Mixed in 1980

Chapter 52 Chen Fan's Editorial Collection

Chapter 51: Editorial Collection

It’s not that I make little money, it’s that I can’t help spending money!

This was the conclusion Chen Fan came to after counting the money. Even if he wanted to publish a collection of essays and get money from both serialization and publishing, he still had a long way to go before he could buy a courtyard house.

Unless you are willing to go to the suburbs, the courtyard houses there are indeed cheap, and you can probably buy a small courtyard house with only a few thousand dollars.

"What are you busy with?"

Xu Jinqiu walked in and saw him calculating the accounts. She came over curiously, took a look at the writing paper on the table, and immediately understood.

Walking behind Chen Fan, he gently pressed his temples: "Our family is well off now, don't put pressure on yourself, making money is not something that can be done overnight."

Chen Fan turned around while sitting, put his arms around his wife, and leaned his head against her: "Isn't it that we want to move out earlier? We can also have some private space."

"You're courting death!"

Feeling a strange sensation in her chest, Xu Jinqiu blushed instantly and quickly pushed the person away: "The door is not closed, aren't you afraid that Yuanyuan will suddenly run in?"

"Shall I close the door?"

"Comrade Chen Fan, what are you thinking about every day?"

Xu Jinqiu was so angry that she laughed. She turned around with a blushing face and continued to help Zhao Yuanyuan clean up.

This person is becoming more and more indecent.

Fortunately, Zhao Yuanyuan was allowed to move in, otherwise someone might have accidentally caused an accident one day.

Chen Fan smiled and continued to think about how to make money.

Xu Jinqiu was right when he said that making money is not something that can be done overnight.

Reform and opening up is a relatively long process. The upper echelons are still groping for the truth. There is no need to be too anxious to make money, or you may easily step into the line of speculation.

If you want to make money, the safest way is to write honestly.

Chen Fan decided to be diligent.

After morning exercise the next day, Chen Fan took the manuscript and went straight to Beijing Publishing House.

There is such a bridge in the TV series "Lush":
Yu Zecheng determined the hiding place of the traitor Yuan Peilin and came to Tongyuan Bookstore to report to Manager Luo. Manager Luo decided to find someone to inspect the goods and agreed with Yu Zecheng that if it was verified that the person was Yuan Peilin, a sign announcing the arrival of "Shituo's Collected Works" would be hung at the door of the bookstore.

Similar scenes often appear in film and television works.

In reality, there is such a bookstore called Peking Mass Bookstore. On the surface, it is a bookstore, but in fact it is an underground communication station for intelligence personnel.

This bookstore is the predecessor of Beijing Publishing House.

When it comes to Jingcheng Publishing House, many people are relatively unfamiliar with it, but its "October" magazine is very famous. Like "People's Literature" and "Contemporary", it is a first-line magazine.

The person who received Chen Fan was the editor-in-chief Yu Shouren, and it was he who wrote to Chen Fan to ask for an article.

"Comrade Chen Fan, I've been looking forward to seeing you here for a long time." Yu Shouren enthusiastically took Chen Fan to his office.

Looking at the office, which was spacious but with ordinary decoration, Chen Fan couldn't help but secretly complain about People's Literature. Wang Wei was also the editor-in-chief, but he didn't even have an office. He was really poor!

"Editor-in-Chief Yu, I just wanted to prepare the manuscript first so that we can communicate in person."

"Is the manuscript ready?"

Yu Shouren was surprised because the letter requesting the manuscript said it wanted 8 to 10 words.

This is no small project, especially for a short story, which requires constant changes in subject matter and ideas. Many people may not be able to complete it even after several months.

It’s only been a few days since Chen Fan received the letter, right?
"It's all written. Please take a look."

Chen Fan took out a file bag and pulled out a thick stack of manuscript paper from it: "The word count should have exceeded a lot. Those that do not meet your requirements can be screened out."

Yu Shouren took the manuscript and put it on the table. After serving tea to Chen Fan, he picked up the manuscript and started reading it. He just quickly skimmed through it the first time he read it. "Are they all editorials?"

Yu Shouren was a little surprised. Editorials are not easy to write. If you don't grasp the essence, it is easy to fail.

