Chapter 168 "Three things to do when a new official takes office" (fourth update)
As soon as he returned to Xijing, Fang Minghua went to work the next day, first handing Wang Shuo's "Stewardess" to Li Tianfang , the other party promised to publish it in the next issue of "Yanhe" magazine, and everything would be done in accordance with the process, and the price was 10 yuan for 1,000 words.
Fang Minghua no longer worries about this matter. His current focus is on the poetry group.
As the saying goes, "The three things a new official needs to do when taking office", now that I have become the deputy editor in charge of prose and poetry, I have to take some action, right?
There are relatively few editors in the poetry and prose group. Originally, there were only four editors occupying two offices, and Dong Mo had a separate room.
After he resigned as deputy editor, he took the initiative to move to the office next door and left a private room to Fang Minghua. Since he had resigned, he could not occupy that room. He also said that the four of them would have fun together.
Of course Fang Minghua declined, but he had no choice but to let him.
As soon as he got to work today, Fang Minghua went next door and invited Dong Mo to his office. After personally filling Dong Mo's enamel teapot with water, he smiled and asked:
" Editor-in-Chief Dong, how are the submissions from our group during this period?”
Dong Mo was still in charge of the poetry and prose group after I went to Yanjing for more than ten days.
After listening to Fang Minghua's question, Dong Mo replied: "There are still a few poetry manuscripts. After all, our "Yanhe" is not a specialized poetry publication like "Poetry Magazine" and "Stars", and poetry is not "Yanhe"." The focus of "River"
This is something Dong Mo regrets after being a poetry editor for so many years.
Except in the mid-1950s, not long after the magazine "Yanhe" was founded, the poetry group "snatched" the poem "Back to Yan'an" written by He Jingzhi. In the 1900s, the poetry in "Yanhe" was in a tepid state.
Fang Minghua could understand the old editor's mood. He immediately took out a stack of poems from the drawer and handed it to Dong Mo: "Editor Dong, look at these."
Dong Mo took it and put on his reading glasses to look carefully.
"Looking up at the Starry Sky at Hargai", "Autumn Sound", "Ar's Sun", "Asian Copper" and "If Time Could Turn Back".
They are all good poems.
Look at the authors: Xi Chuan, Haizi and Gu Lirong have never heard of it.
"Editor Fang"
"Editor Dong, you'd better call me Xiao Fang. I'm not used to calling me Editor Fang." Fang Minghua interrupted Dong Mo with a smile.
"Then let me call you Minghua." Dong Mo said with a smile.
In the magazine, fewer and fewer people call Fang Minghua "Xiao Fang". Except for President Huang and a few other elders who still call him "Xiao Fang", even Chen Zhongshi, Lu Yao and Jia Pingwa They all call him "Minghua", the younger ones call him Editor Fang, and now they call him Editor Fang.
"Minghua, where did you get these poems from? I have never heard of these authors." Dong Mo asked.
“These are written by the backbones of the literary societies of Yanjing University, such as Yanjing University, Tsinghua University, and Yanjing Normal University.” Fang Minghua told Dong Mo about going to Yanjing University to contact him.
“This is the first batch, and there will be more poems sent later.” Fang Minghua said.
"Great! Minghua, you have gained a lot from this trip. It seems that it is right for me to step down and let you take charge of poetry editing, but..."
"Just what?"
" You also know that each issue of the magazine allows up to four pages for poetry. You suddenly found so many excellent poems that you can’t finish them all. You don’t know how many issues it will be divided into.”
At this time, Dong Mo was thinking. Happy and sad.
I am sad if I don’t have good poems, but I am sad if I have too many good poems.
Fang Minghua smiled after hearing this: "Editor-in-chief Dong, why are you waiting in several issues? Why don't you just wait for one issue?!"
"Post it together? So many?" Dong Mo was stunned. , suddenly thought of something: "Minghua, do you want to do a special issue? Just like the "Qin Province Young Writers Novel Issue" in 1981?"
"Yes, just do it like that!"
After the launch of the "Qin Province Young Writers Novel Issue", it caused great repercussions in the literary world. At that time, I also published my first novel of this era, "Into the Dust".
Followed by two novellas, "Youth" and "The Sun Also Rises", they directly entered the ranks of Qin Province's first-class novels, and were joined by literary giants such as Chen Zhongshi, Lu Yao and Jia Pingwa. juxtaposed.
Therefore, after Fang Minghua got these poem manuscripts, he was the first to think of using this method.
But Dong Mo shook his head after hearing this: "Minghua, you have a good idea, but there is no plan for a special issue of our poetry group this year. Even if we want to publish a special issue, we will have to wait until next year."
Special issues are not books, and they are not published casually. Because it is equivalent to the magazine publishing an extra magazine.
A large part of magazine distribution in this era relies on readers, including some units, to subscribe and pay newspaper fees in advance.
