VietNamNet Bridge – The copyright of over 40 literary works by 11 Vietnamese writers will be offered for sale abroad from March 2012. It is a piece of good news for Vietnamese writers, though the result is unclear yet.
Among these selected works, writer Bui Anh Tan owns the highest number, with 12 novels and two collections of short stories. Tan is widely known for his stories about the life of homosexuals.

The remaining authors are all younger than Tan, including Phan Hon Nhien, with six works, Nguyen Vinh Nguyen with three, Can Van Khanh and Vu Dinh Giang with two each, Tran Nha Thuy and Duong Binh Nguyen with one each, etc.

The list of selected work has been printed in many languages, with information about the authors and their main works. Some works have been translated in English.

Translator Nguyen Le Chi, director of Chibooks Company, who will represent Vietnamese writers to sell their works--says that these works will be advertised at international book festivals, for example, the Kuala Lumpur book copyright fair in April 2012, or the Beijing book festival in August and September 2012.

Chibooks signed contracts with related writers on March 16.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, writer Bui Anh Tan said: “This is like fishing. But I hope that I and my colleagues can sell our works overseas.”

Chibooks will ink similar deals with nearly ten other writers this year, to raise the total number of Vietnamese books offered for copyright sale in 2012 to nearly 100.

These contracts are effective for 8-10 years, which is long enough for making negotiation, translation, printing and distribution. Chibooks will earn 10 percent of the contract value.

Vietnamese literature is unpopular in the world. Chibooks’ plan is seen as a new way to bring Vietnamese books to the world.

V. Tien