Page:The Craftsmanship of Writing.djvu/25

THE INBORN TALENT if these new writers seek advice—and sooner or later they practically all of them do—from whom can they seek it? What avenues are open to them?

Some writers, of course, are more fortunately placed than others, in this respect; but in practice it will be found that the usual sources of criticism, whether favourable or hostile, narrow down to four:I. The biassed opinions of interested friends;II. The bought opinions of professional advisers;III. The rejections or acceptances of editors, either with or without comment;IV. The published criticisms in the review departments of newspapers and magazines. Now, as already said, there is a certain degree of luck in all four of these sources of criticism. Thus, to take them up in order, the opinions of the first class may not always be biassed. A young author may have the good luck to number among his friends or relatives [ 11 ]