Oleg Roy: Literature Needs Promotion

2015 is the Year of Literature in Russia. One of Russia’s most popular writers, Oleg Roy, shares his insights on contemporary literature, the state of libraries and promoting a positive image of Russia abroad through literature and cinema.

2015 is the Year of Literature in Russia. One of Russia’s most popular writers, Oleg Roy, shares his insights on contemporary literature, the state of libraries and promoting a positive image of Russia abroad through literature and cinema.

Russia has always been famous for its ballet, art galleries and classic authors. Do you believe that contemporary Russian writers will also gain this broad recognition in the future?

The answer to that is not difficult to get to: in order to think about the future, you need to live in the present, and today everything that is connected with literature in Russia is in a sorry state. The promotion of literature leaves much to be desired. In addition, the number of readers in our country (and abroad) is constantly declining. We promote works by foreign authors over those produced by our own. It is somewhat strange that Fifty Shades of Grey and similar oeuvres are given such broad publicity, given that the country’s leadership keeps talking about the family, young generations and morals.

There is an apparent contradiction?

It seems that there is some kind of conceptual shift. We keep talking about good literature, the right kind of literature that needs to be developed in Russia but instead we produce and take pride in the works of Andrei Zvyagintsev. In this situation, the question arises as to what kind of image we want to create for our country with the help of literature and cinema? Unflattering movies about Russia are eagerly welcomed abroad, but there so many of them that we are eager to see something more cheerful. We are accustomed to the fact that in all Western movies it is the Russians who are the “bad guys,” be they Mafia or spies. Moreover, we have ceased to combat this image with the help of modern authors and screenwriters and fail to support and encourage their work and give them an opportunity to be heard.

Any area of activity has its own trends, be it politics, art, or journalism. How would you characterize the current state of affairs in Russian literature?

Today trash fiction is the mainstream, shaped by the latest publications. The problem lies in the fact that we have long been taught to spy on how others live through the keyhole. This was done through reality TV shows like Dom-2 (House-2) and similar projects. At the moment, this is what interests people.

The detective genre continues to be the leading trend in Russian literature. Books by Alexandra Marinina, Boris Akunin, Tatyana Ustinova, Ludmila Ulitskaya, Daria Dontsova and a huge number of other authors who, one way or another, have succeeded in this genre enjoy great popular demand. Detective novels far outstrip other publications in terms of volume of sales.

And what kind of literature experiences the least demand?

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Oddly enough, literature for children is the least in-demand genre. Full-color illustrations make it very expensive. Parents are not willing to pay much for thin books for children, especially in the current climate. I think that State Duma deputies should exempt children's literature from taxation. Then it will be affordable, and every child would have the opportunity to read good, cheap and properly published books.

They say that young people today tend to read much less. Should we view this as an indication of apathy and a lack of desire to develop? If yes, how can we stop this process?

There is no way to fight it. We must make books affordable and promote them, make literature an important part of everyone's life. However, the number of TV channels, TV series, gadgets and the time people spend poking a finger at the screen of their phones, takes intelligent consumers away from quality literature.

Can we somehow reorient the younger generation?

It would be difficult, but is sure worth trying, in my opinion. We are always engaged in some activity when we have time off – perhaps we play tennis, go skiing or do judo. What we need is to ensure reading good literature is included in this list. The main thing is to have a leader who will show by personal example that reading is, as they say, cool. Then everything will be alright. Our president is well-read, educated and intelligent. Regrettably, the point doesn’t seem to be getting across.

And how do you assess the current state of Russian libraries?

The situation with libraries and literature is sad: the former are closing, the latter is too expensive. Moreover, authors write very little, because books are expensive and sales are not good. The annual decline in the number of people who read stands at 12 percent, which means that the authors get less and less for their work. As a result, many of them simply change careers.

Can Russian libraries be transformed into electronic ones?

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We have enough electronic libraries for today. We should transform libraries into full-fledged leisure centers, where people can come not only to read a book, but to browse the Web, attend study groups or art clubs, listen to music, watch a movie, socialize, practice yoga, knitting, etc. Such centers should be located in each district so that they are never more than a short stroll away.

If you wrote about Russia, what kind of country would you depict? Do we need to protect Russia’s interests through literature?

In my novels Russia is always shown as one of the most promising countries to live in. Russia deserved it in the past, deserves it now and will always deserve it in future. Today’s world vehemently rejects everything that we do. Therefore, the more alternatives we can offer the better for us, and the worse for those who criticize us.

Do you think that if Russia aggressively promotes its image in books and movies it would be viewed as propaganda?

In almost every movie filmed in the United States the American flag is displayed, and the characters say that it is their homeland and that they love it, and that's okay. Why should we be shy of speaking out? Russia is the best country in the world, and we should feel free to proclaim it.

Is it difficult for Russian authors to publish their books abroad, if they are not well known in the country?

It is not just difficult, but virtually impossible, although there may be some minor exceptions. Only one or two of Russia’s top five writers are published abroad. This is due again to the position adopted by Western publishers, who believe that they have our own authors, and take advantage of advertising time as well as television and radio broadcasts to promote them, while other authors are of no interest at all.

Are you talking about those who want to get published for the first time, or of those who want to have a book that is already popular in Russia translated and published abroad?

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It applies to everyone. Even the most popular books here are unlikely to be published abroad.

Can you name some countries that take an interest in Russian authors more than others?

I would say that contemporary Russian authors face roughly the same lack of interest. Russian literature arouses little interest, unless we are talking about the classics: Anton Chekhov, Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Leo Tolstoy. And this is quite natural: we promote poor quality Western works, which only fuels our interest in them.

How do you keep up with the news? What Russian and foreign sources do you prefer to read and listen to?

I read RBC, RBC Daily and Kommersant, listen to RBC radio and Vesti. I draw on information from these sources, which I tend to trust. As to foreign news agencies, I prefer the BBC.

2015 has been declared the Year of Russian Literature. In your opinion, does having “thematic” seasons such as this help the country’s cultural development?

I do not think that these initiatives help improve anything.

What threatens the world in 2015? What or who will shape the news agenda?

It is the United States and its mindless policy. Its shale gas production pollutes the environment, the country instigates international conflicts. Imposing sanctions, the Americans make nothing of the fact that these actions hurt not just our esteemed president, but the whole country too.

Interviewer: Maria Smekalova, RIAC Web Content Editor