Backtracking to the Age of Literature and Art

Chapter 211 Zombie Passion

"Actually, I think biopunk like "The Last City" can develop well. As far as I know, there are not many such novels abroad. We can take a different path."

In Yang Xiao's office, at the beginning of the meeting, He Hongwei was the first to speak and expressed his suggestion.

Yang Peng retorted: "Biopunk can indeed find another way, and my brother is indeed good at writing, but there is not much room for expansion of this kind of theme. In addition, other authors of this type of biopunk are not very familiar with it, and many of them are It’s only after reading "The Last City" that I understand it. It is obviously not appropriate to let such a subject matter be the direction of the magazine’s manuscripts."

He Hongwei frowned and thought about it, but he didn't think of how to refute Yang Peng's words.

Yang Peng is right. Themes such as biopunk have high requirements for authors and readers, and are not suitable for expansion.Maybe everyone is writing and writing, and in the end they can't get rid of the influence of "The Last City".

Yang Xiao looked at Yu Dong and Hu Changqing, "What suggestions do you two have?"

"I think what they both said has some truth. In fact, we can choose one of them. Instead of doing biopunk, we focus on biological science fiction. Now "Resident Evil" is so popular, although it is not a typical biological science fiction, but It should trigger a wave of biological science fiction.” Hu Changqing said.

Yang Xiao and the others had considered Hu Changqing's proposal before, after all, it was the easiest thing to do.

But still the same sentence, biological science fiction is not easy to grasp, and it is not easy to distinguish. Maybe the author writes it, and the readers don't think it is science fiction at all.

For example, Frank Herbert's "Dune" can be regarded as biological science fiction, but many people think it is not science fiction.

Some people define it as ecological science fiction, and others directly define it as fantasy novels, because there are many things that are unique to fantasy novels, such as prophets, witches...

"The Last City" also received some feedback that it doesn't look like science fiction. Some readers think that the setting inside is pure nonsense. Some readers also deduce that the reason why "Science Fiction World" didn't serialize this novel first is that Because it's not science fiction.

As the president, Yang Xiao must consider the reader's reaction.Biological science fiction can be published, but it cannot be published in large quantities, otherwise it will have a great impact on the journal itself.

"Biological science fiction is very good, but it's still a bit inappropriate for the newly developed reader base. It's a good thing to find another way, but the conditions are not sufficient now." Yang Xiao euphemistically rejected the direction of "biological science fiction".

"Why don't we just write Interstellar? This theme will never go out of date and has a wide range. When we were playing cards together the day before yesterday, we were discussing aliens." He Hongwei said.

"Oh, have you discussed it before?" Yang Xiao asked with interest.

Hu Changqing nodded, "It was indeed discussed. It was a casual chat during the game of cards. We discussed the existence of alien civilizations and other things. Xiao He is right. The theme of interstellar is never out of date. People are imagining the future In the end, it will definitely let the thoughts fly out of the earth. It’s just that this topic has always been the mainstream, and there is no need to make a special topic. Because even if you don’t make a special topic, most people’s manuscripts are also of this kind. "

Yang Xiao glanced at Yu Dong, and thought that this was not the case.

It turned out that, as Hu Changqing said, most of the submissions were interstellar novels.However, after "Second World" and "Prison No. [-]" became popular, it caused an upsurge in the virtual world. For a long time, the manuscripts of the virtual world were the most received in the agency.

Among them, "Seven Shells" won the first prize of this year's Galaxy Awards.

Now that "Resident Evil" is on fire, and with the previous "The Last City", maybe the editorial department will receive a lot of biochemical science fiction in a while.

"Interstellar has always been the mainstream, yes, but the current interstellar novels in China, whether it is the works we have received in the past two years or the works of previous predecessors, are mostly interstellar adventures. If this is really the topic, I hope that we will all work hard to make this piece truly mainstream and produce a batch of works that can be sold."

When Yang Xiao said this, he kept staring at Yu Dong.

Of the few people present here, needless to say He Hongwei and Hu Changqing, they have always written about this kind of subject matter, so naturally there is no problem.

Yang Peng has also written about interstellar themes, so it's probably okay.

Only Yu Dong has never written about this kind of subject.

Moreover, Yang Xiao most hopes to hear Yu Dong express his opinion. He has a relatively strong appeal in the sci-fi world. If he takes the lead in writing, the promotion of this topic will naturally get twice the result with half the effort.

