Chapter 191 Second Transformation
In Zhang Wei’s view, considering the quality of the work of “Thirst Games”, asking for a 10% royalty is not excessive.
But considering that he is indeed a new writer in the United States and is not an American himself, Zhang Wei can accept a slightly lower rate. His bottom line is 8%.
So when Galante offered a price of 5%, Zhang Wei planned to bargain. If you said 5%, I would say I could get 15% in China. Then if you raise it a little, I would lower it a little. , the deal should eventually be concluded at around 9%.
But I didn’t expect that Galante was determined to kill him, and refused to let go at 5% of the price.
For Zhang Wei, such a price is a bit insulting.
What's more, this novel has sold more than 30 million copies in the United States. Even if it is the first volume, the efficiency must be more than 10 million copies. A difference of 1% in royalties, that is, how big is the sales volume? One hundred thousand dollars, if calculated based on a 5% royalty rate, millions of dollars would be lost.
For the price difference of several million US dollars, Zhang Wei could not compromise.
Why did Galante, the subject, refuse to give in at all for the 5% price tag? After Zhang Wei thought about it carefully, he was able to analyze it thoroughly.
The first reason must be that the store is bullying customers. Xuele Group, a publishing giant with nearly a century of history and a listed group, must have no shortage of book resources. There are many writers who cooperate with them. There are a lot of them, so they don’t care about a new writer at all.
Secondly, Zhang Wei's Chinese identity is definitely a negative factor in the United States. Compared with second- and third-generation Chinese immigrants, it is still a level lower.
In terms of ethnicity, the American book market favors Jewish writers the most, followed by Italian writers. British and American writers are treated equally, while Mexican and Chinese writers are on opposite sides. Ground floor.
As for African-American writers, they are a relatively special group. They focus on writing black literature, and the content is mainly about the life experiences of African-Americans in the United States. They write in other genres and no one reads them.
A Chinese came to the United States to publish English novels. Even though the quality of the work was very good, Galanter refused to give in because of the inherent demerit points.
The third point may be that, as Galante said, other publishers are unlikely to offer higher prices, so Galante is confident.
The most important reason is that Galante is unwilling to break the rules of the publishing industry, or that he is unwilling to break the rules of the American publishing industry for Zhang Wei.
In the eyes of Xuele Group, a writer of Zhang Wei's level only deserves the lowest 5%. If he is given a higher price, then other new authors will make the same request in the future. At that time, the operating costs of the entire group will increase.
So Galante would rather let go of the excellent work "The Thirst Novel" than increase the money.
This is for the same reason that developers are unwilling to give more compensation to households with problems. When developers build a project, they are calculated in units of 100 million. Is there a difference of 1.8 million?
They are worried that if the money is given to the nail households, other demolished households will have to follow suit. By then, it will not be a matter that can be solved with 1.8 million.
Zhang Wei took back his manuscript and left Xuele Group.
He is not worried that Xuele Group will plagiarize "The Thirst Game". Firstly, an established publisher like Xuele Group will not do such a thing. Secondly, it is also because Zhang Wei has done it in advance. Anti-theft measures.
It is actually very easy to prevent plagiarism in literary works. You only need to put your manuscript in an envelope and send it back to yourself, but do not open it after receiving it.
Once a copyright dispute arises, it can be used as evidence. When you get to court, open the envelope and check the contents. As long as the postmark date is earlier, you can prove that you are the original author of the work.
After returning to Princeton, Zhang Wei found a business card from his bag. It was the contact information left by Amazon when he signed a consulting contract last year.
Of course, this cannot be Bezos's contact information. Zhang Wei guessed that this should be the number of a public relations department or liaison department of Amazon, which is dedicated to solving problems for Amazon's related customers.
So Zhang Wei dialed the phone number above.
“Hello, this is Amazon. How can I help you?” A sweet female voice sounded, and she sounded like a young girl.
"Hello, my name is Zhang Wei, and I am a consultant for Amazon." Zhang Wei introduced himself.
"Sir, I need to verify your identity. How should you spell your name?"
"z-h-a-n-g-w-e-i!" Zhang Wei said the spelling of his name.
"Oh, are you Mr. Zhang from the Computer Science Department of the University of California, Berkeley? I am very happy to serve you. How can I help you?"
"I wrote a I know that Amazon has a publishing department for this novel, and I want to publish it through Amazon’s publishing department.”
“We at Amazon have a publishing department, and we are happy to help you, but please explain in detail. situation.”
“What I want to publish is a novel with a science fiction youth theme. I can accept self-publishing, but I hope Amazon can give me some preferential treatment in terms of channels.”
"Okay, I have written it down, Mr. Zhang, please leave your contact information and keep the phone open. Amazon Publishing will contact you as soon as possible."
