Novelist Running Through Time - Chapter 28



Only Krnovel

EP 2 – Other

Manager Yang Seong-jun’s life at work is a gem these days.

It means like a penis.

The reason is, of course, because of the 16 books published by Yangwook Lim.

Just by looking at the book, I could get a sense of how much money Lim Yang-wook must have made. From the cover, paper, design, and finishing, there was no place where they were overlooked.

Of course, the book price is a bit expensive.

But what does that mean?

Readers don’t buy books because of the price anyway.

Books are unique products.

Just because something is cheap doesn’t sell a lot, and just because it’s expensive doesn’t mean it sells less. This is a fact that numerous publishers have shed blood and tears over the past decades to prove.

The books readers buy are the books they ‘want to own.’

The content of the book is the second factor to consider. If you really want to read, you can go to the library. There is no need to buy it.

The reasons people buy books are as follows:

I thought it would look pretty if I put it on a bookshelf.

Because it’s a book written by my favorite author,

I bought the previous series, but I can’t not buy the next one.

Because it’s popular these days,

Because the cover is pretty,

In other words, because I want it.

So I buy a book.

And in Director Yang Seong-jun’s opinion, (much to his chagrin) these books were full of elements worth owning.

First of all, the design aroused the desire to own it.

Just text on the background color.

This is what design is all about.

However, calling this ‘simple’ does not qualify you as an editor. This was ‘minimalism’.

Of course, Lim Yang-wook must have made this book because he had no money, but a few minor details sublimated the simplicity into minimalism. I think this is why the saying ‘God is in the details’ came about.

Appropriate and luxurious colors that symbolize the atmosphere of each book. Using that color as the background color, the title text was expressed in a color that symbolizes the core topic.

All titles are in neat, simple font. All 16 volumes were like that. So even when they were all put together, there was no sense of heterogeneity.

What that means is this:

The 16 books were effectively one set.

The positions of the titles were exactly the same, and the small symbols attached to the sides of the books were also the same, so a sense of design stability was felt when the 16 books were lined up side by side.

So there were quite a few cases where one person bought all 16 volumes. And even if it wasn’t that much, it was rare for people to buy just one volume. I bought three or four books at a time.

It was designed that way from the beginning.

“shit···”

It was really worth watching because it was created by someone who knows the industry so well. That’s because he’s the type of guy I hate so much that I want to chew him up.

Of course, no matter how well you design it, if the content is stupid or people don’t know that the book exists, it’s all in vain…

No matter what tricks Lim Yang-wook used, he discovered a monster-like new talent and succeeded in marketing it in the most shocking way.

Manager Yang Seong-jun, who was thinking about that fact, felt again the same terrible emotions he often felt before Yang-wook Lim was demoted, that is, two years ago.

It was ‘jealousy’.

“If a one-person publisher can achieve this level… Damn it!”

Jealousy is an emotion that makes a person obsessed with another person to the extent of love. So Yang Seong-jun investigated Lim Yang-wook’s movements in detail. Like someone scrolling through the Instagram account of an ex-girlfriend they broke up with. What printing house did he use, what warehouse did he rent, and how many books were he selling?

Although he could not find the hidden writer, Yang Seong-jun already had some idea of ​​Lim Yang-wook’s business trajectory.

1,000 volumes.

Even though it hasn’t been long since it was published, 1,000 copies have already been sold. This means that 2,000 copies will be sold soon.

Selling 2,000 copies means that a certain number of people have bought them at bookstores across the country, and the bookstore will obtain more books from Yangwook Lim and place them in a prominent place.

Then it will sell more.

“shit! shit! shit!”

Yang Yang-jun knew this floor very well.

So it was clear how much income Lim Yang-wook would earn from this book, and more than anything, if it achieved this level of performance, it was certain that other publishers would take it up.

In other words, Lim Yang-wook was resurrected.

Gorgeously.

