Writings, 1918-1979 and undated

This series contains notes and notebooks; research materials; drafts of published and unpublished works; and setting copies, galleys, and page proofs for published works. The research materials for specific projects on which Porter worked include correspondence and copies of publications. The notes and notebooks range broadly from substantial commentaries on individuals, places, and events to personal, impressionistic, and fragmentary jottings and lists. The largest body of research materials in this series appears under the entry for the Cotton Mather biography, begun in 1928 and never completed, despite sporadic efforts through the 1970s. There are full and fragmentary drafts of Porter's shorter works including fiction, non-fiction sketches, essays, ballet and opera librettos, screenplays, interviews, lectures, poetry, book reviews, and translations. Full or partial drafts also exist for full-length published and unpublished works: Collected Essays and Occasional Writings, The Days Before, Katherine Anne Porter's French Song-Book, correspondence edited by Glenway Wescott, the Cotton Mather biography, The Never-Ending Wrong, Outline of Mexican Popular Arts and Crafts, poetry and short story anthologies, and Ship of Fools. The series also includes copies of unpublished adaptations of her works by others ("The Cracked Looking Glass," "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall"). The series is arranged alphabetically by title or subject. Related materials may be found in Series I: Correspondence; Series IV: Financial and Legal; Series V: Personal; Series VI: Clippings; Series VII: Printed Matter; Series VIII: Serials; Series IX: Manuscripts of Other Individuals; and Series XII: Photographs.