郭聞
1979年,是中國(guó)改革開(kāi)放正式起步的一年。
那一年,發(fā)生了許多足以影響后世的大討論。
那一年,李谷一的《鄉(xiāng)戀》引發(fā)人們對(duì)音樂(lè)的探討;
那一年,盧新華的《傷痕》引發(fā)人們對(duì)文學(xué)的思考;
那一年,浙江出版界也做了件足以影響出版業(yè)未來(lái)發(fā)展的事——浙江人民出版社出版了美國(guó)的名著《飄》。
這本書(shū)的出版頓時(shí)引起軒然大波,引發(fā)人們對(duì)出什么書(shū)、看什么書(shū)、往何處去的大討論。
這場(chǎng)討論,讓浙江出版界名聲大噪,自此開(kāi)風(fēng)氣之先,打破地方出版社的地域桎梏,走上全國(guó)大舞臺(tái),開(kāi)始成為引領(lǐng)中國(guó)出版風(fēng)潮的幾駕馬車之一,直至今日。
編輯出版這本《飄》的,是當(dāng)時(shí)的浙江人民出版社文藝室。從定下選題到編輯到成書(shū),從社長(zhǎng)到編輯到排字工,每個(gè)環(huán)節(jié)每個(gè)人都捏著把汗。
彼時(shí)的中國(guó)出版界,中央大社與地方出版社級(jí)別森嚴(yán)、涇渭分明。地方社的任務(wù)便是緊跟中央大社步伐,領(lǐng)會(huì)上級(jí)精神,完成出版任務(wù)。沒(méi)有一家地方出版社,能夠具有全國(guó)影響力。
這樣的背景下,去出版一本美國(guó)作家的書(shū),且采用的還是上世紀(jì)40年代傅東華的譯本,在當(dāng)時(shí)的時(shí)代背景下注定會(huì)引起爭(zhēng)議和質(zhì)疑,壓力和忐忑可想而知。
然而,拂面春風(fēng)注定會(huì)吹開(kāi)冰封的大地,何況是在浙江這樣一個(gè)自古人杰地靈又不乏埋頭實(shí)干精神的文化之地。
全民爭(zhēng)論的結(jié)果是,《飄》深受好評(píng)且持續(xù)熱賣,在1979年12月第一次印刷后,很快便在1980年4月再次印刷。
隨之,浙江人民出版社天下皆知,站在了與中央大社齊肩看天下的視野上。這也意味著,中國(guó)的出版業(yè)邁出了商業(yè)化的第一步。
彼時(shí),今日的浙江文藝出版社社長(zhǎng)鄭重還是個(gè)小學(xué)生,他一定不會(huì)想到,未來(lái),他也將成為浙江出版從業(yè)者,并成長(zhǎng)為在全國(guó)都具有影響力的出版領(lǐng)軍人物之一。
《飄》的熱賣,打消了人們的疑慮,也使得浙江出版人的工作熱情高漲,浙江出版業(yè)由此蓬勃發(fā)展。
3年后,1983年,以編輯出版《飄》的浙江人民出版社文藝室為底子,浙江文藝出版社掛牌成立。
1985年,新生的浙江文藝出版社再次出版《飄》,仍然沿用傅東華的譯本。隨后,這本《飄》開(kāi)始了多達(dá)十幾次的再版重印,僅1992年的第8次印刷,就達(dá)到36萬(wàn)冊(cè)的印量。
傳承著這一正在形成的敢為人先的出版精神,90年代,浙江文藝出版社挾《飄》持續(xù)熱賣之余熱,開(kāi)始進(jìn)入名著出版的黃金時(shí)代。這一時(shí)期,出版社推出了“世界文學(xué)名著經(jīng)典”系列、“名家散文”系列,積累了豐富的名家資源。無(wú)論從獲得的出版獎(jiǎng)項(xiàng)方面,還是社會(huì)效益、經(jīng)濟(jì)效益方面,浙江文藝出版社都成為全國(guó)文藝出版社中的佼佼者。
然而時(shí)光進(jìn)入2000年,隨著網(wǎng)絡(luò)的興起、出版業(yè)的進(jìn)一步繁榮發(fā)達(dá)、人們閱讀口味的變化,這種紅火現(xiàn)象開(kāi)始消退。
與此同時(shí),浙江的另一個(gè)出版社日子越來(lái)越紅火,這便是浙江少兒出版社。彼時(shí),大學(xué)專業(yè)是哲學(xué)和社會(huì)學(xué)的鄭重已在少兒社擔(dān)任至關(guān)重要的營(yíng)銷部主任(后任副社長(zhǎng))一職。
這個(gè)時(shí)候的少兒社,推出了一套后來(lái)非常有影響力的系列書(shū)——《冒險(xiǎn)小虎隊(duì)》。而此時(shí)正風(fēng)靡全球的是《哈利·波特》熱。
《冒險(xiǎn)小虎隊(duì)》能PK過(guò)《哈利·波特》嗎?鄭重剛到少兒社就給出肯定回答,盡管前幾月還曾遭遇退貨。
說(shuō)實(shí)話,那會(huì)兒正在跑出版線的筆者對(duì)此是心有疑慮的,原因無(wú)它,《哈利·波特》實(shí)在是太火了。
