Lin Chaoyang really wanted to say that you editors are really boring, but we are all friends, so we can't be too disrespectful, so he said a few words.
"One million copies!"
Liu Xinwu's face, which was originally full of joy, suddenly dropped, "Did you guess that? It's not like "Harvest" can sell 1 million copies in a week!"
"Then just tell the truth, you're not a child, why are you playing a guessing game?" Lin Chaoyang complained.
Liu Xinwu shook his head. Being interrupted by Lin Chaoyang, most of his excitement disappeared and he said: "300,000 copies."
300,000 copies a week. Even if we maintain this momentum, we will only sell 1.2 million copies a month.
"That's not much!"
Lin Chaoyang's tone was careless, but it irritated Liu Xinwu enough.
"300,000 copies is not too much? We are a bimonthly publication and we sell 300,000 copies in one week. No matter how slow the subsequent sales are, 1.2 million copies are a certainty. Any more will depend on luck.
I think you have cooperated with "People's Literature" and "Harvest" so much that you have no idea about sales."
Although people always say that the 1980s was a prosperous age of literature, this "prosperous age" is only relative. Even in this era of the hottest literature, the peak sales volume of traditional literary journals was more than one million copies.
You must know that other popular magazines such as "Popular Films", "Story Club", "Wulin", etc. often sell millions of copies.
"October" is one of the leading literary journals in China, with its first issue selling over 550,000 copies.
It has been less than four years since its establishment, and its sales have increased steadily. The sales volume of a single issue generally remains between 600,000 and 800,000 copies. It is already considered a leader in the domestic literary journal industry.
If we look at magazine sales and influence combined, the only two magazines that could hold down "October" in the past were "People's Literature" and "Harvest", two heavyweight magazines in the literary world.
However, the situation has changed in the past two years. Due to the continuous publication of many works by Lin Chaoyang, the sales and influence of "Contemporary" and "Yenjing Literature" have been rising rapidly, and from time to time they will overtake "October"
On the one hand, this situation occasionally gives "October" a headache.
Well this time, "October" also published Lin Chaoyang's works, and facts have proved that Lin Chaoyang's works indeed have an appeal among readers that is difficult for ordinary writers to match.
Every magazine has its own base. The sales volume of "October" in the past two years has been as low as 600,000 copies and as high as 800,000 copies. The 200,000 copies difference in the middle is due to the quality of the works in the current period and the appeal of the writers.
difference.
The 1.2 million copies Liu Xinwu said is of course not unfounded, but a reasonable guess based on the past sales of "October".
Therefore, the first week sales statistics of the magazine were released today, and the editorial department of "October" was full of joy. After several years of publication, the magazine's sales are finally approaching the million level, and everyone feels proud and proud.
"You came here today just to tell me this, right?" Lin Chaoyang asked.
"There's something else."
Liu Xinwu said and looked at Tao Yushu. Lin Chaoyang was curious, could this matter be related to Tao Yushu?
Tao Yushu said: "The Yanjing Literary Association and our "Yenjing Literature" co-organized the Yanjing Literature Workshop, held classes, trained new literary talents, and provided guidance to our city's amateur creative team. Lao Liu was invited to be a lecturer.
I want you to be a lecturer too."
Liu Xinwu added next to him, "There are lecture fees."
Lin Chaoyang glanced at him, "Who do you think I am, Old Liu?"
Seeing that Lin Chaoyang didn't speak, Liu Xinwu introduced him to the Yanjing Literature Institute.
The Yenching Literary Institute is co-organized by the Yenching Literary Association and the "Yenjing Literature" magazine, and the novel writing workshops are also jointly run by the two units.
The workshop is planned to start in early April, enrolling 200 formal students, and the number of observer students will depend on the situation.
Anyone who has an education equivalent to high school or above, has published novels, essays, and reportage in provincial and municipal newspapers and periodicals and is interested in learning to be a novelist can apply to become a formal student with his published works and a letter of introduction from his or her unit.
Beginner writers or literature lovers can apply to become auditors with a letter of introduction from their unit.
The course of the workshop mainly includes two aspects: literary theory and creative practice. It is taught once every two weeks at the Film Museum of the Working People's Cultural Palace, and the teaching time is one morning.
The Yenching Literary and Art Association and "Yenjing Literature" plan to invite writers, critics, university teachers and editors in Beijing to give lectures. The lecture notes will also be published in "BJ Literature". After the official students' exercises are tutored, they will be compiled by "Yenjing Literature"
"Select the best for publication.
Hearing this, Lin Chaoyang asked: "After talking for so long, isn't this workshop of yours free?"
"How is that possible? It costs 12 yuan for formal students and 7 yuan for auditors."
"Hey, it's not cheap! They hold classes for free and provide food and drink, but you guys still charge a fee."
Liu Xinwu smiled bitterly and said: "Those creative writing classes held by magazines are aimed at creators who have published experience and have certain potential, and they are small-scale.
Although we also require formal students to have publishing experience, there is no threshold for public enthusiasts, so you can't lose money and gain publicity, right?"
He added: "The workshop is held once every two weeks. It is expected to run for one year. If the effect is good, it will be continued next year. You are responsible for teaching one class. One morning is enough. You will be given 30 yuan for the lecture fee."
.”
30 yuan is equivalent to half a month or even a month's salary for ordinary people today. Lin Chaoyang joked: "You are really willing to spend money."
"All the people invited are famous people, but the ones given are too little and they can't do anything with them!"
When Lin Chaoyang heard this, he casually asked who was there.
"We have already invited Wang Meng, Qin Chaoyang, Deng Youmei, Lin Jinlan, Wang Yuanjian, Tang Yin, plus you and me."
