How to Write a Novel. (Grant Richards. Be. 6d.)—Possibly one
ought to wait till one haa written a novel after the directives here given before criticising them. That, if it could be done at all, would clearly delay a notice inconveniently long. Failing a practical test, one can only record a general impression that the author seems to have taken pains with his book, and that it has a look of good sense. And we have some first-hand experiences. Various authors have let the public into their workshops, so to speak. The most communicative of these is Anthony Trollope. Unluckily people do not seem to read Trollops nowadays. He wrote, it may be noted, very fast, sometimes even reaching a maximum of twenty-eigat thousand words in six days. This means a one-volumed novel in a month. Some of the personal traits and habits are curious, though we do not see any par.. ticular reason for publishing them. Perhaps the best advice would have been, "Don't try." Failing that, this volume may be recommended.
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