Back to 80: My literary life.

Chapter 464 463 I no longer drink and if I quit smoking, what’s the fun in living?

"Brother Lu, let's talk a little longer." Fang Minghua tried to persuade him to stay.

"No, just go do your thing." Lu Yao said and walked out of the office.

After seeing Lu Yao off, Fang Minghua looked at it carefully.

It is a novella of about 80,000 words, describing the experiences of three pairs of young men and women, Wang Jianmin, Tu Xiujuan, Lin Qing and Yan Zi, in the 1970s.

They include both educated youth from Yanjing who went to the countryside to work and Qinbei natives. In that special era, the suppressed human nature and the desire for freedom erupted under an old locust tree in the loess gully.

Fang Minghua spent a whole day reading the novel three times before calling Bai Miao.

When Bai Miao came in, Fang Minghua picked up the manuscript and handed it to him: "This is a novel written by Lu Yao. I have read it. You can take a look at it and then we can discuss it."

"Lu Yao is writing a novel again? Okay, I'll work overtime when I go back tonight, and we'll talk tomorrow morning." Bai Miao said as he took the manuscript.

The next morning, Bai Miao came to Fang Minghua's office early with the manuscript in his hand.

"Did you finish reading? Sit down."

Fang Minghua greeted him and poured him a cup of tea.

"How do you like it?"

"Lu Yao's novel is completely different from his previous novels." Bai Miao said straight to the point: "It has the shadow of scar literature, but it explores human nature more than blaming history. This is a bit like the characteristics of avant-garde novels."

Fang Minghua nodded in agreement and expressed his own opinion. "But it has a complete narrative structure and is essentially a realistic novel."

"Yes, but it is not the new realistic novel that we discussed at the meeting at the foot of Mount Hua last year. It has a certain magical color. It is obvious that Lu Yao is making some attempts to find a new writing style of his own. Of course, this style has not yet been finalized, so it seems a bit of a hodgepodge."

"That's true. So what do you think? Should this novel be published or not?" Fang Minghua asked again.

"You can publish it. If you don't, I think Lu Yao will collapse." Bai Miao said with a smile.

Fang Minghua understood what he meant.

It has been exactly two years since Lu Yao was hospitalized due to illness. After recovering from his illness, he has hardly written anything except a short story about the rule of law last spring.

Lu Yao took the initiative to withdraw the novel because it was not well written.

There is a saying in the literary world now that Lu Yao is in better health and has a better life, but his literary talent is gone, and that he has run out of ideas.

These words more or less reached his ears and caused him a certain amount of pressure.

He really needed a novel to prove that his talent was not dead as rumored, and that he could still write!
"How about this." Fang Minghua expressed his opinion: "I'll let Lu Yao take this novel back and revise it, and then publish it in the Editor's Recommendation column in February!"

Editor-in-chief column?

Bai Miao glanced at Fang Minghua and said nothing more, "I agree."

"Well, I'll call Lu Yao and ask him to come over."

At this time, Lu Yao was feeling restless at home.

After getting up in the morning and driving my Santana to send my daughter to school, I don't want to do anything when I get home.

I wonder if Minghua has finished reading that novel?
What are your thoughts after reading this?
Do you think it’s poorly written?
I've been writing novels for so many years, but I've never been as nervous as I am today.

It was as if he had returned to more than ten years ago, when he was still studying at Yanda University and felt the same way when he submitted an article to Yanhe for the first time.

He clearly remembered that it was a short story called "The Victorious Red Flag".

Fortunately, the novel was finally published in Yanhe. It was his first novel to be published publicly. He was 24 years old that year.

15 years have passed, and it seems like a reincarnation, back to the starting point.

At this moment, the landline phone on the cabinet in the living room suddenly rang, giving him a fright.

He hurried over and picked up the phone and heard a familiar voice coming from inside.

"Brother Lu, I'm Minghua. Are you free now? Come to my office and talk about the novel you wrote."

"I'll be here right away when I'm free."

Lu Yao hung up the phone, put on his coat, and hurried out of the house.

Ten minutes later, he appeared in Fang Minghua's office.

"Brother Lu, it's cold outside, right? Have some hot tea." Fang Minghua enthusiastically poured him a cup of tea.

Lu Yao took the teacup and held it in both hands, looking at the other party with a hint of nervousness in his eyes: "Minghua, my novel?"

"Bai Miao and I have read it, and it's generally good. We have decided to publish it, but some parts of it still need to be revised."

Fang Minghua's words made Lu Yao breathe a sigh of relief, and his tense body finally relaxed.

"Okay, how do you modify it?"

Fang Minghua did not hesitate to talk about what he had discussed with Bai Miao yesterday and pointed out a passage in the novel.

"This paragraph of narration is a bit out of place. Brother Lu, are you eager to get rid of the shadow of writing "Ordinary World"?"

"Yes." Lu Yao did not hide it. He explained: "Although "Ordinary World" received a good response from readers, it was not highly praised by critics. They said that the expression method was outdated and the plot was old-fashioned. It was an extended version of "Life". I was really dissatisfied when I heard it at that time."

As Lu Yao spoke, he sighed, took out a pack of "narrow edition" cigarettes from his pocket and lit one.

"Brother Lu, you're smoking again? Didn't you quit?" Fang Minghua asked in surprise.

"How can you write without smoking?" Lu Yao said with a smile: "Besides, I don't drink anymore. If I quit smoking, what's the fun in living?"

Fang Minghua smiled and said nothing more.

Lu Yao took a puff and continued, "In the past two years, I have hardly written anything. Apart from reading a lot, I also calmed down and thought about this problem. Gradually, I feel that what others say does make sense. In this case, I have to change and change my writing style. Otherwise, what I write will be another "Ordinary World" or "Life"."

"You're right. Writing is a painful process of seeking innovation and change to surpass oneself. Let's go back to this novel. I suggest you remove this paragraph or write it from a different angle. You are very good at realistic narration. Don't lose this good tradition."

"Okay, I'll follow your advice and make some changes when I get back."

"And this paragraph." The two talked for more than an hour before they finished discussing the entire novel.

"Minghua, I'll go back now and make the changes according to what we discussed, and then you can take a look at it." Lu Yao said.

"Okay." Fang Minghua did not try to persuade him to stay: "Let's discuss it after the revision is completed. I plan to publish your novel in the February issue of the Editor's Recommendation once it is perfected."

Editor's recommendation?

Lu Yao was stunned for a moment, then he understood: "Thank you, Minghua."

"What are you thanking me for?" Fang Minghua said with a smile, "A good article should be published, and it should be on the headlines."

(End of this chapter)