然而,事實(shí)證明,只有深入了解本地市場(chǎng)、了解中國(guó)孩子閱讀興趣的出版人,才是最好的市場(chǎng)營(yíng)銷者,這套書(shū)幾年后成為中國(guó)第一少兒暢銷書(shū);后來(lái),鄭重又開(kāi)始組織策劃楊紅櫻系列童書(shū),并著手推廣沈石溪?jiǎng)游镄≌f(shuō)系列等。2007年,在沈石溪?jiǎng)游镄≌f(shuō)還未暢銷之前,鄭重就向沈石溪預(yù)言,他會(huì)成為中國(guó)童書(shū)市場(chǎng)僅次于楊紅櫻的作家,四年之后,鄭重的預(yù)言成真。目前,這些書(shū)仍然是書(shū)店里超級(jí)暢銷書(shū)。
這幾套書(shū)的熱銷,顯示出鄭重在圖書(shū)市場(chǎng)熱點(diǎn)把握上的精準(zhǔn)和眼光的超前,這種能力在鄭重轉(zhuǎn)向浙江文藝出版社后,便被發(fā)揮到了極致,并因此創(chuàng)造了一次又一次的“洛陽(yáng)紙貴”事件。鄭重,也成為文學(xué)與影視界IP史上不得不說(shuō)的重要人物。
話說(shuō)2011年的浙江文藝出版社,雖已扭虧并實(shí)現(xiàn)200萬(wàn)元的年利潤(rùn),但企業(yè)負(fù)擔(dān)重,日子算是難過(guò)的。
于是,鄭重帶著各方的期望上任,肩負(fù)著“文藝復(fù)興”的使命。
鄭重把敢闖敢想敢冒險(xiǎn)的氣質(zhì)從少兒社帶到了文藝社。他上任的第一個(gè)大手筆便是:斥巨資600萬(wàn)元,投資《甄嬛傳》項(xiàng)目?;貞浧疬@件事,鄭重說(shuō):那時(shí)候的壓力真大,幾乎沒(méi)有人看好這個(gè)項(xiàng)目。從老同志到領(lǐng)導(dǎo),打來(lái)的電話都是勸說(shuō)放棄的,都覺(jué)得我要把文藝社敗了。
萬(wàn)般無(wú)奈下,鄭重向上級(jí)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)立下軍令狀:他有八九成把握,這樣的項(xiàng)目如果不上,文藝社永遠(yuǎn)沒(méi)出息;調(diào)我過(guò)來(lái)就讓我放手去做事,不然功夫全廢了。
最終的結(jié)果大家都知道了,鄭重贏了。他贏得了大家的信任、尊重和欽佩,更是贏得了市場(chǎng)。但是對(duì)于了解鄭重的人來(lái)說(shuō),這種贏并不是僥幸和偶然的,它是建立在鄭重對(duì)市場(chǎng)深刻了解和敏銳把握之上的。
鄭重說(shuō):“我每年都要看兩三千萬(wàn)字的小說(shuō),總結(jié)規(guī)律,從中尋找可能會(huì)暢銷的題材和潛力作者?!薄墩鐙謧鳌肪褪瞧渲械囊徊?,在拍板投資之前,鄭重花了三個(gè)晚上審看?;谶@樣的深度閱讀和獨(dú)到的方法論,鄭重才會(huì)果斷拍板。
繼《甄嬛傳》之后,鄭重又成功操作了《羋月傳》的出版。接著,《庶女攻略》《金陵春》《瀝川往事》《結(jié)愛(ài)》《你是我最疼愛(ài)的人》……一本又一本掀起影視熱潮的網(wǎng)絡(luò)小說(shuō)相繼出版。如今,網(wǎng)絡(luò)小說(shuō)已經(jīng)成為浙江文藝出版社很重要的板塊。好多網(wǎng)絡(luò)小說(shuō)成為影視的風(fēng)向標(biāo),越來(lái)越多的影視公司盯著書(shū)找項(xiàng)目,浙江文藝出版社已儼然成為國(guó)內(nèi)影視大IP的孵化平臺(tái)。
作為一家老牌社,曾經(jīng)的強(qiáng)項(xiàng)仍是不可放棄的優(yōu)勢(shì)。
帶領(lǐng)出版社躍上了新的發(fā)展空間,鄭重開(kāi)始從發(fā)展戰(zhàn)略層面思考企業(yè)的未來(lái)。他設(shè)計(jì)出了企業(yè)發(fā)展的一系列“三字經(jīng)”,即三大、三品和三名:“三大”即大眾、大情、大美;“三品”即內(nèi)容品質(zhì)、圖書(shū)品相、市場(chǎng)品牌;“三名”即名著、名家、名人。他還把浙江文藝出版社的企業(yè)文化概括為三條水系:錢塘江、大運(yùn)河、西子湖,取錢塘江奔涌的氣勢(shì)、大運(yùn)河深厚的積淀,以及西子湖的靈動(dòng)與唯美之意。
