Chapter 241 The Insurmountable Mountain of Avant-garde Novels
A thick stack of manuscripts was handed to Ma Dudu, and Lin Weimin said with a smile: "Take a look and see if it is qualified for publication in your journal."
"Teacher Lin, you really know how to joke!"
Ma Dudu chatted with Lin Weimin for a while and then focused his energy on the manuscript.
Lin Weimin was chatting with the editors from the China Youth Press who came to watch the fun.
The movement on the side of "Youth Literature" alarmed Wang Weiling, deputy editor-in-chief of China Youth Publishing House and editor-in-chief of "Youth Literature". According to the normal historical trajectory, it should be her who discovered Lu Yao's "Life" and brought him to Yanjing to revise the manuscript.
"Hello, Editor-in-Chief Wang!" Lin Weimin greeted Wang Weiling and shook hands.
Wang Weiling was all smiles, "I really didn't expect that Xiao Ma could really invite your manuscript."
"Haha, Dudu is a very good editor. We hit it off right away."
The sedan chair is carried by everyone. Lin Weimin had just asked Ma Dudu for a favor a few days ago. Now he came to deliver the manuscript and said a few good words in front of Wang Weiling, which would be considered as doing his duty to Ma Dudu.
Lin Weimin politely declined Wang Weiling's invitation to sit in the office for a while and continued to stay in the editorial department of "Youth Literature", surrounded by a group of editors, everyone talking and laughing.
While Lin Weimin was chatting with everyone, Ma Dudu focused all his attention on Lin Weimin's manuscript.
Most editors have the habit of reviewing manuscripts quickly. No matter how long the manuscript is, experienced editors will always be able to roughly understand the quality of the work at a glance and decide whether to continue reading it.
Ma Dudu knew the quality of the manuscript brought by Lin Weimin after just one page of paper. He kept his eyes on the manuscript, not wanting to miss a single word.
His approach did not slow down the review process. On the contrary, because he was so absorbed in reading, he would turn over a page from time to time, and his review speed was very fast.
Ma Dudu has always felt that reading Lin Weimin's works is a very enjoyable experience, because he can always read a sense of fluency in these works, unlike many works, which may be so smooth at the beginning, but once entering the middle part, they fall into a stagnant state.
This sense of fluency is consistent in Lin Weimin's works. It is not until the end of the novel that you realize that you have finished reading it without realizing it.
Ma Dudu felt the same way now. He raised his eyes and looked at Lin Weimin who was chatting with his colleagues.
"Dudu, have you finished reading it?" Noticing Ma Dudu's gaze, Lin Weimin stopped chatting with the editors and asked Ma Dudu.
Ma Dudu nodded slightly, "Have you finished reading it?"
"What do you think? Is there anything that needs to be modified?"
Ma Dudu smiled bitterly, "Teacher Lin, please stop teasing me. How can I be qualified to revise your manuscript?"
"Look at what you said. It seems like I am the king of your magazine."
"Dudu, dudu, can you lend me the manuscript?" Zhou Xiaohong has a bright smile and looks cheerful. I just found out when we were chatting that Jin Ying's "Oh, Xiangxue", which won the national excellent short story honor, was edited by her.
Ma Dudu handed the manuscript to Zhou Xiaohong, and other colleagues asked, "Dudu, how is it? Tell us about it."
The manuscript is in Zhou Xiaohong's hand. It will take a few days for everyone to read it completely if it is passed down one by one. The only way is to "listen to it first" through Ma Dudu.
Ma Dudu and Lin Weimin looked at each other and said, "Teacher Lin, let me tell you first?"
"It's okay, you can talk about yours."
Ma Dudu looked at his colleagues who were watching and sorted out his thoughts.
"Let me start with the reviews. A few months ago, Ma Yuan's The Temptation of Gangdise came out, and I think it surprised everyone. Some people commented that it was the pioneering work of avant-garde novels.
I think Mr. Lin’s “Chasing the Murderer” can be called the culmination of avant-garde novels. It is a mountain that even Ma Yuan would find difficult to read! ”
When Ma Dudu said this, Lin Weimin laughed and said, "Wow, Dudu, this evaluation is too high. You are putting me on the stage and roasting me!"
My colleagues laughed.
Ma Dudu shook his head with a serious expression.
"I'm not complimenting Teacher Lin by saying this. After everyone has read the manuscript, they will definitely make their own judgments. I'm just sharing my thoughts with everyone here."
Seeing how serious he was, everyone's smiles faded and their expressions became more serious.
“I remember that when I read The Temptation of Gangdise before, what impressed me most was the narrative and structure, which almost overturned my experience of reading novels in the past ten years. This is also the biggest reason why The Temptation of Gangdise is so popular.
Teacher Kelin's "Chasing the Murderer" is more advanced and mature in narrative and structure than "The Temptation of Gangdise".
If I had not heard Teacher Lin tell this story before, I would not have been able to fully understand it after reading it the first time. Even now, as I stand in front of you, I can only talk about my feelings and opinions, and I cannot fully retell the plot of the novel.
I can only say that to read this novel, you need to be patient and most importantly, have a bit of intelligence. Otherwise, just trying to follow the tiny, subtle clues that Teacher Lin has laid out in the novel is enough to make you collapse.
"The clues hidden in the grass are like snakes, and the veins are hidden for thousands of miles" is not enough to describe the clues hidden in this novel, but this is not the most admirable part for me."
