Space-Writer

( Originally Published 1913 )

THE great daily newspaper, and practically all newspapers, with the exception of the majority of the weekly papers, employ, or accept the work of, what is known in the craft as " space-or piece-writers."

The space-writer, or the man-on-space, as he may be called in the vernacular of the sanctum, does not receive a regular salary for his services, but is paid for what he writes, or rather for what is accepted and published of what he produces, the price being based on the scale of a column, which, in the average newspaper, measures about two inches in width by from twenty to twenty-one and a half inches in length. A twenty-inch column contains about two hundred and forty lines of type, Six Point size, set solid (that is, without spaces between the lines), and each column will average about seventeen hundred words.

The space-writer may not be paid for the space occupied by the headings.

There is no standard price for space-writing, but comparatively few newspapers pay more than ;five dollars per column, and from that up to even twenty-five dollars a column for matter of importance but ten dollars per column may be considered about all one is likely to receive for the work, unless it is of unusual importance or is exclusive.

Weekly newspapers pay from two to three dollars per column.

Most of the local news appearing in the daily newspapers is obtained by the regular staff re-porters, who are on salary, and many of them would receive double the income if they were al-lowed space rates for what they bring in.

A space-writer, unless he be a suburban re-porter, devotes the larger part of his time to the preparation of special articles, which may not be considered as pure and simple local news, although they may have a local flavor.

The range of subjects is large, including inter-views with prominent men and women, and articles descriptive of anything which would interest the public, from the history of local bridges to an account of the first train which entered the pioneer depot.

Many of these space-writers occupy other positions, and do not depend wholly upon newspaper work for a livelihood.

In every large city there is room for space-writers, but their income, unless they be especially proficient, is likely to be precarious, for it is obvious that the newspaper will purchase of them only what it cannot readily obtain from its regular staff editors and reporters.

Some reporters, however, prefer space rates to regular salaries, because they may work when and where they please; and, if they possess unusual ability, they may obtain more money than they would be likely to receive if they occupied salaried positions.

The space-writer naturally comes in competition with regular staff men, and he must be able either,to get hold of news which the regulars have not obtained, or produce something out of the usual line of reporting or writing.

Some regular newspaper reporters do space work on the side.

I have continued this subject in the chapter entitled " The Writers of Special Articles."