Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 130 Go to Qidian Chinese website to guide the work
Zhao Changtian barely managed to hold back the words "ancestral foundation..." and asked in anger, "Are you trying to usurp our throne?"

Zhang Chao thought for a moment and said, "Actually, it would be more accurate to say 'change the cage and replace the bird'."

What cage, what bird, your whole family is a bird! You are the ones who should change!

Li Qigang saw that the atmosphere was getting tense, and he said quickly, "Zhang Chao, you should at least give us a good reason, right? Do you think you can do whatever you want just because you have high sales?"

Zhang Chao complained in his heart: "Magazines really can do whatever they want just because they have high sales..." But of course he couldn't say that out loud. He sorted out his thoughts before saying, "I'm also thinking about New Sprouts magazine."

Zhao Changtian sneered.

Zhang Chao ignored it and continued, "As for what you just said - the 'print media winter', everyone can feel it themselves. Behind the winter is the shift in reading habits.

Without me, the high sales of New Sprouts will only last for one or two years at most. Do you really think the policy of offering first prizes to universities for special recruitment of "New Concepts" can continue forever? As long as this policy is cancelled, the sales of New Sprouts will definitely drop drastically."

Li Qigang wanted to open his mouth to refute, but was stopped by Zhao Changtian's eyes.

Zhang Chao went on to say: “Since the 90s, literary journals have fallen into a long period of decline, and the popularity of New Sprouts is just a flash in the pan thanks to external forces.

So don’t be fooled by the fact that “Youth” is selling well. Believe it or not, as long as I’m no longer the editor-in-chief, the sales will be cut in half very quickly—or even cut to the ground at all!”

Li Qigang couldn't help but ask, "You are so pessimistic, why are you still working so hard? Doing charity?"

Zhang Chao sneered: "The reason why the age limit for authors of Youth is 22 years old is a marketing strategy. In addition to more accurately positioning the market, it mainly serves as an incubator for new authors.

For example, Shuang Xuetao, who has contributed excellent works for three consecutive issues, will be "overage" next year. Will he really be allowed to "go to the mountains"?
So in addition to Youth, we also need a magazine to welcome "grown-up" authors. The goal of this magazine is completely different from Youth. Do you think the current New Sprout can handle these authors? "

Zhao Changtian and Li Qigang looked at each other in bewilderment. The main point that New Sprouts magazine has been criticized for in recent years is that it is becoming more and more childish.

Zhang Chao said: "The era of making money just by writing books is about to pass. This era is not good at all, because too many people write novels on an empty stomach. What we need to do is to connect literary works with the broader cultural industry. Just like every work of mine can derive by-products such as novels and comics...

Only in this way can we fully tap the potential of authors and the needs of readers. An author may have average writing skills, but can make an excellent comic script; a reader may be impatient to read text, but will enjoy a 3-minute animated film.

Literary magazines should become the starting point and incubator for creative literary products, rather than just living off the little money from selling magazines..."

Zhang Chao talked nonstop for 20 minutes, and what he actually said was exactly the route Xiao Si wanted to take. Xiao Si almost succeeded, but in the end he had to bow out sadly because of his greed and the mistakes he made in his early years.

Zhang Chao concluded: "If we don't change, within five years, traditional literary journals will be completely defeated by online fiction websites."

Zhao Changtian and Li Qigang were stunned and asked, "Online novels? Are you talking about the website created by the unreliable young people next door?"

Zhang Chao: "Next door?"

Li Qigang nodded and said, "It's next door, Qidian Chinese Network. At the beginning, there were only six or seven guys, and the office was just two rooms, just downstairs from us. Recently, it seems to have been acquired by some big company, and the scale has expanded a bit, with dozens of people, so they rented a larger space in the office building next door.

A few months ago, they wanted to invite Xiao Si and Han Han to their website to start serialization through us. They came to talk several times. But who will give them good books? It takes less than two minutes to put it online, and it will be available on pirated websites. What is the difference between giving it to them and giving it to pirated websites? "After listening to Zhang Chao, he paused and said, "I don't plan to accept the 'cage-changing bird' thing now, but what I just said, you two should think more about it - hey, just now you said that they had contacted "New Sprout" before? Are you still in contact now?"

Li Qigang couldn't accept Zhang Chao's high-speed cornering for a while, and after a while he said: "Why, do you want to...?"

Zhang Chao nodded and said, "I want to go and have a look. I usually get a lot of free stuff... I'm quite curious about their works. Anyway, the issue of the publication number is stuck here, and I'm in Shanghai now, so I might as well do something else."

Zhao Changtian thought for a moment before saying, "That's easy. I'll arrange it for you."

The next day, Zhang Chao did not go to the office of New Sprouts, but spent the day strolling around Shanghai, visiting old houses, old churches, and the Bund. In the evening, he received a call from editor-in-chief Zhao Changtian: "It has been arranged. I will go with you tomorrow morning."

The next morning, Zhang Chao washed up and arrived at the office of New Sprout on time. Zhao Changtian was already waiting there. When he saw Zhang Chao, he waved and said, "I'll go with you."

Zhang Chao said, "Don't bother. Just say hello and I'll go take a look."

Zhao Changtian said, "That won't work. You don't have a clear understanding of your own importance yet. If you just go there casually, people will misunderstand you."

Zhang Chao had no choice but to follow Zhao Changtian and walk a few dozen meters to the office building of Qidian Chinese Network. After going upstairs, when the elevator door opened, there was a large red banner:

Warmly welcome the famous young writer Zhang Chao to visit Qidian.com for guidance

In front of the banner was a spirited young man. As soon as Zhang Chao got out of the elevator, he stepped forward, shook his hand tightly, and introduced himself: "I am Wu Wenhui from Qidian, my pen name is 'Heart of Darkness', and I am from the class of 2000 at Yanda."

Zhang Chao said quickly, "So it's you, senior. This banner has been passed. I just came to take a look. How can I not use 'come to guide the work'?"

Wu Wenhui said: "It's not an exaggeration. I should thank you for coming this time. It gives us the opportunity to enter the mainstream media."

Zhang Chao looked over and saw that there were indeed several reporters taking photos nearby, so he took a photo with Wu Wenhui without hesitation.

Then the senior student took Zhang Chao to visit Qidian.com's office area and introduced Qidian's recent development.

"Last year, Shanda Group acquired Qidian. With the financial support, we have been developing very fast recently."

"In February this year, we introduced the 'monthly ticket' system in the industry. From then on, online literary works have had a golden thread for evaluation."

"Last year, writer Xuehong received 120 million yuan in royalties. This year, the royalties for online writers have increased again. This month, the royalties we pay to all writers on Qidian are expected to exceed 100 million yuan."

Zhang Chao praised: "It's more than a month longer than mine - Qidian is developing really fast!"

Wu Wenhui: “…”

Then he pretended not to hear Zhang Chao's words and said, "Let's go sit in the meeting room first..."

Zhao Changtian walked silently behind Zhang Chao without saying a word. Although he didn't know why Zhang Chao was suddenly so interested in this crappy website, he didn't forget his previous determination:
When you can't see clearly what Zhang Chao wants to do, put your brain aside and just follow him!
(End of this chapter)