 He telegraphed his father seeking career advice, but his handwriting was terrible and his father mistook "teaching" for "traveling" and, not wanting his son to become a travelling businessman, advised him not to take the job.Richard Cary says it later saved Williams from "a purgatory of grading endless, immature English 'themes'" and propelled him "toward a career as one of the most popular storytellers of his time 

After graduation he took a job reporting for the "Boston American".Williams worked hard reporting for the local newspaper, but only did this for income; his heart lay with magazine fiction.