......
Evening At that time, Professor Shi returned home.
“I heard from your sister-in-law that you went to New York again today?” Professor Shi asked.
"Seeing as you have been very busy these past two days, I didn't report this to you. I wrote a novel and planned to publish it, so I went to New York to find a publisher." Zhang Wei replied.
"You still write novels?" Professor Shi looked surprised, and then immediately said: "Don't get me wrong, I'm not questioning your ability, I mean, do you still have time to write novels?"
What the hell? Scientific research is very busy, especially when the project enters a critical stage. Many scientific researchers spend all day and night in the laboratory. They have food and accommodation in the laboratory and have no time to go home.
Normally, with such intensity of labor, how can you still have time to write a novel?
What's more, Zhang Wei has successively made two of the world's top scientific research achievements, nucleoside modification and genetic scissors, in just a few months.
In Professor Shi's view, Zhang Wei must have spent 24 hours in the laboratory, except for eating, drinking, sleeping and going to the toilet, and spending the rest of the time in front of the test bench to achieve such results.
To be able to produce two world-class scientific research results in just a few months is an exaggeration enough. Professor Shi would not have believed it if he had not actually read the paper in Science.
While doing research, Zhang Weiji was actually writing a novel. This is really too much!
Zhang Wei replied with a smile: "Time is like cleavage, there will always be squeezing."
"Don't fool me! I have been doing scientific research for almost 20 years. , I have some achievements, and I am well-informed in this industry. I have seen people squeeze their cleavage, but I have never seen anyone who can find time to do it!”
“Brother, I didn’t see it. You are quite sultry, and when you are doing scientific research, you still pay attention to whether your female colleagues are showing their cleavage!" Zhang Wei said with a smirk.
"Don't talk nonsense with me, I'm talking to you about serious things!"
"Okay, I admit, I wrote this novel before." Zhang Wei had no choice but to lie.
"That's about right. I'm thinking that you won't have time to write a novel now." Professor Shi nodded, and then said: "How about the publisher? Did you find it?" Professor Shi Then ask.
"I found Xuele Group."
"Scholar Group? That is the top publisher in the United States. Did they agree to publish for you?"
"I agreed, but the royalty offered was too low, only 5%, so I refused."
"5% is a bit low, but as far as I know, in the American publishing market, Chinese-Americans Writers are often underpriced, let alone if you are Chinese, so most Chinese people cannot write novels. They only write books on social sciences or economics, and as long as they have enough gimmicks, they can sell well. . ”
“For example, Zhang Jiadun’s book “China is About to Collapse” was a bestseller in the United States. After he wrote this book, many programs invited him to be a guest! "Zhang Wei said disdainfully.
Professor Shi said with a worried look: "I've heard of that book. It was really popular in the past two years. I don't understand economics, but there are indeed many people who have similar ideas. Viewpoint."
The book "China is About to Collapse" by Gordon Chang was published in 2001, when China had just joined the WTO and faced many opportunities and risks.
At that time, there were indeed many voices who believed that China could not face the fierce competition in the world market. Foreign goods would impact the Chinese market and cause most of China's companies to collapse, leading to a complete collapse of the Chinese economy.
This kind of voice is not only widespread abroad, but also many so-called economists in China agree with this view. They look down on Chinese companies and believe that Chinese companies cannot compete with foreign companies.
Children Chang's "China is About to Collapse" caters to this view, which speaks to the hearts of many Americans.
For many Americans, regardless of whether what is said in the book makes sense or not, just because I like what you say and it meets my psychological expectations, I am willing to spend money to support you.
And the word "collapse" is also used very well.
It’s not just a day or two that the West has been badmouthing China’s economy, but before that, perennial anti-China media outlets such as The Economist and The Washington Post used the term “hard landing” to sing about it. Destroy China's economy.
The word "hard landing" is not as scary as "crash", and it is not as shocking as "collapse". Especially when placed in the title of a book, the word "collapse" is full of gimmicks and will definitely help sell books. Helpful.
It was also from this book that the West’s behavior of badmouthing China was officially named the “China Collapse Theory.”
As we all know, the result is that the West is pessimistic every year, while China is growing year by year. The so-called "collapse" time has been continuously postponed since 2005, and gradually it has become a calendar flip. Just postpone it for one year!
Zhang Jiadun was also nicknamed "Zhang Bureau Seat" by Chinese netizens and became one of the important cadres of the Strategic Deception Bureau.
But it was still only 2005, and China's economy had not yet slapped the West in the face with facts. So when Zhang Wei talked about Zhang Juzuo with disdain, Professor Shi was not as confident as Zhang Wei. Instead, he was a little worried. I'm afraid that China's economy will really collapse as mentioned in the book.
