Literary Master 1978.

Chapter 29 Talent is shining

Zhou Yanru calculated clearly that Lin Chaoyang had half a month to revise "The Horse Shepherd". Although the time was a bit tight for a novice author, she felt that with Lin Chaoyang's talent, it should not be a problem.

"What manuscript do you have? You haven't even revised it yet!"

"Right away. Very soon."

Lin Chaoyang said this, ignoring her reaction, he took out the pen from his chest pocket, squatted on the bench in the triangle and began to write furiously.

Zhou Yanru was stunned by his inexplicable behavior, and Chen Jiangong beside her was also a little confused.

They both understood that Lin Chaoyang was revising the manuscript, but what did he mean by holding Zhou Yanru and not letting her leave?
How fast is “soon”?

Is it possible that Zhou Yanru could just take the revised manuscript and leave today?
With such doubts in mind, Zhou Yanru and Chen Jiangong stood beside the chairs waiting. For fear of disturbing Lin Chaoyang's train of thought, they did not dare to speak and could only focus their eyes on the manuscript that Lin Chaoyang was revising.

Pfft~ One line has been modified!

Huh~ Another paragraph has been revised!

Swish, swish, swish~This page has been modified!

Zhou Yanru has always felt that Lin Chaoyang is an author with great creative talent. His performance today has refreshed her perception. How could someone revise a manuscript so quickly?
There is almost no embellishment in the text, and the writing is fluent.

"Yenching Literature and Art" receives a large number of manuscripts, but most of them have some problems to varying degrees. Revising manuscripts is a normal thing. Zhou Yanru communicates with local or non-local authors who come to Beijing to revise their manuscripts almost every day.

The creative efficiency of these authors varies, but they all have one problem: they revise their manuscripts very slowly.

Deleting a few of their words is like taking their lives. This cannot be changed, that cannot be touched.

He didn't go into detail about the structure, but was very diligent in picking out the words.

The only thing missing is to engrave the words "I write articles that will be passed down through the ages" on my forehead.

The most terrifying thing is that some authors, in the process of revising, they break down, their confidence collapses, and they have no idea what they are saying.

For a manuscript of 18,000 words, it is normal for an experienced author to spend three to five days or a week to revise it. But if it is a novice, he needs hands-on guidance, which may take him half a month or a month.

Zhou Yanru gave Lin Chaoyang half a month, and even without her guidance, which really showed that she recognized his ability.

But she didn't expect that she still underestimated Lin Chaoyang.

This speed...

Zhou Yanru watched Lin Chaoyang finish revising another page of the manuscript and couldn't help but look at her watch.

It's only been twenty minutes and I've already finished three pages. I changed four places in total, and the number of words modified, added or reduced exceeded four hundred.

Four hundred words in twenty minutes may not seem like a lot, but the problem is that this is not just copying new words, but rather manuscript revision that requires deep thinking!
Let’s not talk about the quality first. The speed alone is enough to make most authors ashamed.

Chen Jiangong had already started to check the manuscript when Lin Chaoyang had finished revising the first page. He carefully read every part marked in red handwriting on the page.

"How is it?" Zhou Yanru asked him in a low voice.

“It’s a great change!”

Fast and good?

Zhou Yanru took the manuscript from Chen Jiangong with some disbelief and read it more carefully than Chen Jiangong, almost sticking her eyes into the letter paper. Today is Sunday, and Yanyuan is full of energetic figures and their youthful shouts.

But in the small space around the bench in the triangle, the only sound of silence was the rustling sound of Lin Chaoyang's pen.

Zhou Yanru gently placed the letter paper back on the bench, pressed it with the pen cap, waved to Chen Jiangong, and the two walked to a place not far from Lin Chaoyang to make sure not to disturb him.

After a long silence, Chen Jiangong asked, "Teacher Zhou, Chaoyang's performance should be considered 'quick thinking', right?"

Zhou Yanru did not answer him, but just looked at Lin Chaoyang's back and suddenly started talking about something irrelevant.

"When Yenching Literature and Art was first published, we had few staff and not many manuscripts to write. It was a very difficult time. Whenever we were about to publish a manuscript, it was like the New Year for a poor family, with no time to spare.

Sometimes when they were pressed to the limit, the editors would say: "There is really nothing decent, Lao Zhao, please write one."

Lao Zhao never shirks his responsibility. He says that since he is paying for the articles, it would be better for the money to stay in the family.

Every time he would drink a little wine, eat a bowl of wontons, draw some symbols on paper, draw a few crisscross lines, and then write without stopping, and in one go, he would create a masterpiece. "

While Zhou Yanru was talking to herself, Chen Jiangong did not say anything, but listened with great interest. He was quite familiar with Yenching Literature and Art, and knew that the "Old Zhao" Zhou Yanru mentioned was Mr. Zhao Shuli, the novelist and founder of the Shan Yaodan School.

He was also the editor of "Yenching Literature and Art" back then, and he was still in charge of "Yenching Literature and Art" after Mr. Lao She's death.

“That’s how The Registration was published.”

Zhou Yanru said this and looked at Lin Chaoyang who was squatting beside a bench and writing furiously. "Anyone with extraordinary talent can usually compose a poem off the cuff. Not to mention Cao Zhi who could compose a poem in seven steps, there are very few writers in the world who can write a masterpiece over a glass of wine like Lao Zhao. Chaoyang..."

At this point, she paused.

It was difficult for her to judge Lin Chaoyang's situation. She didn't dare to say that Lin Chaoyang's talent could be compared with Zhao Shuli, but at least she was sure that he had the potential. After all, he was only a twenty-year-old young man with little writing experience.

Zhou Yanru didn't finish her words, but Chen Jiangong could hear her admiration and appreciation for Lin Chaoyang.

He is also a novelist and fully understands Zhou Yanru's feelings. When he is writing, he may spend hours on a certain sentence, and write an article over and over again. After several days of hard work, he may only write 1,800 words, and he is not satisfied with it no matter how he looks at it.

By comparing my own situation with Lin Chaoyang, I knew how terrifying he was. Often, an unintentional flash of talent could make a huge difference.

Moreover, editing is different from writing. Writing is a process of thoughts flowing freely, just like the ocean. But editing is like writing an eight-part essay. You have to use your talent within certain rules and break out of your own inherent thinking.

In his opinion, the manuscript of "The Horse Shepherd" was already very good, but Zhou Yanru still found a lot of problems. The most terrible thing was that Lin Chaoyang revised it very quickly and without any hesitation.

Chen Jiangong admired him but also felt a little ashamed. He had wanted to give Lin Chaoyang some pointers before.

An hour passed quickly. Lin Chaoyang stood up, stomped his feet which were almost numb from squatting, screwed the cap on his pen and put it back in his pocket, and sorted out the manuscript.

"Old Zhou, please take a quick look and see if the modification is okay."

Zhou Yanru silently read through the revisions and said, "The revisions are very good."

"That's all." Lin Chaoyang said this as he ran out. "Let's not talk about it for now. We'll talk again if there's anything else."

Zhou Yanru held the manuscript in her hand and asked Chen Jiangong, "Why is he in such a hurry?"

"You don't know, Chaoyang is a very ambitious person."

(End of this chapter)