Every time he was reminded of the fact that he would have to see that bastard’s face on the floor again sooner or later, Manager Yang Seong-jun felt sick to his stomach and his intestines were cut out.

“hey! Assistant Manager Kim! “Did you invite a critic?!”

“Yes, yes! “I asked critic Oh Min-sang to be as critical as possible.”

“okay. “Tell me to stop liking such boring books!”

Therefore, Manager Yang Yang-jun’s sabotage efforts were focused on preventing Lim Yang-wook from selling books as much as possible.

Such as recruiting critics to pour out negative reviews, spreading rumors through Internet news, or inciting that the revelation of Lim Yang-wook’s practice of paying a starting fee is an insult to the entire Korean literary community…

Nevertheless, the jealousy did not cool down easily, so Manager Yang Yang-jun continued to investigate until the end.

Then, a shocking fact emerged.

“oh…! 50,000 won?!”

It was true that Lim Yang-wook had accumulated as many as 50,000 books.

That meant that Lim Yang-wook had put all his money on this business. Maybe he even owed money.

The gentle head of the headquarters, Kim Sang-guk, also muttered this after receiving the report.

“You’re truly crazy…”

Director Kim Sang-guk spoke as if he had made a firm decision.

“I can’t leave this guy alone. Aren’t we going to be talking about how much the entrance fee will be until we sell all 50,000 copies? If they keep going and setting up current affairs programs like this, it will be a disgrace to the entire industry. “I need to tell people at Baekhak Ilbo and Baekhak Culture Broadcasting to make them shut up.”

Baekhak is a large media group.

It also owns newspapers and broadcasting stations. That is why it is possible for Baekhak Bookstore to threaten small and medium-sized Internet newspaper companies. Because the publishing industry and the newspaper industry were inseparable.

Of course, if you decide to get criticized by your superiors, you can instantly turn an individual like Lim Yang-wook into an asshole. In that respect, the head’s judgment was standard.

However, Manager Yang Sung-jun felt something creepy.

Did Lim Yang-wook really not know this?

Did that guy really get to this point without any trace of trust?

Those concerns were soon confirmed.

“What on earth is this…!”

* * *

“···A minor?”

Professor Hakjun Koo to Yangwook Lim,

And I asked this question to the unknown writer.

[Why on earth didn’t you submit a good article to the spring literary contest?]

If we interpret this question, it goes like this.

[Why on earth did you try noise marketing by choosing the shortcut of purchasing 16 literary awards simultaneously, rather than going the right route with the Spring Literary Contest?]

Then Lim Yang-wook responded as follows.

The author is a minor.

That answer is not an adequate answer to the first question, but it is a very good answer to the second, more intimate question.

I will attract attention through noise marketing and become the center of attention by revealing the author’s age.

Isn’t this what it means?

“Huh. really···”

In some ways, it may have been an attempt at another noise marketing using his review, but Professor Hakjun Koo was not that offended by such behavior.

Of course, it was very unpleasant not long ago.

Literature always purifies itself.

The reason people are pointing fingers at the literary world, saying it is a place where those in power commit sexual harassment, is because it was exposed.

It was the literary world itself that exposed it.

The reason people are pointing fingers at the literary world as being tainted by ghostwriting and plagiarism is because it was exposed.

It was also the literary world itself that exposed it.

Likewise, the reason why the practice of starting fees is such an open secret that even the general public can easily know –

-It was because the literary world was always criticizing itself.

The literary community in which Professor Koo Hak-jun worked could hardly be considered an organization. The literary world was simply a term for the entire society of numerous literary and artistic people.

They were both conservative and progressive, solemn and liberal, traditional and reformative.

Because it wasn’t one.

They did not hesitate to criticize each other and themselves, and eventually criticized society and worked hard to change the world into a better place.

The phrase “literary power” is a bit funny.

When do we make fun of a novelist with no money and no background, and does the evil villain known as literary power only appear when it is convenient for him?