Zhang Wei immediately advised: "Professor Shi, that Jiadun Zhang is a liar. Just relax. China's economy will only get better and better! Don't look at our current economic situation. We are only ranked sixth in the world in terms of quantity, but I think with the current development momentum, we will definitely surpass Japan and become the second in the world in five years!”
“I hope so!” Professor Shi sighed! tone, then said: "Let's talk about your novel? Do you still plan to publish it? I also know a few publishers. Although the scale is not as large as Xuele Group, there is still no problem in publishing novels."
"Thank you, senior brother. I have contacted another publisher just now. If they can't do it, please trouble me again, senior brother." Zhang Wei said.
"Okay, if you need me, just tell me. Don't be polite to me." Professor Shi changed his tone and continued: "There is another thing. I have to go on a business trip to New Mexico the day after tomorrow. You Are you interested in going together? "Is it an academic seminar?"
"More or less. It is a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Santa Fe Institute, and it can also be regarded as an academic seminar."
"What is the Santa Fe Institute?"
" is an independent non-profit research institution located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This research institution was co-founded by Professor Murray Gelman and several other scientists. Professor Gelman He is the winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1969 and is the father of quarks.
In the United States, there are many independent research institutions, most of which are non-profit and can still exist. Twenty years is actually a very difficult thing, so this Santa Fe Institute has a very good reputation and reputation.
Although there are a few scientists at this institute who are resident scholars, most of them work part-time. They all have their own jobs. If they have time, they work on the Santa Fe research project. Normally, they still have to work in their original units. At work. "Professor Shi introduced.
"Their founder is a Nobel Prize winner in physics, so he should mainly study physics, right? "Zhang Wei asked again.
"Not only physics, but also biology, chemistry, computers, sociology, finance, and even literature, music, painting, etc. are also within the scope of their research. Their main research direction is actually the interdisciplinary study of complex adaptive systems. "
Zhang Wei was stunned for a few seconds, and then asked a little embarrassedly: "Brother, what is the interdisciplinary research of complex adaptive systems? "
This time it was Professor Shi's turn to be stunned. He hesitated for a few seconds before asking: "You really don't understand? ”
"I really don't understand!" Zhang Wei nodded sincerely.
Professor Shi was a little surprised and thought to himself, how could a talented junior like me not even understand such basic knowledge.
But he began to explain patiently: "Interdisciplinary research on complex adaptive systems refers to the study of multidisciplinary integration of complex systems with adaptive capabilities.
This type of system It is usually composed of multiple adaptive agents, which can interact with the environment and other agents, and continuously optimize their own behaviors and strategies through learning and adaptation."
Zhang Wei was still confused. It seems that the more I listen, the more confused I become.
Professor Shi also realized that Zhang Wei didn’t understand, so he had to explain:
“Just like urban transportation, it involves research in multiple scientific fields. On the road, such as pedestrians, bicycles, Private cars and buses are each different subjects, and each subject has different needs for urban transportation.
In order to study urban transportation, traffic engineering is needed to design roads, traffic lights, and traffic lights. Sociology is needed to understand the behavioral patterns of drivers and pedestrians, psychology is needed to understand their mental states, environmental science is needed to assess noise pollution, economics is needed to calculate the returns of public transport, and Law is used to formulate traffic regulations.
So if you want to improve the traffic operation mechanism of a city, you must study a variety of disciplines, and also study every subject in urban traffic, and the characteristics of each subject. Interrelated. This Santa Fe Research Institute does similar work.”
“I understand! So, this Santa Fe Research Institute has a hodgepodge of different types of research? Isn’t it almost the same as college?”
"In terms of professional research, it is definitely not as good as the university, but in terms of cooperation and exchanges, the Santa Fe Institute is worse than the university. In the university, each major basically studies the content of its own major, while the Santa Fe Institute is Multiple majors collaborate on a project."
Professor Shi paused and then said: "In my opinion, this Santa Fe graduate student is like a platform for scientists from different majors to communicate. Scientists can get to know each other, inspire each other, and collaborate on the same project on this platform. This model is quite good.”
“Hearing what you said, I really want to experience it. "Senior brother, I don't have an invitation. Is it okay to have a meeting with you?"
"Of course it's okay. You are the inventor of genetic scissors. Just because of this, the Santa Fe Institute will do the same." Give you VIP treatment!”
……
Zhang Wei followed Professor Shi to the party at the Santa Fe Institute.
"Shi, you're here, long time no see!" An old man wearing glasses and with snow-white hair came up to him.
"Hello, Professor Gell-Mann, are you feeling well?" Professor Shi quickly stepped forward.
"Since the brace was installed, my health has been much better!" the old man said with a smile.