經(jīng)過(guò)上世紀(jì)90年代“經(jīng)典名著”系列、“名家散文”系列的積累,浙江文藝出版社已擁有非常龐大的名人名家資源,還擁有很多國(guó)外文學(xué)經(jīng)典作品的版權(quán)。近年來(lái),文化名家系列產(chǎn)品線日益擴(kuò)大,王蒙、賈平凹、格非、阿來(lái)、蘇童、畢飛宇、遲子建、史鐵生、林清玄、劉墉、張曉風(fēng)、易中天、錢文忠、韓寒等一批大家名家作家落戶。尤其是諾貝爾獎(jiǎng)獲得者莫言,在全國(guó)出版集團(tuán)和中央大社名社的追逐之下,將其現(xiàn)有全部作品的圖書(shū)版權(quán)和數(shù)字版權(quán)資源獨(dú)家授予浙江文藝出版社。這是他基于對(duì)一家出版社職業(yè)化的編輯出版能力、市場(chǎng)營(yíng)銷和渠道滲透能力的信任,同時(shí)看重的還有出版社經(jīng)濟(jì)上的硬實(shí)力和文化上的軟實(shí)力。
同時(shí),浙江文藝出版社還堅(jiān)持“走出去”的戰(zhàn)略方針,確定了以莫言、麥家為代表的中國(guó)當(dāng)代作家全球推廣工程。麥家將全部海外版權(quán)托付浙江文出版社總代理,成為全球化程度最高的中國(guó)作家,在全球112個(gè)國(guó)家和地區(qū)的兩萬(wàn)多家圖書(shū)館中都收藏有麥家的《解密》。
文藝社在莫言和麥家作品累計(jì)40多種語(yǔ)言版權(quán)的基礎(chǔ)上,建立了一批翻譯家隊(duì)伍和出版合作伙伴,打通了中國(guó)文學(xué)“走出去”的“任督二脈”,并以此為基礎(chǔ)推進(jìn)“網(wǎng)絡(luò)文學(xué)絲路推廣工程”“浙江作家海外推廣工程”,累計(jì)輸出海外版權(quán)逾百項(xiàng),除麥家之外,浙江作家王旭烽“茶人三部曲”系列、艾偉的《愛(ài)人有罪》《愛(ài)人同志》、王麗萍的《媳婦的美好時(shí)代》、蔣勝男的《羋月傳》、流瀲紫的《甄嬛傳》等作家作品均在俄羅斯、意大利、吉爾吉斯斯坦、哈薩克斯坦、蒙古、泰國(guó)、越南、印尼、馬來(lái)西亞、坦桑尼亞等眾多國(guó)家出版并暢銷。文學(xué)浙江無(wú)疑已經(jīng)成為了中國(guó)文學(xué)“走出去”的領(lǐng)跑者和示范者。
一個(gè)優(yōu)秀出版人的從業(yè)經(jīng)歷,兩個(gè)出版社不同方式的崛起和重生,背后折射的是浙江出版業(yè)在這40年里不斷的蓬勃發(fā)展。
Zheng Zhong:
A Cultural Happening
By Guo Wen
The year 1979 was hectic for China, marking the countrys ground-breaking step taken toward a modern future, and in many profound ways, a milestone in the history of the countrys publishing industry. Culturally, it was the year when , a hit song sung by famous singer Li Guyi, triggered a wave of new musical thoughts. It was the year when Lu Xinhuas short story, , led to the reassessment of modern Chinese literature. It was also in 1979 that Zhejiang Peoples Publishing House unveiled the Chinese version of . In more senses than one, the release of Margaret Mitchells novel was a cultural happening that stirred the nerves of the more sensitive in Chinas intellectual community and sparked off a heated discussion regarding what to write, what to read, and where to go. The book made the publishing circle of Zhejiang Province a trailblazer that has since been setting new trends for Chinas publishing practitioners.