Ma Dudu said this and looked at Lin Weimin again, "What I admire most is that Mr. Lin used this novel to truly demonstrate to us what a truly avant-garde novel is."
“I think everyone should have read the speech of Professor Lin at Yenching Normal University, where Professor Lin gave the definition and characteristics of avant-garde novels.
I still remember the conversation between Teacher Lin and a male student. The male student asked Teacher Lin whether the characteristics of avant-garde novels are actually shortcomings. Teacher Lin spoke frankly and said that the characteristics or shortcomings depend entirely on the level of the writer.
Today, Teacher Lin used this article "Chasing the Murderer" to teach me what it means that "characteristics or shortcomings completely depend on the level of the writer."
The structure of avant-garde novels is scattered and fragmented, emphasizing narrative. Character descriptions are no longer given too much attention. There is no clear value orientation, and the pursuit of truth and essence is abandoned.
I saw all these characteristics in "The Murderer".
But these characteristics did not weaken the shock that the novel "Chasing the Murderer" brought to me.
On the contrary, it is precisely because of these characteristics that when I read the end of the novel, when the protagonist Zou Zhengdao faced the mirror and realized that he was the criminal, I deeply felt his shock, despair and difficulty in making a decision. "
Speaking of this, Ma Dudu's face was filled with indescribable admiration.
"Especially the ending that Mr. Lin designed for Zou Zhengdao. I didn't quite understand it when I heard it before. I think the perfect ending would be to design an ending where Zou Zhengdao desperately escapes after knowing his identity. It's really a bitter irony.
But Teacher Lin chose to leave a blank here. Zou Zhengdao's story ends abruptly when he learns his identity, and everything after that is left to the readers to think, imagine and understand.
Can you understand?
It felt like, it felt like, we suddenly became Zou Zhengdao standing in front of the mirror.”
Ma Dudu half-closed his eyes, recalling the shock he felt in his heart after reading the novel.
Ma Dudu thought of Lin Weimin's speech again, "avoiding purely objective description and subjective expression, while maintaining the closest and most natural connection with the readers."
That's it!
He paused for a long time before continuing to summarize: "The narrative of traditional novels may serve the characters or the ending. Generally speaking, it always highlights a key point. But after reading Mr. Lin's "Chasing the Murderer", I completely understood that the narrative of avant-garde novels only serves the narrative itself. The work and the narrative cannot be separated. Only when you read the entire work can you understand what these narratives want to express."
Ma Dudu finished his long speech, but the atmosphere in the office remained as quiet as when he was speaking.
He came out of his self-indulgence and smiled sheepishly.
"I'm sorry, I was a little too intoxicated!"
His colleagues had already been intrigued by his description and praised him, saying, "Dudu's story is so good. We can't wait to watch it."
"Excuse me, excuse me." Ma Dudu nodded to everyone and said, "It's not that I speak well, it's that Teacher Lin writes well!"
Everyone asked with a smile about the specific plot of "Chasing the Murderer". Ma Dudu talked for a long time, but the more everyone listened, the more confused they felt.
"Forget it, forget it. I'd better not tell you. Just wait and see. You will definitely be shocked."
Huang Bintang said: "You've already told us the ending, and we're still shocked!"
"No, no, no, you will know after you read it. Teacher Lin told me this story a long time ago, but I was still shocked after reading it. Believe me!"
Ma Dudu feels that the novel "Chasing the Murderer" not only sets a benchmark for avant-garde novels for all authors and readers, but also is an insurmountable mountain.
In the past, some people always said that avant-garde novels focused more on form than content. If this novel were published, it would definitely slap these people in the face and let them know what it means to give equal importance to form and content.
"Teacher Lin has elevated the avant-garde novel!"
Ma Dudu said this from the bottom of his heart when discussing with everyone.
"Okay, stop flattering me!"
Seeing that it was already noon, Lin Weimin stood up with a smile and said, "It's getting late. I have to go back to work, so I won't chat with you guys anymore."
"Don't worry, Teacher Lin, you have to have lunch before leaving. I'll treat you to a meal." Ma Dudu said enthusiastically.
"No, no. I asked for leave. If I don't go back, the boss will be mad!"
Lin Weimin rejected Ma Dudu's kindness and left the dormitory building under the escort of a group of editors from Youth Literature. Wang Weiling also came out to see him off.
After he left, Wang Weiling looked at Zhou Xiaohong and said, "Send the manuscript to me after you finish reading it."
Several young editors shouted, "Editor-in-Chief, we haven't read it yet!"
Wang Weiling looked daunted. "Why are you in such a hurry? Dudu will do the initial review, Xiaohong will do the re-review, and I will do the final review. This is the editorial department's rule. After we review the manuscript, you can read it if you want. No one will stop you."
She spoke with such righteousness that people who didn't know the truth would probably believe her.
But who can blame him for being the editor-in-chief and deputy editor-in-chief? Everyone is angry but dares not speak out.
Huang Bintang muttered, "It's clear that he is abusing his power for personal gain!"
Ma Dudu looked at his colleagues' reactions and felt a sense of pride rising in his heart.
I am grateful for the fact that I was able to get Teacher Lin to write my manuscript, and also for the fact that Teacher Lin was able to write such an amazing work.
Yes, after much thought, Ma Dudu could only come up with one word to describe Teacher Lin and "Chasing the Murderer".
New~Bee!
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(End of this chapter)
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