1980 My Literary Era.

Chapter 516 FSG Press

Lin Weimin didn't know how to answer Susan Sontag's words. He pondered for a moment and said, "This question stumps me. The novel sells well, but I don't know the specific reason. If I have to say , I think it may have something to do with my positioning of myself."

"What position?" Roger Strauss asked curiously.

"I never thought that I would become a famous writer in history. I was just a third-rate novelist."

What Lin Weimin said made Roger Strauss laugh, "Lin, you really know how to joke. I think you are the only one in this world who thinks so!"

Susan Sontag looked at Lin Weimin with a strange face. Although she didn't understand what he said, she was greatly shocked in her heart.

Your novels have sold millions of copies, won the National Book Critics Association Award, the Goncourt Literature Prize, and you say you are a third-rate novelist, so what are we who have not won awards, amateurs?
Peter Peron looked at Lin Weimin, and inexplicably thought of the conversation the two had had at the People's Bookstore in the West District that day.

This Chinese writer has an outstanding personality!
Lin Weimin shrugged, "Actually, what I mean is to calm down! We writers are used to setting ourselves a grand goal and a profound concept when we write, but sometimes this often backfires and loses our core Ability."

"What ability?"

"Empathy!"

Lin Weimin said calmly, "When we become the masters of the world, we are high above and we look down on all beings, so the works will naturally lose warmth. There is actually no conflict between good literature and good stories."

After listening to his words, Susan Sontag was thoughtful, and Roger Strauss complimented: "You are indeed a writer who has won the Goncourt Prize for Literature. Listen up to those narcissists who only know how to play tricks. Books don’t sell very well, and they always blame readers for not knowing the goods.”

Roger Strauss looked at Lin Weimin with admiration, but he didn't notice the silent Susan Sontag.

Is it not my fault that the books are selling well?
Susan Sontag suspected that Roger Strauss was accusing Sang Huai, but she seemed unable to refute, because once she refuted, it would make people feel that she was guilty.

"Speaking of which, Lin, your novels seem to be distributed through Random House, right?" Roger Strauss asked suddenly.

Lin Weimin nodded and said, "That's right, we cooperated very early."

Following this topic, Lin Weimin popularized his cooperation experience with Random House to Roger Strauss. When Lin Weimin said that they had been collaborating since 82, Roger Strauss frowned. Couldn't help but frown.

"The cooperation is really early enough, Random House has good eyesight!" Roger Strauss sighed.

"It can only be said to be a coincidence!" Lin Weimin laughed.

Roger Strauss observed Lin Weimin's expression, and said, "Random House's publishing strength in the United States is unquestionable. Lin, your novel's sales are so good, and their publishing strength is indispensable."

Seeing that Lin Weimin nodded noncommittally when he heard this, Roger Strauss continued: "Cooperating with a purely commercial publishing house like them is actually of great benefit to some fledgling writers... ..."

Lin Weimin cast his eyes on Roger Strauss, showing curiosity, and Roger Strauss was secretly happy when he saw this.

"Generally speaking, fledgling writers are not famous, lack some strength, and don't have any awards that can be won. At this time, the packaging and promotion of the publishing house are very much needed.

Lin, please don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about you.

For a foreign writer like you, especially a writer from China, if it is not for its own strength, no matter how hard Random House spends on promoting it, it will be useless.

Speaking of the benefits of working with Random House, their distribution channels not only cover the United States, but also cover many English-speaking countries. From the perspective of commercial operation, it is really a good choice to cooperate with them. "

Having said that, Roger Strauss paused for a moment, and showed a kind smile to Lin Weimin.

Lin Weimin looked at Roger Strauss with a calm expression, as if waiting for him to continue speaking.

"So, I should also cooperate with Random House." Susan Sontag said quietly.

Roger Strauss didn't expect her to interrupt suddenly, glanced at her, and said, "Susan, your problem is that you don't have any heavyweight novels. With your current reputation, if you can write a novel of a higher standard It is not difficult to make money if you read novels on the Internet.”

Like a little girl vying for favor, Susan Sontag smiled a little when she heard what Roger Strauss said.

Roger Strauss ignored her and continued to talk to Lin Weimin: "However, for an established writer like you, the bonus of cooperating with Random House is already very small."

Lin Weimin asked, "Why do you say that?"

Roger Strauss expressed a bit of complacency, and said: "It's very simple. Because you are famous enough, you have formed a strong word-of-mouth effect and influence in the minds of readers. These people don't It needs Random House to promote, just tell this group of readers that you have a new book, and this group of readers will naturally flock to the bookstore, so the sales volume of the work is not a problem at all.”