But soon, his eyes lit up and he secretly sighed: "Are all the young people nowadays so insightful? They can grasp various social phenomena so accurately."

The more I looked down, the more surprised I was.

Yu Shouren didn't know how to comment. Even though he was in his forties and considered himself knowledgeable, he still thought that he was not as insightful as Chen Fan.

The words and sentences used in the editorial are also very sharp, with the sharpness that is unique to young people.

The editorial is clear yet sharp, and it is a real pleasure to read. So much so that Wang Shouren spent more than two hours going through the manuscript carefully.

"Let's call the collection "Chen Fan's Social Commentary Collection"!"

When he spoke again, Yu Shouren no longer talked about the manuscript, but the issue of publication.

Every manuscript like this is a masterpiece, and it is not like what Chen Fan said, where some are screened out because the word count exceeds the limit. No single word can be left out.

Yu Shouren selected three articles, totaling about 20,000 words: "These few articles will be kept as manuscripts for the collection of editorials, and the others can be submitted."

Chen Fan had no objection, and mentioned in passing that the editorial scolding the third brother, in addition to being serialized in People's Literature, would also be included in another collection of essays later.

This was promised to Wang Wei before.

Yu Shouren had no objection to this. It was not uncommon for a manuscript to be included in different collections at different times. It was fine as long as it was clearly stated in the contract.

Yu Shouren immediately asked someone to prepare the contract and settle the royalties with Chen Fan, and agreed that the collection of essays would be on the shelves on July 7. Now it is the end of May, and the schedule is very tight.

The main reason is that Chen Fan’s popularity has been too hot recently. With the two editorials "Moral Kidnapping" and "Ineffective Apology", his fame has been catching up with first-line writers.

Even the old men and women on the streets are discussing these things.

However, the uncles and aunts are quite dissatisfied with Chen Fan's classification of "I'm doing this for your own good" and "I've eaten more salt than you have eaten rice" as moral kidnapping.

They all agreed that Chen Fan did not understand the old man's good intentions.

During the conversation, Chen Fan also said that the editorial "Stay Away from the Virgin Heart" would be published in the People's Daily again, which would definitely trigger public opinion again and become another popular editorial.

Taking advantage of this momentum to launch a new book will definitely maximize profits.

The People's Literature Publishing House is doing the same thing. They are rushing to launch the first half of "The Most Beautiful Youth" in the hope of taking advantage of this momentum to sell more books.

"Brother Yu, let's talk about this for today. Find someone to copy the book. I'll come to get the manuscript in two days and then submit it." Chen Fan said.

"Just come pick up the manuscript the day after tomorrow. It's already lunchtime, so have a meal before you leave."

Yu Shouren looked at his watch and it was already past twelve o'clock. Despite Chen Fan's polite refusal, he insisted on taking Chen Fan to the state-owned restaurant next door and had several drinks with him.

After eating and drinking, Yu Shouren waved for a tricycle, took Chen Fan to the car, paid the fare, and then turned back.

Chen Fan was a little flattered. This brother was too polite!
By the time the tricycle arrived at Maoer Hutong, it was already past three in the afternoon. Xu Jinqiu and Zhao Yuanyuan had gone to work next door, and the others were in the backyard, busy making sweet cucumber sauce.

Chen Min and his wife took over the business and quickly managed it. They also bought more than a dozen pickle jars, making it clear that they wanted to expand the scale.

Chen Fan went back to the house to put things away and also helped. Zhang Yunze went to the countryside these two days and brought back a lot of cucumbers and some other vegetables, trying to increase the variety.

This couple is addicted to making money.

Gradually, they began to behave like businessmen. Once they relaxed in all aspects, it was no longer easy for the couple to suffer losses when they entered the business circle.

I was busy until after four o'clock, and the people in the yard next door had also finished get off work.

Zeng Ali also came over, rolled up her sleeves, walked with her long legs, squatted in front of Chen Fan, and helped wash the cucumbers in a very busy manner.

It was just that the shirt was too loose, and when he bent over, a hint of whiteness inevitably showed: "Uncle Xu asked me to bring you a message, to ask you something."

(End of this chapter)