Chapter 54 This World is a Web
Gaston Boissier looked at Lionel with a hint of disappointment, "Are you really that short on money? You should know that whether your first work is published in Le Figaro or Le Petit Parisien makes a completely different path for your career."
Starting in the 1870s, Le Petit Parisien, along with Le Matin, Le Journal, and Le Petit Journal, gradually became the "Big Four newspapers" of France, each selling over 300,000 copies daily, sometimes even reaching 500,000.
However, these newspapers leaned towards popular entertainment, focusing on politics, entertainment news, and commentary, with their primary audience being the lower classes.
Among them, Le Petit Parisien, in addition to news and commentary, also published novels and serialized works, and paid authors very generously.
Le Figaro, on the other hand, is one of France's oldest newspapers, initially a radical satirical publication. After many twists and turns, it gradually transformed into an elite newspaper targeting the middle class and intellectuals from the mid-19th century onwards.
This limited Le Figaro's circulation to only about 70,000 copies per issue.
However, French writers considered it an honor to have their works published in Le Figaro — Baudelaire of Flowers of Evil and the Goncourt brothers were both contributors.
Lionel said earnestly, "Professor, I really am short on money — if I don't solve my current difficulties, I'm afraid no path will be easy to walk!"
Gaston Boissier looked at Lionel's clothes, and recalling the rumors, he couldn't help but feel a little confused. However, due to his status, he couldn't ask directly, so he just shook his head regretfully: "I hope you won't regret this in the future."
Then he pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Lionel, on which were written the reprint prices from different newspapers:
Le Petit Parisien, 200 francs.
Le Figaro, 130 francs.
Le Gaulois, 150 francs.
La Liberté, 80 francs.
These were all well-known newspapers in Paris, but the prices varied greatly — this was related to the newspapers' positioning. For example, although La Liberté only offered 80 francs, it was known as the "Times" of the Republic, the preferred newspaper for officials, diplomats, and parliamentarians, and could even influence parliament and foreign policy.
Next were some smaller newspapers, including one called Gil Blas, which didn't even mention a manuscript fee, only a single sentence:
"Your Old Guard will be the crowning work for our inaugural issue, and together we will march towards the literary pantheon of France."
It seemed like pure pie-in-the-sky...
But soon, a strange name and a surprising manuscript fee caught his eye:
Chronicles of the Fatherland, 220 francs.
Lionel looked up at Gaston Boissier in surprise, "Professor, what kind of newspaper is Chronicles of the Fatherland, to be so generous? I've never heard of it?"
Gaston Boissier replied indifferently, "That's a Russian newspaper."
Lionel was incredulous: "A Russian newspaper?"
"Yes, a Russian newspaper. Those Russians are very fond of French novels, and this newspaper has an office in Paris." Gaston Boissier patiently explained to Lionel, "They receive the latest literary trends from Paris every week, and they offer the most generous manuscript fees."
Seeing that Lionel wasn't too familiar with the relationship between novels, writers, and newspapers in different countries, he stood up, walked to the newspaper rack by his door, pulled out a thick stack of newspapers, and placed them on Lionel's desk: "You'll understand eventually; take a look."
Although Lionel had the life experience and knowledge of a literature professor from 150 years in the future, it didn't cover such detailed aspects, so he began to read carefully.
Among the newspapers Professor Boissier gave him, there were not only French newspapers, but also Russian ones like Chronicles of the Fatherland and Northern Flower; British ones like The Spectator, The Fortnightly Review, and All the Year Round; American ones like The Atlantic Monthly, Harper's Magazine, and The North American Review…
Gaston Boissier said, "My dear Lionel, these newspapers weave a literary net that spans across borders. All writers and journalists are somewhere on this net.
Any slight tremor on this net will quickly spread throughout the entire network. Telegraphs, trains, steamships… are spreading great works at an unprecedented speed.
Dickens' Bleak House and A Tale of Two Cities were serialized almost simultaneously in British and Russian newspapers; oh, and Alexandre Dumas, his novels could even be serialized simultaneously in France, Britain, and Russia.
Of course, the character of these newspapers varies — the British are too vulgar; the Americans are too crude; the Russians, hmph, though generous, they always love to abridge.
Nowadays, an American journalist might read your short story published in Le Figaro in The Atlantic Monthly;
a professor at Moscow University might encounter a Russian translation of your work in Northern Flower;
and a London critic might invite you across the sea to a tea party because of a novel in Le Petit Parisien…
Whoever knows how to cast their work into the correct wave of the era will leap from the pages onto the stage of history — so, you choose to give the first reprint of the old guard to… "
"Le Petit Parisien!" Lionel said firmly and then asked, "Does reprinting it simultaneously in Chronicles of the Fatherland not affect anything? After all, it's far away in Russia."
Upon hearing this, Professor Boissier could only sigh, not wanting to say another word, and waved his hand for Lionel to leave.
— — — —
Lionel sat in the public carriage on his way home, reflecting on his conversation with Professor Boissier today.
As an elite, Professor Boissier naturally hoped that his student's work would first appear in Le Figaro, which would allow him to achieve a leap in social status through reputation.
But Lionel had his own ideas.
The huge difference in manuscript fees was one aspect; Le Petit Parisien paid a full 70 francs more than Le Figaro, which was almost enough for a month's rent at his apartment on An Tan Street.
But the ultimate decision, the audience, was the most important reason for him choosing Le Petit Parisien.
He didn't want to be a writer liked only by academics in their studies or literary youths in classrooms — like Flaubert or Mérimée — but to be a true "popular writer."
And Gaston Boissier's explanation of the 19th-century literary world had given him genuine inspiration and insight.
…
Lost in thought, he returned to 12 An Tan Street, briskly walked up to the 5th floor, took out his key, and opened the door, immediately smelling a rich aroma of meat — he didn't know how Petty would fare with ballet, but her talent for cooking was absolutely first-rate.
"Young Master Sorel, you're back!" Petty skipped into the hallway, then suddenly remembered something and bowed respectfully to Lionel.
Lionel frowned slightly but didn't say much, habitually affectionately patting Petty's head: "Is it Oxtail Tomato Soup today?"
Petty nodded vigorously: "According to the recipe you taught me… but I adjusted it slightly, adding a bit of thyme and lemon zest."
"I can tell by the smell it's going to be delicious! Petty, you're truly a genius!"
After praising her cooking, Lionel noticed a light on in his study and frowned — shouldn't Alice be copying accounts and manuscripts in her and Petty's bedroom? He had bought a desk for them.
A sense of unease crept in, and Lionel quickly walked to the study, turned the doorknob, and pushed the door open.
Alice quickly whisked a stack of manuscript paper behind her back, her face flushed as she explained, "I ran out of paper for copying accounts, so I thought I'd come in to get some…"