By the time of his Yale degree, Hughes had already given up the idea of a staid life in academia for a new career as an author. His first book, 1898's "The Lakerim Athletic Club", came from a serialized magazine story for boys. Hughes often blurred the lines of job description in his early years, working at various times as a reporter for the "New York Journal" and editor for various magazines including "Current Literature", all the while continuing to write short stories, poetry, and plays.