From Professor Koo Hak-jun’s point of view, Lim Yang-wook’s noise marketing was truly a miserable act that lacked any humanity.

The reason the fee-based practice continues is because minor literary journals are dependent on it. If there is no subscription fee business, the majority of small and medium-sized literary magazines will be closed down.

Even if it is not customary to pay tuition, is it really necessary to cut off other people’s livelihoods?

Each person has their own situation and circumstances appropriate to it.

If you try to judge others according to your own standards without considering that, you will only end up hurting each other.

But you hurt others just to sell some books. He thought that he was really a human being without blood or tears.

but.

“There is nothing we can do if the writer is a minor…”

If it is marketing to show the world a genius writer,

It is acceptable. It doesn’t matter if I get used there.

Professor Koo Hak-jun’s heart melted at the appearance of a genius writer.

Of course, I was embarrassed and embarrassed at first. As kids these days say, they probably say, ‘Alas!’ It can be expressed in this way.

However, my heart began to pound as I thought that a talented person who could write this kind of writing had already emerged, even though he was a minor.

Of course, the perspective on this incident changed 180 degrees.

Buying one literary prize is expedient, but buying 16 is art. What are the criteria for distinguishing good writing? Since when did literary awards become a standard for judging the quality of writing?

Could it be that Lim Yang-wook decided to become a villain himself in order to sound the alarm in this world?

No, this bright idea may have been the idea of ​​a young genius writer. Because it is the privilege of young people to challenge established authority.

However, it is difficult to confuse the spirit of challenge with arrogance. You can set it aside and teach it step by step. We will spare no effort to ensure that our talents can flourish properly.

We can never let him become a drama writer, movie screenwriter, or broadcast writer. How many talented people dropped out or changed schools due to bleak prospects? This time it will never be taken away…

What on earth does this child look like? He’s probably wearing his high school uniform. Is it a man? Is it a woman? If possible, I wish it was a woman. Because I will be a good friend to your daughter. It doesn’t matter if you’re a man. All you have to do is teach him how to fish and take him with you.

“Huhuhu…”

In Koo Hak-jun’s mind, the poor people of minor literary magazines were not even in his mind.

Those literary award mongers? It’s normal to criticize every day anyway, so will it be a big deal if you criticize one more time? No matter how many times I tell you to stop, I know you’ll keep going, so why…

“Oops.”

It shouldn’t be like this.

Gu Hak-jun picked up his cell phone and started writing something else.

* * *

[···The interesting part is that those who are most angry about the recent series of events and call it an insult to literary power were previously those who most fervently denied the reality of literary power.

There is no power in the literary world. The evil habit of established power kicking down the ladder is being dismantled, and that dismantling is being accomplished through the literary community’s own power. Therefore, there is no power in the literary world. There are only people. This has been the argument I have been making all along.

However, looking at the current situation, I am withdrawing my statement. Purchasing one literary award is a personal problem, but purchasing sixteen literary awards is a systemic problem. However, we are silent about the person who bought one literary award, while criticizing the person who bought 16 literary awards. What is the reason? What drives us to criticize them? I would like to say that this is literary power. What else can we call the organized pressure of those who want to protect this system if not called power?

A book that has won sixteen literary awards asks a question to us. So have you read me? I decided to put awards and the literary world aside and read me first, so I decided to return to my roots as a writer. It’s just reading a book. I will leave it up to the readers to decide what meaning the book will have in their lives.]

Professor Koo Hak-jun decided to leave behind noise marketing and focus on the emergence of a valuable newcomer in the literary world.

In addition, I also posted my personal opinion that if 16 literary prizes were purchased at the same time, it is not an individual’s problem, but a problem of the system that makes it possible.

However, public opinion was not easily calmed down.

Professor Koo Hak-jun, who was filled with the desire to collect talent, was satisfied with the appearance of a new talent, but other people had their own perspectives.

And those perspectives clashed with each other, heating up the Internet.

