Chapter 255 I'm Still Young
August every year in Yanjing is the most exhausting.
After Lin Weimin came back from Yantai, it took him several days to adjust to the new environment.
During this period, "The Horse Tamer" has been officially on the market. The feat of a first print run of 500,000 copies is a severe test for Guowen Publishing House, and it is also a test of Lin Weimin's appeal among the vast number of readers.
The publishing house would occasionally contact the bookstores and post offices to inquire about the situation, and the feedback they received was good, with sales being as hot as Lin Weimin's previous works.
With such feedback, the company felt relieved.
The biggest gain for Lin Weimin from the publication of "The Horse Tamer" should be the royalties.
With a print run of 500,000 copies, Guowen Publishing House set a standard rate of remuneration for Lin Weimin of basic remuneration plus remuneration based on the number of copies printed. Because the first print run was too large, he received a remuneration of 75 yuan per thousand words.
The entire novel of "The Horse Catcher" has 300,000 words, and Lin Weimin received a sky-high royalty of 22,500 yuan.
This number is almost unique in the current domestic literary world, and no one can compare with it.
The works of those literary predecessors and masters may have high royalties because they were published so long ago, but their sales are not that high.
Among the new emerging writers, there is currently no sign that any can compete with Lin Weimin in sales.
Otherwise, Guowen Publishing House would not have risked losing money and being criticized to offer Lin Weimin such a high standard of royalties.
Because of buying paintings some time ago, Lin Weimin's bank deposit was almost zero. As soon as the royalties for "The Horse Catcher" arrived, his bank deposit was immediately replenished.
Two days ago, Lin Weimin handed over the novel "The Lover", which he completed during a writers' conference in Yantai, to Xie Mingqing.
Today, Lao Xie knocked on the door of Contemporary Magazine with his manuscript.
"I'm afraid we can't publish your novel here." Xie Mingqing said with regret.
Lin Weimin was not too surprised and poured a cup of tea for Xie Mingqing. "You can't say I don't think about you this time, right?"
Xie Mingqing said unhappily, "I think you did it on purpose to write such...such a novel!"
Xie Mingqing was too embarrassed to use explicit terms to describe Lin Weimin's "The Lover". Lin Weimin smiled knowingly.
"Really? I'll give it to another publication!"
Xie Mingqing glared at him, feeling somewhat unwilling.
But the novel "The Lover" is indeed inconsistent with the purpose of "People's Literature".
Among literature lovers of this era, "People's Literature" has another nickname, called "National Magazine".
It can be said that in political terms, it represents the highest literary level of a country's mainstream publications.
Its inherent status determined that People's Literature could publish some novels with political tendencies, but works like The Lover, which contained long descriptions of action scenes between men and women, could not be published in it under any circumstances.
This has nothing to do with the quality of the work; it is purely determined by values.
Xie Mingqing recalled what he said to Wei Junyi, and his heart was filled with regret.
To be honest, "The Lover" is certainly a good work, and a rare good work.
In this novel, Lin Weimin once again breaks through himself and tells the touching love story between a rich young man in old Shanghai and the daughter of a down-and-out foreign official from a feminine perspective.
From a professional editor's perspective, Xie Mingqing does not think that many of Lin Weimin's descriptions in the book are overly explicit. Instead, he thinks that they are necessary.
The ideal Platonic spiritual love is beautiful, but it is not applicable in "The Lover".
The love between Jian and Guo Yudao is both spiritual and physical. It is precisely because of the dual combination of spirit and flesh that they still miss each other after being separated for a lifetime.
Xie Mingqing still occasionally recalls an action scene in the novel, where Lin Weimin described Guo Yudao's butt, which made him, an old man in his fifties or sixties, feel a little dry in the mouth.
It's so outrageous, why would you describe a man as so attractive?
Xie Mingqing couldn't help but think of the rumors about Lin Weimin that were privately circulated in the Guowen Society a year or two ago.
After a moment of distraction, he shook his head.
"Even if you give it to another publication, I can't do anything about it. This thing really can't be published."
Xie Mingqing had a bitter look on his face when he spoke.
Lin Weimin patted his shoulder and said, "It's okay, I'll be able to do it next time!"
Xie Mingqing was so confused by his action that he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. His colleagues in the office couldn't help but smile as well.
When a work cannot be published, the editor should obviously comfort the author, but when it came to Lin Weimin, the whole thing was turned upside down.
He acted as if nothing had happened, and the editor-in-charge, Lao Xie, was so anxious that he wanted to cry.
After confirming that the manuscript could not be published in People's Literature, Lin Weimin was not discouraged at all. Instead, he started to communicate with Xie Mingqing. The main topic was naturally which publication should publish "Lover".
Given Lin Weimin's current fame, there is no possibility that his works cannot be published. It is just a matter of choosing which publisher to publish them.
"People's Literature" was limited by its own style and positioning and could not be published, but not all publications have the nickname of "national publication".
While the two were talking, He Qizhi suddenly interrupted.
