“Before an author destroys the natural qualities of his writing—that’s when an editor has to step in. But not a moment sooner.” This advice was given to a group of prospective editors and publishers by Maxwell Perkins, an American editor whose guidance and support aided in the creation of many works we now consider classics. Perkins, who collaborated with authors such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe, carried this maxim with him into every project. He worked tirelessly and selflessly to help authors unlock the deeper meanings and best potential of their works, never stepping into the spotlight himself. When no one else was willing to take on a work because it was too long, too unwieldy, too eccentric, Perkins was there to usher the author along and bring these fresh and inventive works to the public arena. Through his work, Perkins revolutionized the American literary scene and the cultural ideals that it perpetuates.
Perkins was born in New York in 1884. A self-proclaimed “Yankee,” he lived in New York and New England throughout his life. After graduating from Harvard in 1907, Perkins took a job as a reporter for the New York Times before switching into the publishing industry. He began in the advertising department of Charles Scribner’s Sons, a conservative publishing house that at the time was experiencing a drought in talent. He joined Scribner’s editorial staff in 1914 and worked his way up to editorial director. With a keen literary eye and new energy, Perkins revitalized the house with a new wave of talented authors and innovative stories. Perkins was the first to truly believe in Fitzgerald’s debut novel This Side of Paradise, which had already been rejected by the publisher multiple times. Perkins worked intently to revise the manuscript and help shape it into the enduring classic it has become. He fostered intimate working relationships with Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and numerous other authors. Perhaps his most infamous partnership was with American novelist Thomas Wolfe; their dynamic and fruitful partnership is the subject of the 2016 film Genius.
Perkins died in Connecticut in 1947, but his contributions to literature are immortal. Through his efforts, readers were able to experience new ideas and styles, and the American literary scene was forever changed.