"I think it's okay." Yu Dong nodded.

Yu Dong simply made Yang Xiao and Tan Kai overjoyed, and a smile appeared on Yang Xiao's face all of a sudden: "It seems that everyone is more interested in StarCraft, well, if there is no objection, we will decide StarCraft This topic. Let’s discuss the details next.”

The so-called details involve the manuscript fee.

In order to promote the topic, "Science Fiction World" must give some water to the authors, otherwise, just discussing these few sentences in the office today, there is really no guarantee, and everyone's motivation is not enough.

Several authors present here do not need to go through the ordinary submission channels, but go directly to special appointments.

As long as the manuscript is written in the scope of the topic, if the manuscript is passed, there will be additional remuneration.

In the end, Yang Xiao settled on the following: [-]% more than the special manuscript fee.

The [-]% of the manuscript remuneration did not stir up any ripples in Dong Dong's heart, but the others were very excited to hear it.

Especially two young men, Yang Peng and He Hongwei, who were still in school and had never seen a lot of money. Once the manuscript fee was increased by one-third, they didn't calculate how much it would cost. Anyway, they felt that it was quite a lot.

In fact, they can't hold the extra 30.00% for a long time.

Now that the topic has not been promoted, after the first two waves of manuscripts are sent out, it will inevitably cause an explosion of the same type of manuscripts, and then there will be no need for special appointments.

……

After returning to the hotel, Hu Changqing came to Yu Dong and said that he would stay in Rongcheng for a few days to get together with his friends and let Yu Dong go back first.

"Going to drink again?" Yu Dong smiled, "Old Hu, are you being too strictly controlled by your sister-in-law at home, and you let yourself go when you come out?"

"It's nonsense, I'm not under her control, it's just that the kindness of my old friends here is too much."

When Hu Changqing said this, he was looking in the direction of Nanjing, as if a courtier mentioned that the emperor was about to cup his fists.

"Understood, understood."

"Oh, by the way, I forgot to ask you these two days, how is your new novel, has "Contemporary" accepted it?"

"It is accepted, but there are still some things to be changed."

Hu Changqing smiled and said, "Just accept it, and if they tell you to change it, you can change it. When Principal Wu hangs you on the wall in the future, there will be an extra magazine in the introduction."

"Old Hu, you are also a well-known writer. Can you be more accurate in your expression? What do you mean by hanging me on the wall? I have to make up a posthumous photo if I look back." Yu Dong said angrily.

"Spoken words, just understand the meaning. If you go back to Jinling now, Feiyu should be at school. When I left Jinling, he said he would stay at school for a week."

Yu Dong was a little puzzled, "Why is he still in school?"

"I'm having trouble with his lover. I guess his lover will be transferred to our school next year."

"Yeah, that's a good thing, why are you making trouble?"

Bi Feiyu told Yu Dong about this matter several times. He got married two years after graduating from university. His wife was a classmate. He used to teach in a middle school in Yangzhou.

But it is not a thing to live apart in different places, so Bi Feiyu has always wanted his wife to come to Jinling.

"When transferred to our school, I'm afraid I can only do clerical work, and I won't be able to teach for a while. I guess there will be conflicts because of this. His wife has always been in the front line of education, and he probably doesn't want to be in the office every day." Then Hu Changqing posed Waving his hand, "every family has a difficult scripture - Fei Yu got married two years after graduation, and you have also graduated for more than two years, when will you invite us to a wedding wine? Have you met Xiao Cheng's parents? Didn't pass the test?"

"..."

Yu Dong didn't expect the topic to be brought to him all of a sudden, he packed his luggage with his head down, and ignored Hu Changqing.

Hu Changqing glanced at Yu Dong with a smile, "Okay, then I'll go first."

……

Before Yu Dongren arrived in Jinling, He Qizhi had already seen the news of the "Resident Evil" signing event in Yanjing.

Seeing the news that more than 1000 people attended the signing day, He Qizhi squinted his eyes and looked back and forth at the word "one thousand" several times, and finally confirmed that he read it correctly, it was one thousand.

"Hey, what a big bomb."

A few days ago, the Humanities Society just arranged a signing event for Chen Zhongshi. Six to seven hundred people came to the scene, which already made He Qizhi feel that the scene was very lively.Now in a blink of an eye, Yu Dong held a signing event in Rongcheng, and more than 700 people attended it. One can imagine how surprised he was.

