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326 SELLING THE SCRIPT not represent the present policy, but to take the stories as a whole should give a good idea. 9. The news columns of the same publication will also give in- formation of value, but the paragraphs must be read intelligently. An item to the effect that the company will winter two directors in Florida means that they will ,be in the market for stories with a sub- tropical setting and outdoor stuff in general. The announcement that a company has been sent to Bermuda to make a certain play may mean that the company will perhaps send a field troupe out as occasion requires, but it does not mean that stories with a setting in Bermuda are wanted. They have these and are making them. They are likely to want almost anything else. 10. Certain publications purport to offer a monthly list of wants. The requirements may change, and often do, while the magazine is passing through the press. This week a company may want only two reel domestic stories. It may happen that ten will be purchased next week and when the announcement is made the demand will be for some other form. The only way to work will be to follow the company's general style and offer your stories, trusting to luck that they will be what is wanted at the moment. If your stories are good but not suitable, then the Editor may suggest in a note that he is in the market for certain styles. If he writes you that he is in need of two part heart-interest stories and you have none, do not send him half a dozen five reel adventure stories and the explanation that you have no two part stories on hand. Either write some or wait a lit- tle and offer something else. IL Here again the competent writer suffers from the overeager beginner. It was the practice a few years ago to send word to the trade papers of any special need, but it was found that the announce- ment that a particular company was in need of one reel comedies might precipitate an avalanche of ever>'thing else. It was argued that here was a company in need of something. It was buying. At once a certain type of author unloaded everything not actually in the hands of some other concern. On one occasion a single announce- ment in one paper to the effect that there had been radical changes in a certain corporation brought out in six days more than seven thousand manuscripts of from the half reel length up to thirty parts of two reels each, and of the lot not a full dozen were purchased. Almost always the announcement that a company has changed Edi- tors will precipitate a flood of stories; sometimes fifteen or twenty from the same author, cverv- one of which had been rejected earlier h'>- the previous Eflitor. This process known as "dumping." has caused Editors to become wary and they announce their wants only to those they feel will not abuse the information. 12. Send out only your best. Send out what seems to be in de- mand, and do not attempt a wholesale business unless you are reason- ably certain that scripts are wanted in carload lots. 13. You will need to keep some form of record and this record