The Man of Letters as a Man of Business

Book excerpt: 'The Man of Letters as a Man of Business' is an essay penned by William Dean Howells. In this insightful and thought-provoking work, the legendary American author and literary critic sheds light on the dire financial state of writers. He passionately argues that in today's world, writers struggle to make a decent living from the mere publication of their books alone. But with the rapidly growing popularity of magazines, there is hope, as writers have the opportunity to earn significantly more through the sale of their serialized works to various journals.