“For the people, why not publish it in our magazine?”
Lin Weimin was stunned for a moment, then laughed and said, "You can't publish it in our magazine. It's just a waste of time and will cause gossip."
At this time, Xie Mingqing's eyes lit up, "It seems... it's not impossible!"
Lin Weimin was stunned again, "What do you mean?"
Xie Mingqing said: "Do you think that with your current nationwide fame, who would think that you got a backdoor for publishing a work in Contemporary? It's good enough that people don't say that you are taking care of Contemporary!"
His two sentences made Lin Weimin's mind suddenly enlightened.
This is probably called the darkest place under the lamp!
When I first joined Contemporary Magazine, I was not very famous and my works were not widely circulated, so I was afraid that they would cause criticism from the outside world.
But now, these concerns can be regarded as unfounded worries.
Just as Xie Mingqing said, who would think that Lin Weimin’s publication of an article in "Contemporary" was a backdoor?
If someone really dared to make such remarks, Lin Weimin would not need to prove his innocence, as the people around him would be enough to wake him up.
After realizing this, Lin Weimin, like a heartless man who had gone to his mistress, strode out to leave Xie Mingqing in the office and knocked on Qin Chaoyang's office door.
"Old Tan, do you want the manuscript? As long as you want it, just ask and I will send it to you right away!"
Qin Chaoyang, wearing reading glasses, looked at Lin Weimin speechlessly, "What are you doing now, kid?"
"Just tell me whether you want it or not?" Lin Weimin asked.
I want nothing!
When Qin Chaoyang thought about saying the word "yes" to Lin Weimin, he inexplicably felt ashamed.
"go out!"
"Look at you, why are you so anxious!" Lin Weimin sat on the sofa, "I say, please think it over carefully. I am now very seriously seeking your opinion. If you say you don't want this manuscript, I will give it to someone else."
Qin Chaoyang originally thought that Lin Weimin was joking, but seeing that he looked so serious, he stood up and asked, "Don't play tricks on me, kid. What's going on? What's the manuscript?"
Lin Weimin then said seriously, "As for the novel I just wrote, The Lover, since Lao Xie and his team at People's Literature don't want it, how about publishing it in our magazine?"
Qin Chaoyang was immediately delighted and clapped his hands, "Great!"
After saying that, he stretched out his hand to Lin Weimin and asked, "Where's the manuscript?"
Lin Weimin then remembered that the manuscript was still in Old Xie's hands.
He turned back to the office, where Lao Xie was still chatting with his colleagues. Lin Weimin walked over and took the manuscript from him.
"Just let go!"
Old Xie's thumb was pressed hard against the edge of the manuscript paper, and he pulled it until his thumb turned white. Only then did Lin Weimin take the manuscript from his hand.
"Your pattern won't work!"
Before leaving, Lin Weimin said something to Xie Mingqing that made him so depressed that he wanted to vomit blood!
"Here, take a look!" Lin Weimin handed the manuscript to Qin Chaoyang.
After looking for a long time, Qin Chaoyang finally raised his head with a complicated expression.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Lin Weimin asked puzzledly.
Qin Chaoyang put the manuscript on the desk and said, "Hey! You have given me a difficult problem!"
"Old Tan, what do you mean? I can't publish this manuscript in our magazine?"
This time Lin Weimin was completely surprised.
Qin Chaoyang looked tangled, "It's not that I can't publish it..."
He pondered his words, hesitated for a long time, and said: "How about...delete some?"
Lin Weimin immediately glared at him, "You are so disrespectful. I sent you the manuscript with good intentions, why do you want to delete my manuscript?"
Qin Chaoyang had a look on his face that said, "I'm doing this for your own good," and said, "Your novel is good in every way, but the descriptions of sexual desire in it are indeed a little too explicit."
Lin Weimin stood up like a cat whose tail was stepped on and shouted, "Art! This is art!"
"Old Qin, you are the editor-in-chief, but you have realized this now? You really let me down for my enthusiasm and expectations for our magazine!"
Lin Weimin picked up the manuscript, stood up and was about to leave.
Qin Chaoyang stopped him, "Don't get excited, don't get excited."
"How about this..." Lao Tan seemed to be about to make a new suggestion.
Lin Weimin stopped.
"The manuscript is published in Contemporary Magazine. You don't have to delete it. I'll just reduce the fee."
Lao Tan's tone was like that of an experienced and regular customer. He asked after he had put on his clothes, "3,000 is a bit expensive, how about 1,500?"
It turns out that he is waiting for me here!
Lin Weimin said with grief and indignation, "Old Tan, I am one of our own!"
"It's because we are one family! We are serving the people. You are also the leader of the editorial department. You need to have some awareness!" Old Tan advised earnestly.
"You are blackmailing me morally!"
"I admit I am immoral!"
Lao Tan is trying his best to save some royalties!
Lin Weimin was speechless for a moment.
Young, I am still too young!
Three updates today.
(End of this chapter)
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