Chapter 169 The Reservedness of a Literary Man

Chapter 169: The Reservedness of a Literary Man

Literary people speak more reservedly. Being reserved is not only for demeanor and face, but also to protect yourself.

After Wang Zixu was rejected, during the period when he was revising the manuscript, he read the memoirs of a well-known editor. The editor wrote in the article:

Whenever a famous writer submits a manuscript, he will not directly send the manuscript to the editorial department. Instead, he will call the editor and say on the phone, I have a manuscript, is your company interested?

Sending the manuscript directly is a submission, even if it is agreed in advance, it is still a submission. There is a difference between submitting an article and the editor taking the initiative. People in the world don't value things that come to their lips unsolicited, and the same goes for manuscripts.

It’s not that literati are proud. Kuhaha, there are too many new people submitting articles. If you mix with them and submit, others will not take you seriously. More powerful authors always know a few editors, and it is their privilege to contact them directly. If they have this privilege and do not use it, they are not confident in themselves and do not respect the fruits of their own labor. The editor will also feel that they are unfair.

So the writer will say, I have a manuscript, are you interested? If you are interested, then you have to come and ask for it, which is a proactive request for manuscripts; if you are not interested, it means you don't value me. Since you don't value me, then I don't need to ask for trouble.

In the glorious era of publishing literature, every magazine relied on robbing to compile manuscripts, and they used every possible means to subvert others.

For example, a beautiful editor took a train and traveled thousands of miles to lobby the author, but in the end she could not compete with other editors because the other female editor was more beautiful. Legend has it that an editor went to a meeting alone with a briefcase, and when he saw the writer, he opened the case and it was full of banknotes, saying, "Teacher, please leave your manuscript to us."

We also ask writers to revise their manuscripts, and open a hotel to provide them with good food and drinks every day, so that the writers can concentrate on revising until the final draft is finalized. During this period, all expenses will be borne by the magazine. This is also a basic operation.

This is called attention.

To Wang Zixu, this kind of thing was like a fantasy. After reading it, he was shocked and suddenly realized that what was right now was not what it was yesterday.

He used to be a grassroots man. He didn’t feel he had lost his standing if his manuscript was rejected, and he didn’t have any psychological burden when his manuscript was rejected. He had never considered that a scholar needed to be reserved, and he had never thought that a scholar’s ​​reserve was his own protection, nor did he feel that he was qualified to be reserved.

Anyway, the editor of Get asked him if he would be interested in meeting. Asking if you are interested means that you want to meet him. The other party also gave me some advice, saying that he was too busy and could just chat online. In this way, submission becomes an active invitation.

How can he remain reserved?

“Absolutely interested, where can I meet you?”

The editor opposite replied: “We’ll come to see you.”

Wang Zixu said: "Aren't you in Tianjing?"

The editor said: "Let's come by train."

Wang Zixu carefully picked out the words: "Can I publish this manuscript?"

The screen displayed "The other party is typing" intermittently. In this case, the other party usually entered, deleted and re-entered. After a while, the other party replied:

"What requirements?"

Wang Zixu was confused and typed: "No requirements."

After saying this, he regretted it.

According to the reserve of a literary man, he should make a few elegant requests, so as to raise his own status, and on the other hand, it also gives the other party an opportunity to refuse, so that even if the manuscript is rejected, he will look better.

The other party said: "There are a few things I want to discuss with you. It's not that I have any objections. It's because our editorial department wants to understand your thinking more clearly."

Wang Zixu asked: "As long as it can be published, I can make any changes. I have no objection."

The editor on the opposite side stayed for a moment before replying: "No, no, no, it's not that I want to change it. I want to make it based on your ideas. We still attach great importance to the author's own expression. And regardless of whether it is changed or not, we have decided to publish this work, but there are still some issues that need to be discussed."

Wang Zixu felt that both sides were very anxious, mainly because he had never received such a warm reception, and the other side did not expect that he had such a good temper. Both sides were a little flattered and did not get on the same page.

Just when Wang Zixu wondered whether he had not exercised the reserve of a scholar well, what he didn't know was that the other editor was actually surprised by his good temper and left a good impression.

The editor was shocked after reading his manuscript. Taking out a manuscript of 600,000 yuan in one go is either shockingly sensitive or terrifyingly arrogant. Wang Zixu is so easy to talk to, which has exceeded expectations.

…

“Cheers!”

After everyone finished drinking, they all sat down. Ning Chun finished the beer and wiped his lips and asked Lu Qingxuan next to him: "Did he really say he hoped to be in "Get"?"

Lu Qingxuan nodded: "I think he looks very promising."

"You can't be happy too early, you can't be happy too early. "Get" is among the top batch of domestic magazines. Watch carefully and expect cautiously."

Having said this, Ning Chunyan's lips could no longer be suppressed, like the corners of a dancing girl's skirt that could not be suppressed in the wind.

Diao Yiwen said in a sour tone: "I didn't expect him to be on "Get" so early, and it is such a long novel, which is really... surprising."

Chen Qingluo glanced at her coldly: "He worked so hard, doesn't he deserve it?"

Diao Yiwen waved her hands: "No, no, I mean, his first manuscript was published on the front page of "Yangtze River", his second manuscript won the first prize of the Xihe Literary Society, and his third manuscript was published in "Obtained", which was a bit of a blockbuster. It feels like, who would have imagined that he was just an unknown middle-aged man? ”

Chen Qingluo said: “Whether it is a 30-year-old middle-aged man who is not famous, or a great writer who has become famous in one fell swoop, to me, Wang Zixu is just Wang Zixu, there is no difference.

"Right and wrong, honor and disgrace always accompany a person's life. Sometimes he is famous all over the world one second, and everyone is shouting for beating him the next second. Remembering who you are, remembering what you originally wanted, and always looking back at the past are the keys to self-salvation. You must be like a stone, famous all over the world without adding anything. I advise you not to be upset when the whole world is wronged."

After that, she raised her glass of wine dullly: "I talk too much, I drink."

Diao Yiwen smiled awkwardly, not knowing what to say. Ning Chunyan turned his head and looked at the green-haired girl looking aside: "Classmate, are you Lu Qingxuan's friend? What is your name?"

"My name is Du Kezhu. I am not Lu Qingxuan's friend."

"Huh?" Ning Chunyan was a little embarrassed.

"It's a friend, it's a friend. She's tough-talking." Lu Qingxuan said, "She has to say that we can't be considered friends if we eat together."

Du Kezhu rolled his eyes: "It's just a moment. Is it considered a friend to have a meal together? Then after you graduate and work, if you go out to socialize and have a meal, the people at the table, including the project boss Zhang, the driver Mr. Li, the programmer Xiao Wang, and the receptionist Xiao Liu, will all be your friends? ”