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"Why don't you settle for baby articles," I suggested seriously.

"Are you kidding," she laughed. "I wouldn't know how to begin. I know nothing about writing. I was only teasing about a book."

I could never convince my neighbor friend that I was not teasing about her writing baby articles. Any mother can do just that and make herself extra money. She doesn't need writing experiences or an education. Let me tell you my own story.

ABOUT FOUR years ago, a friend of mine called one day and joyously exclaimed that she had sold The American Baby magazine an article. I was writing only poetry in those days and was thrilled to know an article would sell.

"What did you write about?" I wanted to know.

"Just my experiences with a new baby," she said. "It's so simple. Why don't you try it?"

I acted exactly as my neighbor friend had. I laughed. It was true I had two children and like most new mothers, had learned many things the hard way. But who would want to read that?

Nevertheless, as the days passed, I thought about it. I needed so many things . . . new curtains . . . throw rugs . . . for my home in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

One night I attended a neighborhood club meeting. The subject of "temper tantrums" became a topic of discussion. I have always believed that mothers are to blame when babies have temper fits. But the other women did not agree. So the very next morning, I sat down at my typewriter and tried to prove my point of view. It turned out to be a thousand-word article that sold first trip out to The American Baby magazine.

I shall never forget that slip of acceptance. Beulah France, the editor, wrote, "Dear Mrs. Laster: Thank you. I shall be glad to keep and use your article, 'When Baby Has a Temper,' in our magazine. Please let me know how many free copies you will want upon publication. Your check will be sent then also."

I called everyone I knew. I was so thrilled. But try as I did, I could not think of another subject to write about. I was still unsure of myself. I felt that sale had been an accident.

During all this time, my friend was selling baby articles at the rate of three a month. Most of her checks were around $25.

"Ideas," she kept telling me, "are all around you. Just write your own experiences with children and their problems. Editors are happy to buy articles that help new mothers."

Then in February, 1949, my article came out in The American Baby. I received my check and several free issues of the magazine. The first thing I did was read every article in that magazine. I realized my friend was right. Those writers were doing a fine thing, trying to help new parents with stories from the pages of their own lives.

I sat down and wrote another article. All about my first child and the trouble I had adjusting her to change in routine. I sent it out to Modern Baby magazine. In about three weeks I received a check for it. Then, in May, 1949, they published it. I had called my article, "Well-Adjusted Baby."

ABOUT THIS time, Beulah France bought another article of mine, "A Check-Up For Parents." In that manuscript I told all the mistakes I made with my first baby. Next, she bought "Christmas Pictures of Baby."

My husband and I had begun taking indoor pictures of our children at birth. How to take good indoor pictures is a subject we know well. So, I told my readers this in article form and it sold.

My friend, however, was selling not only to these magazines, but to Baby Talk, Baby Post, Woman's Day, My Baby and most of the leading magazines. She was doing exactly as I was doing. First, she read issues of the magazines to get their slant, then she wrote her own experiences.

About this time I began to branch out with other articles. I sold hobby articles, garden articles, poetry and fiction. I was selling almost as fast as I could write. Still, I was on the constant lookout for baby article ideas.

One day I watched my sister's baby feed himself. He took his food, poured it into his milk and proudly lifted the glass and emptied it partly in his mouth, partly on his clothes. It was a messy effort, but it was a sign that he was learning to be independent. I dashed to my typewriter, wrote an article, "Encouragement Leads to Independence" and sold it to Modern Baby magazine. At the same time, they bought, "Baby's Castle." This was my experience concerning redecorating my son's room.

I had checks coming in now, almost weekly. My husband was pleased and I was delighted. I could buy myself all the things I wanted, but had felt previously we couldn't afford. Christmas, 1949, found us with a television set. I had made the down payment with a check from Profitable Hobbies. I was on my way. And it all started from writing baby articles.

Baby articles are something anyone can write. And you don't necessarily have to have children. But you do have to be interested in them. You have to be on the lookout for problems and how parents solved them. Ask any mother how she handled a situation and you learn something. Write this information into an article. I'll wager it will sell.

Most articles describing objects or on "how-to-do" subjects should be accompanied by suitable 'pictures. But as a general rule, the baby magazines have their own permanent concerns from which their photographs are bought.

I'VE PROVED to you I hope that baby articles will sell; now I will tell you how to write one. First, select a subject completely familiar to you. I will use, as an example, my article published in The Relief Society magazine. It was called, "Favors For Baby Showers.". I certainly knew my subject. I had attended some twenty baby showers, at which each hostess had struggled to have an original favor on the refreshment plate.

I thought up six new ideas for favors and wrote an article telling how to make them. It was published in the April, 1951, issue.

Let us believe that our article is similar to a snake, its head being the title. The head takes the tail in it's mouth and forms a circle. In other words, everything you write must be concerning that title or subject.

You then lead out with a paragraph that arouses the readers' interest. Remember, you are trying to sell them an idea and you must prove your point of view. Let us look at the opening paragraph of "Favors for Baby Showers":

"If you've ever attended a stork shower, you will remember the importance of refreshment time. Do you recall the attractive favor by your plate? The hostess probably spent more time fixing those gay little charmers than the food she served. Most of us struggle to find an original idea . . ."

See how I stuck to my title. I then took each favor idea and told my readers how to make them. This was done in simple language. Remember, I said the snake had it's tail in it's mouth? The tail being, of course, the last paragraph. The title or subject then, must be mentioned in the last paragraph. Mine went like this:

"Most of your guests will take the favors home with them. That is a compliment to the hostess and you feel well repaid for making unique and original favors."

Since I sell all types of articles, poetry and fiction, I keep accurate records of each thing I write. At a glance I know where my manuscript has been and the date. When I sell something it is marked in my record book, giving date of sale and money received.

IF YOU are bored with everyday things or if you feel that your experiences with baby would fill a book, try your hand at baby articles. Just remember to tell your story in an easy to read manner. Don't use fancy words or try to blow up a paragraph idea into a 1,200-word article. The editors are quick to notice padded material.

Article ideas are all around you, when there is a baby in the home, or neighborhood, for that matter. It's as simple as this:

My neighbor's baby rebelled one day and refused to go home with it's mother. Try as that mother did, she could not get him to go. He really had a temper tantrum. At a glance I could tell that this mother was going at the situation all wrong. So, I asked her permission to try my hand. All I did was made the child want to go home by talking about his new little bed.

This was a simple thing; but when written into an article it sold the first trip out to Modern Baby. I called it, "How to Cope With Youthful Rebellion." Do you get the idea?

Then why wait. This is a hobby that will not only bring in spending money, but will give you prestige. You can tell your friends, "I'm a writer." They will probably think you have just written your aunt, but at least you will know what you mean. Here are a few magazines buying baby articles:

The Modern Baby, 424 Madison Ave., New York 17, New York. Pays $5 per article.

The American Baby, 258 Riverside Drive, New York, New York. Beulah France, Editor. Pays, ½ cent per word and all free issues you want.

Baby Post, 67 E. 59th St., New York 18, New York. Length 750 to 1,000 words. Pays 2 to 5 cents per word.

Baby Talk, 140 Madison Ave., New York, New York; 500 to 1,000 length. Pays 2 to 3 cents a word.

The Parents' Magazine, 52 Vanderbilt Ave., New York 17, New York. Pays about 3 cents per word.