"Professor, let me introduce you." Professor Shi pulled Zhang Wei to the front and continued: "His name is Zhang Wei. Even though he is young, he is a genius scientist! Not long ago, biology In the field of science, a sensational result, genetic scissors, was published, which was developed by Zhang Wei.”
"Junior brother, this is the father of quarks I mentioned to you before, Professor Murray Gell-Mann!"
"Hello, Professor Gell-Mann, it's an honor to meet you." Zhang Wei Quickly say hello.
"Mr. Zhang, congratulations on becoming the youngest guest at today's celebration!" Gelman looked Zhang Wei up and down and said at the same time: "By the way, your name seems familiar to me. Yes. Not many Chinese people have this name?”
“You guessed it right, my name is the most commonly used name among Chinese people,” Zhang Wei said.
"No wonder! I remember that the Chinese scientist who discovered graphene last year also had this name." Gelman said.
"Do you think that person is also me?" Zhang Wei asked with a smile.
"Hahaha, young man, you are much more humorous than Professor Shi!" Gelman replied.
"Humor?" Professor Shi grinned and thought to himself, I would like to be humorous, but I can't be humorous. My strength doesn't allow it!
At this moment, a middle-aged man walked over. He looked at Zhang Wei carefully and asked, "Excuse me, are you the Chinese scholar who discovered graphene? ”
Zhang Wei looked at the other person, he was a stranger and he didn’t recognize him.
The other party didn't seem malicious, so Zhang Wei nodded: "Yes, my name is Zhang Wei, and I discovered graphene. Who are you?"
"Mr. Zhang, you definitely don't know me, But I know you! My name is James, and I am a reporter. Last summer, you exposed the fraud of Huang Yuxi’s paper at the University of California, Berkeley. It was so exciting that I feel excited now! It’s a vivid feeling!”
The conversation between the two fell into Professor Gelman’s ears, and he was immediately surprised.
Just now he praised Zhang Wei for his humor.
Now he suddenly discovered that the humorous person turned out to be himself!
Professor Shi looked at Professor Gelman with a half-smile, as if asking: You old man, do you still find it humorous?
The reporter said hello, then left and went to build relationships with other scholars.
Gellman still hadn't come to his senses. He asked subconsciously: "The scholar who discovered graphene last year, is it really you?"
"It's me." Zhang Wei nodded seriously.
“You’re not a biologist, are you? Genetic scissors, as the name sounds, is also a scientific research achievement of biology! Why are you studying physics again?”
"In the first half of last year, I was still studying physics. I just started studying biology this year." Zhang Wei had a Versailles expression.
Professor Gelman looked incredulous. This was not a subject selection for the college entrance examination. He just jumped from physics to biology.
This is high-end scientific research, how can you change your major like this? It’s totally irrelevant! From physics to biology, it takes three to five years to learn just the basic knowledge.
You can just change your major and still produce top results. Do you dare to believe this kind of thing?
Gell-Mann himself is the world's top physicist, a top figure who has won the Nobel Prize, and he also founded an interdisciplinary staff organization such as the Santa Fe Institute. Gell-Mann knew only too well how vast the span was from physics to biology.
Even after seeing it with his own eyes, Gelman was still full of doubts. Zhang Wei's situation was beyond his knowledge.
At this moment, a woman walked in at the door. Judging from her dress, she was also today's guest.
When the woman saw Professor Gelman, she immediately walked forward and said hello.
"Professor Gell-Mann, I haven't seen you for more than two years. You look younger!" the woman said.
"Sophie, you are even more beautiful!" Professor Gelman greeted her with a smile.
This female guest is none other than Professor Sophie Goldwasser of the Department of Computer Science at the University of California, Berkeley, who proposed the zero-knowledge interactive proof.
Zhang Wei came out of Goldwasser, and he immediately said hello: "Professor, I haven't seen you for more than half a year, but you are still so dazzling!"
"Zhang! You come to the United States again. Why didn't you come to Berkeley to find us? Professor Adelman talked about you many times!" Goldwasser looked surprised.
"I am entering from New York this time, and I haven't had time to go to the West yet. When I go to Los Angeles in two days, I will visit Professor Adelman." Zhang Wei replied.
Professor Gelman next to him asked: "Do you know each other?"
"Of course I know, Zhang is a genius in the field of cryptography! His research results in the field of cryptography have directly promoted the advancement of the entire cryptography for ten years!" Goldwasser did not hesitate to praise him.
"Cryptography? This is in the computer field, right?" Gell-Man looked at Zhang Wei in shock, as if he had seen some strange animal.
You were a biologist when you first came here.
In the blink of an eye you become a physicist again.
Why are you a computer expert now?
It's just a transformation, but also a second transformation?
(End of this chapter)