August Derleth, Wisconsin. And Paul Bowles chose Tangier and Morocco. All the above names are outstanding writers, each has made his mark. But there are hundreds of regional writers all over the globe who aren't particularly good craftsmen. In fact, some are absolutely terrible writers. But they manage to make adequate livings at it with little effort. Why? Because they're on the spot, because the} know the local situation as does no other writer, at least no other writer who writes in English and understands what Americans are interested in. Paul Bowles came to Tangier some years ago, fell in love with it, and decided that here he'd make his home and that Morocco would be the subject of the greater part of his writing. He probably knows more of the Moorish way of life than any other American. He eats the food, speaks the language, knows the people intimately. If any American magazine or newspaper wants an accurate article on Tangier or Morocco—from Holiday right on down— they'd be foolish not to approach Paul Bowles. It's as simple as that. He's got it made. He's an authority. Even if he wasn't much of a writer (and he is) he'd have it made. Could you do this? Well, you'd have to have some ability as a writer. Otherwise it's a wide open field. You pick your locality—it doesn't have to be outside the boundaries of the United States—settle down in it and begin assimilating all the local lore. If it's a foreign country, you learn to read and write the language, you study up on the history. You meet as many of the politicians and other notables in the vicinity as you can. Then you get in touch with the news agencies such as Associated Press, United Press, International News Service and so on, and let them know you're on the spot. If possible you get a working arrangement with one or more of them, paying you regular rates whenever you can send them some usable copy. You get in touch with such magazines as Travel and Holiday letting them know you're a writer living in this section of the world. Frankly, if you try this, I suggest that you pick a remote area. You'll have to love the country, of course, and the people and the history and the institutions of the land—otherwise you'd never be
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