Editing Louisa May Alcott (section)

=== Early publications ===
In September 1851 Louisa's poem "Sunlight" appeared in ''Peterson's Magazine'' under the name Flora Fairchild, making it her first successful publication.<ref>{{harvnb|Shealy|2005|p=xx}}; {{harvnb|Golden|2003|p=8}}</ref> 1852 marked the publication of her first story, "The Rival Painters: A Tale of Rome", which was published in the ''Olive Branch''.<ref>{{Harvnb|Shealy|2005|pages=xx–xxi}}; {{Harvnb|Golden|2003|p=8}}</ref> In 1854 she attended [[The Boston Theatre]], where she was given a pass to attend free of charge.{{sfn|Reisen|2009|p=137}} She published her first book, ''[[Flower Fables]],'' in 1854; the book was a selection of tales she originally told to [[Ellen Emerson]], daughter of Ralph Waldo Emerson.<ref>{{harvnb|Richardson|1911|p=529}}; {{harvnb|Cheever|2010|p=46}}</ref> [[Lidian Jackson Emerson|Lidian Emerson]] had read the stories and encouraged Louisa to publish them.{{sfn|Stern|2000|p=32}} Though she was pleased, Louisa hoped to eventually shift her writing "from fairies and fables to men and realities".{{sfn|Delamar|1990|p=41}} She also wrote ''The Rival Prima Donnas'', a play adaptation of her story with the same title.{{sfn|Reisen|2010|p=170}}

In 1855 the Alcotts moved to [[Walpole, New Hampshire]],<ref>{{Harvnb|Saxton|1995|p=202}}; {{Harvnb|Elbert|1987|p=108}}</ref> where Louisa and Anna participated in the Walpole Amateur Dramatic Company. Louisa was praised for her "superior histrionic ability".{{sfn|Reisen|2009|p=128}} At the end of the theater season, Louisa, encouraged by the success of ''Flower Fables'', began writing ''Christmas Elves'', a collection of Christmas stories illustrated by May Alcott. In November Louisa traveled to Boston and attempted to publish the collection while living with a relative. November was too late in the year to publish Christmas books and Louisa was unable to publish ''The Christmas Elves''.<ref>{{harvnb|Reisen|2009|p=129}}; {{harvnb|Delamar|1990|pp=42–43}}</ref> She then wrote and published "The Sisters' Trial", a story about four women who were based on the Alcott sisters.<ref>{{harvnb|Delamar|1990|pp=42–43}}; {{harvnb|Reisen|2009|p=133}}</ref>