Picture-Play Magazine (Sep 1919 - Feb 1920)

PicturePlay Magazine — Advertising Section 13 Millions of People Can Write Stories and Photoplays and Don t Know It / THIS IS the startling assertion recently made by E. B. Davison of New York, one of the highest paid writers in the world. Is his astonishing statement true? Can it be possible there are countless thousands of people yearning to write, who really CAN and simply HAVEN'T FOUND IT • OUT? Well, come to think of it, most anybody can TELL a story. Why can't most anybody WRITE a story? Why is writing supposed to be a rare gift that few possess? Isn't this only another of the Mistaken Ideas the past has handed down to us? Yesterday nobody dreamed man could fly. To-day he dives like a swallow ten thousand feet above the earth and laughs down at the tiny mortal atoms of his fellow-men below! So Yesterday's "impossibility" is a reality to-day. "The time will come," writes the same authority, "when millions of people will be writers — there will be countless thousands of playwrights, novelists, scenario, magazine, and newspaper writers — they are coming, coming — a whole new world of them !" And do you know what these writers-to-be are doing now ? Why, they are the men — armies of them — young and old, now doing mere clerical work, in offices, keeping books, selling merchandise, or even driving trucks, running elevators, street cars, waiting on tables, working at barber chairs, following the plow, or teaching schools in the rural districts; and women, young and old, by scores, now pounding typewriters, or standing behind counters, or running spindles in factories, bending over sewing machines, or doing housework. Yes — you may laugh — but these are The Writers of To-morrow. For writing isn't only for geniuses, as most people think. Don't you believe the Creator gave yon a story-writing faculty just as He did the greatest zvriter? Only maybe you are simply "bluffed" by the thought that you "haven't the gift." Many people are simply afraid to try. Or if they do try, and their first efforts don't satisfy, they simply give up in despair, and that ends it. They're through. They never try again. Yet if, by some lucky chance, they had first LETTERS LIKE THIS ARE POURING IN! "Your book opened my eyes to reat possibilities. 1 received ray ..rst check to-day— $175.00." H. Barlow, Louisville, Ky. After learning Mr. Irving's System I sold my first ptory for $12 5.00." — Arthur Masters, Chicago, HI. "It isworth its weight In gold." —G.Moekwitz,New Castle, Wash. 'Every obstacle that menaces success can be mastered through this simple bat thorough system." — Afrs. Olive Michaux, Charleroi, Pa. "It contains a gold mine of valuable suggestions." — Lena Bailey, Mt. Vernon, III. "I can onlysaythat I am amazed that it is possibe to set forth the principles of short story and photoplay writing in such a clear, concise manner." — Gordon Matthews, Montreal, Can. "I received your Irving System some time ago. It is the most remarkahle thing I have ever seen. Mr. Irving certainly has made story and play writing amazingly simple and easy."— Alfred Horto. Niagara Palls, N.Y. "I have already sold a synopsis — written according to Mr. Irving'e instructions — for $500.00, and some short sketches for smaller sums." — David Clark, Portland, Ore. "Mr. Irving has so simplified story and play writing that anyone with ordinary intelligence ought to q'lickly master it. 1 am having no trouble in selling my s+ories and plays now."— B. Martin James, Dallas, Tex. "With this volume before him, the veriest novice should be able to_ build stories or photoplays that will find a ready market. The best treatise of its kind I have encountered in 24 years of newspaper and literary work." — H, Pierce Weller, Managing Editor Tlie Binghampton Press. "I sold my first play in less than three weeks after getting your book."— Thclma Aimer, Helena, Mont. learned the simple rules of writing, and then given the Imagination free rein, they might have astonished the world! But two things are essential in order to become a writer. First, to learn the ordinary principles* of writing. Second, to learn to exercise your faculty of Thinking. By exercising a thing you develop it. Your Imagination is something like your right arm. The more you use it the stronger it gets. The principles of writing are no more complex than the principles of spelling, arithmetic, or any other simple thing that anybody knows. Writers learn to piece together a story as easily as a child sets up a miniature house with his toy blocks. It is amazingly easy after the mind grasps the simple "know how." A little study, a little patience, a little confidence, and the thing that looks hard turns out to be just as easy as it seemed difficult. Thousands of people imagine they need a fine education in order to write. Nothing is farther from the truth. The greatest writers were the poorest scholars. People rarely learn to write at schools. Thev may get the principles there, but they REALLY LEARN TO WRITE from the great, wide, open, boundless Book of Humanity! Yes, seething all around you,_ every day, every hour, every minute, in the whirling vortex — the flotsam and jetsam of Life — even in your own home, at work or play, are endless incidents for stories and plays — a wealth of material, a world of things happening. Every one of these has the seed of a story or play in it. Think ! If you went to a fire, or saw an accident, you could come home and tell the folks all about it. Unconsciously you would describe it all very realistically. And if somebody stood by and wrote down exactly what you said, you'd be amazed to find your story would sound just as interesting as many you've read in magazines or seen on the screen. Now, you will naturally say, "Well, if Writing is as simple as you say it is, why can't / learn to write?" WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T? Listen ! A wonderful FREE book has recently been written on this very subject— a book that tells all about a Startling New Easy Method of _ Writing Stories and Photoplays. This amazing book, called "THE WONDER BOOK FOR WRITERS," shows how easily stories and plays are conceived, written, perfected, sold. How many who don't DREAM they can write, suddenly ' find it out. How the Scenario Kings and the Story Queens live and work. How bright men and women, without any special experience,_ learn to their own amazement that their simplest Ideas may furnish brilliant plots for Plays and Stories. How one's own Imagination may provide an endless gold-mine of Ideas that bring Happy Success and Handsome Cash Royalties. How new writers get their names into print. How to tell if you ARE a writer. How to develop your "story fancy," weave clever word-pictures and unique, thrilling, Miss Helene Chadwick. versatile screen star, now leading lady for Tom Moore of Goldwyn Film Company, says: "Any man or woman who will learn this New Method of Writing otight to sell stories and plays with ease." realistic plots. How your friends may be your worst judges. How to avoid discouragement and the pitfalls of Failure. HOW to WIN! This surprising book is ABSOLUTELY FREE. No charge. No obligation. YOUR copy is waiting for you. Write for it NOW. GET IT. IT'S YOURS. Then you can pour your whole soul into this magic new enchantment that has come into your life —STORY AND PLAY WRITING. The lure of it, the love of it, the luxury of it will fill your wasted hours and dull moments with profit and pleasure. You will have this noble, absorbing, moneymaking new profession! And all in your spare time, without interfering with your regular job._ Who says you can't make money with your brain! Who says you can't turn your Thoughts into cash ! Who says you can't make your dreams come true ! Nobody knows —BUT THE BOOK WILL TELL YOU. So why waste any more time wondering, dreaming, waiting? Simplv fill out the coupon below — you're not BUYING anything, you're getting it ABSOLUTELY FREE. A book that may prove the Book of Your Destiny. A Magic Book through which men and women, young and old, may learn to turn their snare hours into cash 1 Get your let-'er in the trail befo-e yon sleep to-night. Who knows— it rray mean for you the Dawn of a New To-morrow! Just address The Authors' Pre? s, Dept. 65, Auburn, N. Y. THE* AUTHORS' PRESS, Dept. 65. Auhurn.N.T. Sen<I me ABSOLUTELY FREE "The Wonder Book for Writers." This does not obligate me m any way. Name Address \ Cxtv and State