When the decision was made to publish , the Chinese translation was done by Fu Donghua in the 1940s, everyone in the Literature and Art Department of Zhejiang Peoples Publishing House was struggling with uncertainty. At a time when the country had just opened its door and the political winds were full of uncertainties too, all regional divisions of the countrys publishing authority were “dancers with shackles”.
Upon its release in December, 1979, received near-unanimous backing from readers and critics alike. The reprint came only four months later. The success of the book marked the first step Chinas publishing industry took toward commercialization.
Since 1979, the Fu Donghua edition of has been reprinted a dozen times. The eighth reprint in 1992 alone ran to 360,000 copies. The 1990s was the “golden era” of Zhejiang Literature and Art Publishing House, founded in 1983 based on the team that made a national blockbuster.
When the 1979 edition of made its waves across the country, Zheng Zhong, now president of the Zhejiang Literature and Art Publishing House, was still a primary school pupil. He had the slightest idea that he would grow up to head it. He started working as a publisher in Zhejiang Childrens Book Publishing House.
After the golden era in the 1990s, Zhejiang Literature and Art Publishing House witnessed a slowdown in business in the early years of the 21st century as Internet boomed. Zhejiang Childrens Book Publishing House rose as a national publishing phenomenon. It was in this house that Zheng Zhong started his career after university graduation and grew up fast.
When the young wizard Harry Potter and his friends were sweeping around the world and became a global phenomenon in the years spanning the turning of the centuries, Zhejiang Childrens Books Publishing House unveiled the series by Thomas Brezina, amidst mounting skepticism from insiders. The success of the Chinese version of the fantasies again proved the marketing foresights of the publishers of Zhejiang. The success led to the publishing of more childrens literature including a cycle of works by Yang Hongying and “animal fantasy” series by Shen Shixi. Zheng Zhongs prediction about the sensational success of Shen Shixi became reality only four years after Shens works were introduced to the Chinese readers. Books by Shen Shixi have remained bestsellers.
By 2011, Zhejiang Literature and Art Publishing House had just turned around after struggling in business losses for years. That year, the company saw a surplus of a mere two million yuan. And it was still under huge financial pressure. Zheng Zhong came to head the publishing house. Shortly after he took the position, he announced a six-million-yuan investment in a television drama project that was unanimously dismissed as “hopeless” by insiders at the time.
“I got a lot of phone calls from colleagues and friends trying to convince me to quit the project,” he recalled.
The rest of the story needs no elaboration. The sensational success of not only in China but also in many other countries got the publishing house out of business difficulties.
Then he successfully launched several other bestsellers including , , and , all so-called “Internet novels” by unheard-of writers. The blockbuster success proved his deep understanding about what the Chinese readers really need and his business acumen.
Having led the company into a brand new level of development and innovation, Zheng Zhong braced up for the exploration of new strategic dimensions. “Thinking big” has always been his policy that ensures the high taste and high quality of projects the company chose to work on. The corporate culture of the publishing house is summarized by Zheng Zhong as “embodied in the Qiantang River, the Grand Canal, and the West Lake”.
Today, the publishing house has garnered a coveted repository of translators, publishing partners, and cultural celebrities covering all ages and literary genres. Under its banner are such bigwig authors as Wang Meng, Jia Pingwa, Liu Yong, Lin Qingxuan, Zhang Xiaofeng, Ge Fei, Bi Feiyu, Chi Zijian, A Lai, Su Tong, Yi Zhongtian, Qian Wenzhong, and Han Han.
The publisher is now a major player behind the promotion of modern Chinese writers on the world stage. The two most important writers it promotes across the world are Nobel Laureate Mo Yan and Mai Jia.