The Surging News reporter Luo Xin
On September 23, the results of the first "Short Story Biennial Award" were announced: Emma's "White-eared Night Heron", Dong Xia Qingqing's "Under the Kocharit Mountain", Zhao Song's "Park", Wang Suxin's "Next to a Desert Island", and Zhang Lingling's "May Will End" became the winning works of this year.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the founding of Novel Circle Magazine and the 5th anniversary of sinan Literature Anthology Magazine. In order to encourage and promote the creation of short stories by contemporary young writers and enrich the creative style of Chinese short stories, the first "Short Story Biennial Award" was launched in June this year, jointly sponsored by Shanghai People's Publishing House and Shanghai Literature and Art Publishing House, and undertaken by the editorial department of "Novel Circle" and Sinan Literature Anthology Magazine. The selection covers short stories published in The Novel Circle and Sinan Literary Anthology from 2017 to 2020. Fang Yan, Huang Dehai, Huang Ping, Jin Li, Lu Nei, Li Weichang, Mu Ye, Tang Weijie, Xiao Bai, Xiang Jing, Zhang Dinghao, these 11 novelists, critics and scholars selected 10 short lists from the 30 short stories shortlisted for the long list, and then voted for 5 winning works from the short list, and the 5 writers together received a total of 170,000 yuan in prize money.
It is reported that the award ceremony and short story forum of the first "Short Story Biennial Award" are scheduled to be held in Shanghai in mid-October, and the first prize works that won this year's "Short Story Biennial Award" will be announced on the spot. On the same day, six copies of the first series of the Novel Industry Library will also be released.
Jury of the inaugural Biennial Award for Short Stories
Each of the five winning works has its own skill and complexity
"Fiction Has interviewed many writers, and when they talk about the creation of short stories, they all have the same point of view, that is, it is very difficult to write perfect short stories. And on the way to writing the perfect short story, to borrow the words of previous generations, there is a pursuit of greatness that is crucial. ”
Qiao Xiaohua, executive editor of "Novel Circle", told the surging news reporter that since the revision in 2017, "Novel Circle" has been committed to encouraging and promoting the creation of short stories and stimulating readers' enthusiasm for reading short stories. This year is the first time to hold the "Short Story Biennial Award", the five winning works are from the 70s, 80s, 90s three generations of writers, it can be said that from the theme to the style, are completely different, like a multi-voice chorus.
"Although they do not reflect the whole picture, these works also provide us with a cross-section of the current Chinese short story creation, from which we can see the different ripples or sparks of social changes and the spirit of the times stirring up in the writer's heart." And that's exactly what we want to see. She also refers to a quote by Julian Barnes in The Noise of Time – "Inner youth is invincible" and "I think that's what The World of Fiction pursues and emphasizes, not just youth in the sense of age." ”
Huang Dehai, deputy editor-in-chief of the Sinan Literary Anthology, also said that the novels selected this time are not recognizable at a glance to a large extent, and many works need to be intellectual and spiritually strong to read, but I believe that these works can withstand repeated consideration. In any case, the land in which we live and ourselves may have long since been freed from the shackles of spectacle. After these years of development, the social and cultural ecology has become increasingly rich, and the era should no longer be simply named, but fully complex. The work of the five writers has a unique face and demonstrates the complexity of thinking. Perhaps it is precisely because of the complexity that it needs to be carefully identified. These writers, including many excellent writers who were not selected for various reasons, I don't know if they can be called ballast stone writers, are the mainstay of a certain sense, showing some tough and tenacious efforts, and are the growth point of literature. Huang Dehai also stressed that not everyone agrees with such a view, but the diversity of the award itself and the debate and persuasion on the issue of the award illustrate the complexity of the literary ecology.
Li Weichang, vice president of the Shanghai Literature and Art Publishing House, said that for a new novel award, it is impossible to form a stable style and aesthetic pursuit overnight, and it will take time. In his view, these five winning works have a common feature, that is, they have established their own narrative techniques in the face of multiple aspects of life, and refreshed the existing writing methods of some themes, not only inheriting some traditions of realism and writing stories, but also developing in how to write and how to write.
"There are many kinds of short stories, and there are many kinds of short stories, and I like people who build their skills, short stories that are both within the short story tradition and can go one step further. Modern novels are not singing Peking opera and Kunqu opera, the rules are set, it depends on how you can act pure fire, or different. Short stories are more welcoming to people who set their own rules, of course, rules can't be completely out of place. ”
Everyone is defining what a short story is
Jin Li, a professor at Fudan University, told the surging news reporter that what particularly benefited him from the selection was the evaluation of short stories by other judges. Harold Bloom says that there are two great traditions of the short story, Chekhovian and Kafka-Borgesian. I found that there are more than two traditions, almost everyone is defining what a short story is. In fact, what can be reached is the bottom line, such as language, narrative, and completion of the work must be up to standard, and then it depends on the judges' respective ideas. Personally, it is difficult to provide evaluation criteria for short stories, and it may still be necessary to face specific works. ”
In his view, every selection may have a "lost pearl", such as the novelist Shen Dacheng who participated as a staff member in this review. Jin Li said that if it were not for the fact that Shen Dacheng was an insider in the "Novel Circle" and could not participate in the competition procedurally, he would definitely vote for her. "Shen Dacheng's characters don't seem to meet us in reality, but they clearly engrave the main posture of us involved in the times." These stories do not have a clear time positioning, basically the present or the near future, but also hint at a deep historical allegory. Her narrative is loose, calm, and unfashionable, even at the threshold of absurdity and crossing to the surreal. I prefer this temperament in short stories. ”
The novelist Xiao Bai prefers short stories that show the drama of life: from a short and narrow time window, summarizing a large number of important life contents. He tends to think that a good short story is self-contained and complete, does not require external interpretation, and everything is inside the text.
