"The short-story writer lives at the mercy of magazine editors, whose habits are more mercurial than Shelley's wild west wind… The story that would have been accepted yesterday is rejected today because: (1) 'We've had two stories about daffy undertakers this year,' (2) 'The big boss liked it right up to the ending. Then he said no,' (3) 'We've had a shake-up here at Everyday, and the orders are we've got to use up our back inventory.'" — James A. Michener, in "The Writer's Book," 1950.