When Dickens began publishing
Household Wordsin March 1850 he was already a very experienced editor. His first editorship had been for
Bentley's Miscellany, a new venture for Richard Bentley who in August 1836 had bought the copyright of Dickens' next two novels (which would become
Oliver Twist,1837-39, and
Barnaby Rudge, 1841). Dickens agreed terms with Bentley on 4 November 1836, resigned from his reporter position with the
Morning Chronicle, and began work for Bentley at £20 per week with an additional 20 guineas for writing 16 pages every month. He had total editorial control, but Bentley could veto articles. Dickens was to edit the
Miscellanyfrom its first issue in January 1837 until February 1839, feeling more and more galled by a contract which ceased to reflect his rising…
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Citation: Clark, Robert. "Household Words". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 04 March 2008 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=4700, accessed 23 November 2024.]