Amidst her duties, Jo still carves time for her literary pursuits, but the lure of financial stability draws her. She dreams of a “home with comforts, giving Beth everything she wanted […] going abroad herself, and always having more than enough, so that she might indulge in the luxury of charity” (373).

Although she remembers the sour experience of writing the novel and dealing with criticism, she also has the “prize-story experience” (373) that propels her to write sensationalist stories again. After she has written a piece, she enters the offices of the Weekly Volcano to submit her piece to Mr. Dashwood, the editor. Initially, she is intimidated and pretends that she has come on behalf of a “friend” (374); he takes a critical eye before understanding that the manuscript belongs to a seasoned writer. Though reluctant to do so, she leaves her work with Dashwood and agrees to return the following week.

At the offices, she is surprised to discover many corrections on her piece and that all the parts dealing with morality have been eliminated. As Mr. Dashwood explains, “People want to be amused, not preached at, you know. Morals don’t sell, nowadays” (375). She accepts the changes and hands him the story but asks that there be no author listed.