I am a literary giant in Russia

Chapter 13: Collaboration with Nekrasov (Please read it on Tuesday!)

As for this man Nekrasov, it is easy to summarize him in one, two, three words.

A first-rate publisher, a second-rate poet, and also a 3p enthusiast.

He became a first-class publisher because of his sharp vision. Soon he was able to make a fortune by publishing several collections of essays. Later he even became the owner of "The Sovereign", a magazine founded by Pushkin, the great Russian literary figure and also the most influential magazine in Russia.

Well, there are two pieces of evidence about Pushkin being Lao Da, oh no, there are two pieces of evidence about Lao Da being like Pushkin.

1. Pushkin had dark skin and thick lips (Pushkin had African ancestry).

Second, although he was somewhat controversial in his field during his lifetime, he was still at the peak of his career. After his death, his corpse was repeatedly criticized because of the behavior of his fans.

Ahem, of course, this is a joke. Let’s talk about Pushkin here for now. After all, since Mikhail is in today’s Russia, Pushkin is definitely a topic that cannot be avoided, even though he has been dead for several years.

Back to Nekrasov, there is nothing wrong with him being a second-rate poet, and he does have a place in the history of Russian poetry, but it is not his turn to sit at the same table with the great Pushkin.

As for 3p lovers.
In short, Nekrasov had a good friend named Panaev, who was a poet and also one of the shareholders of "Contemporary Man" magazine. He was born into a noble family and had no shortage of money. He had countless lovers. Later, he supported an actress named Adorovka, and then they got married.

Then the actress fell in love with Nekrasov, and they formed an open and stable triangle relationship.
If Mikhail remembered correctly, it was probably this year that Nekrasov moved directly into Panaev's house.

Mikhail found it hard to imagine what their nightlife was like.
However, this is not the key point for Mikhail for the time being. What is more important is to make some money quickly by taking advantage of Nekrasov's favorable conditions.

The royalties are not low, but still not enough.

Mikhail's requirements for life were not too high, but he was a man of later generations after all. In the eyes of many people in Russia today, his basic living standard was no different from that of an aristocratic lord, and he might even be considered a minor noble or above.

Putting aside other things, just talking about food, these days it’s probably like the Tsar’s lavish food, and food is probably more for emotional value.

As for the taste, Mikhail said that my technology and hard work are making trouble with you?

I have a spoonful of essence.
Back to the point, facing Mikhail's question, Nekrasov was stunned at first, and then asked with a little surprise: "Oh? Do you mean you want to put your work in the collection I am going to publish? In that case, I will definitely leave you a good position and a good share of the profits.

Of course, the prerequisite is that our collection of essays can be sold."

There is no doubt that with Belinsky's appreciation and comments, Mikhail is likely to become an instant hit in the cultural circle of St. Petersburg.

The addition of such a promising genius will undoubtedly increase Nekrasov's confidence in his own collection of essays.

In addition, getting Belinsky's appreciation and comments is really easy to say but difficult to achieve.

For example, now, although Nekrasov maintains a very good relationship with Belinsky, if Nekrasov publishes a collection of poems like he did three years ago, he will probably still be severely criticized by Belinsky.

Treating only some people this way might seem a bit unkind, but treating everyone's work this way only reveals this person's genuine devotion to literature and his unwavering determination to follow his own path. "Sure, Nikolai, I'd love to write a few more pieces to include in the collection."

Facing this noble man who, in a sense, directly introduced him to the top of the Russian literary world, Mikhail was also frank:
"To be honest, I'm very optimistic about the collection of essays you mentioned about the lower classes of St. Petersburg, and I hope to join this endeavor. In other words, in addition to being a contributor, I also want to be your collaborator. Think about what else this endeavor needs right now, and I'd like to get involved if possible."

Frankly speaking, since he is a first-class publisher, Nekrasov is naturally very good at dealing with complex interpersonal relationships and accurately grasping the influence of government policies and other factors.

All of these are things Mikhail doesn't understand or is not good at.

So now it depends on whether the other party needs rubles or something else.

In short, you have to take this express train.

"Mikhail, I didn't expect you to be so optimistic about our business." After hearing Mikhail's words, Nekrasov's eyes suddenly burst into an astonishing light:
"I see. I should have heard it from your previous conversation! You are equally concerned and worried about this cause. You must also be worried about whether the trend of 'naturalism' and focusing on the realities of Russian society and the lower classes can change our literary world, right?

So that's why you want to join in, contribute your own articles, and personally select the appropriate ones, so that our collection can truly become a major influence in the literary world, right?"

Mikhail: “???”

No, I just want to earn some money to support my body and eat some meat, so that I can gain some weight and get through the cold winter.
"No"

Before Mikhail could open his mouth to explain, Nekrasov, who was becoming more and more excited, spoke first:

"Thank you for your kindness, Mikhail! I understand what you mean. Welcome to join this cause! I have been working hard on this for a while now and have contacted some unknown authors to ask them to try to write the manuscript I want. Some of them have already written it.

Although it is far inferior to your works, I am sure that it can still bring a new trend to the Russian literary world.

Otherwise, let's put it this way, Mikhail. I'll handle the liaison work, and you can focus on writing the works that are destined to be recorded in Russian history! In your free time, take a look at the manuscript I brought you and see if it's useful. Or give them some feedback and give them some direction for revisions. They will definitely thank you!

As for the profit share, don't worry, Mikhail. Although you may not care about it that much, God is my witness! I will not treat you unfairly. Although I am still not sure how far our collection of essays will go, if you really join in, it will really give me more confidence! "

Mikhail: “???”

You've said everything I wanted to say, so what else can I say?
He thought about it quickly, and although he felt a little embarrassed, Mikhail finally extended his hand to Nekrasov:

"We'll discuss the details later. Anyway, Nicholas, it's a pleasure working with you."

"It's a pleasure to work with you." Nekrasov excitedly shook Mikhail's hand without hesitation.

"For our common cause!"

(End of this chapter)