Chapter 766 Living Baby
The monthly book sales statistics of Guowen Publishing House is a very heavy and tedious task. The people in the editor-in-chief's office not only have to communicate with the staff of Xinhua Bookstore and Baowentang about the book sales, but also have to understand the specific sales situation of each book, because Lin Weimin is likely to ask about it during the report, and if they can't answer it, they will be criticized.
In private, people in the editor-in-chief's office certainly complained a lot about this job.
From their perspective, book sales statistics should be the business of bookstores, and publishing houses doing this kind of thing is simply meddling in other people's business.
Zhao Xin is now the head of the editor-in-chief's office. She is more aware than her subordinates and she feels that sales statistics are still of practical significance.
With the monthly sales statistics, the editor-in-chief's office can not only accurately grasp the sales and trends of books published by Guowen Publishing House, but also analyze the development direction of the domestic book market and the changes in readers' tastes.
But she could not have imagined that Lin Weimin had another consideration when asking them to compile monthly book sales statistics.
"We've been working for so long, so I'll give your editorial office a chance to make a contribution. The book sales statistics of our Guowen Press are just a small test. Do you know the New York Times bestseller list?"
Zhao Xin nodded quickly. How could anyone in the publishing industry not know this name?
She asked tentatively, "Editor-in-Chief, are you planning to make a bestseller list as well?"
"Do you think this is feasible?"
Zhao Xin trembled. Do I dare to say no?
Lin Weimin looked at her reaction and chuckled, "Just tell me the truth. I won't make things difficult for you."
Zhao Xin pondered for a moment and said cautiously: "To make a bestseller list, we need bookstores to provide data. They have to do more work, but it won't work without benefits."
"So what benefits do you think we can provide them?" Lin Weimin asked.
Zhao Xin was stumped by this question, so Lin Weimin asked again, "Then let me ask it another way. What do you think the benefits of having this bestseller list will be for bookstores?"
"The benefit to bookstores... With the rankings, readers will be more inclined to choose books, which may further boost sales of some good books. Well... this is good for both bookstores and publishers.
Secondly, participating in the construction of the rankings will also have some brand promotion effects for many bookstores, including subsequent book listing promotion, which will be helpful.
Also, this seems to be a good advertising channel, but if we do this, it seems to go against fairness and the original intention of making the ranking list..."
Zhao Xin was a little speechless at this point, but Lin Weimin didn't say anything. Instead, there was a look of appreciation on his face.
"Do you think these benefits are worth promoting a national bestseller list?"
Under Lin Weimin's guidance, Zhao Xin has gradually figured out the details of the bestseller list. "The work of counting sales may seem tedious, but it is just a summary of the bookstore's daily work, and then it is a layer-by-layer summary. It is actually not complicated. From the perspective of bookstores and publishers, I think both can be tried."
"Okay, then I'll leave this matter to you to coordinate. If you succeed, you'll be promoted to assistant to the president next year."
Lin Weimin likes to make big promises to his subordinates, but he always keeps his word.
When Zhao Xin heard the word "assistant to the president", her face lit up with joy, but when she thought about the difficulty of accomplishing this task, she couldn't help but look a little embarrassed.
"Editor-in-Chief, there are tens of thousands of bookstores across the country, and we can't seem to get everyone to listen to us!"
"Why should all bookstores listen to us? Besides, can you guarantee that all bookstores sell genuine books?"
Zhao Xin was speechless after being asked by Lin Weimin, but then she understood what Lin Weimin meant and asked tentatively, "Xinhua Bookstore?"
Lin Weimin's expression was noncommittal, so Zhao Xin continued, "Baowentang?"
Zhao Xin observed the leader's expression, "Sanlian Bookstore? And the state-owned bookstores in major cities?"
Lin Weimin nodded and said, "That's a good idea. Go ahead and do it. Report back when you have any news."
Zhao Xin couldn't help but ask, "Boss, there is one last thing. If we really make this bestseller list, we need a distribution channel, right?"
"Figure it out yourself!"
Lin Weimin responded to Zhao Xin mercilessly and then kicked her out of the office.
Across the door, Zhao Xin couldn't help but mutter: "Feng Guan'er is so good at making wishes, aren't you afraid that Old Cheng will punish you if he finds out!"
As she spoke, she began to laugh.
It is no secret in the Yenching publishing industry that the editor-in-chief of Guowen Publishing House is in charge.
A few days later, spring came and flowers bloomed, and there was still a week left until May Day.
That morning, Lin Weimin and Tao Huimin took Xiao Doubao to a kindergarten near their home.
This was the first time in his life that the little boy had been separated from his parents for a long time. He was about to move to a new environment and he cried for his parents.
"Dad, I'm not going!"
“No to kindergarten, Mom!”
The girl was already in the arms of the kindergarten teacher, but she still reached out and grabbed Tao Huimin's collar tightly, crying heartbreakingly.
Tao Huimin felt sorry for her daughter's dilemma and said to Lin Weimin, "How about we send it tomorrow?"
Lin Weimin felt that his wife still didn't recognize the true face of his daughter. He didn't answer Tao Huimin's words, but said to the little girl, "Let go first. Go to kindergarten obediently today. After school, Dad will let you play on the computer for half an hour."
The tug on Tao Huimin's collar suddenly disappeared. The little girl who had just been crying for her parents had tears on her face, but she looked very obedient. "Really, Dad?"
"Of course it's true."
Listening to the funny father and daughter, Tao Huimin couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Okay, okay, go in quickly and don't cause trouble for the teacher."
"Okay, Mom!"
The little bean bun slipped off the teacher's body and ran into the kindergarten in a few steps.