[The writer is a minor? It’s shocking. How can a young teenager write something like this?]

└ It doesn’t matter if you are a minor or not. Buying 16 literary prizes with money and shamelessly promoting them broke the rules. How funny did the reader think it must have looked like this?

└ I don’t think it’s the right thing to do to exclude a work just because a debut fee was paid while suspicions about the debut system are rampant… but it’s suspicious that a minor wrote this.

[The book was good.]

└ What do you do if you like books? The spring literary contest was a disaster!!!

└ If the book is good, that’s fine. What’s the problem?

[Regardless of whether he is a minor or not, I am just glad that such a newcomer has appeared. Isn’t it legendary for a monster rookie who covers everything from science fiction to historical novels to publish 16 books at the same time?]

└ Huh??? It was written by a middle school or high school student? What did I read?????

└ Monster rookie appears ㄷㄷ

[I read on the Internet that the editor left his job because it was related to sexual harassment… That’s a bit harsh.]

└ Again?

└ This is one letter that conveys so many things…

[How can a minor write something like this? Of course it must be ghostwriting. Wouldn’t a company that bought over 10 literary awards and hit them with noise marketing not talk nonsense about the author?]

└ This is correct

└ Put it in neutral gear first.

└ Why is the car’s neutral gear mentioned here?

└ ?

There were all kinds of stories going around on the Internet. Numerous people left their comments one by one in a place where shock, doubt, favor and hostility were mixed.

Around this time, the controversy was being reproduced and was slowly becoming known not only within the literary world but also in mainstream public opinion, so the size of the controversy was gradually increasing.

It’s the perfect time for marketing.

If you manipulate public opinion just a little, you can create issues as you wish, like a snowball rolling on a hill.

If it were a normal company, the public relations and marketing teams would have started skillfully dribbling public opinion…

Yangwook Lim was not a normal company president.

The CEO doesn’t even know the name of his company, so how can it be a normal company?

The controversial weight class has already grown to the point where it is difficult for Lim Yang-wook to respond alone.

He needed a proper organization. If you don’t have it, you have to borrow it.

So, Lim Yang-wook was meeting face to face with the president of Baekhak Entertainment.

“I would like to receive help from Baekhak Entertainment’s public relations office.”

“okay?”

Baek Seung-won, CEO of Baekhak Entertainment.

He glanced at Lim Yang-wook without any emotion.

President Baek Seung-won handed something to Lim Yang-wook.

“This is a letter sent from our public relations office to Baekhak Bookstore.”

Yangwook Lim read the email carefully.

To summarize, it was roughly as follows.

[grow.

You bastards.]

Only then did Lim Yang-wook realize that Baekhak Library’s attack had almost dealt a fatal blow to Baekhak Entertainment.

With sweat running down Lim Yang-wook’s smooth scalp.

Baek Seung-won smiled brightly.

“You don’t think the country knows we’re tax shagging, right? no. I know everything. But since it’s not a problem, I’m leaving it alone. But because of you, this became a problem. So, I came here to meet with high-ranking people. I barely covered it. okay. “Situation is over!”

Baek Seung-won finished speaking neatly, crossed his legs, and leaned back in his chair.

And then he looked at Lim Yang-wook with a look in his eyes to see what he would say in response.

“How are you going to take responsibility for this now?”

“······”

“I know your situation. Because I was demoted, I was left with only one branch attached. But what if an accident like this happens? To put it bluntly, no matter how many books you sell, nothing comes to our company. Rather, the company president made me bow my head to high-ranking people. How are you going to take responsibility for this?”

“that is···”

“Don’t even talk about making money by selling books. “Because I don’t need any money.”

“no. “That’s not what I’m talking about.”

Lim Yang-wook calmed his trembling hands and feet slightly and made a proposal to his superior, the highest-ranking person he had ever met.

“I have planned something that will be helpful to the company.”

“Did you just ask me to help you?”

“This is something we can do only with your help.”

“Does that make money for our company?”