Back to 80: My literary life

Chapter 70 070 Submission rejected (please vote for collection and follow up)

"Xiao Fang, your views are basically similar to mine." At this time, Jia Pingwa interjected: "I just talked to Lu Yao about this. In the article, Ma Jianqiang was portrayed too perfectly, with integrity, selflessness, perseverance, self-respect, self-love, and willingness to help others. Virtue, this kind of person is a role model for giving reports on stage in reality, but he is not suitable to be the protagonist of a novel."

Lu Yao looked a little embarrassed after hearing this.

"However, Brother Lu, your novel also surpasses many people's works, but it is slightly inferior to "Life"." Fang Minghua comforted:
  "The problem is, Brother Lu, the writing of "Life" is really excellent, but its disadvantage is that it is like a peak you have built for yourself on the way forward. Now you want to climb over it, and you have to work hard."

"Haha, that's what I mean too. It's most difficult for a writer to surpass himself." Jia Pingwa laughed.

Lu Yao sighed softly after hearing this.

"Okay, let's not talk about mine, let's talk about this novel by Xiao Fang." Lu Yao changed the subject and said frankly: "Actually, I didn't understand this novel."

"Don't understand?"

"Yes, four seemingly independent stories are actually merged together. Your way of writing seems to be a popular stream of consciousness in the West?"

"Yes."

"I don't really appreciate this kind of writing. I still like realistic writing techniques." Lu Yao said.

"I really like Xiao Fang's article. It is a bold attempt. There are not many stream-of-consciousness writers in China." Jia Pingwa took the topic and looked at Fang Minghua: "Where are you going to invest?"

"Just vote for "Yanhe"."

Fang Minghua said.

I am still working for a magazine, so of course I have to submit to my own magazine’s publications first.

Jia Pingwa shook her head after hearing this and turned to look at Lu Yao: "Do you think you will be adopted by Editor He?"

"It's difficult. I know her very well. Her writing style is quite conservative. Not only her, but you didn't find that the entire writing style of "Yanhe" magazine is relatively conservative?" Lu Yao replied.

indeed so.

Fang Minghua nodded.

Perhaps it is because of the history of Qin Province that the soil here is too heavy? Always be slow to accept new things.

"Then I'll vote for "Chang'an"? You'll see it and say it's okay." Fang Minghua looked at Jia Pingwa again.

Jia Pingwa now works as an editor for another magazine in Xijing City, the literary monthly "Chang'an".

"No, our temple is too small to accommodate your giant Buddha, so this article has been buried." Jia Pingwa joked.

"You'd better vote for a magazine from Yanjing. It's the capital city. It's very inclusive and influential." He finally suggested.

But Fang Minghua finally decided to give "Yanhe" a try.

President Huang is pretty good to himself, and Dong Mo.

Let’s talk if it doesn’t work anymore.

Now that she had decided, Fang Minghua did not hesitate and handed the manuscript directly to Stanley Ho the next morning. As expected, Stanley Ho summoned Fang Minghua to her office in the afternoon.

The attitude is quite kind but the content of the words
  "Xiao Fang, this novel of yours is of a very low standard. How can it be understood in the fog? You should learn from Lu Yao, stick to the realistic creative path, and continue writing scar literature. Military novels are also acceptable."

"Editor He, I have been learning from Brother Lu."

Fang Minghua's attitude made Stanley Ho very satisfied.

"It doesn't matter, just write another one, I'm optimistic about you!"

Fang Minghua returned to the dormitory with his manuscript.

When he was about to get off work in the afternoon, Lu Yao came over specifically to ask Fang Minghua about the matter.

"How's it going? I heard that it didn't pass?"

Fang Minghua nodded.

"It doesn't matter. Although Editor He and I don't appreciate this writing technique, it doesn't mean that no one appreciates it. Listen to Pingwa and try another company." Lu Yao comforted.

"Brother Lu, where are you going to invest?" Fang Minghua asked.

