1980 My Literary Era.

Chapter 563 My Karma, My Soldiers

At the end of the month, Cheng Zhongshi came to Yanjing.

These days, Sanlian Bookstore in Xiangjiang and Xindi Literature Publishing House in Wandao have contacted him. After some communication, the publication of "White Deer Plain" has been basically confirmed, and the two publishing houses will send people to the mainland to discuss with Cheng Cheng Zhongshi signed the publishing contract, and Cheng Zhongshi agreed to meet in Yanjing this time.

This time he came to Beijing not only because of the contract between "White Deer Plain" and the publishing houses of Xiangjiang and Wandao, but also because of the abridged content of "White Deer Plain".

Lin Weimin handed over the deletion of "White Deer Plain" to He Qizhi. He and Cheng Zhongshi were about the same age, had decades of editing experience, and had excellent writing skills. Lin Weimin and Cheng Zhongshi were very relieved to entrust this work to him.

Cheng Zhongshi came to the Guowen Society, Lin Weimin first arranged him to the guest house upstairs, and then handed him the abridged manuscript.

Cheng Zhongshi looked carefully for two days and found Lin Weimin's office. Lin Weimin called He Qizhi over.

After some exchanges, Cheng Zhongshi basically agreed with He Qizhi's abridged version of "White Deer Plain".

"Okay. Then typesetting and printing this version of "White Deer Plain" first, and then publish the full version when there is a chance!" Lin Weimin said.

Cheng Zhongshi nodded, looking a little disappointed.

Seeing that he was unhappy, Lin Weimin said to him, "By the way, I have some good news for you."

"What good news?"

Lin Weimin said with a smile: "The agency has decided to renew the publishing contract and change your publishing contract to royalties, and the sharing ratio is 10%."

Cheng Zhongshi was dumbfounded when he heard the news, "Also?"

Lin Weimin winked at him, "This time it's your compensation."

Cheng Zhongshi looked at Lin Weimin and didn't know what to say for a while, his heart was full of emotion.

After signing the contract, Cheng Zhongshi did a simple calculation. "White Deer Plain" has sold more than 70 copies in more than half a year since it was published this year. According to his current royalty share, he can get at least nearly 10 RMB.

Of course, those that are sold must not be counted.

But the best-selling books have always been long-tail sales. According to the current trend, it will not be a problem for "White Deer Plain" to sell 50 million copies per year for at least the next three years. Taking the minimum of 30 copies, he can also get 4 copies per year. 2 yuan.

This is 4 yuan a year!
Cheng Zhongshi also thought of the result of his communication with the publishing houses of Xiangjiang and Wandao. With Lin Weimin’s advance communication, the publishing houses of both places also gave him 10% of the royalties.

Xiangjiang Sanlian Bookstore plans to print 26 volumes for the first time, and Wandao Xindi Literature Publishing House plans to print [-] volumes for the first time. Based on the book prices in the two places, Cheng Zhongshi will earn [-] yuan from the first printing alone.

Thinking about the hundreds of thousands of money that is about to be handed, even though Cheng Zhongshi has reached the age of knowing his destiny, he is still a little excited.

Zhou Zhaoyun is the vice president in charge of publishing of the Chinese Literature Society. Hearing that Cheng Zhongshi signed the publishing contract in the front building today, he immediately ran over.

"Oh, Comrade Faithful, you came just in time. Xinhua Bookstore is planning to invite you to hold a book signing event."

Zhou Zhaoyun's enthusiasm made Cheng Zhongshi a little uncomfortable, and he was even more dazed when he heard the "book signing" activity he mentioned. He has written novels all his life, but he has never enjoyed this kind of treatment.

Lin Weimin patted him on the shoulder and joked, "Old Cheng, it seems that you are really popular!"

Cheng Zhongshi smiled wryly, readers are so welcome, why is it banned?
Two days later, Lin Weimin had nothing to do in the morning, and accompanied Cheng Zhongshi to Wangfujing Bookstore, where the book signing event arranged by Xinhua Bookstore was held.

As soon as Wangfujing Bookstore opened in the morning, readers who came after hearing the news had already formed a long line at the door.There is also a tendency for the length of the queue to grow over time.

Cheng Zhongshi was too busy to lift his head. Lin Weimin and Manager Zhang of Wangfujing Bookstore stood in the corner. Looking at the long queue at the door, he couldn't help but think of the scene of queuing up to buy books ten years ago. It was time to line up to buy books, but now I can’t see them.”

Manager Zhang said with a smile: "It's not that I can't see it at all. Look, when Teacher Cheng is here, the line is already lined up? And when your work is on sale, the line is even longer than this!"

Manager Zhang's words are not entirely flattering. Lin Weimin's novels are far more popular than Cheng Zhongshi. Every time they are released, there will be long queues at the gates of major bookstores in Yanjing.

After watching the excitement at Wangfujing Bookstore for more than an hour, Lin Weimin returned to the Guowen Society.

After he came back, he went straight into Cheng Zaochun's office.

"I don't think it's necessary."

"I think it's necessary."

"You are the president, and I am the president?"

"Did you ask me to be the editor-in-chief? Do you understand the three fires when a new official takes office? That's how you support my work?"

Lin Weimin stood in front of Cheng Zaochun's desk, arguing with reason.

Cheng Zaochun took off his glasses with a headache, rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I understand your mood and thoughts, but things have to be done steadily and step by step."

