Identity area
Reference code
ALL/11/161
Title
Letter from William Harvey to Herbert Allingham
Date(s)
- 31-May-18 (Creation)
Level of description
Item
Extent and medium
2 pieces, Typescript document
Context area
Name of creator
(1867-1936)
Repository
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Scope and content
Headed notepaper: Dundee Advertiser, Evening Telegraph and Post, The Happy Home, People's Journal, People's Friend, My Weekly, John Leng & Co. Ltd., 7 Bank Street, Dundee. Signed.
'I am favoured with your letter of 29th inst., embodying the synopsis of a proposed 'People's Journal' story. Generally speaking we think this is on the right lines, but we shall be glad if you will give the following points your best consideration.
(1) So far as the synopsis goes the woman does not seem to have a very compelling reason for deserting her children. The reason, however, may be made sufficiently strong by what you write.
(2) With reference to your remark as to having a little more freedom in the 'People's Journal', we do not want to handicap you in any way, but at the same time we desire to state that we place great value on stories having the ring of plausibility. Consequently, we should like you to be as natural as possible in your incidents, avoiding anything which might be called super-fantastic or anything of the ultra-sensational atmosphere such as was prominent in the early chapters of your story - 'The Steel Clutch', and in an earlier reprint story which we bought from you and which you will recall dealt with the work of a Russian Secret Society in London.
(3) As the 'Journal' is a domestic newspaper you must be careful to avoid sexual questions or anything suggesting immorality.
(4) The impression left by the synopsis is that the story will be a rather sad one. We should like you to relieve it in some way, but we do not wish you to get this effect by bringing in any low character. We would rather prefer that the element of hope should be introduced by the workings of some character - it might be one of the grandmothers, or an aunt of the children whose business it would be to bring things finally right, and whose efforts towards this end would always hold the sympathy of the reader. Alternatively this hopeful side of the story might appear in the strength of character of the husband who never lost faith in his wide, and who, knowing that he himself was innocent, believed that everything would come all right in the end.
These are suggestions only, and not meant to bind you or crap the development of the story in any way. Probably you already see a plan for getting this effect. We know we can safely leave the matter in your hands. In these days of short sizes a first instalment must not exceed 6,000 words, but I know that you can get a good number within these limits. As I mentioned before, we want to start the story at once, and I shall be glad therefore to have the opening instalment at your earliest. If any point in the foregoing is not clear to you, I will be glad to hear from you.'
'I am favoured with your letter of 29th inst., embodying the synopsis of a proposed 'People's Journal' story. Generally speaking we think this is on the right lines, but we shall be glad if you will give the following points your best consideration.
(1) So far as the synopsis goes the woman does not seem to have a very compelling reason for deserting her children. The reason, however, may be made sufficiently strong by what you write.
(2) With reference to your remark as to having a little more freedom in the 'People's Journal', we do not want to handicap you in any way, but at the same time we desire to state that we place great value on stories having the ring of plausibility. Consequently, we should like you to be as natural as possible in your incidents, avoiding anything which might be called super-fantastic or anything of the ultra-sensational atmosphere such as was prominent in the early chapters of your story - 'The Steel Clutch', and in an earlier reprint story which we bought from you and which you will recall dealt with the work of a Russian Secret Society in London.
(3) As the 'Journal' is a domestic newspaper you must be careful to avoid sexual questions or anything suggesting immorality.
(4) The impression left by the synopsis is that the story will be a rather sad one. We should like you to relieve it in some way, but we do not wish you to get this effect by bringing in any low character. We would rather prefer that the element of hope should be introduced by the workings of some character - it might be one of the grandmothers, or an aunt of the children whose business it would be to bring things finally right, and whose efforts towards this end would always hold the sympathy of the reader. Alternatively this hopeful side of the story might appear in the strength of character of the husband who never lost faith in his wide, and who, knowing that he himself was innocent, believed that everything would come all right in the end.
These are suggestions only, and not meant to bind you or crap the development of the story in any way. Probably you already see a plan for getting this effect. We know we can safely leave the matter in your hands. In these days of short sizes a first instalment must not exceed 6,000 words, but I know that you can get a good number within these limits. As I mentioned before, we want to start the story at once, and I shall be glad therefore to have the opening instalment at your earliest. If any point in the foregoing is not clear to you, I will be glad to hear from you.'
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