Ma Boyong: A writer who doesn’t follow the trend, a foodie who doesn’t cook, a middle-aged person who doesn’t stay up late丨Dialogue

The name of the writer Ma Boyong is often mentioned recently.

In December, two film and television works adapted from Ma Boyong’s novels met with the audience successively. One is the series “Wind Up Luoyang”, which was broadcast online on December 1, directed by Xie Ze and starring Huang Xuan, Wang Yibo and Song Qian. The other is the movie “Antique Bureau Middle Game”, which was released in theaters nationwide on December 3, directed by Guo Zijian and starring Lei Jiayin, Li Xian, Xin Zhilei, and Ge You.

“Antiques in the middle game” poster.

This writer who is good at writing historical aspects successfully made his way out of the circle with the novel “Antique Bureau Middle Game” published in 2012. His novels have also become the “fragrant rice cakes” that various film and television companies are competing for, and have been adapted into film and television works one after another. Before the movie version of “Antique Bureau Intermediate Bureau” was released, three online dramas of the same name had already met with the audience. In 2019, his novel “The Twelve Hours of Chang’an” was adapted into a series of the same name and aired. The city of Chang’an was full of fireworks, and delicacies such as lamb in water basin and fire crystal persimmon also brought the tourism in Xi’an.

And Ma Boyong continued the fireworks in his novels into the latest two works, especially in “Wind up Luoyang”, the audience followed Wang Yibo’s Baili Hongyi to taste the delicacies of Luoyang City, such as cold spring black fish, ice Cheese, mutton soup, Luoyang water table, etc. For “foodie” Ma Boyong, in order to write about the fireworks of a city, field research is necessary. Only when you go to the field can you feel the breath. Xi’an and Luoyang are both one of his favorite cities, and it is also an enjoyment to visit.

“Wind from Luoyang” poster.

A reporter from the Beijing News interviewed Ma Boyong and talked about the film adaptation of the novel and his creative mentality as a writer. Although many of his novels have been adapted into film and television works, Ma Boyong basically did not participate in the screenwriting work. He is very separate from the two identities of writer and screenwriter. “Able to write novels, not necessarily scripts, and vice versa.” In the face of traffic or IP, he didn’t want to be coerced. “It’s not about what is popular in the market, just follow the trend and write, but happily write what you are good at. Things and look forward to others’ recognition.”

As a full-time writer, Ma Boyong is very self-disciplined. He never stays up late, goes to bed at 11 o’clock in the evening, and starts at 6:30 in the morning. He maintains a good life schedule and creative passion. He likes to go to crowded places such as bookstores and cafes to write and keep typing. , Reading, in his opinion, a writer must be a miscellaneous, know a little bit about the three teachings and nine liuaries, you don’t need to be precise, but you must be a master.

“You can’t imagine the growth of the story without standing in the place where the story happened.”

The Beijing News: The recently hit drama “Wind up Luoyang” and the newly released movie “Antique Bureau Middle Game” are both adapted from your novel. When you go to the bookstore to write, did you find that your book was placed in a conspicuous position? ?

Ma Boyong:Yes, I will also ask the clerk how the book is selling. If you say it is selling well, you will be delighted, if you say it is not selling well, you will feel depressed. By the way, you can buy one yourself.

The writer Ma Boyong.Photo courtesy of the interviewee

Beijing News: The “Intermediate Bureau of Antiques Bureau” involves a large amount of expertise in antique appraisal. How to make up for this shortcoming when writing?

Ma Boyong:Read more papers, ask experts more, listen to people in the circle more chat, and then add some literary techniques to render, if you don’t understand it, you will avoid the truth.

The Beijing News: You wrote “The Twelve Hours in Chang’an”, “The Wind Rises from Luoyang” and other works. The descriptions of people’s food, clothing, housing and transportation are full of smoke and fire. How did you do this?

Ma Boyong:Field research is the most necessary. You can only feel the breath when you go to the field. It is impossible to imagine the growth of the story without standing in the place where the story takes place. Chang’an and Luoyang are both one of my favorite cities to visit, and it is a pleasure to go there to investigate.

