Writing for a living

Monday, December 12th., St. Simon's Avenue, Putney, London.

Ella D'Arcy

Sunday night we called on Ella D'Arcy, and I made her promise to bring me the novel she had written some years ago, and then left in a drawer because one publisher, John Murray, had refused it. An interesting woman now in her fifties. Travels a lot. She had much to do with the Yellow Book and seems to have been de facto its editor. She remembered my short story which appeared there and hinted that it was she who secured its inclusion. She has written mainly short stories herself, several of which appeared in the Yellow Book. 

A young French novelist, de Vissac, was also present. It appeared that his first novel had won a prize from the Academie.

On Saturday appeared in the Nation the most striking article on me that has yet been written. Very gratifying to see oneself praised as an artist in a widely read periodical. However much one may disdain praise publicly an inner glow of self-satisfaction is inescapable.

Continuous progress with the construction of the first book of "Hilda Lessways". It is more of a challenge than I had initially thought. Having constructed and written "Clayhanger" I conjectured to myself that it would be a relatively simple matter to match them up, so to speak. I am enjoying doing it.