Translated from Utsudo’s original Chinese column.

What’s a publisher’s New Year banquet like?Utsudo’s first publisher New Year banquet was held during the Taipei International Comics & Animation Festival. She shared a Chinese banquet table with the boss, editors and several authors, and everyone took turns introducing themselves. She was so nervous her memory is a blur — luckily, a senior figure at the publisher kept helping her get noticed, becoming one of her benefactors.

Attending a publisher’s New Year banquet for the first time

　　I forget which year it was, but once during the Taipei International Comics & Animation Festival, I attended a New Year banquet with several authors and publisher staff for the first time. Originally it was just a casual get-together among us, but somehow the publisher’s boss, editors and other staff ended up coming too.​​​​​​​

　　I forget where it was — anyway, some restaurant in Taipei.

　　The generous boss treated us, but honestly the food wasn’t that good (whispers). Or maybe my tongue is so used to common (poor) people’s food that I can’t taste anything too fancy? 

　　Hmm, that makes perfect sense. A century-old mystery finally solved today (huh?

　　Ahem. Surprisingly many people came that day. I traveled up from the south specially with another author (because it was my first publisher banquet! I wanted to see what everyone “lurking” on the other side of the computer looked like! XD) 

　　Before heading to the venue, we authors walked together as a group, feeling especially impressive — though sadly no one rushed out asking for autographs(too much manga)。

　　We spent a pleasant evening at the book fair, and when it was time, we all headed to the restaurant together.

　　Everyone chatted about this and that. Some authors were very talkative; others, like me, quietly ate and mostly listened to what others were talking about — which I found quite interesting.

The nerves of sharing a table with the boss and editors

　　The banquet venue looked very upscale, with an elegant classical style. The dishes were all Chinese, served at the kind of round table with a lazy Susan.

　　Actually… I was prettynervous.

　　After all, the boss who decides whether manuscripts live or die was sitting diagonally across from me (even though the table was huge and far), with a long line of editors next to him. I was so scaredddd!

　　I was terrified of making a bad impression, so I was extra, extra careful even while eating.

　　I remember that on my left was a well-known author on POPO, and on my right was the author friend who came up with me. The author on my left kept putting meat on my plate — such a nice person, I want to follow you for life >////<

　　↑ Don’t look at me like I’m “so easy to win over”!

　　After the meal, everyone started chatting again.

　　The boss praised some authors for selling well and shared funny stories about cover design. Then, perhaps because no one knew what to do next, our table started taking turns introducing ourselves.

　　Boo hoo, my most dreaded situation! 

　　I don’t really remember what everyone said, especially as my turn approached. 

　　Then it was my turn.

　　Um, then that part of my memory seems to have been scrambled by aliens (gets kicked 

　　Anyway, it was probably something about which books I’d published and what my pen name was — but I’m sure it came out incoherently, and the round ended in total fluster. 

The benefactor who quietly helped me get noticed

　　At that banquet I was nervous but still had a lot of fun. There was one senior person at the publisher who seemed to believe in me and kept bringing me into the conversation, which made timid me break into a cold sweat several times.

　　I understood they meant well — I just wasn’t used to such occasions yet. But thank you so much for helping me get noticed XD 

　　For example, when everyone was talking about someone whose book was delayed because they turned in their manuscript late, they added:“Utsudo never misses a deadline!”

　　When I got stuck during my self-introduction, they filled in for me:“She’s the author of XXXX!”

　　Or when someone’s books were mentioned selling well at book fairs, they said:“Utsudo’s books are perfect for school book fairs!”and so on — so adorable XD

　　But then everyone would turn to look at me at once, and I’d be so flattered and flustered that I could only nod hastily. 

　　I’m truly grateful for the hopes they placed in me. Even as I went on to work with other publishers, I’ll never forget them.　　

　　That banquet was so much fun. There was another the next year, but it came up a bit suddenly and I had other plans, so I didn’t go QQ I hope I get another chance to attend. I kind of miss that person — there are some thank-yous I really want to say in person. 

　　Thinking back, that person was also one of my benefactors!

　　Some moving and memorable things happened between us before — I’ll tell you about them later!

FAQ

Further reading (in Chinese)

• Previous: #08 (in Chinese)
• Next: #10 (in Chinese)
• Start from the beginning: #01 — Utsudo’s debut
• Column introduction
• Utsudo’s books

About the author

Utsudo is a Taiwanese light novelist and novelist VTuber with more than ten years in the industry and 40 commercially published print books. Her novel 《遺失的情書》 received a 2022 Ministry of Culture youth creative award. The 《嘿！聽說妳在鬼島當作家》 series records her experiences as a novelist in Taiwan.