Back to 80: My Literary Life

"Minghua, Shengshi Books would like my novel?!" Chen Zhongshi was surprised.

"Why not? Although I didn't read the content of your novel carefully, you are Chen Zhongshi, and you have been writing this novel for five years. How bad can the quality be?" Fang Minghua asked back.

"Minghua, to be honest, I don't accept anyone who says that my book has low literary level. But I don't dare to refute if they say that the sales volume won't be good. Now, pure literature is not as popular as before." Chen Zhongshi said with a self-deprecating tone.

You don't have confidence.

Your book has high literary value and is also popular!

Of course, the other party will think that it is just flattery if you say so now, so Fang Minghua said: "Teacher Chen, how about letting the boss of Shengshi Books take a look first? Anyway, you are not in a hurry at this time."

"That's fine." Chen Zhongshi agreed.

"If you don't like it, I will submit it to "Contemporary"."

Fang Minghua smiled and didn't refute it. He just asked if I could take the manuscript back, and contact Shengshi Books while I read it.

Chen Zhongshi also agreed.

He trusted Fang Minghua.

The two said goodbye, Chen Zhongshi returned to Bai Luyuan, and Fang Minghua drove back to his cabin.

Song Tangtang had already gone to Yanjing, and there was no one at home. After Fang Minghua returned home, he made himself a cup of tea and sat on the sofa to read the manuscript of this novel.

He had actually read "Bai Luyuan" before he came to this era. He read the revised version that won the Mao Dun Literature Prize.

However, this draft was different from the final revised version in some plots.

The main difference was that many explicit descriptions of Tian Xiao'e were deleted, such as the first meeting with Heiwa, the second meeting with Lu Zilin, and the things between Tian Xiao'e and Bai Xiaowen, which were all written in great detail in this first draft.

Damn

Before I came to this era, I was influenced by Japanese movies on the Internet. Seeing these bold and explicit descriptions, I also felt strange in my heart.

Forget it, I won't read it.

My wife is not here, and I feel uncomfortable after reading too much.

Fang Minghua put down the manuscript.

In fact, think about it, the erotic description of Bai Lu Yuan is almost the same as that of "Wasteland".

It's a pity that the fate of the two books is completely different.

One won the Mao Dun Literature Prize, and the other was banned.

But now is not the time to sigh. The manuscript of "Bai Lu Yuan" is in hand, and the next step is to consider the issue of publishing and marketing.

Fang Minghua walked to the TV cabinet, picked up the landline, and dialed a number. It was to call Shu Bin of Shengshi Books.

"Mr. Su, this is Minghua." Fang Minghua said.

Su Bin's Mandarin with a strong Hunan accent came from the other end of the phone.

"Minghua, why are you being so polite to me? Why call me General Su? Just call me Su Bin."

"Well, Su Bin, I have a manuscript of a novel written by Chen Zhongshi from our province."

"Chen Zhongshi? Vice Chairman of your Writers Association?"

"Yes, that's him. He spent five years writing a novel of more than 400,000 words called "White Deer Plain". I think it's quite well written, both in terms of literary quality and readability."

"Five years? Isn't that like Lu Yao's "Ordinary World"? The writers in your Qin Province are really humble and never stop talking until they are shocking." Su Bin sighed on the phone.

"Please send the manuscript over. I'll come to Xijing. I want to meet Chen Zhongshi in person."

"Okay, call me when you get to Xijing and I'll help you contact him."

In Haikou, Su Bin hung up the phone and dialed another number: "Office? Book me a flight to Xijing, the sooner the better!"

Fang Minghua received a call from Su Bin the next afternoon, saying that he had arrived in Xijing and stayed at the Shangri-La Jinhua Hotel on the East Second Ring Road.

"Okay, I'll come right over."

Fang Minghua put the manuscript of "White Deer Plain" into a briefcase, then drove straight to Jinhua Hotel. In a room on the 10th floor, he met Su Bin, who was also with a young man.

After the introduction, Fang Minghua learned that this person was Zhou Ming, who graduated from Wuhan University last year and went south to "explore the sea". He majored in publishing and editing, and his current position is Su Bin's assistant.

Zhou Ming was a little excited when he saw Fang Ming, and shook his hand and said. "Chairman Fang, I've heard of your name for a long time."

"You're welcome." Fang Minghua smiled and said, "I heard that the publishing and editing major at Wuhan University is quite impressive."

"It's okay." Zhou Ming was quite proud: "But the books are all dead. I've learned a lot this year following President Su."

Well. Students from famous universities are very humble.

After chatting for a few words, Fang Minghua got down to business. He took out the manuscript and handed it to Su Bin.

"I mean, you read it first, and then go to Chen Zhongshi after you finish it, how about that?"

"Okay, I'll try to finish it as soon as possible."

Fang Minghua invited them to go out for dinner together in the evening as a welcome treat, but Su Bin declined.

"Minghua, I know your alcohol tolerance is very strong. You can't read the manuscript in the evening after drinking. Let's talk about it after you finish your business."

Fang Minghua didn't force it after hearing that.

Two days later, Fang Minghua had just returned home from eating spicy soup outside when he received a call from Su Bin from the hotel.

He said he had finished reading the manuscript and asked him to come to the hotel to exchange ideas.

Fang Minghua did not hesitate and drove straight to the Jinhua Hotel.

When he saw Su Bin and the others, he got straight to the point: "What do you think of it after reading it?"

"Zhou Ming, tell me." Su Bin said.

Zhou Ming was not polite and said after thinking for a while: "Teacher Minghua, Mr. Su and I exchanged opinions after reading it. We feel that this book has high literary value and is a realistic work. But its realism It is also different from realism like Lu Yao's "Ordinary World".

"In the Book" makes extensive use of modernist techniques such as subconsciousness, irrationality, magic, death consciousness, and sexual instinct, especially Latin American magical realism. The first sentence in the book is imitating the beginning of "One Hundred Years of Solitude". "

Fang Minghua nodded after hearing this.

That's quite fair.

"What about from your publisher's perspective?" he asked again.

Zhou Ming hesitated for a moment, unconsciously glanced at Su Bin who was sitting next to him, and after receiving encouragement from the other party, he said: "If you think about it from the perspective of publishing. From the perspective of the general environment, pure literature is no longer popular. The sales are not very good, except for novels like Wang Shuo's, but Wang Shuo's novels are not pure literature."

"In addition, there are a lot of erotic descriptions in this book, and I am afraid that it will be criticized by readers and literary critics after publication, which will affect the sales of the novel."

Fang Minghua didn't say anything after hearing this.

After a while, he suddenly said: "What if this book can win the next Mao Dun Literature Award?"