In this selection, novelists Lu Nei admired the works of Emma and Dong Xia Qingqing. "As a novelist judge, I have to admit that I can't write such a good short story. Emma's brushwork is gentle and delicate, and Dong Xia Qingqing's novels are unique in terms of themes and plots, and the brushwork is good. ”
He also said that there were some articles he thought he could enter the top ten, but he did not enter. "I won't say which one." There are certainly differences in the selection, and it is not easy to reconcile. That's a good thing, or just ask a judge. Disagreement is also about being as fair as possible. How to determine the advantages and disadvantages? One way is to compare the works horizontally, perhaps to compare the high and low. But if the style is completely different, it will lack a foundation in comparison. Therefore, from my subjective point of view, those who win the award do not have to be too happy, not necessarily better than those who lose. Writing is meant to take a detour. The furthest road is probably the best one. ”
If not limited to judging, there are many short stories that Lu Nei likes, and there is no fixed paradigm. He liked Hemingway's short stories, and he liked Bolaño's short stories, and sometimes he thought they were a little flawed, but it didn't matter, "I don't like the saying 'short stories have to be perfect.'" ”
After the revised edition, the inaugural issue of "Novel Circle" & "Sinan Literary Anthology"
How to find the meaning of the existence of a short story
In the past five years, the "Novel Circle" has always focused on publishing short stories, and the Sinan Literary Anthology is also committed to selecting creative short works, and this selection is opened under the name of "Reconstructing Short Story Reading".
For the current domestic short story ecology, several judges also have their own observations. Jin Li said that short stories are certainly not a lively genre today, because compared with long stories, the market conversion rate of short stories is not high, so he respects those writers with short stories, such as Wang Zengqi and Su Tong in the past, who are determined to cultivate in the field of short stories.
"Good short stories are as rare as good long stories." Lu Nei said that because the number of short stories is much larger than the long ones, some excellent works are not easy to be discovered, and they need to be recommended by critics and book critics, "Of course, there are also fish-eyed beads, and my statement is not limited to famous artists, but also can refer to popular newcomers." Our basic judgments about good short stories are still consistent, but when it comes to works, there will be differences. For a few years, people were very dismissive of the term serious literature, and I agreed, but if it was replaced by an Internet celebrity short story, it wouldn't mean much. Isn't it? ”
Xiao Bai also mentioned that at present, our short stories are mainly published in literary journals across the country, and only a very small number of works have attracted more attention because of awards or film and television adaptations, so it is not necessary to consider "reconstructing short story reading", but also to consider how to find the meaning of short stories under the new media technology conditions. For short story writers, there is a need for new inventions in style, language, and technology.
"For many years, the short story was seen as the starting point for writing, and even if many good short stories were written, if you didn't write a long novel, it was as if you weren't a qualified novelist. One day, 'short story writer' becomes an honorific title, which is a good ecology of short story writing. Li Weichang told the surging news reporter that "reconstruction" can be understood as two aspects, one is to continue the tradition of short stories, and the other is to open up new possibilities, "We need to rebuild the patience, interest, and essential recognition ability to read short stories, as well as open and inclusive attitudes and concepts." The competitors of short stories are not long novels, but stories under the algorithm, such as stories or public articles that are customized by new media according to the tastes of readers. ”
【Attached】The final list of winners of the first "Short Story Biennale"
(in alphabetical order by author's initials)
"White-eared Night Heron" (Author: Emma)
Emma, a writer, is the author of the short and medium story collection "White-eared Night Heron", "Daydream", "Floating Life", "Who Is Passing By", and the novel "Four Seasons".
"Under the Kocharit Mountain" (Author: Dong Xia Qingqing)
Dong Xia Qingqing, born in 1987, is a creative studio member of the Army Propaganda and Cultural Center, and has published a collection of short stories " Under the Mountain of Kocharit" ( "
"Park" (Author: Zhao Song)
Zhao Song is a writer, literary and art critic. Born in 1972 in Fushun, Liaoning Province, he currently lives in Shanghai. He has published novels and review essays such as "Gap", "Fushun Story Collection", "Building Block Book", "The Best Trip", "The Ant WhoSe Time Has Been Robbed", "Cain", "Yi Chun", "The Soul Should Be a Bird That Can Fly At Any Time", etc.
"Next to the Desert Island" (Author: Wang Suxin)
Wang Suxin, born in 1991 in Henan, lives in Shanghai. He has published a collection of short stories such as "Elephant Man Crossing" and "In the Plain".
"May Will End" (Author: Zhang Lingling)
Zhang Lingling, born in 1986 in Jiangsu, has novels scattered in Writer, October, Mountain Flower, West Lake, Novel Selection, Novella Selection, Chinese Literature Anthology, etc. In 2019, he published the novel collection "Jealousy".
Editor-in-Charge: Chen Shihuai
Proofreader: Ding Xiao