LXI The Editorial Policies of Charles Dickens

Abstract

During his busiest years as a novelist Charles Dickens was also the editor, and for twenty years the controlling proprietor, of a series of periodicals, the greatest of which attained a circulation larger than that of the London Times of the period. At the same time, he issued successful American editions of his periodicals, developed distinctive editorial methods, became a pioneer in the art of serialization in weekly publications, and throughout his entire career as a journalist was activated by certain well-considered editorial policies. In this article I shall confine my remarks to the general policies, or principles, that guided Dickens in the development of his periodicals, with special attention to those practiced in Household Words and All the Year Round.