Therefore, the magazine company must make plans and arrangements in the previous year, and clearly explain it to readers when ordering magazines at the end of the year. There will be a supplement next year. The price will be determined by readers in advance whether to subscribe or not.
Otherwise, the special issue can only be retailed in Xinhua Bookstore, missing a large number of readers who subscribe throughout the year.
Fang Minghua naturally understands this truth.
He said calmly: "Editor-in-Chief Dong, didn't you plan last year to publish an additional issue of literary criticism and creative theory this year? We might as well suggest that the editorial department change it to a dedicated issue on poetry."
" So that was your idea?" Dong Mo laughed: "Go and ask Wang Yu if he agrees? I will kick you out of his office immediately after hearing what you said."
Wang Yu is another deputy editor in the editorial department, in charge of literary criticism and creative theory.
"Hasn't Editor-in-Chief Wang always wanted to start a "Novel Review" magazine? In the future, the entire magazine will publish various novel reviews and literary theories. Do you still care about this supplement?"
Fang Minghua muttered.
He is right.
The magazine does have such a plan. It wants to run a literary academic journal specializing in reviewing various novels and creative theories at the same time as Yanhe magazine.
This is due to the "big explosion" in the domestic literary world after entering the 1980s, with various novels emerging one after another and conceived against the background of a prosperous scene.
However, Fang Minghua is not optimistic.
The 1980s were almost halfway over. In the 1990s, with the rise of popular literature and the tide of market economy, the future of purely literary journals was bleak.
But this is not what he is thinking about now, now he is how to get this special account.
"Editor-in-Chief Dong, I will go and talk to President Huang in private first to hear what he means." Fang Minghua said his own method.
Although President Huang is only an administrative leader in name and does not care about the editorial department, he is still the top leader of his unit no matter what.
It turns out that after the retirement of the novel team leader Ho Hongjun, a tough deputy editor who liked to quarrel with him, the current novel team leader Li Tianfang is considered a junior with a relatively gentle personality, so it is impossible to argue with him.
The editor-in-chief Zhang Pixiang is a good old man who is about to retire and is not very interested in taking care of things. President Huang's influence began to penetrate into the editorial department. You know, deputy editors like Li Tianfang and Fang Minghua were all promoted by him!
Of course Dong Mo knew what Fang Minghua was thinking, and said with a smile:
"Okay, you go talk to President Huang and feel his bottom. If President Huang agrees, I went to see Wang Yu, and I still have some friendship with him after working together for many years, so let’s have a poetry group!”
"Okay, if you, Editor Dong, are here to help, you can stand up to both!" Fang Minghua immediately flattered me a little.
"What? Old Dong, you said that this year's special account will be given to your group?" Wang Yu heard Dong Mo say this, as if he had heard a fantasy.
Wang Yu is about fifty this year and is also an "old man" in the community, so after hearing the news, he refused without even thinking:
"No, absolutely not!"
"Old Dong, we are also old friends. I won't talk about the big reasons. Do you also know how much I wasted in front of Editor Zhang and President Huang for this year's special account? Besides, you have already resigned. Retire in two years and enjoy a happy life? Why bother with this?" Wang Yu said earnestly.
There was some silence in the room.
After a while, Dong Mo spoke: "Just because I am about to retire, I don't want to leave any regrets before retiring. You also know that our poetry column in "Yanhe" has been in a tepid state. Now there are Of course I am willing to have a chance to be brilliant."
After speaking, Dong Mo took out a stack of poems from his briefcase and handed it to Wang Yu: "Look, this is all Minghua this time. I went to Yanjing to search for it from major universities."
Wang Yu took it and flipped through it, and couldn't help but praise: "This guy is quite capable. Don't tell me that the quality of these poems is quite high. "
"Minghua said that there are still poems coming in one after another, so I can make a special account. So Lao Wang, even if I beg you, let me do it once, eh?"
Seeing Dong Mo like this, Wang Yu was silent for a while, and suddenly said: "I can give this special account to you, but you have to agree to one condition."
"I know, that is, in the future The club is discussing whether to establish the "Novel Review" magazine and vote for it, right? Don't worry, I will definitely vote!" Dong Mo said.
"In addition to you, there is Fang Minghua. That guy is now President Huang's celebrity, and his opinion is very important."
But no, this guy went to President Huang and asked him to give up this year's special account It was given to the poetry and prose group, and President Huang agreed without saying a word!
"This is easy to handle. I'll tell him that he will definitely support you in this matter!" Dong Mo agreed.
The magazine is going to have a special poetry issue this year!
The news quickly spread throughout the magazine, and everyone was talking about it. Unexpectedly, this guy would make such a big move just after taking office!
The editors of the poetry and prose group were all extremely excited. After being marginalized for so many years, they were finally proud and proud today!
