Life> Reading

Exploring new literary territory

By Mei Jia and Chitralekha Basu (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-10-08 09:26

At the end of 15 months of grueling writing assignments, 22-year-old Xiao Kaiyin, 25-year-old Ye Chan, 19-year-old Chen Long and 21-year-old Lu Lili, were basking in the comforting glow of the English sunshine.

In June, the talented foursome, who beat more than 60,000 contestants to finish in the final four of the Next contest, won a trip to the United Kingdom, sponsored by Penguin Books, and got a chance to visit the sites where Wordsworth wrote his poetry (Lake District) and Shakespeare performed (Globe Theatre).

Led by the redoubtable Guo Jingming, who, at 27, seems to have a huge chunk of China's young readers in his grip despite the charges of plagiarism against him, the winners had a rollicking time. Having Guo for company added to the charm of the all-expenses-paid, educational trip designed to give talented young Chinese writers a feel of the UK's publishing industry and general cultural milieu.

"Traveling with Guo is fun," Xiao says. "He doesn't allow one to get bored."

Best-selling writer Guo Jingming (center) and four young talents - (from left) Lu Lili, Chen Long, Xiao Kaiyin and Ye Chan - at the Penguin office in London. Provided to China Daily

The staff at the Penguin office in London, which the team visited, was eager to listen to Guo's phenomenal success story, she says.

Guo himself was totally taken in by what he saw at Penguin.

"The experience was as enchanting as Granny Liu's visit to the Jia family residence in A Dream of the Red Mansions," he says.

"Their office set-up, the company culture, the employees' passion for their jobs, the high quality reflected in the design and printing of books these things touched us."

Consequently, Guo is now looking forward to partnerships with Penguin in other areas.

Meanwhile, the winners - all of whom have a decent body of work, given their tender age - are looking forward to turning the UK experience into a lasting memory and a source of inspiration, the fruits of which may be found in what they write next.

"Experiencing a culture first-hand is always better than learning from books and TV," says Xiao, who took the top spot in the contest and won an enviable 100,000-yuan ($15,000) contract to write her next book.

"Sometimes, I do feel that my themes are limited. Now, I have got a fresh set of ideas to work on." She says she already has the first draft of a novel in hand, inspired by the trip.

Ye Chan, the second-prize winner, fell in love with the sprawling greenery and expansive clear blue skies in the English suburbs and couldn't stop tapping away.

"All my thoughts and feelings (about what I saw) will be presented in my new book Next Station: London," he says. "It may not necessarily seem favorably disposed either toward the Chinese or the British."

Chen Long entered the contest when he was in the last year of high school, juggling preparation for university entrance exams while completing arduous tasks as part of the competition at the same time. His favorite UK spot was the home of children's author and illustrator Beatrix Potter, "constructed in a simple but elegant style halfway up a hill". Chen, who has already written several pieces inspired by the trip, is grateful to have now acquired "a view from outside of China".

"Traveling in a strange land has stirred the emotions deep down in my heart," he says.

Although still a student, Lu Lili is no stranger to winning contests. But second-place winner of the 9th New Concept Writing Contest, finishing in the top four of Next, was special.

"The contest helped me run a check of myself - my fickleness, childishness, the value of my writing," Lu says.

"It helps one discover many unknown facets of oneself - one's flaws that might be changed, willingly and for the better."

The UK trip pushed her a little more in the same direction. "Traveling helps broaden one's vision," Lu says. "Now I think I'll think more deeply before writing, instead of being driven by sheer passion."

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