Beijing News: There are many Luoyang delicacies in “Wind from Luoyang”, such as cold spring black fish, ice cheese, lamb soup, Luoyang water table, etc. As a senior “foodie”, which delicacy do you like best?

Ma Boyong:I like Luoyang’s mutton soup and beef soup the most. I don’t eat enough every time I go.

“Wind from Luoyang” stills.

Beijing News: After the broadcast of “The Twelve Hours of Chang’an”, Xi’an’s water basin mutton and other delicacies were on fire. What kind of delicacies do you think “Wind up Luoyang” will bring on fire?

Ma Boyong:Predict what kind of food the audience likes, the success rate is about the same as buying lottery tickets. We can only do our best and leave the choice to the audience to decide.

The gourmet water basin lamb in “The Twelve Hours of Chang’an”.

Beijing News: In your daily life, how do you cook and do you have any special dishes?

Ma Boyong:Hardly ever cook, and be a passive foodie with peace of mind.

“It’s not that I just follow the trend and write whatever is popular in the market, but I happily write what I’m good at.”

Beijing News: Although many of your novels have been adapted into film and television works, you have basically not participated in the relevant screenwriting work. What do you think is the difference between writing as a writer and writing as a screenwriter?

Ma Boyong:A novel is a non-linear poetic expression, while a script is an audio-visual language. The construction logic of the two is different. To outsiders, there seems to be little difference, but in fact the difference between the two is very big and the technical barriers are very high. Can write novels, not necessarily scripts, and vice versa.

The Beijing News: How do you view the relationship between original novels and film adaptations?

Ma Boyong:The adapted work is a re-narrative of the original, which is extended and brought into play. The two share the same spiritual core, but the way of expression is definitely different.

Beijing News: The reason why many of your novels are favored by film and television companies is that in addition to the attractive stories, are your texts more suitable for adaptation to film and television?

Ma Boyong:I think the most critical reason for whether a work is suitable for adaptation to film and television is whether it can provide readers with a resonance. It may be the resonance of emotion, the resonance of experience, or the resonance of feelings. When this sense of connection is established, then whether it is a novel, a movie, a TV series, a drama, or an animation, it will be successful.

Food shots in “The Twelve Hours of Chang’an”.

Beijing News: Many of your novels have become popular IPs and have been adapted into film and television works. What impact does this have on your writing?

Ma Boyong:What a person loves to write is not necessarily good at writing; but a subject that a person is good at writing must be one that he loves very much. So logically, it’s not just follow the trend to write whatever is popular in the market, but happily write what you’re good at and look forward to others’ approval.

“I never stay up late, I go to bed at 11 o’clock in the evening, and start at 6:30 in the morning.”

Beijing News: Your writing subject is basically inseparable from history. Does this have anything to do with your reading experience since childhood?

Ma Boyong:I used to write everything, but then my interest slowly turned to history. The history of China is so rich that there are inexhaustible materials in it. Backed by such a treasure house, just picking a few strands will be useful for life.

The Beijing News: You are a relatively prolific writer. How do you keep outputting content and maintaining creative passion?

Ma Boyong:Up to now, there are too many things I want to write, but time is limited. To maintain this state, you must continue to input, read, explore, research… The more knowledge you input, the more information you output. If you stop typing, then sooner or later the output will be exhausted. This is a very simple calculation problem.

Beijing News: You said before that you can code about three or four thousand words a day. How do you maintain self-discipline and fight procrastination?

Ma Boyong:A strong desire for expression can offset the hardship of writing; the pressure of life can suppress the urge to be lazy; deep vanity can ensure the motivation for self-discipline.

The Beijing News: When a bottleneck is encountered in the writing process, how will it be solved in general?

Ma Boyong:Then stop writing, go for a run, play games, go to the movies, and play until the inspiration comes back.

Beijing News: Many people who write like to stay up late, do you have the habit of staying up late?

Ma Boyong:I never stay up late, I always go to bed at 11 o’clock in the evening and start at 6:30 in the morning. I’m too old to stay up, and I get a headache when I stay up all night.

Beijing News: Many of your novels are suspenseful and reasoning themes, and require very high logical details. How do you train in this regard?

