Edward Stratemeyer
Encyclopedia
Edward Stratemeyer was an American
publisher and writer
of books for children.
He is one of the most prolific writers in the world, producing in excess of 1300 books himself, selling in excess of 500 million copies, and created the well-known fiction
al book series
for juveniles
including The Rover Boys
(starting in 1899), The Bobbsey Twins
(starting in 1904), Tom Swift
(starting in 1910), The Hardy Boys
(starting in 1927), and the Nancy Drew
(starting in 1930) series, among others. He was born in Elizabeth
, New Jersey
.
writer Gilbert Patten to write for the Street & Smith
publication Good News.
Stratemeyer pioneered the book packaging technique of producing long-running, consistent series of books using a team of freelance
writers to write standardized books, which were published under a pen name
owned by his company.
Through his Stratemeyer Syndicate
, founded in 1906, Stratemeyer employed a massive number of editors, copy writers, stenographers, co-authors, and secretaries. With their help, he greatly contributed to a new genre of juvenile fiction.
in Hillside
, New Jersey.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
publisher and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
of books for children.
He is one of the most prolific writers in the world, producing in excess of 1300 books himself, selling in excess of 500 million copies, and created the well-known fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al book series
Book series
A book series is a sequence of books having certain characteristics in common that are formally identified together as a group. Book series can be organized in different ways, such as written by the same author, or marketed as a group by their publisher....
for juveniles
Minor (law)
In law, a minor is a person under a certain age — the age of majority — which legally demarcates childhood from adulthood; the age depends upon jurisdiction and application, but is typically 18...
including The Rover Boys
Rover Boys
The Rover Boys Series for Young Americans was a popular children's book series of the early 20th century credited to "Arthur M. Winfield", a pseudonym for Edward Stratemeyer. A total of 30 titles were published between 1899 and 1926 and the books remained in print for years forward.The original...
(starting in 1899), The Bobbsey Twins
Bobbsey Twins
The Bobbsey Twins are the principal characters of what was, for many years, the Stratemeyer Syndicate's longest-running series of children's novels, penned under the pseudonym Laura Lee Hope. The first of 72 books was published in 1904, the last in 1979, with a separate series of 30 books published...
(starting in 1904), Tom Swift
Tom Swift
Tom Swift is the name of the central character in five series of books, first appearing in 1910, totaling over 100 volumes, of American juvenile science fiction and adventure novels that emphasize science, invention and technology. The character was created by Edward Stratemeyer, the founder of...
(starting in 1910), The Hardy Boys
The Hardy Boys
The Hardy Boys, Frank and Joe Hardy, are fictional teenage brothers and amateur detectives who appear in various mystery series for children and teens....
(starting in 1927), and the Nancy Drew
Nancy Drew
Nancy Drew is a fictional young amateur detective in various mystery series for all ages. She was created by Edward Stratemeyer, founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate book packaging firm. The character first appeared in 1930. The books have been ghostwritten by a number of authors and are published...
(starting in 1930) series, among others. He was born in Elizabeth
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
Career
In 1893, Stratemeyer was hired by the popular dime-novelDime novel
Dime novel, though it has a specific meaning, has also become a catch-all term for several different forms of late 19th-century and early 20th-century U.S...
writer Gilbert Patten to write for the Street & Smith
Street & Smith
Street & Smith or Street & Smith Publications, Inc. was a New York City publisher specializing in inexpensive paperbacks and magazines referred to as pulp fiction and dime novels. They also published comic books and sporting yearbooks...
publication Good News.
Stratemeyer pioneered the book packaging technique of producing long-running, consistent series of books using a team of freelance
Freelancer
A freelancer, freelance worker, or freelance is somebody who is self-employed and is not committed to a particular employer long term. These workers are often represented by a company or an agency that resells their labor and that of others to its clients with or without project management and...
writers to write standardized books, which were published under a pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
owned by his company.
Through his Stratemeyer Syndicate
Stratemeyer Syndicate
The Stratemeyer Syndicate was the producer of a number of mystery series for children, including Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, the various Tom Swift series, the Bobbsey Twins, the Rover Boys, and others.- History :...
, founded in 1906, Stratemeyer employed a massive number of editors, copy writers, stenographers, co-authors, and secretaries. With their help, he greatly contributed to a new genre of juvenile fiction.
Death
He is buried in Evergreen CemeteryEvergreen Cemetery, Hillside
Evergreen Cemetery and Crematory is a cemetery and crematorium located at 1137 North Broad Street, Hillside, New Jersey. Parts of it are in Hillside, Elizabeth, and Newark. The cemetery is listed on both the New Jersey Register and the National Register of Historic Places, since 1991.Notable graves...
in Hillside
Hillside, New Jersey
Hillside is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 21,404.Hillside was incorporated as a township on April 3, 1913, from portions of Union Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 29, 1913.The town...
, New Jersey.
Sources
- O'Rourke, Meghan (2004-11-08, p. 120-129). "Nancy Drew's Father — The Fiction Factory of Edward Stratemeyer". The New YorkerThe New YorkerThe New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
.
External links
- Colonial Series by Edward Stratemeyer at Gask Castle Press
- stratemeyer.org, a fansiteFansiteA fansite, fan site, or fanpage is a website created and maintained by a fan or devotee interested in a celebrity, thing, or a particular cultural phenomenon...
on the Stratemeyer Syndicate - Loh, Sandra Tsing (October 2005). ("Nancy Drew Has Two Mommies — The Secret of the Old Saw". The Atlantic Accessed 2009-09-07. (A book review of Rehak, Melania (2005). Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her. HarcourtHarcourt (publisher)Harcourt was a United States publishing firm with a long history of publishing fiction and nonfiction for children and adults. The company was based in San Diego, California, with an Editorial / Sales / Marketing / Rights offices in New York City and Orlando, Florida.In 2007, the U.S...
(Orlando). ISBN 9780151010417.)