""Contemporary". Zhang Ling, the editor of "Youth Literature", once urged me to write the second part of "Life", but I didn't write it, so I was embarrassed to submit it to her again, so I planned to submit it to "Contemporary"."

Speaking of this, Lu Yao laughed: "Both of my novellas were adopted by "Contemporary". I feel that "Contemporary" is my blessed place."

Superstitious about this?

In fact, there is a certain truth. Many magazine editors appreciate a certain writer's article, and the probability of his article being adopted is higher. After Lu Yao left, Fang Minghua made himself a cup of tea and thought about this issue.

According to Lu Yao's thinking, he only had two novels in this era, "Into the Dust" was submitted to "Yanhe", and the other "Youth" was adopted by both "People's Liberation Army Literature and Art" and "October" .

Now the editor-in-chief of Yanhe has made it clear that he refuses. It is obviously inappropriate to apply to "People's Liberation Army Literature and Art". This magazine mainly publishes novels and essays on military themes. Publishing a novel in the style of stream of consciousness is obviously not in line with the magazine's style.

Only "October" remains.

How about giving it a try?
  It's too late today, I'll send it out early tomorrow morning.

After riding home, my sister was also at home. After the whole family finished eating, my father went outside to play chess under the street lights, my mother went to visit, and my sister sat on a small stool with a radio and listened to English.

Good morning.
  Good morning.

Good morning.
  Good morning.

I'm looking for Mr.Robinson.
  I'm looking for Mr. Robinson.

Fang Mingli listened to the English program "Follow Me".

On January 1982, , CCTV introduced my country's first original version of the British BBC situational conversational English teaching program. Soon CCTV followed suit, and the streets and alleys in the country were filled with "London sound".

Fang Mingli is a loyal listener of the show.

Fang Minghua had nothing to do. He watched his sister reading aloud seriously, and suddenly thought of something: "Little sister, I wrote a new novel and just finished it. Do you want to read it?"

Fang Mingli knew that her brother was busy writing a new novel recently and often didn't go home. Now when she heard what he said, she immediately replied: "Okay."

She put down the radio, took the manuscript from her brother, and read it carefully.

Fang Minghua took the radio. He was not interested in English programs or anything like that. He randomly tuned the station and heard a man's voice.

"Yang Qilang rode alone to Youzhou to relieve the siege. He killed three gates. He was so tired that his flying armor was tilted, his robe was wavy, and his eyes were so hungry that golden flowers appeared. He asked Pan Renmei for food, but Pan Renmei wouldn't give it."

It's Shan Tianfang's long storytelling "Yang Family General"!
  This is interesting.

Fang Minghua held the radio and listened with great interest.

After a while, Fang Minghua just heard "If you want to know what happened, please listen to the explanation next time." At this time, his sister also raised her head and looked at him.

"Brother, I don't understand what you wrote."

"why?"

"I feel very confused and foggy. It seems like something is being said, but nothing is being said.

"This is what stream of consciousness we were talking about with the professor from the foreign college at the English Corner before the Chinese New Year last year?"

Fang Mingli thought of something and added something.

"Yes."

"Brother, I guess not many college students in our school can understand this novel."

This is true.

When Jiang Wen's movie was made, not many people understood it.

My sister continued to practice her accent with the radio, while Fang Minghua put away his speech notes and thought about this issue.

"Among the young people, no one really understands?"

Fang Minghua suddenly thought of Song Tangtang in southern Xinjiang. Can she understand?
  Didn't she write that if she wrote a good novel, let her read it?

Send it to her?
  No, going back and forth for at least twenty days is really a waste of time.

Do you want another copy?
  Fortunately, it’s only 50,000 words.
  Revise as you copy, go over the manuscript again, and strive for perfection.

This shot must be fired!

Now that he had decided, Fang Minghua stayed in the house for a while, then rode to his work, made tea and started revising it seriously.

Stay up late.

As soon as possible.

　Thanks to Guan Hamburg and Book Friends 20190214183755410 for their monthly votes.
  　　
  　
  (End of this chapter)