Making a Name for Herself: Marie Corelli's Self-Guided Literary Apprenticeship via the Periodical Press

Abstract

Abstract: This article uncovers the hidden periodical publishing history of the popular novelist Marie Corelli (ca. 1855–1924). It takes her career back a decade from what is currently known, unveiling poetry, satire, critiques, and short form writing. Corelli is shown to be navigating the periodical press through the 1870s and 1880s whilst using several pseudonyms and taking on male identities, conducting her own literary apprenticeship and experimenting with form, genre, and style. This article explores how Corelli learned her trade via the periodical press but then hid the secret of her success from others, thus impeding those who might follow in her footsteps.