(The Stratemeyer Syndicate’s files are housed at the New York Public Library and are available for research. This column highlights interesting tidbits found in Syndicate correspondence through the years in regard to the Nancy Drew series.)

December 11, 1929, Edward Stratemeyer to Mildred Wirt, regarding the Nancy Drew outline for The Bungalow Mystery:

“I think the new outline will appeal to you, as it is full of action and with many good holding points. Of course, keep the girlish part girlish and don’t get the dramatic part too melodramatic. The second story was very well handled in this respect.”

April 30, 1930, Mildred Wirt to Edward Stratemeyer, quote regarding Edward’s asking Mildred what part of the country she would like to set the ranch setting from The Secret at Shadow Ranch in:

“Referring to the question of the location of the ranch in the volume which is to follow, it seems to me that the far West would add more glamour. Though I am more familiar with the middle West, I doubt if this would make as interesting a setting due to the fact that the “ranches” in this section are commonly considered as farms and of course are without “cowboys” and all the fixings.”

June 11, 1935, Edna Stratemeyer to Mildred A. Wirt, regarding receipt of the manuscript for volume 12, The Message in the Hollow Oak:

“We appreciate your promptness in mailing this story to us, and we think it one of the most interesting, though somewhat different from the usual Nancy Drews. Yet Nancy seems to be the same ingenious and clever sleuth throughout, whether she be at home or in the Canadian forests.”

December 10, 1935, Harriet Stratemeyer Adams to Mildred A. Wirt, regarding payment for a Kay Tracey volume and payment for previous series books written:

“We will pay $100.00 for this manuscript, and realize that even this amount is less than you received several years ago. We have tried to equalize depression prices by sending outlines which are much more detailed than those which you formerly received. We have felt that in this way you would not be required to spend as much time as if you had to plan all the fillers yourself, as you previously did.”

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