1980 My Literary Era

Chapter 45: Ellery Queen's Journal of Reasoning

Lin Weimin came to see Ma Kemeng today because he planned to get some foreign exchange certificates and buy a bicycle. He has been in Yanjing for several months. It is really inconvenient to go out by public transport or on two legs. If you have a bicycle That would be much more convenient.

It happened that the two of them talked about the bicycle issue in a few words, and Lin Weimin didn't bother to speak deliberately.

Inviting a few foreign friends to Baodufeng to eat Baodu is really a matter of benefit and no cost.

After getting out of Baodufeng, several people got on the bike.

A few foreigners came out to play on weekends, but they didn’t have any particular place to go. They walked through the city and glanced at every plant and tree here entirely because of their curiosity about the ancient capital of Yanjing.

When passing by a newsstand, Ma Kemeng stopped his bicycle, and seeing him stop, several others stopped one after another.

"Old horse, what's the matter?"

"Lin, are there any newspapers here that publish your work?"

Originally curious about his works, Lin Weimin glanced at the newsstands, "There should be."

He parked his bicycle, approached the newsstand, and turned to "Contemporary" without searching a few times.

"Here's a copy."

Lin Weimin handed the "Contemporary" to Ma Kemeng, and several others came together curiously.

While several people were watching, Lin Weimin picked out the previous issue of "Zhong Shan" from a pile of magazines, "There is also a novel published in this magazine."

The few foreigners who were present studied history and language at Yanda University, and they probably knew the Chinese characters in the magazines, but it was beyond their ability to fully understand the meaning.

They flipped through the two magazines, and quickly found the three words "Lin Weimin". Looking at the printed magazines, several people immediately respected Lin Weimin.

"Mr. Lin, you are really amazing!" Little Black Yoko said adoringly.

Lin Weimin smiled, "You haven't even watched it, so to speak, it's a bit of a suspicion of blind worship!"

"No no!" Little Black Yoko shook his head, "I know these two magazines. I have seen many students around me read these two magazines. They are very famous magazines in China. It is amazing that you can publish articles in such magazines." achievements, and you are so young!"

Lin Weimin felt a little proud of Little Black Yoko's words. Not only is this girl cute, she also speaks so nicely, and she has a bright future!
Several people talked for a while in front of the newsstand, Lin Weimin paid for several copies of "Contemporary" and "Zhong Shan", bought them, and distributed them to several people with a smile.

"This is my gift to everyone."

Everyone was very happy to receive Lin Weimin's magazine. The price of the item is not about the price, but who gave it and its value.

It is a very special experience for several foreign friends to meet a young writer in a foreign country and receive his works.

After riding bicycles until the evening, they returned to Yanda University.

Ma Kemeng and the others invited Lin Weimin to eat at the Shaoyuan cafeteria. The foreign student cafeteria in Shaoyuan is much better than the general student cafeteria. The differential treatment of foreign students in China began in the 80s.

Before parting, Ma Kemeng asked Lin Weimin again: "Lin, have you written that novel last time?"

"Sorry, old horse, I haven't had time to write yet."

Mark Meng obviously couldn't forget that reasoning work, "I think you should really write it."

"Of course it would be best if it could be written, but the premise is that there must be a channel for publication."

What Lin Weimin said was the same old question. Compared with most writers of this era, his utilitarianism is very pure.

But for the old Mi Ma Kemeng, there is nothing wrong with Lin Weimin's attitude.

"Lin, I really think you can consider writing it and publishing it in a magazine in our country."

"That's not going to be easy."

Ma Kemeng nodded, "Of course it's not easy, but you can try it. You know, I'm learning Chinese now, and I can help you translate manuscripts."

"That's a good idea. Ma, how much will you pay for publishing your manuscript in a magazine in your country?"

"Not necessarily. Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, you know?"

"do not know."

""Ellery Quinn's Mystery Journal" is one of the longest-running and highest-circulation reasoning magazines in the United States. I have seen their call for contributions, a short story of 5000 words, and the manuscript fee Between 500 and 800 yuan."

Compared with the current domestic manuscript fee standards, this manuscript fee is still very high, especially because of the exchange rate factor. 5000 words are almost less than 1.5 words. The current official exchange rate of RMB to rice is about 1:[-].

That is to say, Lin Weimin can get 750-1200 RMB for a piece of short reasoning novel with about [-] words, which is more than the [-]-word novella "Latent".

If you go to the black market to exchange, this number can be even more, but overseas remittances have to go through the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, so they can only be directly converted into RMB, and there is no room for manipulation.

Lin Weimin was a little moved.

"Okay, I'll write out the last manuscript later."

"Great!" Mark Meng slapped his hands, "Leave the translation and mailing to me!"

"I can do the translation myself, and you can polish it for me."

"Oh ok ok, that's it."

Ma Kemeng finally said that Tonglin Weimin asked him to write the reasoning story, and he felt an inexplicable sense of accomplishment in his heart, and he was very happy.

After bidding farewell to several foreign friends, Lin Weimin returned to the Institute of Literature, and it was already past seven o'clock in the evening.

There are teachers and staff on duty at the institute during the holidays. The person on duty today is Xiao Jing, who is the administrator of the library in the institute.

The library in the institute is very small, only one room.

The place where he was on vacation was deserted, Xiao Jing was on duty tonight and was bored, when he saw Lin Weimin came back, he chatted with him.

After chatting for a while, Xiaojing went to the water room to wash up, and Lin Weimin returned to the dormitory and spread out the manuscript paper on the desk.

He was tickled by the manuscript fee that Mark Meng said, and he was idle, so he wrote it first.

The story is in the mind, and the key lies in the language switch. With Ma Kemeng helping to polish, Lin Weimin doesn't have to worry about the writing, but at least the translator Ma Kemeng can understand it.

Lin Weimin spent four days in the dormitory writing the story of "Knife Out of the Sheath", and then came to Yanda again to find Mark Meng.

"Oh, man, your efficiency is too high." Ma Kemeng said in surprise when he got Lin Weimin's manuscript.

"This is my usual style. The first draft is here, and the rest will be polished by you."

"No problem." Mark Meng agreed.

"Right, one more thing."

"what's up?"

"A question about the translation fee."

"Lin, I did this purely because I hope to see your story published so that more people can see it."

"No, no, no. There is an old saying in China, brothers, clear accounts."

"Okay, what do you think?" Ma Kemeng said helplessly to Lin Weimin.

"You will polish the translation of the article, add your name to the author's signature, and give you a third of the manuscript fee, how about it?"

Mark Meng nodded: "Very fair!"

"Then it's settled."

"Happy cooperation!"

The two held hands tightly together, with smiles on their faces.

(End of this chapter)