional scribbler, the result of our getting too far away Thus the utter relaxation afforded mind is always a source of inspiration,
with one eye on the purse and the oth- from nature. Whereas in the days of the audience which crowded Hill au- while a great love is sure to bring
er on fame, must keep in constant Mozart the typical artist was one ditorium to capacity Wednesday even- feelings and emotins which can be
touch with the latest dvelopiness in glorifying the great outdoors as the ing could hardly escape comment. stimulated in no other way,"
popular forms of writing, especially work of God, today our modern crea- Mozart is easily comprehendedtnue. s nio ois crtain that the
the novel, according to Mr. Walpole. tors tend to sit apart drinking whisky to his simplicity of style; there he is greatest hindrance to a free working
He must understand thoronbly thSb and smoking cigarettes. Sublime. His advent into the field of imagination comes with preconeeie'd
subjects which are challenging nonu_ I renomber sitting in a machine ii msical composition definitely ended inhibitions and prejudices. A Iet idea
tar sentiment ands,'i uta a- the downtown section of Cleveland a period of polyphonic writing prob- ' ' h or reliion or society in
around these neceesarily more or lee "' ,tng over a copy of Shadowland aobly having its inception with pales- general is a meith hinw at construct-
transient sentiments. dtiseo--usn n, .a which illmtrated some of this futuris- trina and reaching-its peak during the ive imagination, in the opinion of
oninions. t'eart. T could not help reflecting as time of Bach. aim-.
A mon members of the ehtrir res I gae ti'alncd up and down Euclid Avene, One of the most retimarkable child "The best thing about real artistic
Mr. Waltiole ineleo lie - .---- shut in by massive buildings on either musical prodigies the world has ever tug' ''s
gandists, mornI+- -1+an writ- ;'r. 'at this art must of needs be known, his supremacy in this respect thet it is done because it musi be done.
c-s who are absorbed in the idea t ' ""n of the new life performing before is only 'threatened by Schubert and Tie- " uterior mti -m' 5tmrn'g
iti' -+T - ' . is o t maatuma1ty. Granted this life possibly Beethoven. At the age of a doen iaumoine uesire to eeC- iens
didactic vein about the thines thee Was artificial, so it mitit follow the three he sought thirds upon the keys uS-," '_ p* mi r
conceive to be the cr ' --' . rt representing a period of this sort (Continued on Page Four)