Iasi – Winner of the Ziarul de Iasi National Prose Contest, the writer Florin Lăzărescu says that prizes boost book sales and that is lacking in Romania. The National Prose Contest from Iași has reached its 21st edition.
Published in: 07/05/2024 – 09:19
3 minutes
Among the winners were, over time, Mircea Cărtărescu, Ioana Pîrvulescu, Cristian Teodorescu, Ioana Nicolae, Radu Vancu, Octavian Soviany, Dan Lungu and Matei Vișniec. But many writers say that the strong tide of contemporary prose is not followed by an equally strong wave of readers.
“In terms of new readers, the school has a lot to do as a system. Teachers do a lot on their own. They are heroes. The way our education is, I don’t think it succeeds in creating a reading reflex, a necessity”, says the writer Bogdan Crețu simply. He has been a member of the jury of the Ziarul de Iași National Prose Contest for more than 15 years. And, says Bogdan Crețu, from year to year, the work of the jury is getting harder: “Romania has a strong wave of contemporary prose writers. For 14-15 years since I’ve been on the jury, the prize has been won by ultra-known prose writers, and authors who are just starting out. What the jury considered to be the best book of the year was actually awarded. Although the award is titled the National Prose Award, the award is not known to be awarded twice. One cannot take it twice as in the contest. Awards help. Prizes get books to people better. I think that also in the motivation of a writer, when your work is recognized is a very good thing, it clearly helps you to move on”.
Bogdan Crețu is complemented by Florin Lăzărescu, artistic director of FILIT and award-winning writer at the National Prose Contest in Iasi: “The world tends to appreciate, so to speak, to follow. A literary award makes you stand out. People want to read top books. And then, if you are the recipient of awards, nominations for awards, you automatically stand out. There are no big prizes in Romania. Abroad, for example, a literary award effectively enshrines you for the next ten years. But in Romania there would also be a contribution to sales. I think the more the merrier. That’s what I was saying, at our place, the awards are not important to those outside, but they are welcome. The existence of important literary prizes in Romania would be welcome. There are the film awards, for example. These days we are talking about the Gopo Film Awards. They have already become consecrated. 300-400 people vote there. You can’t count the votes of 3-400 people. I think that, for example, in literature it would be extraordinary to have such prizes. Voted by the guild”.
Editor-in-chief of the Iași Newspaper, Toni Hrițac, reveals the recipe for the longevity of the National Prose Contest from Iași: “The National Prize for Prose, offered by Ziarul de Iași, reached its 21st edition this year and was awarded to Mrs. Simona Antonescu for the book “Chiajna din Casa Mușatinilor”. The award gained special prestige during this period. It is mainly due to the jury made up of critics Alexandru Călinescu, president, Bogdan Crețu, Codrin Liviu Cutitaru, Antonio Patraș and Doris Mironescu. Over time it has had prestigious awards, and for this reason I think it has become an unavoidable landmark for readers who are passionate about fiction books. Readers who, even though there is talk lately that they are, perhaps not the number we would have liked, are discerning, attentive and need such benchmarks for new literature, for new writers, to signal what is emerging valuable on the Romanian market”.
As for the readers, the conclusion is drawn by the writer Cristian Teodorescu: “I’m afraid the average age is going up, not down.”
