em arrogant, it is
due to the influence of the company I keep. My deductions are made not
only from the artifices and triumphs of the successful, but from the
struggles and failures of the unfortunate as well; and I have endeavored
to make clear both the philosophy and the application of all the
principles so deduced. Though in theory these rules are obligatory on
all who essay the short story, they are frequently and knowingly evaded
or violated by the masters of the art, whose genius is great enough to
excuse their disregard of the conventions, or whose skill is sufficient
to smooth over their technical lapses; but for the novice the only safe
course is a careful observance of all conventions.

To the aspiring writer this book may seem to be merely a catalogue of
"Don'ts", the gist of which is, "Don't write"; but that is to misread
me. Short story writing is not easy, and I cannot make it so, even if I
would; but it is far from my purpose to discourage any person who feels
the Heaven-sent call to write, and who has the will and ability to
respond to it. But that call is but a summons to labor--and to labor the
severest and most persistent. To one who comes to it but half-heartedly,
illy prepared, shirking its requirements, I can predict certain failure;
but to the earnest, serious, conscientious worker, I would say a word of
hope. The promotion from the rank of amateur to the dignity of
authorship may be long in coming, but it will come at last. Fame, like
all else that this world has to give, depends largely upon downright
hard work; and he who has the courage to strive in the face of
disappointments will achieve success in the end.

Throughout this book I have endeavored to give my statements
definiteness by the employment of numerous examples, both good
and bad. I have made no attempt to present an exhaustive analysis
of the technique of individuals or of schools, but have chosen my
illustrations with a single view to their aptness; I have, however,
for the convenience of reference, taken these paradigms chiefly
from the published collections of stories by the older and better
known writers. My "awful examples" are verbatim excerpts from
manuscripts which have passed through my hands; their authorship
is concealed for obvious reasons.

To the best of my knowledge there is no book extant which treats
solely of the technique of the short story. The nearest approach
to it is "How to Write Fiction," an anonymous wor