Several of the names Liu Xinwu counted are indeed well-known in the literary world. With such a lineup of lecturers, this kind of workshop can be called a conscientious one.
The tuition fee of 12 yuan is really not expensive, not to mention that the tuition fee is only 7 yuan.
30 yuan was nothing to Lin Chaoyang, but with Tao Yushu and Liu Xinwu's favor, it was not convenient for him to refuse.
"Okay, then I will go to the classroom. Are there any requirements in this regard?" Lin Chaoyang asked.
"No. You can talk about whatever you want. Just submit it to Yushu three days before the class starts."
After Liu Xinwu left, Lin Chaoyang asked Tao Yushu: "I think you don't seem to support this workshop?"
“I can’t say that I don’t support it, I just think that the leaders take things for granted, and the effect of this model of creative class will definitely not be very good.
I talked to Editor-in-Chief Yang when I was at the workplace. Our magazine was only assisting in this matter. The main reason was that the Literary and Art Association wanted to make some achievements."
Hearing what she said, Lin Chaoyang nodded and said: "The original intention must be good. The effect depends on whether the person attending the class is Wukong."
Tao Yushu couldn't help but smile, "That's right. If you really have wisdom, you might be enlightened after listening to a class and it will be of endless use."
Two days later, Lin Chaoyang finished writing the script of "Garland Under the Mountain" and called Xie Jin to send the script.
But Xie Jin disagreed and insisted on going to Yanjing to get it himself.
Nowadays, it occasionally happens that writers mail manuscripts that are lost. For more important manuscripts, many writers will deliver them themselves or ask friends to deliver them, and some editors will pick them up in person.
Not two days after the phone call, Xie Jin came to Yanjing.
"It came quickly enough!"
Xie Jin came directly to the Overseas Chinese Apartment, and Lin Chaoyang teased him.
"You write the script very slowly!" Xie Jin retorted.
"Old comrade is really angry."
After making a few jokes, Xie Jin asked: "Where is the script?"
Lin Chaoyang took out the script, and Xie Jin sat on the sofa and read it carefully, without moving for a long time.
Movie scripts are generally about 30,000 words, and the same is true for "Garland Under the Mountain". This word count is only equivalent to the content of a novella with a smaller number of words, but the amount of information is not the same.
Especially from the perspective of director Xie Jin, he will think about the setting, the camera movement, and the character performances...
Seeing that it was almost ten o'clock in the evening, Xie Jin was still sitting on the sofa motionless, and Lin Chaoyang was already ready for him to stay overnight.
"Lao Xie, if you feel sleepy, go to the north room. The bedding is ready for you."
Xie Jin had no reaction when he heard this, and Lin Chaoyang didn't rush him and went back to his room with Tao Yushu to sleep.
Early the next morning, Lin Chaoyang got up and saw Xie Jin lying on the sofa in his clothes. He went up to shake Xie Jin awake.
"Why don't you go to sleep in the room? Everything is done for you."
Xie Jin shook his groggy head and said, "I'm getting older and don't get much sleep. Just lie down for a while."
"Don't take it hard if it's not hard. What's the difference if you go to sleep in the room?"
Xie Jin ignored his sarcasm and reached for the script on the coffee table, "I've finished reading the script and it's very well written. What suggestions do you have for actors?"
"You are the director, you have the final say."
"What do you think of Zhu Shimao playing the character Zhao Mengsheng?"
Zhao Mengsheng's early image was that of a pretty boy who came to the army to get gold, and was greedy for life and afraid of death. Later, under the influence and sacrifice of his comrades, he completed his character transformation and grew into a iron-blooded warrior who has experienced the baptism of blood and fire.
He is the most full-bodied and arc-shaped character in the novel, and can also be said to be the soul character of "Wreaths Under the Mountain", tying together the plot of the entire novel.
As the original author, Lin Chaoyang can be said to have restored 100% of the novel in the script. Zhao Mengsheng is naturally the protagonist in the script.
Xie Jin chooses actors when making movies, and rarely works with the same actor in multiple works.
The reason why he asked this question was not because of the friendship between the previous film, but more because he thought that Zhu Shimao's image was somewhat consistent with the character of Zhao Mengsheng.
When he chooses actors, he never cares whether the actor is famous or not. Because regardless of whether the actor is famous or not, if he plays in his movie, he will become the most dazzling star in the Chinese film industry. This is the confidence of a famous director.
"Shi Mao has a good image and is upright. If he plays Zhao Mengsheng in the later stage, he will be very good, but his temperament is too tough. In the early stage, Zhao Mengsheng is just a pretty boy, so there is still a certain gap."
Xie Jin was not sure that Zhu Shimao would play Zhao Mengsheng, but he just asked tentatively. After listening to the suggestions of Lin Chaoyang, the original author and screenwriter, he gave up.
"We have to look hard for this leading actor."
Xie Jin also talked to Lin Chaoyang about the preparations of the crew. He is a meritorious director of Shanghai Film Studio. Naturally, if he wants to make a new film, Shanghai Film Studio will fully support it.
The script of "High Mountain" has not yet been released, and the behind-the-scenes team has been set up, but only the actors are needed.
Now that the script is out, Xie Jin plans to call the assistant director Wu Zhennian and cinematographer Zhu Yongde, who are in charge of casting this time, to Yanjing for casting.
After the roles are finalized, we can then go to the border for location scouting. During this period, the actors can be placed in the army to experience life.
Xie Jin talked about his plans and arrangements for the movie for a long time, but received only one response from Lin Chaoyang.
"You always think that you will have time to pay the royalties!"
Xie Jin was furious when he heard this. He was really playing the piano to an ox!
Chapter completed!