Jon Hoskins

Dear Jonathan,

I'm sorry to inform you that your revised story, "Beauty," is still not suited to our needs. It may be that a well-qualified yardman is sometimes refused employment because of the color of his skin, and certainly the housewife who turns him away after placing the ad is of questionable integrity—but this is not, per se, a story. Perhaps it would be better to make the entire episode figurative rather than literal, so that no element of our readership will take offense.

I might also mention in passing that a story without the relief of any dialogue whatever soon becomes tedious in inexpert hands.

Brian Thurgood, Editor

Dear Brian,

I really appreciate your helpful advice. I have rewritten the story to make it figurative and to include dialogue. I hope you like it this time.

Jon