1980 My Literary Era.

Chapter 766 Living Baby

The monthly book sales statistics of the Chinese Literature Society is a very arduous and trivial task. The people in the editor-in-chief’s office have to not only communicate with the staff of Xinhua Bookstore and Baowen Hall about book sales, but also understand the specific details of each book. Lin Weimin is likely to ask about the sales situation during the report. If he cannot answer, he will be criticized.

Privately, people in the editor-in-chief’s office certainly complained about this job.

From their point of view, book sales statistics should be the business of bookstores. Publishing houses doing this kind of thing is just a dog trying to meddle in other people's business.

Zhao Xin is now the head of the editor-in-chief's office, and her consciousness is higher than that of her subordinates. She feels that sales statistics are still meaningful.

With the monthly sales statistics for each month, the people in the editor-in-chief's office can not only accurately grasp the sales and trends of books published by the Chinese Literature Society, but also analyze the development trend of the domestic book market and changes in readers' taste preferences.

But she didn't expect that Lin Weimin had another consideration when he asked them to compile monthly book sales statistics.

"After working for so long, I give your editor-in-chief an opportunity to make a contribution. The book sales statistics of our Chinese Literature Society are just a small test. Do you know the bestseller list of the New York Times?"

Zhao Xin nodded hurriedly. Who is involved in publishing? Who doesn't know this name?

She asked tentatively: "Editor-in-Chief, do you also plan to create a bestseller list?"

"Do you think it's feasible?"

Zhao Xin was trembling, dare I say no?
Lin Weimin looked at her reaction and chuckled: "To tell the truth, I will definitely not give you small shoes."

Zhao Xin pondered for a moment and said cautiously: "To create a best-seller list, the bookstore needs to provide data. They have to work more, and there is no benefit."

"Then what benefits do you think we can provide them?" Lin Weimin asked.

Zhao Xin was stumped by this question, and Lin Weimin asked again: "Then let me ask another question. What benefits do you think this bestseller list will have for bookstores?"

"The benefits of bookstores...with the ranking list, readers will be more inclined to purchase books, which may further boost sales of some good books. Well...this is good for both bookstores and publishers.

Furthermore, participating in the construction of rankings will also have some brand promotion effects for many bookstores, including subsequent promotion of books on shelves, which is helpful.

Also, this seems to be a good advertising channel, but doing so seems to violate fairness and the original intention of establishing the ranking..."

When Zhao Xin said this, he couldn't say anything anymore, but Lin Weimin didn't say anything, but showed some appreciation on his face.

“Do you think these benefits are worth promoting the establishment of a national bestseller list?”

Under the guidance of Lin Weimin, Zhao Xin has gradually figured out the details of the best-seller rankings. "The task of counting sales may seem tedious, but it is just a summary of the daily work of the bookstore, and then it is summarized layer by layer. In fact, It’s not complicated. From the perspective of bookstores and publishers, I think you can try it.”

"Okay, then I'll leave it to you to coordinate. Once it's done, I'll appoint the president's assistant next year."

Lin Weimin loves to impress his subordinates, but he always does what he says.

Zhao Xin's face lit up when she heard the word "assistant president", but when she thought about the difficulty of accomplishing this, she couldn't help but look a bit embarrassed.

"Editor-in-Chief, there are thousands of bookstores across the country, and we seem to be unable to command everyone to listen to us!"

"Why do you want all bookstores to listen to us? Besides, can you guarantee that all bookstores sell genuine books?"

Zhao Xin was speechless when asked by Lin Weimin. Then she understood what Lin Weimin meant and asked tentatively: "Xinhua Bookstore?"

Lin Weimin's expression was noncommittal, and Zhao Xin continued: "Baowentang?"

Zhao Xin observed the leader's face, "Sanlian Bookstore? And state-owned bookstores in major cities?"

Lin Weimin nodded, "The idea is good, let's go get it and report back when there is news."

