Writer 1978: I Need to Give the Literary World a Lesson

Chapter 24 You Will Definitely Become a Great Writer (Please Read On)

After standing in front of the cultural center for a while, Liu Yimin reluctantly returned to the guesthouse for a nap. He had stayed up very late the night before, constantly thinking about the report he was preparing.

This wasn't too difficult for Liu Yimin; in his previous life, he studied Chinese language and literature, and had a relatively good understanding of the literary thought and creations of each era. His reports were more theoretical than practical, recounting impressive but unclear experiences to elicit enthusiastic applause from the audience.

Since the cultural center is so sincere, let's give the literary circles of Ruxian County a lesson first!
He had just fallen asleep in bed when a deafening clap of thunder jolted him awake. The sun, which hadn't yet managed to peek out from behind the clouds, was now hidden behind thick, dark clouds, and the thunder gradually intensified.

The bright sky began to darken, and the streets looked like evening.

"Please don't let it be just a downpour!" Liu Yimin murmured.

The torrential rain came and went quickly. Moreover, the intense rain easily washed away the soil, stripping away surface nutrients. In addition, Maiji Brigade is mostly mountainous, so a heavy rain wouldn't retain much water.

The best solution to this severe drought in Ru County is still continuous moderate rain.

Liu Yimin slung his bag over his shoulder and ran towards the cultural center; if he waited until it started raining, he wouldn't make it in time. Fortunately, the cultural center was already open, but there were still hardly any people there.

No wonder Yu Hua wanted to work at the cultural center when she was a dentist; the people there are really lazy. On her first day of work, Yu Hua deliberately arrived two hours late, only to find herself the first one there.

He felt at that moment that he had made the right choice in joining this company.

At this moment, Liu Yimin felt the same way. However, he was destined not to be here; he had already filled out his college application form.

About half an hour later, many people rode their bicycles into the courtyard of the cultural center in a hurry. As they parked, they looked up at the dark, cloud-covered sky with lingering fear.

"Luckily we arrived early, otherwise the rain might have hit us!"

"I don't think it will rain; it's all bark and no bite!"

"What do you know? The meteorological department said a long time ago that there would be heavy rain. The Revolutionary Committee members are all on standby in the building. How many little green flags are hanging on the flagpole? There are also little yellow flags. The Revolutionary Committee members are all preparing for flood prevention."

As they were talking, they suddenly noticed something was wrong. The raindrops pelted them heavily, starting sparsely but then becoming more and more frequent, making the roof tiles of the cultural center clatter loudly.

"Is everyone here?" Old Zhang patted his slightly damp Zhongshan suit, counted the members of the creative team, and found that everyone was present.

"Yimin, now you can share your creative experience with these people in the museum. If you're not ready, you can do it in a few days." Old Zhang patted Liu Yimin on the shoulder, afraid that he might get stage fright.

It is indeed a bit rushed for a young person.

"Old Zhang, it's nothing. I was just talking casually. If there's anything wrong, please feel free to point it out."

In the creative team's office, there was a blackboard on which Liu Yimin wrote in a few strokes: "The Roots of Literary Works!"

Just as they were about to begin their lecture, there was a knock at the door. Old Liang, holding an umbrella, pushed the door open and walked in. Standing at the door, he said with a smile, "Director, Yimin, our comrades from the folk art creation group and the cultural relics protection group also want to come and listen."

"Let them all come; it's a rare opportunity for them to learn." Old Zhang was a little surprised; he hadn't seen these people so enthusiastic in meetings before. As soon as Old Zhang finished speaking, more than a dozen people poured in, and the spacious office suddenly felt cramped.

Everyone stared at Liu Yimin with curiosity, then whispered among themselves, thinking to themselves that he was too young!

"Young man, what do you mean by the roots of literature?" Old Li snorted lightly. This young man was far too arrogant.

Liu Yimin said with a hidden barb, "Old comrade, don't rush. I'll explain it to everyone slowly. After I finish, there will be plenty of time for discussion!"

I saw this old man looking defiant yesterday, and I never expected him to pick a fight with me first today!
"Ahem! Everyone, quiet down and listen carefully. If you're so capable, why don't you publish an article in 'People's Literature'?" Old Zhang was a little angry. He was really angry. It was one thing for Old Li to grumble occasionally, but today he started picking a fight right from the beginning.

Liu Yimin smiled slightly at Lao Zhang and began to speak: "When the word 'literature' is mentioned, ordinary people feel that the word is very lofty and far removed from themselves. I believe that everyone here feels the same way."

In life, anyone who touches even a little bit of 'literature' will feel different from ordinary people, that they are a writer. But I want to say that 'literature' should be down-to-earth; literary works should be close to the people and close to real life. It is not a castle in the air; it cannot be based on mere imagination.

This is what the instructor meant when he said, "The question of 'for whom' is a fundamental question in literature and art." For our works to have vitality, they must be rooted in the masses.

We must understand who our works are for—the people. This is the essence of literature. Some writers use language that others cannot understand, believing that incomprehensibility equates to sophistication.

In fact, when writing novels, the language should be plain, easy to understand, and natural for the reader. Simple language has power; it can even evoke emotional resonance in the reader. A successful novel is one that successfully draws the reader into its world.

It's raining outside, and many comrades are complaining that they might not be able to go home at noon. But as a farmer's son, I see both joy and worry in this rain. They're joyful because the crops in the fields can be saved, and worried because they fear the downpour will destroy them.

"I believe that if you want to write a good novel, sitting in this office is useless. You need to go down to the people and see for yourself. You might get different inspirations that way."

I believe many of you have also gone on field trips, but many writers do so from an outsider's perspective, without truly considering what the members were thinking or the stories behind their work.

What good articles can be written by criticizing or praising from an outsider's perspective? Only pointless whining and affectation!

"Clap clap clap!" Thunderous applause erupted inside the office, momentarily drowning out the sound of rain outside.

"The choice of subject matter is crucial. The quality of an article depends not only on its writing style but also on its subject matter. Subject matter is essentially the angle from which an article can be written. These angles can be broad, reflecting the times and the spirit of the era. Or they can be narrow, focusing on the minutiae of daily life. I've only been at our cultural center for less than a day, but I already feel there are countless stories that can be explored and developed."

Looking at the young man who showed no stage fright, Old Zhang realized that his composure alone surpassed that of many other young people.

After the speech, Old Zhang stood up and said loudly, "Yimin, you will become a great writer. I now invite you to join the cultural center. As long as you agree, the center will immediately process your job and household registration."

"We must recruit young people like this into our cultural center!"

"Such remarkable insights at such a young age!"

(End of this chapter)