Today several editors from the poetry group met in Fang Minghua’s office to discuss how to run the special account.
“Comrades, the club has agreed to hold a special issue of college students’ poetry this year. It’s up to you how to do it well.”
Fang Minghua sat behind his desk and looked seriously at several colleagues: "I brought back 12 poem manuscripts from Yanjing, and everyone circulated them to each other. Some poem manuscripts will be sent in succession, but it is not enough! "
"On the one hand, everyone must review the poem manuscripts sent and cannot lower the requirements; on the other hand, as a special issue, there must be at least 60-70 poems, but in terms of quantity, there are still It’s still far away, so let’s start right now and look for excellent poetry manuscripts in major universities in Xijing!”
Fang Minghua said the purpose of this meeting.
"Editor Fang, I'm going to Qin Normal University!" A young girl said first.
Her name is Zhang Yanqian. She graduated from the Chinese Department of Qin Normal University last year and was assigned to the editorial department of "Yanhe" magazine as an editor. She liked poetry in college and once served as the editor of the famous Mu Feng Literary Society of Qin Normal University. President.
"Okay, it's absolutely fine for you, the former president, to step in and tell your friends not to hide their secrets. The fee for poetry this time is definitely not low, based on 30 yuan per thousand words!" Fang Minghua said with a smile.
“Oh, so high?” Zhang Yanqian looked surprised.
This year (1984), the country once again raised the standards for royalties for various publications. Poetry follows the unwritten rules in the industry: 20 lines are considered a thousand words, so the calculation is 1.5 yuan per line, which is equivalent to The royalties of those famous poets!
“I must take this news back and ask my fellow students to submit their articles as soon as possible!” Zhang Yanqian said.
Everyone laughed after hearing this.
Zhang Yanqian is the youngest in the poetry group, youthful and lively, and is loved by everyone.
"Yan Qian, not only Qin Normal University, but also the nearby Foreign College, School of Political Science and Law, and Jiaotong University. You go and run around. I think when you were the president of the literary club at Qin Normal University, you must have worked with these Literary clubs in universities have communicated with each other." Fang Minghua expressed his opinion.
"That's right, editor Fang, leave this matter to me!" The girl agreed.
"Editor Fang, how many schools should I go to, including Western University, Western Polytechnic University, and Western Military University?" The speaker was a man in his late thirties named Zhao Muchun. He was transferred from Qin Provincial People's Publishing House of.
"I have entrusted Editor Bai Miao of Western University. He was a teacher at Western University and knows many people." Fang Minghua said: "Didn't you go to university in Nanjing? Contact your alma mater, Nanjing. Normal University, and other universities to see if they can find some high-quality poetry manuscripts.”
"No problem. I also have a friend who lives in the same dormitory and teaches at Chongqing University. He also likes poetry very much. I can ask him to help contact the literary societies of major universities in Chongqing and Chengdu." Zhao Munchun replied.
"I'll trouble you then." Fang Minghua said, then looked at the middle-aged man sitting opposite him, and said in a kind tone: "Editor Liu, why don't you go to NPU and XJTU? "
Unexpectedly, the other party was a little embarrassed: "Editor Fang, I didn't go to any university, and I'm not familiar with the literary societies of those universities. Why bother with this? Isn't it easier to submit a call for papers? ?”
“It must be published in the newspaper. This has already been approved by President Huang and Editor Zhang, but wouldn’t it be more effective if we all do it in person?” Fang Minghua replied
“Oops. Editor Fang, I’ve caught a cold recently, and the doctor said it’s best not to run around.” Editor Liu suddenly covered his head and looked in pain.
Editor-in-chief Liu is called Liu Weimin. He was a worker, peasant, and soldier college student in the 1970s. In fact, he was not a serious university, just an ordinary technical secondary school.
After graduation, I was assigned to a magazine as an editor. My ability was average and I was not good at work. However, my advantage was that I did not fight for it. In the words of later generations, I was a "lay down" type of cadre.
This kind of cadres are found in every unit, and the leaders are helpless. They keep making big mistakes and small mistakes. What can you do to them?
Expelled?
I am a formal employee!
Removal from editorial position?
It is said that he has a certain background, and President Huang will not offend such a person.
I have just taken office, so there is no need to provoke such people.
So, Fang Minghua also followed Dong Mo's approach and "treated him coldly."
So he said: "Since you are not feeling well, then rest more." Fang Minghua looked kind.
Don’t review the manuscript either.
There will definitely be an increase in submissions from college students in recent times. Fang Minghua is worried that given his level, some good poems should not be buried.
"Thank you very much, Editor Fang, for your concern." Liu Weimin smiled.
I'm not allowed to review the manuscript, just fine.
I just like to go to work every day with a cup of tea, a pack of cigarettes, and a newspaper to read.
There will be another update later today
(End of this chapter)