Zhao Xin couldn't help but ask: "Leader, there is one last thing. This bestseller list is really done. There must be a release channel, right?"

"Make up your own mind!"

Lin Weimin replied ruthlessly to Zhao Xin, and then drove her out of the office.

Across the door, Zhao Xin couldn't help but mutter: "Feng Guan'er has made such a wish, so I'm not afraid that Lao Cheng will find out and deal with you!"

As she spoke, she laughed to herself.

The fact that the editor-in-chief of the Chinese Literature Society is in charge is not a secret in the Yanjing publishing industry.

A few days later, spring is coming and flowers are blooming, and there is still one week until Labor Day.

This morning, Lin Weimin and Tao Huimin delivered the bean bags to a kindergarten near their home.

It was the first time in her life that she had been separated from her parents for a long time, and she was about to move into a new environment. Little Dou Bao cried for her father and mother.

"Dad, I'm not going!"

"Don't go to kindergarten, Mom!"

This girl was already held in the arms of the kindergarten teacher, but she still reached out and grabbed Tao Huimin's collar, crying heartbreakingly.

Tao Huimin also felt a little sorry for her daughter's embarrassed look, and said to Lin Weimin, "How about we send it to you tomorrow?"

Lin Weimin felt that his wife still did not recognize the true identity of his daughter. He did not answer Tao Huimin's words, but said to Xiaodou Bao: "You let go first. You will go to kindergarten today. When school is over, dad will let you play on the computer for half an hour."

The tug on Tao Huimin's collar suddenly disappeared. The little beanbag who had been crying for his father and mother just now had tears on his face, but his face was all good-natured, "Really, daddy?"

"of course it's true."

Listening to the father and daughter playing tricks, Tao Huimin couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Okay, okay, hurry in and don't cause trouble to the teacher."

"Okay, Mom!"

As soon as the little bean bag slipped out, he slipped off the teacher's body and ran into the kindergarten with a few steps.

After entering, he did not forget to turn around and wave to Lin Weimin and Tao Huimin, "Goodbye, Mom and Dad!"

"This little girl!" Tao Huimin waved her hands angrily and funnyly, but after the little bean bag disappeared into the kindergarten, she still couldn't help but have red eyes.

"Okay, it's not like we can't see each other anymore, or we can stay for a few hours!" Lin Weimin said with relief.

"It's not like the meat fell off your body!"

I'm so talkative!

After seeing off his daughter, Lin Weimin went to work.

Early in the morning, Wang Yongsheng sent a sample of the resumed issue of "The King of Painting".

In the brand new "King of Painting", the two words "书大" are missing between the two words "King of Painting" on the cover title. Readers who are not looking carefully will not even notice the change in the title.

Compared with the somewhat cheap cover and binding before it was discontinued, the new "King of Painting" has been significantly improved in terms of cover design, binding, paper and printing quality.

Lin Weimin looked through the sample issue of "King of Painting", and Wang Yongsheng couldn't close his mouth with laughter. "With computer printing, the quality seems to be higher than before!"

The content of this reissued issue of "King of Painting" directly follows the content before the suspension. Old works such as Chen Xiang's "Xiaoshan Diary" and Zheng Xusheng's "Our Opium War" have all resumed serialization.

Only Yan Kaifu's "Snow Coconut" has disappeared, and what replaced "Snow Coconut" is the comic book of the same name "Flower Season and Rainy Season".

"The original work is written by Yu Xiu, and the editing and illustrations are by Yan Kai."

Yan Kai is the pen name of Yan Kaifu.

"Xiao Yan's painting style really suits the style of "Flower Season and Rainy Season"!" Lin Weimin looked at the content of the comic with a satisfied smile on his face.

"You still have good taste! As soon as "Flower Season and Rainy Season" came out, I felt that I immediately distanced myself from the current domestic comics." Wang Yongsheng complimented.

"That's an exaggeration."