Ma Boyong:I will often give myself some propositions for imagination training, pondering over and over again, and forming a habit. For example, when squeezing the subway, I will observe the people around me and judge who gets off first from their behavior, so I can get a seat.

The Morse code shots that appeared in “Antique Bureau Middle Game” are very informative. For Ma Boyong, the writer must be a miscellaneous.

Beijing News: Did this training start after writing, or did it happen since childhood?

Ma Boyong:Since I was a child, because I transferred a lot of times and had few friends, I could only entertain myself.

Beijing News: Your novels cover a wide range of subjects. What types of books do you usually read?

Ma Boyong:Will not limit the type, read everything. The writer must be a miscellaneous, know a little bit about the three teachings and nine tiers, you don’t need to be precise, but you must be a master.

“Anything will bring inspiration to writing, because writing is about describing the world.”

The Beijing News: In your book, you have written about different dynasties such as the Three Kingdoms period, the Tang Dynasty, and the Ming Dynasty. If you have the ability to travel, which dynasty do you most want to return to and which character to become?

Ma Boyong:Going nowhere, ancient life is too far from modern life. I just need to travel back to buying a house ten years ago.

Beijing News: Jin Yong once said that he prefers the Shuanger in his work “The Deer and Ding Ji”. Which female image do you like in your work?

Ma Boyong:I prefer Su Jingxi in “Fifteen Days in Two Beijings” (Editor’s Note: Ma Boyong’s full-length historical novel). He is smart, independent, strong, and a bit crazy.

“Two Beijing 15th” concept poster.

The Beijing News: What is the daily life of the writer? If you want to make a film of “Ma Boyong Twelve O’clock”, what will the plot look like?

Ma Boyong:Probably it will be very boring. Get up at 6:30 in the morning, send the children to the shuttle bus at 7:20, and go to the studio to start writing. I wrote that by 5:30 in the afternoon, I went out to pick up the kids at the shuttle bus station, and I didn’t do anything at night.

Beijing News: Do you usually follow some American and British dramas? Are they helpful to your writing?

Ma Boyong:As long as I have access to film and television dramas from various countries, I will watch them. But the biggest pain now is that I can’t just watch a film. For example, for a tear-jerking plot, others will say that it is very touching, and I just think “This is a really clever way of mobilizing emotions.”

Beijing News: You especially like to write in noisy environments, such as coffee shops. This is also a place where film and television workers often talk about projects. Have you “audited” anything interesting?

Ma Boyong:Yes, sometimes I can’t help but cut in. But most of them glared at me with disgust, thinking that I, a layman, was getting in the way.

Beijing News: You also particularly like playing games. Will games inspire writing?

Ma Boyong:Not only games, anything will bring inspiration to writing, because writing is about describing the world.

Beijing News: On the road to becoming a full-time writer, which writers have had a greater influence on you?

Ma Boyong:The most influential one should be the Austrian writer Stephen Zweig, who has a gorgeous and majestic perspective on history. When I was in middle school, I read his “When the Stars of Mankind Are Shining”, and I just watched it on my knees.

Beijing News: Many readers will ask for your signature. What is the most interesting signature requested?

Ma Boyong:A girl asked to sign “off the order as soon as possible.” Later, she repaid the signing the next year, saying that she had successfully dropped the order and her boyfriend met at the last signing meeting. In the third year, she came again, with a little baby, who had already cultivated a righteous result.

Ma Boyong will release a list of recommended books at the end of the year.Photo courtesy of the interviewee

The Beijing News: If you had not embarked on the path of a full-time writer, what kind of career might you have?

Ma Boyong:I don’t have any other specialties. I can probably only be an ordinary office worker. From 9 to 5… Huh? How does it sound the same as it is now.

The Beijing News: Can you recommend a book list to readers of the Beijing News?

Ma Boyong:I will publish a list of recommended books at the end of each year to talk about the ten books I have read this year. Please pay attention to my Weibo and official account, and release it on time.

Beijing News senior reporter Teng Chao

Senior editor Huang Jialing proofreads Wu Xingfa