"but……"

When Roger Strauss said this, his face became serious, "For a writer, especially an excellent writer like you who is likely to be famous in history, it is far from enough for his works to sell well."

"Lin, do you know why many American writers don't want to be called best-selling authors?" Roger Strauss asked with a serious expression.

Lin Weimin shook his head cooperatively.

"Because...for these writers, selling means that their works are superficial, popular reading for the public."

Lin Weimin laughed, "This idea is too ridiculous!"

Roger Strauss looked at him and said, "It sounds absurd. Why does a work that sells well become a popular book? As a bookseller, I know better than you how absurd such ideas and remarks are. but……"

Roger Strauss looked at Lin Weimin, his face was full of sincerity, "It is precisely this kind of seemingly absurd remarks, but it has become a consensus in the mainstream American literary world. You can find out for yourself, those years How many of the winning works are big sellers, and how many of them are missing out on various literary award nominations because they were on the New York Times bestseller list."

Lin Weimin pondered. He had been cooperating with Roger Strauss' speech just now, but he had already vaguely guessed his purpose in his heart.

"But didn't "Burning" win the National Book Critics Association Award?" Peter Peron asked suddenly.

Roger Strauss looked at Peter Peron and praised: "Good question!"

Then he said: "It is true that the National Book Critics Association Award is the three major literary awards in the United States, but his influence is the bottom of the three major literary awards. Another most critical issue is that "Burning" is in the Among Lin's works, they don't sell well!"

Roger Strauss is a bookseller, and he is familiar with the sales of Lin Weimin's works in the United States, so he naturally knows the sales performance of "Burning" in the United States.

"If Lin hadn't won the National Book Critics Association Award and the Goncourt Literary Award successively, the sales of "Burning" would have been more than half of what it is now, and there is no way to guarantee the sales of 20."

There are some exaggerated elements in Roger Strauss' words, but there is no problem with what he said overall.

After the release of "Burning", the sales volume was indeed not very good, thanks to the subsequent several awards that boosted the sales volume of the novel.

Roger Strauss sighed: "I can only say that the sales volume of "Burning" is just right. When the judges look at the sales volume of a book, they are afraid that you will sell well, but if you sell too few, They will also be entangled, it is best to maintain a level that is not too high, but has a group of loyal readers."

Lin Weimin suddenly said: "The elite group!"

Roger Strauss clapped his hands happily, "Lin, you are a wise man! You got to the point of the problem right away. That's right, this group of judges wants to maintain the superiority of literature over the public , firmly grasp the right to speak in the hands of their group of elites."

Susan Sontag couldn't help retorting: "Roger, you're promoting your conspiracy theory again!"

"This is not a conspiracy theory, but an objective fact." Roger Strauss looked smug, "Otherwise, how do you think the works published by our FSG won so many awards?"

FSG is the abbreviation of Farrer-Strauss-Giroux Publishing House. Roger Strauss continued: "Susan, everyone is an adult, don't wishful thinking that only good works can win awards. Is it Have your works been poor in recent years? Do you remember the last time you won an award? 1977!"

Speaking of this, the smug look on Roger Strauss' face became more and more obvious.

"FSG Publishing House has been established for more than 40 years, and during the 1946 years from 1970 to 25, authors under our publishing house won fifteen Nobel Prizes for Literature.

Of course, Susan, you can say that our award is entirely related to the fact that the United States has dominated the Western publishing industry for more than 20 years.

Then let's count again from 1981 to the present, FSG Press has still won 5 Nobel Prizes in Literature. "

After Roger Strauss mentioned his own publishing house, his expression gradually became wanton and full of pride.

"Do you really think that the many Nobel Prizes our publishing house has won are all related to the quality of the writers' works? Come on, there are no reporters present today.

Let's be honest, if the work can't even be shortlisted, why should it win an award? "

The atmosphere in the room fell silent under his blatant remarks.

Everyone is an insider. In fact, some of the unspoken rules of the awards are not clear. It's just that Roger Strauss' words today were too abrupt, so that everyone didn't have time to react.

Annie Lipowitz looked at Roger Strauss with great interest. The Roger Strauss she knew was not a stunned young man who would talk nonsense in public, especially today On the premise of making new friends.

Thinking of this, Annie Lipowitz looked at Lin Weimin with a faint smile on her face.

(End of this chapter)