Wang Yongsheng said: "I am not exaggerating. Even Xiao Yan himself was surprised. His painting style is so suitable for "Flower Season and Rainy Season", and the finished effect of the comic is better than that of "Snowy Coconut" , our editorial department also discussed it for a long time a few days ago. This novel will definitely bring great fame to Xiao Yan, and will also bring "The King of Painting" back to its peak."

"Yeah." Lin Weimin nodded and asked, "How many issues have you planned?"

"Twenty-two issues, we publish it bimonthly, almost a year."

Lin Weimin flipped through "The King of Painting" and asked: "When will the single volume of "Snow Coconut" be released?"

"Next month, "The King of Painting" will resume publication first, and "Snow Coconut" will be launched in the middle of the month. In June, there will also be a separate volume of Chen Xiang's "Xiaoshan Diary". What I communicated with Vice President Li is that as long as the sales volume reaches the target, we will strive to achieve the goal of selling every product this year. One to two stand-alone Chinese comics are published every month.”

"For stand-alone books, even if we don't make money in the early stage, we still have to do it. Accompanying users and cultivating users is a very important thing. However, there is a tradition of comic books in China, so the sales volume of stand-alone books should not be bad."

Wang Yongsheng looked relaxed, "Don't worry about this. We had planned to publish a separate book before the publication of "The King of Paintings" was suspended. We also conducted a survey at that time, and the reader recognition was very high."

"The King of Painting" turned to the last page, and Lin Weimin looked at the price on the back cover.

Wang Yongsheng looked at the place where his eyes were focused, and the smile on his face did not diminish.

In the past, "The King of Painting Books" used printing equipment, and the printing quality was relatively poor. Now, "The King of Paintings" uses computer printing, and the quality of the printing paper has also improved, and the finished publication is more than a little better than before.

The most important thing is that the price is 3 cents cheaper than before.

"Editor-in-Chief Lin, I think the pricing can be higher. Compared with before, the printing paper and printing quality of "King of Painting" have been improved, but now the pricing has fallen instead of rising." Wang Yongsheng suggested.

He said this not to take credit, but out of gratitude.

It was Lin Weimin and the Chinese Literature Society who saved "The King of Painting" from the bad luck of suspension. Wang Yongsheng felt that he not only had the obligation to run the publication well, but also had the responsibility to contribute benefits to the Chinese Literature Society. After all, the Chinese Literature Society originally wanted to buy "The Painting Book" King" spent a full 100 million yuan!

Lin Weimin smiled and waved his hand, "Teacher Wang, don't feel any psychological pressure. This pricing is also the club's strategy. Our Chinese Literature Society's book pricing has always been lower than the general market price, and this price is also conducive to The sales of publications are based on small profits but quick turnover!”

Wang Yongsheng heard this and never persuaded Lin Weimin again, because he knew that from Lin Weimin's level, he had considered far more thoughtfully than himself.

"After months of hard work, "King of Painting" has finally resumed publication. Thank you for your hard work, Teacher Wang."

"This is all my job."

Lin Weimin said: "I heard that in the second half of this year, the Publication Administration will work with the Ministry of Culture to launch a project on animation and comics, which may spawn a series of comics publications and cartoons. After "The King of Painting" is on track, You have to devote some of your energy to planning a publication, and I want to include this publication, which will be very beneficial to the development of the comics section of our Chinese Literature Society."

Wang Yongsheng was a little surprised when he heard this. After the accident, he was overjoyed. They all said that it is easier to enjoy the shade against a big tree. This was indeed true.

The industrial layout of the ministries and commissions was known months or half a year in advance. When he was working for Ningxia People's Publishing House, he would not have dared to think about it.

If we had such a backer at that time, why would we stop publication?
Wang Yongsheng sighed in his heart and said: "I understand. I will discuss it with Vice President Li later and come up with a plan."

When the two of them said this, there was a knock on the door.

Before Lin Weimin could speak, Yu Hua stuck his head in and said, "Teacher Lin, do you have time?"

(End of this chapter)