After entering, he did not forget to turn around and wave to Lin Weimin and Tao Huimin, "Goodbye, Mom and Dad!"
"This little girl!" Tao Huimin waved her hand angrily and amusedly, but after the little girl disappeared in the kindergarten, she couldn't help but tear up.
"Okay, it's not like we won't see each other anymore, we'll just stay there for a few hours!" Lin Weimin comforted.
"It's not the flesh that fell off your body!"
I'm such a chatterbox!
After sending his daughter off, Lin Weimin went to work.
Early in the morning, Wang Yongsheng delivered a sample issue of the re-printed "Hua Wang".
The brand new "Hua Wang" has the words "Shu Da" missing between the two words "Hua Wang" in the cover title. Readers who don't look carefully may not even notice the change in the title.
Compared with the somewhat cheap cover and binding before it was discontinued, the new "Painting King" has made significant improvements in cover design, binding, paper and printing quality.
Lin Weimin was flipping through the sample issue of "Painting King", and Wang Yongsheng couldn't stop smiling. "With computer printing, the quality looks higher than before!"
The content of this issue of "Hua Wang" directly follows the content before it was suspended. Old works such as Chen Xiang's "Xiao Shan Diary" and Zheng Xusheng's "Our Opium War" have resumed serialization.
Only Yan Kaifu's "Xue Coconut" disappeared, and the comic with the same name "Flower Season and Rainy Season" replaced "Xue Coconut".
"The original work is written by Yuxiu, and the editor and illustration are by Yankai."
Yan Kai is the pen name of Yan Kaifu.
"Xiao Yan's painting style is indeed very suitable for the style of "Flower Season and Rainy Season"!" Lin Weimin looked at the content of the comics with a satisfied smile on his face.
"You have a good vision! As soon as "The Season of Flowers and Rain" came out, I felt that it immediately widened the gap with the current domestic comics." Wang Yongsheng complimented.
"That's an exaggeration."
Wang Yongsheng said: "I'm not exaggerating. Even Xiao Yan himself was surprised that his painting style was so suitable for "Flower Season and Rainy Season". The finished comic is better than "Snow Coconut". Our editorial department discussed it for a long time a few days ago. This novel will definitely bring Xiao Yan great fame and make "Painting King" return to its peak."
"Yes." Lin Weimin nodded and asked, "How many issues have been planned?"
"22 issues. We publish biweekly, which takes almost a year."
Lin Weimin flipped through the pages of The Painting King and asked, "When will the single volume of Snow Coconut be published?"
"Next month, 'Hua Wang' will resume publication, and 'Xue Ye' will be on the market in the middle of the month. In June, there will also be a single volume of Chen Xiang's 'Xiao Shan Diary'. What I have communicated with Vice President Li is that as long as the sales volume reaches the target, we will strive to publish one to two single volumes of Chinese comics every month this year."
"We have to publish single-volume books even if they don't make money in the early stage. Accompanying and cultivating users is a very important thing. However, China has a tradition of comic books, so the sales of single-volume books should not be bad."
Wang Yongsheng looked relieved. "Don't worry about that. We had planned to publish a separate volume before the publication of "The King of Painting Books" was discontinued. We also conducted a survey at that time, and the readers' approval was very high."
Turning to the last page of "The King of Painting", Lin Weimin looked at the price on the back cover.
Wang Yongsheng looked at the place where his eyes were focused, with the smile on his face not diminishing.
In the past, "The King of Painting Books" was printed using lead printing equipment, and the printing quality was relatively poor. Now "The King of Painting" uses computer printing, and the quality of printing paper has also improved. The finished product is much better than before.
The most important thing is that the price is 30 cents cheaper than before.
"Editor-in-Chief Lin, I think the pricing could be a little higher. Compared to the past, the printing paper and printing quality of The King of Painting have improved, but the pricing is now falling instead of rising." Wang Yongsheng suggested.
He said this not to take credit, but out of gratitude.
It was Lin Weimin and Guowen Publishing House that saved "The King of Painting" from the fate of being suspended. Wang Yongsheng felt that he not only had the obligation to run the magazine well, but also had the responsibility to contribute benefits to Guowen Publishing House. After all, Guowen Publishing House had spent a full one million yuan to buy "The King of Painting Books"!
Lin Weimin smiled and waved his hand, "Teacher Wang, don't feel any psychological pressure. This pricing is also the strategy of the publishing house. The price of books in our Guowen Publishing House has always been lower than the general market price. This price is also conducive to the sales of publications, small profits but quick turnover!"
After hearing this, Wang Yongsheng stopped trying to persuade Lin Weimin, because he knew that from Lin Weimin's perspective, what he considered was far more comprehensive than what he did.
"After several months of hard work, The King of Painting has finally resumed publication. Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Wang."
“This is all part of my job.”
Lin Weimin said, "I heard that the Press and Publication Administration will work with the Ministry of Culture to launch a project on animation and comics in the second half of this year, which may lead to the birth of a series of comic publications and cartoons. After "Painter" is on the right track, you will have to spare some energy to plan a publication. I want to put this publication in, which will be very beneficial to the development of the comic section of our Guowen Press."
Wang Yongsheng was a little surprised when he heard this, but then he became delighted. It is said that it is good to lean against a big tree for shade, and this saying is indeed true.
The industrial layout of the ministry was known several months or half a year in advance, which was unimaginable when he worked for Ningxia People's Publishing House.
If there had been such a backer at the time, why would the magazine have been discontinued?
Wang Yongsheng was moved and said, "I understand. I'll discuss it with Vice President Li later and come up with a plan."
As the two were talking here, there was a knock on the door.
Before Lin Weimin could say anything, Yu Hua poked his head in and asked, "Teacher Lin, do you have time?"
(End of this chapter)
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