After reading the news, He Qizhi ran outside to find Li Yong: "Xiao Li, has Yu Dong called you back these two days?"

Li Yong looked at He Qizhi with some surprises, "It's only been a week, so I can't reply so quickly. I guess he is busy with the Galaxy Awards ceremony and signing event, so he may have to wait a few more days for a reply." .”

He Qizhi nodded, "Well, you should keep an eye on this matter, and also remind you. It is impossible not to remind such a long story."

"Uh, well, I see."

Li Yong nodded hesitantly. He didn't know what the editor-in-chief He was doing today. He obviously said that there was no need to rush a novel, and it was normal to spend two or three months on it. Why did he let himself rush now?

But since the leader had spoken, he followed suit.

Then he went to find the landline and called Yu Dong. He called the school number first, but no one answered.He called the family again, but Yu Dong's father picked him up, saying that he hadn't returned to Shanghai and would go to Jinling to stay for a few days.

……

When Li Yong called, Yu Dong had just left the train station.

Passing by the bookstall next to the station, Yu Dong wanted to buy a copy of "Yangzi Evening News", but the boss mysteriously sold him another book: "Young man, the new "Zombie Passion" is very exciting. , would you like a copy?"

Zombie Passion?The content is particularly exciting?

Yu Dong's first reaction was because after "Resident Evil" became popular, someone followed suit and wrote it. There was a poster that mentioned the word zombie.

These guys are pretty fast.

Yu Dong glanced at the cover of the book meaningfully. There was a blunt little figure painting on it, which was very inappropriate for children and could not be described.

He looked to the side again, and under the four characters of "Zombie Passion", there was the word "Yu Dong".

What?
Is Yu Dong stupid?This group of people are so courageous, they directly wrote their names on it, without any cover-up?

Others at least play around with "Jin Yong's new works", "Jin Yong's great works", and "Jin Yong's original works".

Rampant, too rampant!
"This is written by a leading writer in the science fiction world. I heard that it has sold tens of millions of copies in the United States. The book is not expensive. It costs three yuan and fifty cents. Do you want it?" The boss patted the book and said, "This is a genuine book. , came from a special channel, look here... the original price is 16 yuan. Three five yuan... such a thick book, even if it is sold as waste paper, it will not exceed this price. Look at the painting on the cover, but it was written by a master , tsk tsk, this painter, this line..."

Yu Dong smiled, the idiom "catch a knife to write for you" is very spiritual.

"Let me consider."

Yu Dong took a copy, opened it and looked at it, just after reading a line, a mouthful of old blood almost spewed out.

This is not a follow-up work at all, but "Resident Evil" has changed its name, put on a book cover, and is a pirated book.The content inside is the same as that of "Resident Evil", and the font layout is also the same as that of the original "Resident Evil".

The speed at which this pirated book came out is amazing!

"Brother, do you want to buy it or not? If you don't buy it, don't read it. Knowledge is precious. If you want to get it, you have to pay." Seeing that Yu Dong didn't buy it, the boss said something impatiently, but it was justified. strict.

Yu Dong didn't say whether he would buy it or not, and asked with a smile: "Brother, let me ask you a question, when did this book come out, and is it good for sale?"

"It came out this morning. I'm not afraid to tell you. Just this day, it sold more than ten copies. You can say whether it will sell well or not." The boss squinted at Yu Dong, waved his hand and said, "I can see that, you don't even know how to sell it." I don’t want to buy it, go and go, don’t delay my business.”

At this time, another passenger came over, and the boss greeted warmly: "Young man, come and see, these are all newly published books in the past two years."

The young man came closer and saw the cover of "Zombie Passion" at a glance, but he didn't go to get "Zombie Passion" immediately, but first took a newspaper from the booth, and then picked up a copy of "Zombie Passion" to cover it. Underneath the newspaper, "I want these two."

"Four yuan...not more, not less, exactly four yuan, brother, go slowly."

When they left, the boss looked at Yu Dong: "What are you looking at me for?"

"It's nothing, I was just wondering why the newspaper is so expensive, it costs fifty cents."

The boss smiled, "This is called the relationship between supply and demand, understand?"

"sharp."

Yu Dong cupped his fists and left with his backpack.

　Thanks to [Wandering Today] for the 100 reward
　　
　
(End of this chapter)