What Lin Weimin was discussing with Cheng Zaochun was the performance appraisal system of the editorial department. The performance appraisal system of the editorial department is not new. Many publishing houses in the south have already taken the lead, but the Guowen Press has not started system reform for a long time.

As the president of the publishing house, Cheng Zaochun's management awareness is not strong.

His concept still has some old-fashioned thinking under the planned economy. He attaches great importance to the significance of the accumulation of book culture, emphasizes the social benefits and artistic quality of publications, and does not pay much attention to making money from publishing books. He has always been the commercialization of publishing management. Have scruples.

"How is it considered to be steady and steady? Without performance appraisal, the casual management method like now is steady and steady?"

When it came to official business, Lin Weimin’s expression was serious and unsmiling, “I know you’re afraid of making hasty reforms and going out of style, and problems will be difficult to deal with. But have you ever considered that the editors have created benefits, but they can’t get the rewards they deserve? What do they think? Now that writers have started to take royalties, if we still stick to the old ways, can they not talk about it? Can they have no opinions?"

At the end, Lin Weimin added, "Have you forgotten about Xiao Guo? Why do young people leave?"

Lin Weimin's words could be said to be heart-breaking words, and they firmly stuck in Cheng Zaochun's heart.

Why did young people like Guo Xugang leave? Apart from the large amount of money they were given outside, there was another very important reason that they could not see their future in the Guowen Society.

Speaking of Guowenshe, the first thing people think of is "Royal Publishing House", a temple in the field of domestic literature, full of talents and famous editors.

But it is precisely this famous editor who makes the young people of the Guowen Society see no hope.

Naturally, these young people have good conditions to work in the Chinese Cultural Society. After several years of training here, and with the guidance of knowledgeable and respected seniors, they can already be independent.

But because there are so many old seniors in front of them, many of them can only stay in the editing room as a small editor.

There are only a handful of people like Lin Weimin and Li Xin who have been promoted to middle and high-level leaders in the society in their [-]s.

Among other things, the job title alone is enough to make many young people wait until they despair.

This group of people can be judged as assistant editors after one or two years in the Chinese language club. After four years, they have to compete among their peers in the club.

When it comes to the stage of judging by the deputy editor, it is even more difficult to face many seniors in the agency who have already become famous and married. The difficulty can be called hell.

Gao Xianjun, the director of the first editorial office of contemporary literature, has outstanding work ability. Like Li Xin, he is less than [-] this year and has been promoted to director, but his title is still stuck at the editor level.

Of course, this is not because he is not professional enough, or his performance is not good enough, but because there are too many seniors who meet the requirements in front of him, and he has no such opportunity even if he wants to fight.

Gao Xianjun's experience is a true portrayal of the younger generation of the Guowen Society. Unlike Lin Weimin, they have a huge amount of manuscript fees to support them, and they can face things like ratings and benefits calmly.

Right now, Cheng Zaochun asked Lin Weimin to take up the position of editor-in-chief. The first idea he could think of was to formulate a performance appraisal system for the editorial department.

In the agency, young editors do no less work than older editors, but their salary, benefits, and job titles cannot match the workload and work ability. If things go on like this, how can the Chinese language agency retain people?How many of the remaining ones are real talents?
Lin Weimin stared blankly at Cheng Zaochun, showing no sign of compromise.

Cheng Zaochun stared at him tit for tat for a long time. Of course he understood what Lin Weimin said, but he still insisted on his own opinion, and said to Lin Weimin: "The situation in the club is complicated, and you don't understand it."

When Lin Weimin heard this, he choked back: "You understand, is it useful for you to understand? Do you have to wait until you have to change? Is that still called reform? That is called revolution!"

After he said this, he was still puzzled, "If this is the case, then I, the editor-in-chief, have no point in doing it, so I quit!"

Cheng Zaochun said angrily, "Don't threaten me here!"

"It's not a threat, it's a statement! Anyway, let me be the editor-in-chief, so the performance appraisal of the editorial department is imperative."

Cheng Zaochun looked at Lin Weimin who was messing around again, and stood up angrily, pacing back and forth by the window and in front of the desk.

After a while, he turned his head and said: "The business atmosphere of performance appraisal is too strong. To carry out this kind of reform rashly will have a shock to the atmosphere in the agency. You, the chief editor, just took office, and you will do this kind of thing as soon as you come up. Once you If you don’t do it well, your future work will be difficult!”

Lin Weimin stared at Cheng Zaochun, thinking in his heart whether he was sincerely defending himself, or using these words to dispel his thoughts.

"What kind of eyes do you have?" Cheng Zaochun asked Lin Weimin angrily when he saw the tricks in Lin Weimin's eyes.

"I know you are doing it for my own good. But since you asked me to be the editor-in-chief, I can't be mediocre. Now that the external environment is so severe, we can no longer be so meek. We should show the courage and courage to overcome difficulties and Unwavering determination."

After Lin Weimin said these words, he looked at Cheng Zaochun with firm eyes.

Cheng Zaochun looked at him for a long time, and finally said helplessly: "That's all! Your wings are stiff, and you are going to be the editor-in-chief. I can't control you anymore!"

Seeing Cheng Zaochun softening his tone, Lin Weimin immediately changed his expression and said with a playful smile, "Look at what you said, I'll be your soldier anytime!"

Cheng Zaochun snorted coldly, "My soldier? My karma is about the same?"

(End of this chapter)